First Class!
Sadly, the weather did not play ball this week – once again wet, windy and cold conditions prevalent across most of the country. I am sure that all the horses, apart from Intrepide Sud who remains in the field at Ivy Lodge Farm, are glad to be back in their stables and out of the downpours that have been plaguing everyone this week. The final two left the Elms on Monday and returned to their respective trainers. Maggie Jones was in to collect Tintagel Queen and Volkovka. TQ was dropped off at Olly Murphys, and Volkovka delivered to Fergal O’Brien. Both looked great, their trainers were delighted with their condition when they saw them. Both had summered really well. Tintagel Queen is a very big mare, who we are really looking forward to this season, two good runs in bumpers last term, including a very close second on her second and final start in Chepstow, has left all of us champing at the bit to see her over hurdles this season. She did plenty of schooling both in the arena and on turf before she went to The Elms for her summer break, and she was very good, so hopefully it will not be long before she is in the winners circle. Yesterday Olly did his weekly vlog which went out on the usual social media outlets, and it was good to hear her get a mention among the raft of very nice bumper horses he ran last season – she is one he is very much looking forward to getting going with – she has had that extra month in the field as she wants a proper galloping track and soft ground, so she should be starting in a mares novice/maiden hurdle in late October/ early November – and fingers crossed she can take her syndicate to some very nice places through the winter! Volkovka went through a season of transition in 22/23. She is a flat bred filly, and although she jumps well, she has always taken plenty of schooling, even over hurdles, so the first season over fences was always going to be a slow burn for her. She learnt plenty as the season went on – and her owners patience was rewarded with a fine second in Ludlow in April – which showed everyone that she had what it took to win in that sphere. The dry spring meant that she was forced to run on quicker ground than she really likes, so when she meets proper soft ground in the winter, with a seasons experience under her belt, she should have a very good season in mares’ novices’ chases this time around.
Tintagel Queen - arrived back at Warren Chase on Monday
Tuesday morning and we were keen to see what sort of handicap mark the assessor saw fit to give Reflexion Faite after her second place finish on her third start in Sandown the previous Thursday. She has finished half a length in front of a 83 rated filly on that occasion, so it was with slight trepidation that I clicked on the BHA site to see what mark she had. 69 was a nice surprise. Speaking to Kevin later in the week we agreed that it was probably 9lb higher than she would have got had she not finished second, but the fact that she had shown a nice bit of ability in doing it meant that he felt we were OK with that mark. Also on Tuesday I managed to finalise the dividends for the 22/23 season – which were settled later in the week – these should have been completed in July, but the work that has been needed in the office has led to delays, so it was good to get them done last week. After getting them sorted we loaded up the car and headed down to the South Downs for a couple of days at Glorious Goodwood. Tuesday was a lovely afternoon, warm, bright and breezy and perfect to enjoy some really good flat racing. It always amazes me how many National Hunt folk you see at the top flat meetings and this one was no exception – plenty of fun was had. Although Goodwood is singularly the most inaccessible racecourse in the country – it is always lovely to be there, and is the most beautiful of sporting venues, and we were honoured to be there as guests of the Arab Racing Organisation who hosted a drinks reception in the box of the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club in the evening. Our thanks go to Debbie Burt who arranged for us to be there, and it was really nice to meet all the members of the organisation, along with owners and trainers from across the globe. As we entered probably the best box on any British racecourse, a leading national hunt trainer (who will remain nameless) looked at me, and I looked at him, and with quizzical looks, both said – ‘what are you doing here’ I was there to watch the Arabian race on the Wednesday, he, on his own admission was there to try and sell some stores! At least he was honest! As the reception concluded, and just as we were thinking where we were going to grab a spot of dinner, we were whisked away to The Goodwood House Hotel, where we just made it in time for a bite to eat with a select few. It was a fantastic evening, meeting new people, and enjoying a lot of fun and laughter. We were staying just down the road at the Avisford Park Hotel, and we manged to get there and checked in at around 11.00pm. A beautiful spot, the hotel itself starting to look a little tired – it was sold last year, and I am sure that a little spruce up is on the cards – the staff were friendly and helpful, the room was OK – breakfast was very good – and that is about as much as we got to see – although the sight of a Christmas tree in reception did not seem appropriate on August 1st – I could not work out if it was early for 2023 or had been left up from 2022! The late night drive to the hotel had been wet, but it was nothing to the monsoon that hit us on Wednesday morning. We were heading back to the races, and thankfully there was a period of dry weather that allowed us to get parked and into the course, but that interlude was short lived, as before we knew it the wind and rain had arrived with a vengeance, and Goodwood was far from glorious! Thankfully I had popped a few of the National Hunt coats in the car, and with the cap pulled firmly down over the ears I ventured down in the paddock to see the horses in the parade ring for the Qatar International Stakes that got racing under way. I am not sure how the Arabians liked the weather – the humans were less than happy, but with £400,000 on offer, the race had attracted the very best horses from across the globe, and it was set to be a real spectacle. We had spent much of the previous evening chatting to Deborah Mihaloff who’s First Classs was running in the race, so we certainly had a horse to cheer on! Deborah along with her husband established Cre Run Farm in Virginia in 1986 and have bred hundreds of Arabian winners both in the States and around the World. First Classs has been her standard bearer recently, with his impressive back-to-back Group 1 wins in the UAE and Saudi Arabia both offering $1,000,000 purses. First Classs is a very good horse, but soft ground was not going to be in his favour, and it was certainly soft by the time they got to post. The race was won by a vey impressive winner in Al Ghadeer, who had won the Qatar Arabian Derby in Chantilly in June, and looked a superstar in taking this race easily under Christophe Soumillon, with First Classs staying on for second – for which he picked up a cool £86,000! Thanks to Deborah and Debbie for allowing us such wonderful access to the horses, it was really interesting to see them close up. Sadly, conditions remained horrendous for the rest of the afternoon, and you really felt for the folks who had got dressed up in all their summer finery for a day at Glorious Goodwood – they were cold and wet. We headed home, and the weather remained atrocious – finally clearing as we neared home – the journey taking nearly 5 hours!
