western_warhorse_chepstow

It’s been a couple of weeks of high achievements – the week before last we were celebrating breaking through the £1million prize money barrier for the season and last week we scored our 100th winner of the current season with Western Warhorse (pictured above), and with a couple of weeks of the season remaining, there is still time to enhance those totals yet further. While 100 winners and £1million in prize money are not the be-all and end-all and do not define whether the season is considered a success or not, they are nonetheless nice landmarks to achieve.

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Dynaste_Aintree_Scu

What an exciting week, culminating in a thoroughly enjoyable Grand National at Aintree on Saturday.  The stable has been in good form as we enjoyed successes at Exeter on Tuesday with Bygones Sovereign, Aintree on Friday with Dynaste (pictured above courtesy of our pilot John Darby) and Chepstow on Saturday with Oddjob, not to forget War Singer landing the Aintree Legends charity race on Grand National day.  Meanwhile Swing Bill performed with enormous credit in the big race itself and we managed to break through the £1 million prize money barrier for the season.

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junior080311web

Although a quiet Bank Holiday Monday in terms of runners from the stable, we have an interesting contender in the big race of the day, the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.  Royal Ascot and Cheltenham Festival winner Junior (pictured above) made trip across the St Georges’ Channel from Fishguard to Rosslare on Saturday morning and arrived at the new stables at Fairyhouse racecourse on Saturday evening.  He will be partnered in today’s contest by Conor O’Farrell, who was aboard him when successful at Newcastle earlier in the season.  He has it all to do under top weight – it is hard enough to win under that welter burden on these shores, never mind travelling overseas and doing it!  Sadly I won’t be in attendance – the hospitality that the Irish always show us is legendary, but I will be watching from the comfort of my armchair this afternoon.

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shotavodka_newbury_210313

As is normally the case after Cheltenham and prior to Aintree, there is often something of a lull between Festival’s and this certainly hasn’t been aided by the atrocious weather that we have been experiencing of late.  Indeed the elements were responsible for the loss of seven meetings in this country alone last week and things haven’t started too much better with both Taunton and Towcester abandoning today’s (Monday’s) cards.

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midlands_national_2013b

The saying goes that racing is a great leveller and last week certainly proved that old adage correct.  A week of highs and lows started on Monday with an across the card double at Plumpton and Taunton and ended with a fantastic third consecutive success in the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter, in between that was the small matter of the Cheltenham Festival…

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Dynaste_Newbury_web

I am sure by now you will have heard that after much deliberating and careful consideration we have decided to run exciting novice chaser Dynaste in the Jewson on Thursday.  With the ground officially still soft and unlikely to get much quicker; it seemed the most prudent option when you take into account that he will have some lovely fresh ground to race on on the new course.  The RSA has a habit of turning into something of a slog and with the tactical speed and accurate jumping he possesses; the shorter event seemed the most logical choice.

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e_street_boy_wincanton_2_steve_kemp

The latest news ahead of the Cheltenham Festival?  There is no news!  Despite speculation to the contrary, there has still been no decision made on Dynaste’s target next week (Jewson or RSA) and in all likelihood there will not be until the declarations need to be made for the first of those races next Monday.   At that point we will have every conceivable piece of information at hand to make the correct decision for the horse – blood test results, likely rivals in each race etc.  The decision really is in the balance and I am yet to reach an agreement with my father!

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Shotavodka_Sandown

With nine victories last week, our tally has moved onto 87 winners for the season and with only two weeks to go (I know, I can’t believe it either!) until the start of the Cheltenham Festival, the stable could barely be in better form.

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Dynaste_Press_Day_13_web

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.

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Shotavodka_Taunton_web

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.

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