- Monday, 13 May 2013 12:46
- Written by David Pipe
Vieux Lion Rouge
It was great to get winner number two on the board yesterday at Plumpton courtesy of Franklin Roosevelt ridden by Tom Scu. Franklin was twice a winner last season and bounced back from a below par effort at Wetherby last time with a very determined display to get up close home. He should continue to give us lots of fun over the summer months. The ground had probably softened a little too much for him at Wetherby and he relished the quicker going at the Sussex track. E Street Boy was are only other runner of the day and unfortunately the race was not run to suit as he ended up making the running which was not ideal. He may well return to fences at some point over the summer. On Saturday Street Entertainer was in the process of running a nice race in the Swinton hurdle when stumbling badly at the second last and nearly getting rid of his jockey. Conor O'Farrell did well to maintain the partnership and if had not been for this significant mistake I think he would have been placed. Poole Master also ran a nice race in the competitive novice chase. He jumped well and galloped all the way to the line to finish fourth. He should be capable of winning his first chase very soon but he is now having a little holiday.
- Tuesday, 07 May 2013 07:31
- Written by David Pipe
High Vile
Conor O'Farrell's 100th Career Winner
It was good to get the first winner of the season last week at Exeter courtesy of High Ville. Conor O’Farrell gave him a good front running ride as he is not the easiest as he can be rather keen in his races. The application of the hood seems to have helped him in his last couple of races and combined with the quicker ground this contributed to his first success. This was particularly memorable as it was Conor’s 100th winner of his career so very well done to him. High Ville does hold a couple of entries this week and could run again and will be kept on the go throughout the summer as he prefers the better ground. Since then the horses have been running well but just hitting the woodwork! Smooth Classic ran well under a big weight to finish second at Uttoxeter on Saturday and he surely will get his head in front before too long. Garryleigh bounced back to form yesterday with a good second at Ffos Las while Third of the Third ran a nice race to finish third on his first start for me. All of the mentioned horses will be kept going while the ground remains on the quicker side.
- Monday, 29 April 2013 13:08
- Written by David Pipe
E Street Boy - Final Winner of the Season
Well I can't believe the 2012-13 NH season has come and gone and we are already on the way with the new one!! I thought I would take a brief look back over the past year and pick out a few memorable moments, with more some more in-depth reflections to follow next week. I have to start by saying special congratulations to all the champions, both the new and not so new! The remarkable champion jockey AP won his 18th consecutive title. Poor AP was at Sandown on Saturday after just coming out of hospital and he looked in a fair bit of pain but it was good to see him there. I know he is going to be out of action for a little while longer yet but he is all set to try and make it 19 champion jockey titles. Congratulations to Nicky Henderson for winning the trainers title. He has had a wonderful season and a deserved success after all these years and he truly does have an amazing team of horses and will surely be very hard to beat again this season. A special well done also to Lucy Alexander on winning the conditional jockeys title. She is the first lady rider ever to do so and I have watched her numerous times and she is an extremely talented rider who I am sure will have no trouble in continuing her success as a professional rider.
- Monday, 22 April 2013 14:25
- Written by David Pipe
Amigo at Ayr
After a busy few days it’s nice to draw breath with no runners today and get ready for the final few days of the season. I flew up to Ayr on Friday and it was great to get our 101st winner of the season courtesy of Amigo. He was scoring for the second time over hurdles since joining Pond House. He does hold an entry at Punchestown later this week but we shall see how the handicapper reacts before deciding whether he goes to Ireland or he could be entered for the three miles handicap hurdle at Haydock on Swinton day in a couple of weeks time. Wherever he goes next I am really looking forward to running him over fences next season.
- Monday, 15 April 2013 18:10
- Written by David Pipe
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.
- Monday, 08 April 2013 15:08
- Written by David Pipe
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.
- Monday, 01 April 2013 12:03
- Written by David Pipe
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.
- Monday, 25 March 2013 15:52
- Written by David Pipe
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.
- Tuesday, 19 March 2013 13:00
- Written by David Pipe
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…
- Monday, 11 March 2013 16:56
- Written by David Pipe
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.