First Classs in the paddock
It was a bit bleak!
You know it is damp when the British Army have to move indoors!
Do love an old fashioned numbers board!
Malcom made it to Goodwood - but sensibly didn't venture out in the rain!
WTAF!! It's August!!
Thursday – more office work – good to hear from a former syndicate member who is going to return to NBR this season, he got in touch to see what we had to offer and will be taking a share in one of them! He has been following us over the course of the last couple of seasons since one of his horses with us was retired to continue her career as a broodmare, and he relinquished his small share in the other – our results have not gone unnoticed and hopefully he will be back in the winners enclosure in no time!
Friday and Chris from Concept Carpentry was back in to finish the fitted furniture in the office. A superb job – Concept Carpentry are based just outside of Cambridge, and I would highly recommend them for any joinery job that you require. Professional, tidy, and with a very high standard of workmanship – the office furniture is now done, which means that they will be moving on to phase two of the work – upstairs cupboards and wardrobes in the coming weeks. Next up for the office is the new carpet which goes in tomorrow – then we can start to get the furniture and office equipment back in! Not a moment too soon – it seems like an age since May! It will be good to get the office back to some sort of normality!
Top job by the lads at Concept Carpentry!
Saturday, and I had considered popping over to Egerton House Stables to see Reflexion Faite, but one look out of the window put me off of that idea – one soaking a week is enough these days – but it did highlight what hardworking stable staff have to endure day in day out in their jobs – they did not have the choice to stay at home – they are out there in all weathers looking after the horses in their care – we really appreciate each and every one of them! Reflexion Faite in good order, instead of watching her canter, I was tracking her entry in Thirsk on Friday – a 5f Fillies Novice. Goodwood took another beating with the weather, they had to abandon the last 3 races on the card as the round course was deemed to be dangerous by then. Such a shame – it had been a very trying week for the team down there.
Reflexion Faite
Around the yards – as mentioned, all of them apart from one are back in work. At Ravenswell Farm, Greyval and Mamoon Star are cantering on the hill. Fortune Forever, Hidden Beauty, and Maria’s Flame are all doing plenty on the round gallop. Blue Bikini is half way through her annual ulcer treatment. When she switched to Fergal O’Brien, we devised a regime that would help her ulcers, and it is now a case of – why change? – The system works, so she is having it again. So far it has worked well and we are all looking forward to seeing BB back on track where hopefully she can continue her winning ways, especially as we are fairly sure she will improve again when she has a proper test of stamina. She too is doing plenty of cantering. Down the road at Ivy Lodge Farm, Cloud Dancer continues his preparation for a return to Gary Moore at the end of the month. He is one that should see plenty of winners enclosures this winter – he is already a winner over hurdles, but remains a novice for the 2023/24 season – he should be lots of fun! Donald McCain has headed off for a well-earned weeks holiday in the sun, but he called in the week to give me an update on the horses there. Dino Bellagio and his half brother Old Blue Eyes are cantering away nicely, and he is seeing distinct similarities between the two, he tells me he thinks he is a lovely horse. Dino he knows well from last season, when he won two bumpers, and it is very encouraging that he can see the same traits in OBE, who will hopefully emulate his older sibling and see success in bumpers. It is no secret how much Donald likes DB so at this stage the future for OBE looks very bright indeed! Alan King has the Jukebox Jury filly doing two canters now, and she is moving really nicely, and at Warren Chase, Auditoria and Itchy Feet are now up to doing one and a half miles cantering on the deep sand – and both are really well
Mamoon Star on the hill
Greyval striding out!
Next week we head to the sales in Doncaster – we will not be adding to the squad! And before the end of the month we will be putting the finishing touches to something new that we will be launching in the autumn, we have already secured the support of a major UK betting operator, who will be working with us, and providing a few juicy incentives! More on that in the coming weeks. I will also be heading out to at least one yard as well.
Until next week – when the sad and sorry office saga should be behind us – and the horses will all be a week closer to the racecourse! Hopefully we will have a bit of nicer weather to enjoy – it can’t be any worse surely? You just know that we will all be tearing our hair out for rain when the national hunt season starts in earnest in October – typical!
Please have a look at the share options we have on the FOR SALE page – great opportunities to get involved in some very nice horses – to suit all budgets! Go on – take a look and get in touch! 07909 518902 nickbrownracing@gmail.com
