Sunny Donny Delight
Having run quite a few of the team over the course of the last 2 weeks, it was always going to be a quieter in the early part of the week, but we had plans for a couple at the weekend so there was something to look forward to!
Despite a few of them having an easy few days after their runs it was still a shock to not get a schooling video from one of the yards on a Monday morning! Olly did call later in the morning to give me an update on Tintagel Queen who seems fine after mysteriously losing her action and being pulled up on her latest start in Leicester. That afternoon will remain a mystery forever – Sean Bowen pulled her up and dismounted her as he was sure she had suffered a nasty injury – and she was sore when she went back to the racecourse stables – but the racecourse vets could not find anything seriously amiss with her, and she continued to improve as the afternoon went on. She was able to go home to her stable at home that night, and although a little stiff the morning after – there was nothing seemingly amiss. She was checked over by vets and chiropractors, none of whom could identify what could have made her lose her action the way she did. It has all been a huge relief for everyone, and Olly was upbeat when I spoke to him – saying that she had been ridden that morning and had gone for a long walk and trot and seemed fine. Her run in Leicester was her third over hurdles and would qualify her for a handicap mark, but we were fearful that the handicapper would not give her that mark as she had pulled up before jumping two out. In the past, hurdle runs only counted towards a handicap mark if the horse had made it over two out, failure to do so, meant the run didn’t qualify to be assessed and the horse would have to run for a fourth time. It is important to point out that it is at the handicappers discretion if he allots a horse a rating or not – even if a horse has run three times and jumped the second last on each occasion – if he feels he has not seen enough – or one of those runs was the subject of a stewards enquiry into the running and riding of that horse he can reserve judgement, and make connections go again to qualify for a mark. Olly thought that the handicapper may make TQ run again in novice/maiden company before giving her a mark – but recently I have seen a few horses get their marks without having 3 qualified runs (Dino Bellagio was one) so it was worth a phone call to see if she would be given a rating when they were published on Tuesday morning. Olly was pleased to hear that she would get a rating and that it would be 101. This opens up a lot more of the programme book for Tintagel Queen and all being well she should be out again towards the end of the month. From where we were with her – dismounted at the bottom of the Leicester straight – I will take that!
The rest of the morning was spent tracking a couple of entries – Greyval had been away and done a very nice piece of work and was in rude health. She would have an entry in the mares handicap hurdle that closed the card in Cheltenham on Saturday, the trip looked ideal and with a dry forecast for the week – the ground was likely to dry back as well – ideal for Greyval. Another one that would appreciate the drier forecast would be Cloud Dancer who was entered in Doncaster, also on Saturday afternoon. CD has been tricky to train as he has suffered with his feet, but that problem has been fixed now – and Josh and Gary have changed a few things in his day to day routine, which has led to a trouble free run up to this race. I have long felt that Cloud Dancer would appreciate a step up to 3 miles, on a sound surface, and at this time of year, Doncaster would offer the best ground around. The plan to give him this run, test him over the staying trip, and the give him a short mid winter break while they are running on the worst of the ground, and then bring him back for a spring/summer campaign where he would get the ground that he appreciates.
Another entry was for Maria’s Flame, who would come to the end of her period of box rest mid week. We have not been able to find a buyer or her privately, so she will be offered in an online sale. Sadly, it was not to be for her on the racecourse, injury meant that she couldn’t fulfil the promise that she had shown on her debut, but she had always worked like a very decent filly at home, and with the pedigree that she has, she should make someone a lovely broodmare prospect going forward.
Tuesday – a quieter day – a chance to get over to Cambridgeshire and spend a good chunk of the day going over plans for Horesbox sales etc.
Wednesday – Itchy Feet headed out early for an away day gallop. Olly messaged to say that he was delighted with him and that he was ready to run, sadly his readiness didn’t coincide with a suitable race for him, and he will have to wait for a couple of weeks before we see him back on the racecourse. There are a few options for him over the Christmas/New Year period – and he will run around that time. It will be good to get him back on track – and when I spoke to Olly later in the morning, we both felt that the plan for him would be to aim him at the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle in Haydock once again. He was second in it a couple of years ago – and was being aimed at it last year until a small injury intervened.
