Getting Around
Last weeks news was cobbled together (you can’t call this writing!) on Friday as Saturday was going to be a long, fun day and Sunday I was anticipating a ‘wine virus’.
Late Saturday morning we set off for Billesley Manor Hotel just outside Stratford Upon Avon, where we would be staying the night – after a couple of ‘sharpners’ in the bar we made the short trip down the road to celebrate the wedding of Olly and Camilla at Warren Chase. O&C had married the previous day and were throwing a party on Saturday afternoon for family and friends down at the boat house on the lake. The happy couple made their entrance by boat – rowed by the groom – which in my mind added a hugely unnecessary level of jeopardy to the whole day – thankfully it all went fine, even though Olly needs to learn that the sharp pointy end of a boat is the bit that goes forward – not the blunt flat end – he effectively rowed into his own wedding party in reverse! As you would expect, it was a fantastic afternoon – lovely to see a few folks I hadn’t seen for a good while, including a former jockey that rode lots for us back in the day!
While we were all enjoying ourselves – over the road at the yard – Auditoria headed off to her new home with Olivia who used to look after her when she worked for Olly. I am sure she will be very happy in her new home!
While enjoying a few beers with Alan King – it was good to get a video from Jamie Magee – with an update on the Lindas Lad filly who is having a short spell of R&R at his yard. Alan reiterated how happy he is with her - she will be back to Barbury Castle later this month. Judging by the video she is a strong character, which is just what she will need to be when she gets into the heat of battle on the track!
Sunday – good morning ‘wine virus’ – I was expecting you! Plenty of painkillers, and a slooooow day was needed! I was very pleased that I had got the weekly news out early last week – I was not really capable of joined up thinking on Sunday!
Monday morning – Chevelle had a canter at Ivy Lodge Farm before making the short journey up the road to Ravenswell Farm. Fully syndicated in just 5 days, she has proven to be everything we hoped she would be. From the very first day that she arrived – when she was skipping over barrels around the lose school just 3 hours after getting off of the lorry from France, she has been the perfect pupil. Chevelle is a big rangy filly, which we knew from the videos of her runs in France, she has a wonderful temperament and is a joy to do anything with. The two main reasons we were so keen to get hold of her were, firstly, she is by a sire whose progeny I believe are well suited to jump racing – they are tough and genuine, and secondly, already having her 2 yr old full brother on the team – we were hopeful, that like him – she would simply love to jump – and she does! Now all she needs to do is get the 2 mile trip well, and she will be lots of fun over the winter! I can’t wait to see her make her hurdles debut in late September! It is only a 15 minute trip to Fergals and she arrived fine, had a quick shower to cool off on a very warm afternoon, and then settled straight into her new stable and tucked right into her hay!
Tuesday – an early start and a good trip down to the Cotswolds. I week or so before – I had arranged to meet Nick down there to see his new horse Maria’s Flame – we got the added bonus to see Chevelle have a canter on the round gallop too!
First lot we saw Greyval have a warm up on the round gallop and then do two up the hill. She is looking a moving really well – and after a frustrating winter and spring – she will be plenty of fun this season. She absolutely loves her work and was ripping up the hill – she was the one that started my love affair with The Grey Gatsby – things worked out with her when she read the script and won the race that she was brought for – the Listed Juvenile hurdle in Doncaster – I hope that we can repeat the feat this season with another daughter of The Grey Gatsby!
Second lot and Mamoon Star was working – and boy did her work! He has been in the most amazing form for a while now – we had hoped to run him before the recent 3 week break – but he was balloted out due to stabling, and we couldn’t run – he remains in great order and worked so well that Fergal and I discussed the option of trying a run on the flat if he should not sparkle on his next start over hurdles. We have seen that he has plenty of speed on the gallop, and it may be an option should his next run goes as we hope it will. Something a little different for his owners should we decide to give it a try!
Third lot we saw Intrepide Sud do three canters up the hill for the first time this term. He is such a genuine horse – and is another one that is looking and moving great! Having finished fifth and third on his two runs back after an injury layoff in the spring, he will start his season over hurdles, before switching to fences which is where we will see him at his best for sure!
