- Wednesday, 04 January 2012 07:45
- Written by David Pipe
The saying goes “out with the old and in with the new” and we saw out 2011 in style with a winner at Warwick on New Year’s Eve before seeing in the New Year with another victory at Exeter on 1st January, and the winning habit is certainly one that we are hoping to keep for the remainder of the year and beyond!
- Thursday, 29 December 2011 08:47
- Written by David Pipe
Well, Christmas is all over for another year and I hope that you enjoyed the festive season. It has been a remarkable few days on the racing front culminating in incredible scenes at Kempton on Boxing Day for one of the most inspiring day’s racing that I can recall.
- Monday, 19 December 2011 16:43
- Written by David Pipe
It was another productive week for the yard with four more winners taking our seasonal tally to 50 – a nice milestone to reach before Christmas. Buddy Bolero started the ball rolling at Folkestone on Tuesday and he put up a dour staying performance to land the 2m6f novices’ hurdle. Stamina is clearly his long suit as the ground was very testing and the horses were finishing tired throughout the day – but he kept going well to score a ready fifteen length victory. Whatever he does now will be a bonus as he looks to be an embryonic staying chaser in the making.
- Tuesday, 13 December 2011 10:20
- Written by David Pipe
As I sit at my desk writing this week’s blog with only twelve days until Christmas, I take a glance at my computer that is currently displaying my web page and it is then that it dawns upon me…there are only 90 days until the start of the Cheltenham Festival! Where has the time gone?! There is so much to be done between now and then – it is at times like this that I wish there were 25 hours in a day!
- Tuesday, 06 December 2011 10:06
- Written by David Pipe
First of all, I couldn’t start this week without thanking everybody who has taken the time to contact us with their best wishes on Lough Derg’s retirement. The number of people who have contacted us via e-mail, Racing Post and social networking sites Twitter and Facebook has been absolutely overwhelming and just goes to show the depth of emotion that these seasoned veterans inspire among racegoers. Douglas is still with us in the short-term and he is as full of himself as always – he will remain here until we have found the right home for him to spend the rest of his days.
- Monday, 28 November 2011 19:53
- Written by David Pipe
Our ever popular staying hurdler Lough Derg (“Douglas”) has run his last race. Having run an encouraging race on his comeback at Exeter, his outing at Ascot last Saturday told us that it was time for retirement after an amazing career that spanned eight years, sixty-one races and twelve trademark gutsy victories.
Having spoken with owner William Frewen, Tom and Charlotte Scudamore, as well as Leanne who would ride him everyday at home, it was unanimously decided that the time was right for a happy and thoroughly well deserved end to his racing career.- Monday, 21 November 2011 21:39
- Written by David Pipe
Following on from the successes of Notus de la Tour and Wings of Icarus earlier last week, I was delighted that we could keep the momentum going with an across the card double on Saturday at Ascot and Haydock. Over at Ascot Hadden Frost produced a beautifully timed ride to score aboard I’msingingtheblues in the valuable 2m1f handicap chase. This was the horse’s first win since joining us and he certainly deserved to land a decent prize as he has been running creditably, reaching the frame in countless decent races from two to three miles without getting his head in front. Hopefully now that he has done it once, it won’t be so long before he can win again!
- Monday, 14 November 2011 19:44
- Written by David Pipe
Great Endeavour lands my first Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday
Well, what an extraordinary week it has been with a whole host of noteworthy and creditable performances, culminating in an amazing treble on the first day of the Open Meeting at Cheltenham and the fantastic success of Great Endeavour in the highlight of the week, The Paddy Power Gold Cup on Saturday.
We started the ball rolling with success at our local track, Taunton on Thursday when Arab League was an all the way winner of the novices’ hurdle for ever enthusiastic owner Stuart Mercer. Given a positive ride by Tom Scudamore, he never looked in any danger of defeat and picked up a handsome £5653.26 – a good prize for a novices’ hurdle at the Somerset track.
- Monday, 07 November 2011 16:48
- Written by David Pipe
The flat season ended in style at the weekend with Paul Hanagan crowned champion jockey for the second consecutive time and Richard Hannon gaining his fourth trainers title. Both have had wonderful campaigns and I would like to offer my congratulations on their thoroughly deserved successes.
- Monday, 31 October 2011 16:43
- Written by David Pipe
The stable continues in good form and we enjoyed another couple of impressive winners last week: My Brother Sylvest at Haydock on Wednesday and Notus de la Tour at Carlisle on Sunday. After he had completed a quickfire double, we were forced into running My Brother Sylvest again quickly after the handicapper chose to raise him by 16lbs. He confirmed his wellbeing by scooting up at Haydock under Conor O’Farrell and in the process broke the track record for the second race in succession. He is clearly on the upgrade and hopefully he will continue to improve now that we have found the key to him.
