The Pace Of Life

Twice this week we have been thwarted by races that were run unusually slowly - it just goes to show - there is so much that needs to go in your favour when either competing in handicap company or at a very high level. 

Monday and we cracked on with naming the Soldier Of Fortune filly that is going nicely with Fergal. Suggestions were submitted by her owners, and the vote taken later in the week, and they have chosen Fortune Forever as her official name - although I think her stable name of 'Pumpkin' rather suits her! Stuart called to say that Go Millie Go was back cantering, and later in the week,it was good to receive a video of her doing some pole work to help with her recuperation and target the areas that troubled her after Christmas. 

On Tuesday Classic Ben went for an away day at Ben Case's yard near Banbury and Stuart reported that he went well. He is a very lazy lad, and with a long interval between his last run and his next possible run at the end of this month, Edmunds felt that an away day would do him the world of good. While he was having his morning out I was closely monitoring the entries for the £80,000 Eider Chase in Newcastle at the end of the month. It had been the plan to run CB in the race last year before his set back intervened, so I was interested to see what was being entered through the morning to see if it was a viable option for him this year as well. He is being aimed at the Devon National in Exeter the day after the Eider, so it would fit with his preparation, should he not be forced out of the handicap. With a couple of 150 rated horses entered it looked like it was not really an option, but when Stuart phoned with the same idea around mid morning, I decided to look a little more deeply into the entires, and make a decision closer to the midday cut off. Having done so - we decided to pop him in, and the race is an option for him. We will look at both the Eider and the Devon National nearer the time and make a decision as to where he goes then. In the meantime it is good to see the team at Fences Farm in such good order. 

Wednesday I headed out to Ludlow to see Volkovka run in the 2m5f mares handicap hurdle. She had sunk in the near unraceable ground in Sandown in early January, so we put a line through that and went back into mares company over the longest trip we have asked her to run over, and on some decent ground. Volkovka has always been a keen sort of girl, and she is always ridden with restraint, and always in a hood. Niether Fergal or I are fans of hoods, but it was very neceassary for V after her first run, and after winning 3 times in one - it has certainly worked. We have been talking about taking it off for a little while, but on this occasion we decided to leave it on as the step up in trip would mean slightly slower fractions and we thought it was the wrong thing to do at this stage. Slightly slower fractions is an understatment - they didn't get above 30mph on the first circuit, and the race turned into a real sprint - not ideal for a mare held up off of the pace.  When the sprint for home began she was a little flat footed, but rallied to be in with a shout only to make a mistake at the last and tire on the run in, eventually finishing fourth. Liam came back and said the hood should come off, and to run her in the right race over any trip between 2m and 2m4f as she was versatile by way of distance. She is fine after the run, and has headed off to Jason Maguires for a few days of R&R and will be out again next month. 

From Ludlow I took a leisurely drive down the A49 through Shropshire and Herefordshire, through some 'old haunts'  form my time spent in the two counties when I was buying and sellling large tonnages of potatoes, and spent the night with Kev and Jules at The Kilkeney. Great to see them again! 

On Thursday morning I was in the two local yards - firstly Ravenswell Farm to see all of the team there - great to see Sunset Melody lead the string when she was out second lot - she is a very green mare, and still getting to grips with life as a racehorse - but the penny is starting to drop now, and to see her leading them all up was good to see.Blue Bikini looked in great form on the round gallop, but looks can be deceiving, and her trach wash and scope this week were far from perfect, so Fergal has had to bite the bullett and back off of her entirely - she is now down at Ivy Lodge Farm, and will enjoy plenty of turn out for a couple of weeks before resuming any ridden work.  It was also good to meet Paul and Nigel who are shareholders in the newly named Fortune Forever. This was their first visit and it was good to see them, FF was also obviously very excitied to see them too, as she decided that Thursday was the day to spook at nothing at all - and deposit poor Pippa on the floor before cantering past us loose! She was soon caught, horse and rider non the worse, and they were reunited and able to canter up properly second time. Fortune Forever is a lovely filly and we can't wait to see her in a bumper this spring, which is the aim with her. It was also good to see Tony Wright who was also down for the first time - Tony has interests in a few with Fergal and in Queenohearts who is over the valley at Kim Baileys Thorndale Farm, and we both headed over there to see her do a canter fourth lot. She is in cracking form, and Kim says he has never seen a horse take a hard race so well after such a layoff. She is one we are certainly waiting for rain for. Kim had to head off racing, but Matt, Tony and I had a brief chat about possible races for her, and we and her other owners have settled on a plan - but it will certainly need to rain for her to run! 

