Monday News

The wet weather has meant meetings have been abandoned today at Redcar, Leicester and Wexford. Leaving just three meetings at Huntingdon, Newcastle on the all weather, and at Galway in Ireland. We haven’t any runners today.

The action came thick and fast over the weekend with National Hunt racing returning to two big tracks, Cheltenham and Aintree and the racing didn’t disappoint. 

Vieux Lion Rouge looked an absolute picture parading for “his race”, he is a credit to Julie who has looked after and ridden him throughout his career and they clearly have a special bond. His race was won by a fellow southwest stable, in the Phillip Hobbs and Johnston White trained, Celebre D’Allen who was ridden by Elizabeth Gale. Well done to all connections.

Neve had a great ride in the Charity race at Wincanton aboard Only Fools to finish third. Well done Neve!

Lock Out ran without a front shoe which could explain why he jumped right on occasion to finish fifth. Stray Bullet made a similar mistake to what he did at Chepstow last time out but he completed his race this time, which will hopefully give him some confidence, and he will probably benefit from a step up in trip. Mollie De Mai was outpaced which we had expected. She pulled up two from home but she will have learnt a lot from yesterday. She is a big backward type, and being by Mahler who’s offspring can take time. 

With the flat season wrapping up it is the time of year when top class Colts are retiring from the track and heading to the covering shed. It was announced last week that Paddington is to be retired to stand at Coolmore. He is described as being very similar to Giant's Causeway, but much quicker. Also joining him in this new career is Chadean, the 2000 and Dewhurst hero, who Paddington got the better of in the St James Palace at Ascot. Chadean will stand under the Juddmonte banner. These are two exciting sires for the future and we await what their covering fees for 2024 are to be. I am not sure they will turn out to be NH sires but who knows!

How do you fix a broken pumpkin? With a pumpkin patch.