- Monday, 18 February 2013 16:31
- Written by David Pipe
It has already been a good start to what looks like a busy week as the countdown to the Cheltenham Festival begins to reach fever pitch. With only three weeks to go until the finest four days of jumping action on the racing calendar I am delighted that the stable continues to fire in the winners. Franklin Roosevelt was a ready winner of the handicap chase at Southwell today (Monday) in the hands of Tom Scudamore on only his third start over fences. He saw out the trip of 3m2f well enough, is still relatively lightly raced and should be capable of winning again granted similar conditions.
- Monday, 11 February 2013 16:23
- Written by David Pipe
I’m not sure that turning 40 is something to celebrate, but there were five other good reasons last week with the successes of Shotavodka, Broadway Buffalo, Alderluck, Vieux Lion Rouge and The Liquidator! Despite my reservations, I did in fact have a thoroughly enjoyable day on Thursday capped off by the (appropriate!) success of Shotavodka at Taunton and a surprise birthday party at Pond House on Thursday evening. I would just like to thank everyone who sent kind messages on the social networking websites - they are very much appreciated.
- Monday, 04 February 2013 16:20
- Written by David Pipe
Despite a handful of abandonments, it was testament to the great work of the ground staff at the racecourses that the baulk of the meetings were able to go ahead last week. With the excellent facilities at our disposal we normally hit the ground running after enforced ‘weather breaks’ and so that trend was maintained with seven winners during the course of the week.
- Monday, 28 January 2013 14:59
- Written by David Pipe
What an eventful week! Sadly the weather certainly played its part with heavy snow, freezing temperatures and more recently rainfall and flooding wreaking havoc with the jumps calendar and leaving Ayr and Cheltenham (and a jumpers’ bumper meeting) as the only National Hunt action taking place on these shores.
- Monday, 21 January 2013 13:25
- Written by David Pipe
It’s a great pity that snow interrupted the racing last week as we continued in flying form with three gutsy winners from our four runners and a success on each day from Monday through Wednesday. The stable had no runners Thursday but sadly come Friday the big freeze was on and the jump racing calendar was obliterated.
- Monday, 14 January 2013 16:01
- Written by David Pipe
We don’t have an awful lot of runners on the flat, but it was nice to be back among the winners with a success at Kempton on Wednesday afternoon with the recently acquired Purple ‘n Gold (pictured above) in the 1m2f handicap.
- Monday, 07 January 2013 16:49
- Written by David Pipe
I have heard a wide variety of excuses in my time but even I wasn’t prepared for the one that Tom Scudamore served up at Exeter last Tuesday! Scu returned from his ride aboard Bamboleo in the 2m3f National Hunt novices’ hurdle and proceeded to tell me that his mount would have finished significantly closer if he had not become entangled in the tail of weaking rival Silver Commander entering the home straight! Bamboleo lost his position quite badly before staying on again into fourth place once becoming free of the wayward tresses…hopefully he will have more luck in running next time and there won’t be anymore ‘hair-raising experiences’! Oh dear, I think I have been hanging around Chester Barnes too long!
