Another Near Miss!

I thought that both of the Pond House runners performed with credit yesterday at Ffos Las.  I have to say that Horsford looked all over the winner entering the straight in the 2m5f handicap chase, but unfortunately a mistake three out stopped him in his tracks and Tom Scudamore did well to keep the partnership intact.  In the end he was allowed to complete in his own time for second behind Patman du Charmil, but it could have been very different without that error...still, jumping is the name of the game and I am sure that Horsford will be winning races in the future judged on this performance.

Our other runner, Bathwick Brave wasn't beaten at all far in the concluding bumper and the first three came home eleven lengths clear of the fourth - he is another that should be winning his share of races.  So our runners ran well without hitting the back of the net, unlike Chelsea who beat Manchester United last night.  That certainly makes the Premiership a little more interesting! 

*****

I was watching the racing from Lingfield yesterday afternoon and young Charlie Bishop should have won the 2.40pm on Bountiful Quest.  Entering the final furlong he managed to get his reins tangled up and the poor lad looked like he was trying to knit a jumper!  In the end his mount was only beaten by a neck and he really should have won - still, these things happen and I am sure that he would have learned from this.  The trouble is the racing channel kept showing the finish again and again...I don't reckon it will help the poor lad's confidence!

*****

Well, when I finally recovered from my fuzzy head, I made it down to the gallops to take a few pictures of the horses schooling over fences.  First of all we had Minella Four Star jumping under stable jockey Tom Scudamore, before he was followed up by Johnny Farrelly aboard new recruit Bathwick Quest.  As you can see, both of them jumped nicely and are likely to be in action on the racecourse before too long.

  
Above left: Minella Four Star, and right: Bathwick Quest schooling over fences yesterday