Interval
This week we had a short interval - after a busy schedule for the last few weeks we managed to fit a few quieter days in before it all kicks off again. That being said - we still managed to fit in an attempt to add another horse to the team, and make a few enquiries about some horses in France for both for us and for a new client.
Another dry week - with drought status announced across large areas of southern England - it really is becoming a problem - but there does look to be a bit of rain in the forecast for next week - let's hope it arrives.
Monday and Tuesday we took a couple of days off, and turned our head away from horses and racing for a short while. Good to still get plenty of footage from the yards though, Great to see Fortune Forever going so well - she is ceratinly a lot stronger than the filly that was in training in the spring - but one thing is for sure she hasn't lost her sharpness. She can be a bit quick in changing direction when least expected - and her riders do have to sit tight in the morning - yard amateur Tom Broughton has now taken over. The good news is that she seems to have plenty of ability too, and her work is very encouraging, they like her a lot. Mamoon Star is also coming along really well - and Blue Bikini is still thriving. Fortune Forever was sent back to Ravenswell a couple of weeks before the other two, so she is slightly more forward in her prep. She should be ready to run in around a month, MS and BB should be ready for their seasonal debuts around the beginning of October. Hopefully by then we will have had some rain!
Good to get a clip from Olly on Tuesday - particularly when it showed the return to work of our star recruit Itchy Feet. Itchy has had a wind op over the summer, and after his recuperation from that he has returned to work. he is certainly in great heart - and is his usual self. It is really excitijg to have a Grade 1 winner on the team - one that is rated 150, and who will take his new owners to the biggest and best meetings of the season. Olly and I will have a chat about his programme - but he could well be aimed at the big Betfair Chase meeting in Haydock in November as a starting point. Itchy offers a rare opportunity to get involved in a top class chaser for the sort of money that you would spend if you took a decent hospitality package at all of the meetings where he is likely to run this season - buying the last share in him gets you all of the good stuff, and the chance of seeing your horse run, and winning some very decent prize money - all in all there are few downsides - get in touch if you would like all the details - courses such as Haydock, Aintree, Cheltenham, Ascot and Lingield (on their Winter Millions weekend) await. nickbrownracing@gmail.com. 07909 518902. We can't wait to see him running in our colours!
Wednesday - great to catch up with Matt and Sarah in the eveving - an evenjng that had been scheduled for my Birthday last month - but was delayed due to one of the party contracting Covid. Thankfully all good again - and great to see them, complete with birthday cake and card!
Thursday we were back at it - and our attention turned to France. With everyone who was anyone over in Deauville for their August yearling sale it was a good chance to make some enquiries into the availability of a few flat horses that have been on the radar over the summer, and may have been for sale to switch across the channel and to eight flights of hurdles. We wouldn't be troubling anyone for the flat yearlings on offer through the ring - a bit rich for our blood, but Deauville in August is where everyone in French flat racing descends, both for the sales and the racing and it is a good time to get business done. Hopefully we will get one or two of our targets.
On Thursday we also finalised the auction for our latest winning trophy - Intrepide Sud in Worcester. It isn't practical to share the trophy amongst the syndicate so we always put trophies up for auction among the group with the proceeds going to the Injured Jockeys Fun. Congratulations to Bash who had the winning bid - £110 off to the IJF.
Friday, Yauthym was entered for a flat handicap for fillies in Leicester next Thursday. No options over hurdles for her, so she returns to the flat. Her last venture into that sphere was an experiment over 2 miles on the all weather in Kempton, where she (not unexpectedly) failed to see out the marathon trip. We had hoped that that run would show us that she stayed 1m6f, but Dougie Costello who rode her that eveing said that even that trip would be a push for her and that she would be better off over 1m4f - so this fillies handicap looks ideal for her. She dropped a few pounds in the handicap as a result of her run in Kempton, and hopefully will go well next week. Friday evening it was good to catch up with Paul and Jan at the Horse and Jockey in Ravensden. Another very warm night, so dinner was in the garden, which was lovely. Once again a warm welcome, and good service from the staff, and great food, although one of the dishes could have been better! Paul had got a very encouraging update on one of his horses earlier in the day so was in good spirits. He should have a very good season with the team that he now has in training!
Saturday - warm again - horses at all the yards out early to beat the heat. Further updates from Olly - who despite being on a few days break over in Kinsale, is on the ball as ever, and constantly sending over updates. This time Tintagel Queen and Auditoria - both in rude health - just look at their coats - their skin shining! Both are now up to cantering one and a half miles a day, and are doing it well, and thriving on the exercise and daily routine. TQ has really benefitted from her summer break, and is much stronger this time. She will make her debut in a bumper this autumn. Auditoria is her usual sassy self, she will start in a handicap hurdle before switching up to mares novice chases. She should have a really good season ahead of her!
Classic Ben only returned to work at the start of the month and will be walking and trotting, in preparation for starting his cantering.
Up at Donald McCains - our homebred three year old 'Dean' is cantering away nicely - we got plenty of work into him in the spring, and Donald is very pleased with his progress and his attitude - he likes horses by Doyen, and says that this lad shows all the good characteristics of the good ones by the sire that he has trained in the past. He will be aimed at the new national hunt juvenile hurdle series which kicks off in October.
