- Monday, 21 November 2011 21:39
- Written by David Pipe
Following on from the successes of Notus de la Tour and Wings of Icarus earlier last week, I was delighted that we could keep the momentum going with an across the card double on Saturday at Ascot and Haydock. Over at Ascot Hadden Frost produced a beautifully timed ride to score aboard I’msingingtheblues in the valuable 2m1f handicap chase. This was the horse’s first win since joining us and he certainly deserved to land a decent prize as he has been running creditably, reaching the frame in countless decent races from two to three miles without getting his head in front. Hopefully now that he has done it once, it won’t be so long before he can win again!
- Monday, 14 November 2011 19:44
- Written by David Pipe
Great Endeavour lands my first Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday
Well, what an extraordinary week it has been with a whole host of noteworthy and creditable performances, culminating in an amazing treble on the first day of the Open Meeting at Cheltenham and the fantastic success of Great Endeavour in the highlight of the week, The Paddy Power Gold Cup on Saturday.
We started the ball rolling with success at our local track, Taunton on Thursday when Arab League was an all the way winner of the novices’ hurdle for ever enthusiastic owner Stuart Mercer. Given a positive ride by Tom Scudamore, he never looked in any danger of defeat and picked up a handsome £5653.26 – a good prize for a novices’ hurdle at the Somerset track.
- Monday, 07 November 2011 16:48
- Written by David Pipe
The flat season ended in style at the weekend with Paul Hanagan crowned champion jockey for the second consecutive time and Richard Hannon gaining his fourth trainers title. Both have had wonderful campaigns and I would like to offer my congratulations on their thoroughly deserved successes.
- Monday, 31 October 2011 16:43
- Written by David Pipe
The stable continues in good form and we enjoyed another couple of impressive winners last week: My Brother Sylvest at Haydock on Wednesday and Notus de la Tour at Carlisle on Sunday. After he had completed a quickfire double, we were forced into running My Brother Sylvest again quickly after the handicapper chose to raise him by 16lbs. He confirmed his wellbeing by scooting up at Haydock under Conor O’Farrell and in the process broke the track record for the second race in succession. He is clearly on the upgrade and hopefully he will continue to improve now that we have found the key to him.
- Tuesday, 25 October 2011 07:06
- Written by David Pipe
Last week was a good one with three winners, two at Exeter on Tuesday and another at Wincanton on Sunday. Soulard was ridden by young amateur jockey Tom Bellamy who was a late replacement for Kieron Edgar. I thought that Tom gave Soulard a good ride despite the obvious expectations upon him that come with riding a 1/9 shot – this was his first winner for me since joining us at Pond House and I hope that it is the first of many. My Brother Sylvest completed a double for the yard when winning nicely in the three runner handicap hurdle, but the handicapper obviously saw something that I missed – reacting by putting him up by a whopping 16lbs! Most Cheltenham Festival winners would struggle to get a rise like that, nevermind a winner of a three runner race at Exeter!
- Tuesday, 18 October 2011 12:16
- Written by David Pipe
It looks like being a hectic week with plenty of jumping action to look forward to. In fact there are no fewer than twelve National Hunt meetings taking place and we have entries at most of them. We enjoyed a double at Exeter on Tuesday courtesy of My Brother Sylvest (Tom Scudamore), while young amateur Tom Bellamy scored his first success since joining us at Pond House when a late replacement aboard Soulard (pictured above).
- Monday, 10 October 2011 16:21
- Written by David Pipe
Just reflecting on last week, it was a very busy one! It started as I mentioned with a morning at Wincanton races last Monday, then for the rest of the week it was pretty hectic with owners here to see their horses on several mornings. It included a couple of new horses arriving at the yard, a visit from an equine artist and an interview with the editor of the Owner Breeder magazine. Edward Whittaker was also here one morning taking photos to accompany our stable tour that will be in the Racing Post and add to that a few days racing for me at Ludlow, Exeter, Newton Abbot and Newmarket and I was quite glad to finally reach Sunday! Unfortunately it was not a day of rest but it gave me chance to catch up with work at home!
