Simply The Best!
It has been a fun week - our annual Puncehstown pilgimage certainly didn't disappoint this year - if anything it was actually better! Great racing - long days - late nights - great food and Guinness - along with more than a few fruity cocktails - all in the company of fantastic folks - and if they weren't being fantastic, they certainly made for interesting viewing!!
Monday began early - with a week away in Ireland, I had to be up and about at the crack of dawn to get all the office work done before we set off - with as much of that done as I could we headed off around midday. On the Monday of Punchestown week we always head up to Chester for a night there - two good reasons for this - it breaks up the trip to Holyhead nicely, and there is an amazing steak restaurant in Chester that cannot be missed! Upstairs At The Grill is a real favourite, and having missed out on a visit there last year as they were undergoing a refurb, we were all looking forward to getting there again this time round. The trip up to Chester was a little longer than expected as a lorry had tried to jump the barrier on the M1, right over the A14 junction - which caused a bit of traffic chaos - but we got there in the end, and checked into the Crown Plaza as usual. The CP makes for an adequate overnight stop, somewhere to lay your head for the night. After a little late afternoon stroll around the city, and a couple of sneaky pints, we met Mat and Sarah in the bar of the hotel - and headed out to Upstairs At The Grill. It didn't disappoint - a warm welcome - fantastic cocktails, and a superb steak dinner. A first for us, as we were seated on the baclony for the first time which was a lovely setting. If you are ever in Chester it is well worth a visit, but a full restaurant on an ordinary Monday evening tells you all you need to know - you will need to book well in advance - but I promise you it is worth it - for the lads - even a trip to the gents is an eye opener - decorated as a mid 70's New York convenience, it is fantastic, with a music play list to match - such a contrast to the rest of the restaurant and a real change of ambience! - brilliant!
Lucky Boy - but it did mean severe delays on the trip up to Chester!
Upstairs At The Grill - Pre dinner cocktails
Cheers!
Not often I would photograph the Gents!
On Tuesday we headed off to Holyhead, and a easy crossing on the Dublin Swift. Arriving in Dublin Port at 1.00pm. It is then a short trip under the city, around the M50 and down the N7 to Naas, where we usually stay in the Osprey, but this year we had decided on a change and had booked a couple of rooms in the Kilashee Hotel just outside of town. We do not go racing on Tuesday, but plenty do - and it was good to see so many friends and friendly faces as we checked in! The drink was flowing already, and they all looked set for great day at the sports! Now a bit of luck! A nice little upgrade saw both Mat and Sarah and ourselves upgraded to Junior Suites - which was a very welcome surprise! Two very nice rooms, although I don't think I quite got the drop of the jacuzzi bath when I gave that a go later in the week! After unpacking, we settled down to watch the afternoons racing on the TV with a few pints, and then had dinner in the restaurant at the hotel, which was very good.Then the entertainment began, as we decamped upstairs to the lounge to witness the spectacular return of a few racegoers! They had obviously had a good day - and as you know what goes on on tour stays on tour, so I couldn't possibly regale you of the antics of a couple of UK based trainers later in the evening! But it was very funny to watch!
The Kilashee
Tuesday - First Guinness!
Fuit based drink for the ladies!
Gabriel - what a great name for a barman! he really was an 'angel'!
It was good to get news of one of our 'Old Boys' this week - Sneaking Budge - Rebecca had given him a bit of a spin at the weekend and reported him to be in fine fettle! Good to see the old guard still out and about and enjoying life to the max! It was also good to get a clip of Intrepide Sud enjoying a field full of grass down in Gloucestershire - he will spend the summer with Jason Maguire before returning to full training later in the year.
Sneaking Budge - still got it!
Wednesday we headed into the races - guests in a hospitality suite for two days of stunning racing! Three Grade 1's in a row - The 3m novices hurdle, won by Gaelic Warrior - the Punchestown Gold Cup, which served up a thriller - with three horses upsides approaching two out - with the 20/1 shot Fastorslow getting the better of the first two home in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last month, Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame. These two thrillers then followed by the Grade 1 bumper, won in fine style by the winner of the Cheltenham version - A Dream To Share - this all under warm sunny skies! No finer place to be! Wednesday evening we nipped into Naas for supper at Vie De Chateau - a little diamond, tucked away off the high street. A warm welcome and fantastic food - our usual table!
Great view for the week!
More Gunness - we had a few!!
On Wednesday we were due to declare Auditoria and Tintagel Queen on the Friday card in Southwell - but the chase entry for Auditoria looked like being a pretty hot heat and Olly felt there would be easier opportunities in the near future, before she heads off for her summer holiday, and the ground was going to be too quick for Tintagel Queen, so she would have another couple of schooling sessions over hurdles before heading back to The Elms for her summer break next week. TQ has taken to jumping really well. Her education started with pole work with Olympic Gold Medallist Eventer Laura Collett, before graduatiing to hurdles on the schooling loop - Laura was very impressed with her, as have been the jockeys that have ridden her over hurdles. Having been a very close second in a Chepstow bumper she looks as though she will have a lovely future over hurdles next season.
