Two Run for the Racing Club!

Barrier Peaks runs today at Chepstow!

Racing today rolls onto Chepstow with two runners for the stable, Barrier Peaks and Via Dante.  Barrier Peaks runs in the 3.45pm handicap hurdle over 2m3f with Fergus Gillard on board.  Our seven year old has won his last four races and has thrived since going handicapping and up in distance.  Those wins came in quick succession and so he had a little break while we waited for rain and this is his first run back for a month.  The rain has certainly arrived and he should relish the testing conditions this afternoon.  The form of his wins has been franked several times with the horses behind him winning since and I think there is more to come off his new rating of 104.  There are a couple of other potential dark horses in the line-up but I think he has a great chance.

Via Dante makes his chasing debut in the 4.20pm three mile handicap chase with Jack Tudor on board.  We have expected better in his last couple of hurdle starts but he has not really put his best foot forwards!  We are hoping the switch to chasing and addition of blinkers can have the desired effect.  He jumps well and stays and hopefully Jack can work some magic for the David Pipe Racing Club.  Our members will be out in force this afternoon so thank you to Chepstow racecourse in being so helpful in sorting badges for everyone who wanted to attend.

Yesterday at Ffos Las, Micronormous was disappointing but perhaps did not enjoy the testing conditions.  She now qualifies for a handicap mark so hopefully she can be seen in a better light on some better ground next time.  Last Quarter ran a much better race and was narrowly denied in a photo finish.  He travelled and jumped well and did try his best, loving conditions and was unlucky to be denied on the bob of heads.  While not a horse to have your last pennies on he is capable on his day and should be able to win over fences very soon on soft conditions.

Only the Bold found the drop to 2m4f a bit too sharp for him up at Haydock.  I am sure he will be seen in a better light back over further next time.  Kingofthewest and Moodofthemoment were disappointing.

The busy week of jumps action continues today as alongside Chepstow they also race at Sedgefield and Ludlow.  In Ireland they have jumping action at Cork.

I forgot to mention yesterday but we have scratched Remastered from this year’s Grand National.  Our ten year old enjoyed a terrific first half of the season winning over hurdles at Aintree, finishing runner up in the Coral handicap chase and Newbury and then winning a good chase at Kempton over Christmas.  He then has disappointed over hurdles, where we put that down to him not liking Sandown but then he also ran well below par at the Festival last week.  He seems absolutely fine in himself at home but we felt you cannot head to Aintree on the back of his last two runs.  We will do some further investigations to see if there is anything ailing him that is not obvious and hopefully we can aim for the 2024 Grand National all being well.

There is some International football action this evening and England travel to Italy to play in a European Championship qualifying match at 7.45pm.  It could be a tough match for England but hopefully they can get a good result.  There are plenty of other qualifying matches as well and Northern Ireland are away to San Marino.

To the person who stole my selfie stick…you need to take a long look at yourself!  Have a good day.