I had a good chat with Fergal on Wednesday – to discuss Greyvals entry in Cheltenham on Saturday afternoon. When the weights were published, Greyval was allotted 9st 12lb – 2lb out of the handicap. At that stage, it looked likely that the top weight was an intended runner, and we discussed whether we would run Greyval from 2lb out of the handicap should the top weigh be declared. We decided that ground was more important than being 2lbs wrong at the weights. If the top weight was declared and the weights stayed the same, we would take our chance. We could wait for a couple of weeks to run her in the handicap proper somewhere and find that the ground was very deep – and not suitable for her – we would take our chance while we had it – Greyval would be declared in Cheltenham.
Thursday – an early start – and a trip down to Barbury Castle Stables to see Alan King and the team. The trip was a painful one – a violent sneeze mid way through Milton Keynes and I pulled a muscle in the bottom of my rib cage! When I met Debbie at 7.15am at the yard – and she told me about how her morning had gone thus far – it was very painful to laugh! To be fair – I shouldn’t have been laughing anyway! The good bit was that Debbie had arrived with hot sausages! On her trip to Wincanton for Intrepide Sud, she had popped into the Stourhead Farm Shop and purchased some Merguez Sausages. I had never knowingly tasted a Merguez Sausage – so I had my first taste on Thursday – and Debbie was right – they are delicious! Not sure where to get them other than Stourhead Farm Shop – but well worth it if you can find them!
Alan in fine(ish) form – Lunch with his sponsors the day before had been a long one! We saw a few school first lot – great to see Edwinstowe go up the schooling fences twice after his nasty looking fall in the Tingle Creek Chase the week before. He showed no ill effects from that.
Second lot we saw Rockola and And She Was do two canters. Rockola has not been asked to do a whole lot since her win in Southwell, she is a light framed filly, and Alan has been mindful to get some weight back on her before he asked her any serious questions again. She is in great order though and will be out again towards the end of the month/ early Jan when there is a suitable race for her. I am keen to keep her to mares company if possible.
And She Was has really come together – I cannot tell you how pleased I was to see how she has developed into a smashing filly! She has grown a bit and tightened up nicely. Alan has been really happy with her progression and had said that she was not far off of making her debut. She did two up the hill and looked in great form – so much so that when we got back to the office Alan decided that he would enter her in a Junior Bumper for Fillies in Newbury next week. The entry did come with a caveat – that the race may come just a week too soon for her – but he would see how she went on Saturday and make a decision then. Exciting times – it will be good to get started with her!
We popped by the fillies yard to see both Rockola and And She Was on the way out – not only did I get a sausage on Thursday morning – And She Was got carrots from Debbie – who has a share in her!
Rockola
The two that had entries on Saturday were declared between 8.00 and 10.00am – Greyval would get in the weights proper in Cheltenham, as the top weight had not been declared, meaning the weights rose. In the handicap proper and on as good ground as there is around, she had to have a big chance! It would be a thrill for her owners to have a runner at Jumps HQ and everyone was very much looking forward to it!
Josh called to say that he would declare Cloud Dancer in Doncaster. It would be a big step up in trip for him – but we both felt that it was what he needed – and with the ground in Doncaster never riding too deep, he should be able to cope with conditions. He had had a trouble free prep for this, unlike his previous start, and if he stayed the trip, he too would have a chance – but the trip was a big IF.
Finally, I got a couple of schooling videos – Greyval having a pop over three ahead of her run.
Chevelle went up the schooling strip a couple of times and did it very well – she got a fright at the first on her debut – but is showing no ill effects of that at home – and after a wind op, will hopefully be back on course at the end of the month.
In the afternoon Jason Maguire sent a video through of ‘Barry’ cantering at his Ivy Lodge Farm. Barry – a 3 yr old by Blue Bresil is a very exciting prospect, and he is pre training with Jason ahead of heading into training with his chosen trainer early in the new year.
