Across the Card Double

         Belfrina Winner at Doncaster

It was a great Saturday for the team with an across the card double, Belfrina winning at Doncaster and Jilaijone winning at Uttoxeter.  It was particularly nice for Belfrina to gain her first win over hurdles after a last flight fall last time at the same track when looking likely to win.  The race turned into a duel between us and the same horse we were against last time and the pair pulled well clear.  While last time we looked like we were going to win easily before the mishap, this time it turned into more of a battle and our filly showed great determination on the run in to forge clear.  This was only the fifth run of her life having only had a couple of starts on the flat and there is plenty more to come.  She earned some valuable black type and nice prize money from this and it is lovely for her owners, Green Agri Land Company as this is their first venture into racehorse ownership.

Jilaijone got a deserved success at Uttoxeter under a lovely ride from Fergus Gillard.  Jilaijone rarely runs a bad race but has found it a little difficult to get his head in front in recent times.  The handicapper has given him some help and he appreciated the slight drop in grade of race and step up in trip to 2m4f.  The further he went the better he went and he won eased down crossing the line.  I hope the handicapper does not over react for this success and we can place him to win again as this will have done his confidence the world of good.  Royal Mer ran much more encouragingly to be third at a big price and it was a step back in the right direction.

Today we were due to have two runners, one at Plumpton and one at Hereford but Activist will now be staying at home with Hereford abandoned due to waterlogging!  Meanwhile, Vision De Maine is on his way to Plumpton to run in the 3.50pm handicap chase with Jack Tudor riding.  They have had a fair bit of rain there to but it is raceable and I hope we have a good chance.  He does have to bounce back from a below par effort at Wincanton on Boxing Day but he go struck into that day and so there was a reason behind the pulling up.  He had been very progressive before that this season, winning two chases and finishing runner up to a progressive sort on his other start.  While he would have probably preferred not quite so much rain, he should handle conditions fine and he sports first time cheek pieces. 

There is just one other race meeting today, there is flat action at Wolverhampton this evening.

Unfortunately the local point to point meeting at Chipley Park was abandoned, not long before the first race.  We were there with our four intended runners but the officials had no choice but to call it off as the track became waterlogged.  Hopefully, they may be able to re-arrange the fixture and we may also make entries for the horses at Milborne St Andrew next weekend.

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Happy Monday!