Fourth lot – Maria’s Flame and Chevelle both cantered on the round gallop. Chevelle is fit from racing in France – but as this was her first morning being ridden at Ravenswell she just cantered on the round under Tom Broughton – who really liked her and reported her to be nicely settled and very well balanced. MF is on the road to full fitness and isn’t ready to see the hill yet – so she cantered on the round under Liam Harrison. She was full of herself and in great form! She is another one that had a truncated season last year – and one that we are really looking forward to seeing out again in October. We are down to the last couple of shares in her – if you would like to join in the fun with a great syndicate, and have plenty of days out both at Ravenswell Farm and on the track let me know – Fergal and Sally both really like her – she could well start off in a bumper in October, before switching to hurdles – she loves jumping and shouldn’t be missed!
Maria's Flame
Chevelle being tacked up
Chevelle having cantered
I did have a thought of popping over to see Luke Harvey and have a look round his new yard that him and his lovely wife Charlotte have been developing over the last couple of years – but it was a warm afternoon, and I feared that we may end up in the pub – so, as I had had enough beer at the weekend, and my ‘wine virus’ still hadn’t 100% cleared up - better sense prevailed and I headed home!
Chevelle enjoying an few hours in the sunshine with Dysart Enos
Wednesday – a video update from Alan King – Rockola building up to full fitness nicely – she is doing two canters up the Sharperidge gallop and doing them well. I am sure that she will end up running over trips around or even beyond two and a half miles this season, and she will also be kept to the best ground available – and with that in mind – having been placed twice in two bumpers and second on her only completed hurdles start – she will be a filly to follow this season. There is a single share available in her – have a look on the For Sale Page and get in touch nickbrownracing@gmail.com or 07909 518902
Rockola cantering
Thursday – another early morning and good to get up to Donald McCains for the first time in a while. I arrived just before 7.30am and first lot were having a school, a few on the strip, and the remainder in the loop. It was one of the first sessions of the new season, and it was interesting to say the least – it is amazing how a horse that has run over hurdles and fences for several seasons, can somehow seem to act as they have never seen a hurdle before! One or two ‘hairy’ moments!
'Dug' - Donalds new pup.
Second lot, and our three were out on the round gallop. Dino Bellagio has been in work a shade longer than the other two, and as he can be a bit of a handful as he gets fitter, Donald has him doing a bit more each week just to keep the lid on him– he is currently cantering 2 miles a day – and is in great order – it is great to see him back – after winning two bumpers in his first season – we had very high hopes for him last term, but sadly he got a bad fright on his first start, and suffered an injury when he returned – if you watch that race back – he was travelling as well if not better than everything else in that race in Doncaster – right up until the point that we are sure he suffered his injury – Donald had big plans for him last season, and now that he is 100% over his set back, hopefully he can fulfil the promise that we all know that he has! Give me a shout if you would like one of the two remaining shares in him – he should be taking his syndicate to some very nice meetings at some very nice tracks this season!
Dino warming up
It was good to see Old Blue Eyes back cantering again – he is a horse that we all like very much – he is Dino Bellagio’s half brother – by Blue Bresil! He was in full training last season – and had put in a couple of very smart pieces of work, before his immaturity caught him out and Donald had to back off of him for a couple of months. He returned to Bankhoue in the spring and did plenty of work, but we ran out of time (and ground) to give him a racecourse gallop, and instead simply turned him away to enjoy the summer. He has returned a stronger individual, as you would expect from a horse with his pedigree that is still only a 4 yr old – but we saw enough of him at home last season to know that he has plenty of ability, and I can’t wait to see him make his debut in a bumper in October. He is one for your trackers – when I was in the yard on Thursday – once again – everyone kept telling me how nice he was! Fingers crossed they are right!
Old Blue Eyes warming up
Ridin Solo was another to have a canter on the round gallop – he too has done really well for his summer break – which he spent with Will Kinsey at Peel Hall. Donald and I had a long chat about him on Thursday, and he, like me feels like we will have a whole lot of fun with him this winter. We think he is well handicapped over hurdles and will improve for a fence too – so he could get two cracks as a well treated horse this season!
