- Monday, 31 March 2025 15:50
- Written by David Pipe
Vieux Lion Rouge will be Parading at Aintree
On the final day of this month, I can report that it has been officially the driest March at Pond House since we started recording the rainfall 25 years ago. Just 8mm of rain has fallen here in the past 31 days, which fell on 22nd March (6mm) and 28th March (2mm). The previous lowest recorded amount of rainfall during March was back in 2012 when just over 22m of rain fell so we are quite some way below the previous lowest. In March 2024, we had 137mm of rain and up to the end of that month last year, the running total was 462.5mm. For the same period in 2025, we have had 243.5mm of rain. Despite the beginning of this year seaming as if it was endless rain, we are now well and truly behind last year!
- Monday, 24 March 2025 14:27
- Written by David Pipe
Rian Corcoran & MCP
The continuing dry weather has meant we have not had that many runners in the last week. The ones we have ran have all run well but a little frustratingly have not yielded a winner. Keppage was be our first runner of last week but I ended up making him a non-runner, as the ground was too quick.
- Monday, 17 March 2025 16:40
- Written by David Pipe
First Lord Du Cuet & Jack Pipe
Winner at Buckfastleigh
(Photo Courtesy of Jill Hurst)
The last week has flown by and just like that, the Cheltenham Festival 2025 is done and dusted. I hope you all enjoyed the week, there were some great winners and emotional stories behind those winners and my initial impression is that in general, it was a good week for our sport. We had just the three runners and sadly were not involved in the finishes but I was there every day and it was lovely to have so many familiar faces in our hospitality marquee. Matt Chapman came in every day before racing to go through the day’s card with me and I think we managed to find a winner or two along the way!
- Monday, 10 March 2025 13:36
- Written by David Pipe
Activist Winner at Fontwell
We are of course on the eve of the Cheltenham Festival and we head to Prestbury Park tomorrow with two runners who have each way chances. King Turgeon runs in the Ultima handicap chase at 2.40pm while Gericault Roque runs in the 5.20pm National Hunt chase and Jack Tudor rides both.
- Monday, 03 March 2025 16:01
- Written by David Pipe
Jurancon Winner at Newbury
Jurancon was a welcome winner at Newbury on Saturday, his third win of the season on his first try in handicap company. His form figures for us now read 12121211 in his career so as you can see he is a very nice horse who always runs his race. He won this race off a mark of 127 and did things pretty comfortably. Jack Tudor said he does not do a lot when he hits the front so there is more to come. There are no immediate plans for him but he has come out of the race well and he will be an exciting novice chaser next season. He will appreciate a step up in distance at some point but he is not short of speed and if the ground stays soft enough he will be running again this season and Aintree is a possibility.
- Monday, 24 February 2025 15:50
- Written by David Pipe
Gericault Roque
Cheltenham Handicap Weights Revealed this Week
Skin Full and Chauffeur Driven were our best runners of last week and both horses filled the runner up spots carrying the colours of owner Sarah Ling. We stepped Skin Full up in distance, to three miles for the first time under rules and he put in his best performance to date. He had finished second in and Irish point to point so we knew he would stay and he appreciated the better going and unfortunately, for us, he just lost out in a prolonged battle with the eventual winner. He showed a good attitude and galloped all the way to the line. I think we may have ‘bumped into one’ on this occasion and on this evidence our six year old is capable of winning a similar contest going forwards.
- Monday, 17 February 2025 16:10
- Written by David Pipe
River Run Free Winner at Leicester
River Run Free won for the second time over fences at Leicester last week, putting in another polished round of jumping in the process. He is now two from two over the larger obstacles in handicap company. The winning distance was not that far but he did it nicely and I hope that the handicapper cannot put him up too much for this, though we shall find out on Tuesday! There is more to come from our six year old and he will appreciate an even great test of stamina in due course.
- Monday, 10 February 2025 16:01
- Written by David Pipe
Sidi Ismael Winner at Chipley Point to Point
We have not had many runners in the last week on the track but we did have four runners at our local Chipley Park point to point on Saturday, which yielded two winners for the team. Fighter Allen won the Mixed Open and Sidi Ismael the novice riders race, both were ridden by our young amateur Rian Corcoran and this was his first ever double so many congratulations to him.
- Monday, 03 February 2025 15:54
- Written by David Pipe
River Run Free Winner at Lingfield
From limited runners last week we added another winner to the seasons tally taking us to 44, with River Run Free winning well at Lingfield on Friday. He was making his chasing and handicap debut with a first time tongue strap and all these elements combined saw an improved performance and nice win. He had run well in an Irish point to point to finish second to the horse, Final Demand and we saw how impressive he was in winning at Leopardstown on Saturday. River Run Free had struggled a bit in is hurdles to date, but appreciated the larger obstacles and travelled and jumped well before really battling on gamely in the finish when Jack Tudor asked him for his effort. The front two did pull away from the rest but I do not think the handicapper can be too harsh for this victory and there should be plenty more fun to be had with him going forwards.
- Monday, 27 January 2025 16:26
- Written by David Pipe
Jilaijone Winner at Uttoxeter
Our only runners of the week were on Saturday and it was brilliant to get an across the card double with Belfrina and Jilaijone. Belfrina made it third time lucky at Doncaster on Saturday to win a listed mares hurdle and get some valuable black type in the process. She was unlucky in her previous race at the course, falling at the final hurdle when looking likely to win. It was actually the same two fillies locking horns again from two out this time around it was more of a battle this time, but our filly showed a great attitude to knuckle down and win going away close to the line. That was only the fifth run of her life, third over hurdles and she is improving every time. She has a good engine and the heart to match and there is plenty more to come.
