Malcom X
The sales season in full flow - with the world leading October Yearling Sales kicking off in Newmarket last week, with Book 1. 502 of the very best flat yearlings were catalogued to sell from Tuesday through to Thursday, and there was a very solid trade. It is good to see the bloodstock market continue to be very bouyant in the face of all the world's recent trials and tribulations. The sales continue this week with Book 2. We will be there, and will also have an eye on the BBAG sales in Baden Baden on Friday and Saturday - and interesting mixed catalogue over there.
Last week we had a fantastic afternoon in Huntingdon. Mamoon Star made his eagerly anticipated racecourse debut in the first Junior Bumper of the season. this was the culmination of a plan hatched as the hammer fell, when I purchased him in February 2019. He is by Mamool, a sire that we have had great success with, and from the very decent family of two great race mares, Mariah Rollins and Pendra. His entire life since he arrived back at The Elms has been geared around running in a Junior Bumper this month. He went to Charlie Poste as a 2 yr old in the spring of 2020 to be broken and brought on, returning there in March this year for a refresher course. He then had a short break before heading straight into pre training with Fergal O'Brien in July. The time and effort spent on him at 2 really paid off, as the team at Ravenswell could not believe that he was just a 3 yr old, his outlook, and maturity, belied his age, and he was physically much more able to take the work required to get him to the track last week. He did nothing but impress in everything he did, and has quickly become a bit of a yard favourite - especially with Fergal's daughter Fern, who rides him out most days. We were really looking forward to his debut, but taking on some very well bred horses from the flat, (two were siblings to Group performers in that sphere), was not ideal - but rather than wait for a race later in the month, the decision was made to run while there was some perfect ground on offer after recent rain.
Malcolm, as he is known at home was perfectly behaved in the prelims, once again showing the attitude of a horse way beyond his years, and experience. He took all the prelims very smoothly, and looked fantastic. He went down to post really relaxed, and Paddy was keen to get a bit of cover for him on what was a very windy afternoon. Held up, he travelled well, and turning into the straight Paddy bought him wide for one long run. As expected, he then ran a little green with the eventual winner who had made all slipping the field and MS finding himself a bit in no mans land, but he stuck his head down, and when the penny dropped with around 3/4 of a furlong to run, he changed legs and really lengthened, to finish second. This was a very exciting debut, by a young horse, who both ran very green, and definitely needs a stiffer test of stamina as his pedigree would suggest. He will do nothing but improve for it, and for that reason he will be carefully minded, and looks a smart prospect for bumpers this season. Remaining in the bumper division this season, means that he will only have 4 or possibly 5 runs this term, so we can be patient with him, and treat him like the nice horse that we think he is. Paddy jumped off of him and was really pleased with him, and was keen to have a crack at the Listed 4 yr old only bumper in Cheltenham on New Years Day, where he felt the slightly longer trip, and the probable soft ground would put more of an emphasis on stamina and suit him down to the ground. He said he didn't need to run again, and that we should simply aim him there for now.
To that end, MS has gone to Jason Maguires and will have a few weeks of R&R before returning to Ravenswell Farm for Ferg to prepare him for Cheltenham. Ideal for a young horse like him, he can have sessions in both the spa and water treadmill, and be gently ridden away, with absolutely no pressure on body or mind. It is all about the long term with him, and he looks a very exciting addition to the squad. It was great to be racing locally again, and to catch up with so many people - one of MS owners, who have had shares in a number of really nice horses with us, enjoyed it so much, they felt that it was their most enjoyable days racing since they started having shares with us around 6 years ago! Friday we did the 'Cotswold tour' - Ravenswell for first lot, a misty morning, but the team look in great order. Second Lot we got to see all the horses there on both the round and hill gallops.
Blue Bikini who had just returned from Maguires, just did her exercise on the round, an easy morning for her. She had had a few days in the spa at Ivy Lodge Farm, to help her with a nasty swelling she had got above a knee after hitting a hurdle very hard in Warwick the week before. She is another to benefit from the facilities there, and has returned A1. She looks fantastic, and will be out again in 2/3 weeks - again over 2 miles to gain more experience. Yauthym went well up the hill, and will be out soon, Hidden Beauty is coming together very nicely, and is stepping up her work now. She is a big girl, that will need some genuinely juicy ground, so the recent dry spell, has meant that there has been no rush to put the finishing touches on her. She is another that looks very promising. Volkovka takes this years prize for 'most improved horse' (she would probably share it with Auditoria), as is often the case with fillies from 3 to 4, they have really matured, and everyone is really impressed with their work this autumn. Volkovka will start over hurdles in around 3 weeks, ground permitting, and will either contest some nice handicaps this winter over the smaller obstacles, or she could switch to fences this autumn. From Ravenswell, we made the short trip around the corner to Kim Baileys to see Queenohearts who has moved there from Ivy Lodge.
QOH has settled in well, and seems to be enjoying life there. With her history of leg issues, they will very much take their time with her, and no stone will be left unturned in the quest to get her back to the track. She has always been a mare that was a little on the lean side, and tough to keep condition on, and so Kim, Matt and the team decided to gastroscope her last week - she will now undergo a course of treatment for ulcers. It was good to see Kim, Matt and the facilities at Thorndale farm, an impressive set up, and we are looking forward to working with them in the future. From Kim's we went down to Maguires to see 'Betty' the 4 yr old Westerner filly that is pre training there. She is really blooming now - despite having done plenty of work over in Ireland in the spring, she was very raw when she arrived, but Jason now has her going very nicely. She is a half sister to two Graded performers over obstacles, and looks a real hardy, tough sort of girl, that will be ideal for the winter mares bumpers and hurdles. We have a few shares left in her - no capital costs, and just £25/week all inclusive training/keep fees. She heads into full training with Fergal in a few weeks - so there is not long to wait. It was good to see Mamoon Star there, and have his first spa session. The Soldier Of Fortune Filly is out in the field and will return to her stable to start secondary school later this month. When she does she will be joined by the Camelot filly, who has now been named Tintagel Queen - a nod to her sire Camelot, and the Arthurian legend, that has it that Tintagel Castle in Cornwall was the actual site of his court - Camelot. Both will pre train with Jason and from there the SOF filly will head to Fergal, and TQ will head to Olly Murphy.
Saturday I finally got to spend a long overdue day in the office to catch up on some admin. This week we will be over in Newmarket, and could also get a trip out to Fakenham on Friday where Auditoria has an entry in the novices hurdle and Go Millie Go is in the novices handicap chase. Olly Murphy reports Auditoria to be in great order. She is ready to make her seasonal debut, and we are looking forward to seeing her this season. Her two runs in the spring were full of promise, and she is another that has blossomed over the summer. She should be winning her share this winter. Go Millie Go is entered to make her debut in the 3m novices handicap chase. Stuart reports her to be well, and he thinks that 3 miles is the trip to start her over - she is reported to have schooled very well, and with no options in mares company in straight novices at that trip, she will make get he first sight of the bigger obstacles in handicap company. We will have more than half an eye on the weather forecast, as neither mare would want it on the quick side. Another fun filled week with plenty going on.
The new website is nearly ready to go. Masses of updates, new pages, features, and an all round cleaner more modern look. The site will also function much better on all the mobile platforms, so that everyone can keep in touch more easily. We are very much looking forward to getting going with it - and learning how to use it at this end - and for those that don't know me - learning how to drive the thing, and update the content may be a testing day or two! When I have mastered it - it will certainly be a big improvement!