Ridin Solo warming up
Dino after work
Ridin Solo back in his box
While having a coffee in the office at Bankhouse, it was good to get a couple of videos through from Ravenswell Farm – first one a Tik Tok post from the Doc featuring Chevelle on the round gallop cantering away nicely to a tune by the band that share her name – Doc is evidently a big fan of Chevelle (the band) and fast becoming a fan of Chevelle (the filly). Half an hour after getting Doc’s 15 seconds of social media post – I got a clip from Ferg – Chevelle having her first sight of the hurdles on the schooling strip – as she has shown since the first day that she arrived, she is an absolute natural – did not bat an eyelid – and skipped up the three hurdles under Max Kendrick in really good fashion – she adjusts very well, and is economical and quick over her obstacles. She has ticked all the boxes that I hoped she would – and hopefully she will give her new owners a lot of fun this season! One thing is for sure – she looks to be great value at this stage!
Friday – more Red Sash Racing Club memberships to process, we had a really good renewal of members from last season – and are adding new members to the club all the time. It is developing into a fun community – and in Ridin Solo they have a lovely horse to run for them, who will give them plenty to cheer about over the winter. I am also enjoying putting together all the updates and ‘In Behind’ features in the members area of the web-site – they have been really well received!
Availability in some of our other horses is getting low now. With the recent retirement of Auditoria, a good few spots in the other similar syndicates were snapped up. We are down to the last ones in two of the horses, only a couple in another, and four in the Lindas Lad filly. Don’t miss your chance – if you would like to join one of our 25 share syndicates get in touch – the horses are, Dino Bellagio, Maria’s Flame, Tintagel Queen and the Lindas Lad filly. The first three all have winning or placed form in the book and are all back in training – their trainers all believe they will be winning races this season – and will all be back on the track in around 6 weeks. The Lindas Lad filly has a fantastic pedigree and has done everything right so far – she has shown a very willing attitude, seems to be as tough as old boots and falls into the ‘could be anything’ bracket. Get in touch nickbrownracing@gmail.com or 07909 518902
Saturday – the last of our group stable visits was confirmed for Saturday 14th September when we will all meet up at Donald McCains to see the three horses there on the gallops – at this stage – this will be open to the owners and syndicate members involved in Dino Bellagio and Old Blue Eyes – due to numbers – we will have a separate Red Sash Racing Club visit to see Ridin Solo – which will be a week or two later in September when he will be doing plenty of work on the hill gallop.
All of our stable visits are now confirmed
Fergal O’Brien - September 7th
Donald McCain – September 14th
Alan King – September 21st
Olly Murphy – September 28th
They are proving very popular – everyone is welcome to all of them – even if you do not have shares in the horses at a particular yard.
If you have not done so – please let me know if you would like to attend one or more of them – just so that I can get an handle on numbers and make necessary arrangements with each yard.
Around the rest of the team – with Olly and Camilla away on honeymoon – no clips or updates from Warren Chase this week – but I did speak to his head man Gerard at the wedding last week – and he was very happy with the progress of Tintagel Queen, who is doing plenty of cantering and looks fabulous. She will be ready to run in October and will start in a mares novice hurdle.
Itchy Feet is still ‘pounding the streets’ around Broadway with Connor and Alex.
Gary and Josh stepped up the intensity of Cloud Dancers work a tad last week – and are very happy with him, and down at Ivy Lodge Farm, Gatsby has completed his primary school and is now back out in the field enjoying a break – he will return to work in the spring – when – if everything goes to plan – he will have a significantly enhanced pedigree thanks to his full sister Chevelle.
His classmates are also out enjoying the sunshine – but are back at The Elms – Finbar and Frank are out with Barry and George, and hopefully I will get to see them early next week.
Up at Peel Hall, the 2 yr old Masterstroke half sister to Hidden Beauty is really well, and has been in having a bit of education – as you know we like to give them plenty of work as 2 yr olds, and she is going really nicely. She will be syndicated next summer and be prepared for a start in junior bumpers next October.
Next week is one of my favourite weeks of the year – the Ebor meeting in York – I am looking forward to enjoying a few days in the city, and on the Knavesmire!