Tintagel Queen having a school this week
Thursday, and back to the races - the weather forecast far from clement, but it turned out to be a dry evening, and more excellent racing. Good to see Dinoblue put another nice update on the page of Blue Bikini - they really are tough that family! Classical Dream in the Champion Stayers Hurdle was impressive as was El Fabiolo in the novices chase, and a great result for Anthony Honeyball who won with Kilbeg King, we had chatted to him at lunchtime after he had ridden out at the track - and he said he thought the horse mat go well - Cheryls listened, and won a few Euro! She would have needed a few more to exercise her biddin finger at the sales after racing - a phenominal sale in all respects - with the top lot fetching a cool half a million! Great to see a daughter of Muhtathir achieving such a sum - we have a stunning gedling from his last crop heading to the Tattersalls Ireland Deby Sale in June - he should be very well received!
With the Grand National trophy!
The full brother to our Jukebox Jury 3 yr old filly - made 170,000 on Thursday evening!
Muhtathir filly - 500,000!
Friday we travelled back, how come the return leg is always slightly tougher than the outward bound one? I wonder! A quick nip into south Dublin, and then a short slip up to the port to catch the ferry - this is a trip that we always manage to make more complicated than it ever should be! This year no exception - some hair raising red light issues, and a near death experience - thankfully we all arrived at the port in one piece - just! Another good crossing - and good to catch up with a few folks who were on the ferry on the way back over. The trip form Holyhead to home was hassle free, and we were back by 9.00pm. A superb trip again - and can't wait for next year - they just get better and better - we may try and squeeze a visit or two in next year before racing!
Saturday, and chance to gather our thoughts once again - Blue Bikini declared to run in Warwick on Monday, Jack Hogan will take of a handy 5lbs - she is in great heart, and has come out of her last run, where she was an easy winner in Market Rasen in good form. Three weeks has passed since that run, and we are looking forward to seeing her out again, although she would not want the ground to dry up any further.
Elsewhere around the team - Mamoon Star has had several more tests carried out and some changes have been made to his diet. On the face of it they seem to have worked as he is in terrific form at home, and could have a run on better ground in the next few weeks. Greyval, Fortune Forever and Volkovka are all up at Martins Hill and will return to The Elms next week for their summer holidays - I did ask the vet to give Greyval a good check over before she goes out, and he is very happy with her. It is something I like to do when they have had hard races on quickish ground at the end of the season - if there are any underlying issues that are not apparent, they can be treated and hopefully sorted out through the summer while they are on down time, rather than finding the issue 6-8 weeks after they have been trained in the autumn, which wastes both time and money.
Down at Ivy Lodge Farm - as mentioned Intrepide Sud is out in the field and looks really well. The vet is happy with both Cloud Dancer and Hidden Beauty, and they too will head to the field in the next few days, after a few more sessions on the water treadmill. Our three youngsters that are there are also going really well. Old Blue Eyes (Frank) is now backed and being ridden, just around the barn for now, before he progresses out into the arena next week. Jason likes him a lot, and being by Blue Bresil we can't wait to offer shares in him in the summer when we have got to know him a bit more, and decided which trainer he would be best suited to. The Mahler filly is very nice, and on Friday, Jason had a fun morning with a few of his babies - getting them all popping over some poles and barrels around the arena, with both the Mahler and the Jukebox Jury filly really enjoying themselves - both are naturals! The Mahler filly will be syndicated in 25 lease shares in the summer - with no capital cost and an all inclusive £30/wk training/keep fee. The Jukebox Jury filly will be syndicated, and her details will be announced when we have decided a route for her. She did recieve a lovely pedigree update in the last 7 days - last Sunday her full brother won on his debut in an Irish Point to Point in Dromahane, before selling for 170,000 Euros at the Goffs sale after racing on Thursday in Punchestown. We bought the first 4 foals out of the dam - the first as a yearling in France when the pair were over there - he went on to make 145,000 after his point to point, the second went on to fetch 220,000 after winning a point to point bumper during covid, and this latest 4 yr old has gone for 170,000 after winning last Sunday - some family - and we are very excited to have retained this gorgeous filly for the NBR team!
Old Blue Eyes being backed
OBE riding around the barn.
Jukebox Jury x La Pelodette 3 yr old filly - full brother made 170,000 this week!
And she can jump!
The Mahler filly is very good too! Shares will be free lease - and £30/wk all inc!
Intrepide Sud (behind) out in the sun with one of his mates
Up with Donald McCain - Dino Bellagio is still at Bank House being let down gently, and he will head off to his summer quarters next week.
One that isn't headed off for a summer break is Reflexion Faite - who is in great form, and did have an entry in Nottingham on Tuesday, but their ground is soft, heavy in places, and this slightly built filly would niot be suited by that, so she will bypass that engagement, and wait for some better gorund. She skips off of a sound surface, and Kevin has been very happy withe her work! Just a single share left in her now - get in quick - if it isn't taken before she runs I will certainly be keeping it for myself!
Reflexion Faite did a lovely piece of work yesterday!
Itchy Feet will be heading to the field next week - he has been 'let down' slowly after his Aintree run, and will enjoy a well earned rest!
Next week looks a little more settled! Warwick tomorrow, and a stable visit planned for later in the week with a client. I also have a meeting scheduled in Newmarket at the weekend before racing, that could be a very exciting development for NBR! Something a little different!
It really feels like Spring has sprung now, so no need to keep you any longer - there are plenty of jobs you should be doing in the garden!
I'll be back next week with more ramblings - more of the life and times of a syndicate manager - until then - keep kicking!!