Friday, we headed down to Cheltenham for the first day of their two day December meeting. A bloody dank and frankly miserable day weather wise but good racing and a fun afternoon with a couple of pints and a bit of ‘craic’. On the journey down I received the bad news that Greyval was likely to be a non runner on Saturday. She had done two routine canters that morning, but had coughed on the way back in, and a scope and trach wash had shown signs that all was not well with her. The trach wash was analysed later in the day, and it showed that Greyval was definitely not 100% healthy, and sadly on our way home I had to inform her owners that she would not be running in Cheltenham after all. Hugely disappointing for them all, but you just couldn’t ask her to run when the science was telling you that she was not 100% - you would do more damage than good, and she would need an awfully long time to get over it – the only course of action was to declare her a non runner – work on getting her back to full health and get her back to the track as soon as possible!
With no Greyval in Cheltenham – I headed up the A1 to a sunny Doncaster, to see Cloud Dancer have his first try at 3 miles. I was keen to get up to Donny to see the first – as two of our pinhooking graduates were due to run in the opener. Horaces Pearl, was sadly a non runner, but Off The Jury was still a runner and would go off long odds on. It was good to meet his owner/amateur rider, David Maxwell in the paddock pre race, but sadly I wasn’t clapping them back into the winners circle as they were eclipsed into second.
Before the second race I caught up with Donald McCain, who was in good form. He reported that Dino Bellagio was in rude health – turning a few shapes – and ready to run again. He will have entries over the Christmas period. Old Blue Eyes is really well, and yesterday, he did his first piece of work since his win in Sedgefield earlier in the month, and went well – there are no firm plans for him at this stage – but he will remain in bumpers this season, with Aintree in April as his season target. Ridin Solo has come out of his run in Sedgefield fine – he has run up a little light which he is prone to do – but Donald is happy with him, and he is another one that will be out over the holiday period.
Time for Cloud Dancer – I had spoken to Brian Hughes before the second race and asked him his thoughts of the ground – he reported it to be used, second day ground – good to soft, but riding dead. Not ideal for CD, but not too bad. It was time to find out if he was a stayer! He looked fabulous in the paddock, and having had a clear run into this race – that part of the equation was all good.
Caolin Quin had ridden him last time out and was once again in the plate. He was going to hold him up, to give him every chance of staying this trip, and would get him rolling in the home straight. In the early stages, the good news was that CD had settled well at this slower tempo – but as they passed the stands with just under 2 miles to run, he looked to had settled a little too well and needed a slap down the shoulder to wake him up a bit. Still in rear down the far side, he came under pressure as they rounded the top bend, and with Caoilin having to give him a tap on the tail, he was really going to have to stay to win from there! It wasn’t looking good, and I would be interested to know what price he went out to in running! A furlong further on and things looked a lot different. CD was finally rolling along and was within 3 lengths of the leader. He jumped really well up the straight, and as they approached two out, he had taken up the running and the pair had kicked for home. With ears pricked, he got a wonderful leap at the last and although idling on the way to the line he ran out an easy winner. Great for Robert, Lorraine and Leigh who had made the long trip north – they got to pick up the trophy and enjoy a glass on champagne! Worth the long trip!
Sunday – as I type, Alan King has just called to say that after working And She Was yesterday – he feels that it would be wrong to ask her to run in Newbury on Wednesday, as he suspected the race would just come a week too soon for her and we will have to rethink plans.
Josh has just let me know that yesterdays winner Cloud Dancer has come out of the race fine, and will be out again in 3-4 weeks.
The only one to give a mention to is Intrepide Sud who is OK after his run in Wincanton despite being pulled up. All being well he will be running again soon.
Don’t forget to have a look at the shares available on the FOR SALE PAGE. If you are struggling for a Christmas present for a very special person – why not buy them a share in a very special horse – Old Blue Eyes – there are also options in a couple of others, along with shares in The Red Sash Racing Club – and Ridin Solo – just £75 which includes purchase price and all training fees through to June 2025 – a great gift for any racing fan!
Next week – now there is no Newbury on Wednesday it looks like a quiet week – the quiet before the storm, as we are set to have lots of runners over the Christmas/ New Year period!