Friday, and a trip to Kempton to see Yauthym make her first appearance for 3 months. A winner last time out in Hereford, she had been crippled with an 11lb hike in the weights - which everyone, even from the 'outside', felt was a very harsh reaction by the handicapper to her winning a race which completely fell apart, and has not worked out at all. Yauthym looked fantastic, and ran her usual honest race. She is a very tough little mare, as she doesn't make life easy for herself. She has her aches and pains, but always gives her absolute best, and did so once again. Bang there turning in, she stumbled after two out losing a bit of ground but vital momentum, and after making a bad mistake at the last she was eased down to come home a creditable third. She always needs her first run after a lay off, and also needs help from the handicapper - she will also have a bit of an MOT this coming week. She has come out of the race as she usually does - a bit stiff, but she will be fine.

Also on Friday Hidden Beauty did her first piece of work since an irregular heartbeat meant she pulled up in Cheltenham at the end of January. She has been closely monitored ever since and all has been fine with her - she seems to have righted herself - which is good news, but her first piece of proper work back, was always going to be an acid test for her. The vets were in, and she underwent an ECG both before and after her gallop (which was very good) and was found to be A1 - so that is great news and she will be prepared for the Listed Bumper in Sandown in March where hopefully the problem will not raise it's ugly head again!  

Saturday and it was off to Newbury to see Mamoon Star make the third bumper start of his career in the Listed race that concluded their excellent card. This is the best meeting held in the UK through February and we were very excited to be part of it. After MS excellent third in the Listed Bumper in Cheltenham on New Years Day, we decided that he desereved to take his chance in this, as he got a hefty 12lb from his elders, and the extra 2 furlongs looked ideal for a horse that is a real stayer in the making. MS looked fantastic as always - he is a stunning individual, but for the second time in 4 days we were slightly undone by a race that was run slower than we expected. We would have been delighted to have finished in the first 6 in what was the strongest renewal of this race for years, and felt that he was capable of doing so, and with a bit of luck finish in the first three again, but once again held up, he was left flat footed as the pace finally lifted and the sprint began, looking for all the world that he would finish tailed off, but eventually staying on nicely to be beaten 13 lengths. It was another nice run from a lovely young horse - his owners had another superb day out - and as I was reminded by a syndicate member earlier in the week - it's all about the days out really - winning is a massive bonus! He is fine this morning, and is another that will head down to Ivy Lodge Farm for a few days of R&R before retunrning  to Ravenswell Farm and be prepared for one last bumper run in 6-8 weeks time - when sights will be lowered, and we will try and get that 1 against his name. 

At Olly Murphys both Auditoria and Tintagel Queen are in great form. We are very much looking forward to seeing plenty of members of both of their syndicates when we host a morning at Warren Chase in a few days time - there looks llke being a really good turn out for it - when we will get to see both horses at exercise, and get to discuss plans for them both going forward. 

A quieter week next week - but it could be a very important one! We may have found our flat horse for the next couple of years - hopefully we can get that tied up this week - a really well bred filly by one of the best sires in the world! It doesn't get better than that! We also have a few meetings that couild lead to very exciting developments across the board - we are all very excited about what the remainder of 2022 may bring - and we hope that you are with us on the journey!! Remember - we currently have the SOLD OUT signs up - but we will be announcing at least one more national hunt syndicate very soon - and hopefully 2 - we already have a list of interested parties in the flat venture, and I'm sure if we can pull off getting the filly I mentioned the shares will be gone in that in no time at all - so get in touch now to get on the list - and of course let me know if you are interested in any of the new national hunt groups we are putting together!