Down at Jason Maguires - our 2 yr old Jukebox Jury filly has completed her 'primary school' and is now cantering upsides - she will head home tomorrow. The plan will be for her to return to Ivy Lodge Farm next spring for her 'secondary school' before heading into training next July. She will be syndicated next year - and we think from what she has shown us that she will be a nice one. Our Jukebox Jury 3 yr old is really going well now - sometimes it takes time for the penny to drop with these youngsters, and although this lad had been doing everything right up until a couple of weeks ago, Jason says he has now really got the drop of things and is thriving. His physique is coming all the time, and his mind with it. He will be heading to Gary Moore in the next few weeks. Sunset Melody is out in the field. She suffered a pelvic fracture in February that was slower to heal than expected, prolonging her recovery. The plan is to get her back into work at the end of August. Intrepide Sud is on R&R at Ivy Lodge - something he does well! Hidden Beauty and Volkovka have settled into their routines well - they are on with plenty of trotting and will switch back to Ravenswell Farm this next week.
Next week looks like being fun - we will be at York for their Ebor Meeting from Wednesday - A fun few days - with our 'horsebox hat' on. Once again the winning trainer of the big Goffs Uk 2 yr old sales race on Thursday will win a Theault horsebox for the 2023 flat season. Good luck to all those with runners. Sadly I will be in York if Yauthym runs in Leicester and will miss her running there.
After that things hot up again - the Premiere Yearling sales in Doncaster the week after - once again - double parked - being there will mean that I miss Olly Murphys excellent golf day - they will not miss my golf - but I had planned to drive the drinks buggy! Then it will be September, and we will be organising the stable visits throughout the month.
We do have limited availability in a few of our horses - during the summer we get the odd person drop out or switch from one horse to another opening opportunities in the horses already on the squad, and of course we are always adding to the team as well - details of them all can be found on the For Sale Page, but to let you know current availability we have the following shares:
Tintagel Queen - 2 (1/25) shares - £25/week all inc - no capital outlay - with Olly Murphy 4 yr old by Camelot - a full sister to a Grade 1 hurdler and 2 Listed flat performers, out of a black type mare. A goregeous big scopey mare who will debut in a bumper this autumn.
Blue Bikini - 2 (1/25) shares - £25/week all inc - no capital outlay - with Fergal O'Brien. 6 yr old mare, closely related to Blue Sari - a winner over hurdles last autumn, she suffered with a nasty respiratory infection for much of the remainder of the season. She is now 100% over that - and is really benefitting from a change of routine at Ravenswell Farm - already a winner she is well handicapped and will be stepped up in trip this season. From a strong staying family, she did well to win over 2 miles and will really come into her own over staying trips.
'Dean' - 7 (1/25) shares - £25/week all inc - no capital outlay - with Donald McCain. 3 yr old gelding, homebred, by Doyen out of Savingforvegas a three time winning half sister to Cheltenham Festival winner Rathvinden. Dean is perfect for the new National Hunt Juvenile Hurdle series which kicks off in October. Donald likes him already, and loves his attitude to life - he is very tough - he has the pedigree to go well - Donald is the top jumps trainer in the North of England, and we are delighted to be working with him. with over 150 winners last season, and the services of Champion Jockey Brian Hughes - what a chance to get involved with a top class team!
Itchy Feet - 1 (10%) share - £8000 + £240/month. with Olly Murphy. 8 yr old gelding, already a Grade 1 winner, and rated 150 - this is a very rare opportunity to get involved in a horse of this quality. Purchased from the Thoroughbid online auction site when his previous owner decided to sell, Olly was never going to let this lad leave the yard. He believes there is more to come from him, and he will take his new owners to the biggest meetings throughout the season. He is likely to be targetted at one of the richest races of the season - the feature chase on the Winter Millions card in Lingfield.
Jukebox Jury x Donna Graciosa. - 1 (1/6) share - £4,000 + £400 month. Grey gelding 3 yr old. Will be in training with Gary Moore. This beautifully bred son of Jukebox Jury will head to Gary in the next few weeks, and be aimed at juvenile bumpers this autumn. He is out of a mare that won 4 races on the flat for Mark Johnson, she herself a full sister to the Group 1 winner Durban Thunder. This lovely individual is in pre training with Jason Maguire, who loves the feel he gets off of him - he has all the attributes to excel in the races he is being aimed at, and if all goes well he could follow in the path of Mamoon Star and run in the Listed bumper in Cheltenham in January - a race MS was third in this year.
Sunset Melody - 4 (1/25) shares - £25/wk all inc - 6 yr old bay mare trained by Fergal O'Brien. This lovely mare is by top stallion Westerner, and is a half sister to two Grade 2 horses. She has a fantastic pedigree and was showing up nicely in her work last winter before a pelvic fracture curtailed her season. She will return to work at the end of the month, and we are looking forward to seeing her on some genuine soft winter ground this time round - she is a very tough and hardy lady, with a great attitude.
As you can see, options are limited - so please get in touch if you would like to get involved in a horse with us - we offer the full service - constant communication - badges - stable visits at your convenience - and the chance to be involved with some of the best yards in the country.
Further details are on the For Sale Page - just head there and have a look and get in touch for more!
Lets hope by this time next week, we have had that rain, and things look a little less parched!
