Sirekoff - New Horse Looking for an Owner!

Jumps racing takes a mini-summer break with Uttoxeter the last meeting on Sunday until racing returns at Market Rasen on 17th August.  While we did not quite add to our winners tally in the last few days, Chemical Warfare came closest with another good run to be second at Uttoxeter on Friday.   Our hand was forced slightly after we were balloted out of our intended target at Worcester over 2m4f and we had to try a new trip of 3m2f to get a run in before the break.  He stayed the distance well and galloped all the way to the line and was closing on the winner but just ran out of time.  The fact he saw out the new distance well opens up further opportunities for him when racing returns and I am  sure this likeable seven year old can be winning again this summer.

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    Final Entry - Winner at Newton Abbot

It was a nice win for Final Entry of hurdling and stable debut at Newton Abbot on Sunday.  We bought him from an online sale earlier this summer out of the Jessica Harrington yard as he is the full-brother to our very own Mr Tambourine Man who is a five-time hurdle winner.  Final Entry had schooled very well at home in the lead up to but you may not have thought that if you had watched the race and he nearly never got further than the first hurdle!  Thankfully, he found his feet and Jack sat tight and then let him warm to his task.  He saved his best jump for the final flight and battled on well on the extended run in (the final flight was omitted). 

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      Hammer Dan Winner at Stratford

The past week has been one with a touch of international flavour, with me on a family holiday in the Algarve and having a runner in France.  With the kids having broken up from school for the summer, Leanne and I and the children are having a lovely few days in Portugal.  It has been very hot and there have been plenty of Mozzies liking us all, but it has been a nice few days break, although Jack cannot wait to get home and go racing!

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    Chemical Warfare - Worcester Winner

It is always great to start a new week with a winner and a particularly poignant today with Chemical Warfare winning at Worcester on Monday and I shall tell you a little story… A year ago to the day, on 8th July 2023 Leanne and Gemma, Mandy and Emma from the yard took part in the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge in aid of Racing Welfare.  They put in a fantastic effort and raised over £5,000 for the charity with sore feet and aching bodies to show for it but that is just part of the story!  The girls stayed in an Airbnb in Giggleswick and travelled up to Yorkshire the day before the challenge with an early start the next morning. 

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        Martin McIntyre Award Winner

It was a quiet week on the runner’s front since last writing and it had the ups and downs of what happens in our sport.  We sadly lost Happy Helen at Newton Abbot on Tuesday.  She was making her hurdling a stable debut in the juvenile hurdle, she was running well until stopping quickly in the race three from home, and she suffered a fatal heart attack.  These things are hard to take, especially with a young horse and like with humans, there is usually no warning or anything noticeable beforehand.  The only good thing is it happens very quickly and she would have known very little about it. 

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   Chemical Warfare Winner at Market Rasen

I didn’t have that many runners during the last week but they all ran well and it was nice to get a first success over hurdles for Chemical Warfare at Market Rasen on Friday.  He was only having his third start for me and had been a little unlucky on his previous outing when coming down at the last fence at Worcester when holding every chance.  Returned to hurdling, he travelled strongly and found lots for pressure when Jack asked him for his effort.  He does have entries in the coming days but he is not likely to go up more than seven pounds and so we will wait a little longer as there are plenty of opportunities coming up.  He loves good or quicker ground and can alternate between hurdles and fences and so there is plenty more fun to be had with him this summer.

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      Mr Tambourine Man in Chillier Times!

There were two winners for the stable last week with Hammer Dan winning at Newton Abbot and Mr Tambourine Man winning again at Uttoxeter on Saturday evening.  Hammer Dan had not shown much in truth on the racecourse so far but we knew from his homework he is more capable that he had shown to date so it was nice our patience finally paid off! 

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                      Sunbathing

It was a very quiet week on the runners front since last writing with just four runners and Kintaro faring best with a third place over hurdles at Bangor.  He improved from his debut at Hereford and stayed on nicely on Saturday after jumping well throughout at odds of 66/1.  He has ability but is a quirky character and it was just nice to see him finish off the race so well.  He looks capable of winning over hurdles if he can build on this effort.

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Our runners in the last week have run well with two winners from ten runners and three seconds and two third places as well.  It could have been three winners but sadly not, with Chemical Warfare joining issue with his rivals at the last fence but unfortunately crumpling on landing and coming down.  It is a long run in a Worcester but Jack felt he was going well and would have won!  Although a little stiff and sore, he is not too bad and has been given a nice massage by our physio on Monday morning.  With a bit of luck next time he looks capable of winning over fences again.

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Winner number two of the season came courtesy of Behind the Curtain winning at Hereford on Friday evening.  Having run well at the course previously to be second it was great he could go one place better under Jack Tudor.  He seems to have appreciated the better ground of late and he shows a great attitude and enjoys his racing.  He did not win by that far but was always pulling out more when challenged.  His jumping has also improved in recent starts and we may look to go back over fences again at some point.

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