Break Time!

Today marks the first of a ten day late summer break for the jumps boys and we signed off with a couple of fourth places at Uttoxeter yesterday.  I thought that Lion Road ran respectably enough in the seller on his Pond House debut and he wouldn't need to improve much to win a similar contest.  Laustra Bad was in the process of running a big race in the competitive handicap hurdle when hitting three out and that certainly didn't aid his chance.  With a little respite from the official assessor I could see him going close again in the near future.

Today marks the first of a ten day late summer break for the jumps boys and we signed off with a couple of fourth places at Uttoxeter yesterday.  I thought that Lion Road ran respectably enough in the seller on his Pond House debut and he wouldn't need to improve much to win a similar contest.  Laustra Bad was in the process of running a big race in the competitive handicap hurdle when hitting three out and that certainly didn't aid his chance.  With a little respite from the official assessor I could see him going close again in the near future.

Readers of this page yesterday will have been pointed in the direction of 4/1 winner of the Leger Legends race at Doncaster, Invincible Hero.  Winning jockey Julie Krone looked really good in the finish and it was quite apparent why she is considered to be the finest lady jockey of them all (having won over 3,700 races during her career in the States).

Also on the card at Donny, the Richard Hannon/Richard Hughes combination continued to churn out the winners with a double courtesy of Eureka and Cai Shen.  I am a great fan of Hughsie - he is in terrific form at the moment and I don't think I have ever seen him riding better.

Looking ahead to the weekend, I have had a few quid on Ascot Gold Cup winner Fame And Glory in the Irish St Leger.  I see that according to the Racing Post, Paddy Power are still offering 11/10 about the best stayer in Europe - if you can still get that price I would advise a wager as I think that he will go off at odds-on.

*****

I see that it is Martin Foster's 41st birthday today.  Martin used to ride for MCP and was champion conditional jockey.  Anyway, a quick story...I recall Martin riding at Nottingham one day and Graham McCourt trying to put him through a gap in the rails.  Martin wasn't having any of it and went on to win the race, but afterwards "Foghorn" was absolutely livid and wanted to find Graham and "have a word".  Martin used to do quite a bit of boxing so it would probably have been quite a good contest, but I managed to convince him that it was only worth fighting if you are getting paid for it...when he finally calmed down he did agree with me.  Those were the days...many happy returns Martin!

*****

Finally, I have a couple of pictures from the gallops of a few horses that may not be that familiar to you.  They are of the unraced pair HMS Intrepid and Le Chasse Spleen, and also winning French chaser Quocotiep who is yet to make his debut for us.  They all worked nicely and did all that was asked of them.

  
Above left: (l-r) HMS Intrepid and Le Chasse Spleen and right: Quocotiep on the Pond House gallops