The 2021/22 jumps season has drawn to a close, but as ever, there is little time to rest on your laurels, especially with one season following so hot on the heels of the last.  Indeed, following Sandown’s season finale on Saturday, the new jumps season kicks-off at Cheltenham this Friday with their Hunter Chase card, whilst the pros are back on Saturday with action from Hexham and Uttoxeter.  You may think with a few days off from domestic action, things may be a little quiet around Pond House, but quite the opposite is true!

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As we embark on the final week of the season, I am delighted to have the horses in rude health.  Successes for Koi Dodville, Panic Attack, Kolisi, Red Happy and Grangeclare Glory last week took our tally for the current campaign to 47 and it is great to be finishing off with a flourish.  A half century of winners would be nice, but may be just out of reach, but we have beaten our prize money total from last season so that is a sound achievement in itself.

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        Jet Smart - New Horse For Sale

The good form of the yard continues and I am delighted to have recorded a further six wins since writing last Monday!  Mr Tambourine Man was the first winner of the week at Exeter last Tuesday.  He was returning from a mini break after not enjoying the winter ground in his previous runs and he bounced right back to form on the better going.  This was his first victory since coming over from Ireland and hopefully he can build on this going forward.  He is by the mighty Galileo and could have a few runs on the flat as well over the summer.  It was great for his local owners, Brian and Sue Middleton as they have been very patient with him.

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               Neon Moon Wins Again

I have been very pleased with our late season form and with only a few weeks left, we are certainly finishing off with a flourish.  It has not been the easiest of campaigns, but the horses are running well and we enjoyed a further fourwinners last week with Neon Moon, Red Happy, Duc de Beauchene and Kolisi all obliging.

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       Heure De Gloire Winner Ffos Las

Last week was one of great highs and terrible lows.  The stable was among the winners again with an across the card double at Ffos Las and Ludlow on Wednesday courtesy of Heure de Gloire and Itacare, but we were beset by tragedy that same afternoon when losing promising young gelding Seventeen O Four at the Welsh track.

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Cheltenham is in the rear view mirror for another twelve months, but what an amazing festival it was.  We endured extremes of weather, whilst the record-breaking crowds witnessed some incredible action on the track.  The Pond House team almost recorded a victory on day one, whilst we were on the mark elsewhere with an across-the-card double at Doncasater and Fakenham on Friday.

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Well, the waiting is almost over!  In just 24 hours, the finest jumps meeting in the world, the 2022 Cheltenham Festival gets underway.  We will have a small but select team running over the course of the four days and after months of anticipation; I can’t wait for it all to get underway.  I will be there each day and look forward to catching up with all of my guests in our hospitality marquee.  With so many last minute bits and pieces to organise before heading off to Taunton this afternoon, I am sure you will understand if this weeks’ offering is a little shorter than usual!

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This time next week the waiting will almost be over.  It will be Cheltenham eve and with a contender, Adagio, in the Champion Hurdle, the big race on day one of the Festival, anticipation around the yard is building.  The hard work has largely been done and now it is just a case of keeping him ticking over – I am sure there will be a few sleepless nights between now and then!  We will probably only have a handful of runners, but I have been pleased with the work of those that could take their chances and am looking forward to the meeting getting underway.

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Obviously, the world has changed significantly since my blog last week and racing matters pale into insignificance alongside world events.  My thoughts are with those involved and I hope a peaceful resolution can be found and quickly.  Back to matters I can have a bearing on and I was pleased to be on the scoresheet again at Exeter last week with Kingofthewest a good winner on Friday, leading home a 1-2 for the stable.  Meanwhile, preparations continue apace for the Cheltenham Festival and I can scarcely believe that there are now only two weeks until the biggest jumps meeting on the calendar.

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Despite the best efforts of Dudley, Eunice and Franklin, we managed to keep the show on the road and I was pleased to be on the mark again with the success of Neon Moon (pictured above) at Plumpton last Monday.  There were several other noteworthy performances too, not least from Adagio, who ran a super race to bustle up Goshen in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on Saturday and all roads for him lead to Cheltenham in three weeks’ time.

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