Mucky Scope
A week dominated by a heavy cold for your correspondent – resulting in me spending most of the week at home attempting to rid myself of a head full of gunk and trying not to spread it to others. Not the most fun week of my life. There is nothing to update you with regarding a change of car – buying a new car is one of those things in life that I really do not like – dealing with car dealerships when feeling as I have for the past 7 days could have had very grave consequences indeed!!
Sunday – sad news reached us – my uncle Ian Brown had passed away the previous day. Ian was 93 and much of those 93 years had been spent with friends on one racecourse or another. Many years ago, he had completed the ‘full set’ of UK racecourses – which was a rare thing at the time and earned him a mention in the Racing Post for doing so. Ian had a passion for horseracing, and I often see his old friends on course who ask after him. I know a few of them log on to read the news every week and will be saddened to read of his passing.
As the cold took hold in the afternoon William Butler called with his weekly update from Heath House regarding PENSELWOOD, who is fine after his gelding operation earlier that week. He has shown no ill effects, and will be fit to travel back to Ivy Lodge Farm at the end of the week for a few weeks of R&R. These horses that have just turned two have been through a hell of a lot in the last 3 to 4 months. Having gone through his sales prep at home in Somerset, he would have travelled up to Newmarket for the sales in October. For the best part of a week, he would have been in and out of his stable for inspections, and then through the hustle and bustle of the sales ring. No sooner had he been through that, he was back in a horsebox and on his travels back down to the west country to Jason Maguire at Ivy Lodge Farm where he spent the next few weeks being broken in. Just as he had he got his ‘feet under the table’ there he was shipped back up to Newmarket and to Heath House where he would spend the next 7 weeks getting acquainted with the yard and routine that he will live in when he enters full training.
His move back to Ivy Lodge Farm will be his last change of address for a little while, and he will be able to settle in, chill out and take in all that has happened to him in the previous few months. The good news is that he has taken everything in his stride and looks a really nice horse that will give his owners plenty of fun over the course of the next couple of years at least!
Monday – the cold fully set in – not feeling my best it has to be said. Was intending to go car shopping – but it didn’t take long to knock that idea on the head!
I spoke with Jason Maguire to let him know that PENSELWOOD would be heading his way at the end of the week, and we also ran though a few options for INTREPIDE SUD, who’s syndicate had decided to retire. Jason would speak to a few folks locally to him, and would also talk to a rehoming operation, registered with the BHA, through which we could find Suddy the best of homes in his retirement. What happens to our horses when their racing days are over is very important to us, and we will spend all the time it takes to find him the best of homes.
A couple of weeks ago, I gave members of The Oakley Partnership which owns GREYVAL a few options regarding her future, and I have been working away behind the scenes on that. The consensus was to sell her at the end of the season – and I have been investigating various markets for her.
Tuesday – Alan King back from his holiday – and delighted to see NEVADA SAMBA moving so well up the hill over at Sharpridge. Having not seen him for 3 weeks, we were looking forward to his assessment of the progress that the horse had made during the time that he had been away. In his absence, the team at home had been delighted with the progression that NS had made, and it did not take long for Alan to send through a video of his work on Tuesday morning.
An hour or so later he called to chat through a few things. He could really see a difference in NS, which was very good to hear. Hopefully we can keep going in the right direction with him now. It does not really matter how fast we move forward, just as long as it is the right direction!
One that had disappointed while he was away was AND SHE WAS who had pulled up quickly on handicap debut in Market Rasen. The vet had checked her over last week, and nothing untoward was discovered, so Alan has put the poor showing down to the ground, which was sodden after heavy rains the previous day – he will give her a short break now, and have her back to her best when the spring ground arrives. She obviously doesn’t handle very testing mid-winter ground, and will be seen in a much better light with better underfoot conditions.
The Alan King Racing Club’s horses are all back in work. GHOST DANCING is another small filly that would prefer better ground, so she had a few weeks off since her last run. Time spent recharging her batteries and putting a bit of weight back on. She had been on the walker for the past week and had resumed ridden work on Monday.
UHTRED RAGNARSON, who had fallen on his last start in Newbury, is thankfully non the worse for his tumble, but is another that Alan feels does not appreciate the current ground conditions. He too will have a spring campaign mapped out for him.
The vet was due in to see I’D GO MANIAC after he had disappointed in Kempton last week, but the heavy rains had left some of the roads around his base in Herefordshire impassable, and he was not able to get out. He would be in to see him in the next couple of days.
Another trainer on the ‘hit list’ was Donald McCain – I have been trying to get up to see him for weeks, but for one reason or another it has just not worked out. This bloody cold had ruled out this week, but we have a plan in place to meet up next week. RIDIN SOLO will have completed his month of box rest by then and will be back on the walker, and OLD BLUE EYES will be doing plenty of work. He has been back in strong work for a good while now – Donald keeping him to the deep sand – as he had with Dino Bellagio last year. OBE was on the easy list for a couple of days after giving himself a bang while cantering – but it is nothing serious and he will soon be back in full work.
DINO BELLAGIO was due to return to Donald this past week – but he has developed a skin rash after being clipped, and Jason is keen to get that cleared up before sending him back into training. We have a plan in place for Dino, which Jason is fully aware of – and he is doing plenty of work with him – he isn’t missing out – and will be just as far forward as he would be if he were up at Bankhouse.
Another week, and another nice winner for The Grey Gatsby – this time a juvenile hurdle in Chepstow won by Thewoodcorner. That is three impressive winners by the sire in the last 2 weeks – he is certainly starting to gain a reputation as a very decent sire of jumpers now! As you will be aware – I have long been a fan of his – and with the purchase of GREYVAL, was the first to test his merits as a sire of jumpers in the UK. That could not have gone better – winning a Listed Hurdle in her first season, and it has meant we have followed his progeny closely over the past few years.
Wednesday – as a result of keeping a careful eye on the progeny of The Grey Gatsby, I could not resist buying a really nice yearling by him at the September yearling sale in Tattersalls in 2023. This strong, well-made grey was quickly gelded and as we had no intention of running him on the flat, he was turned away and allowed to grow and develop. He went through our ‘system’ as a 2yr old, and we always had our eye on him running in junior bumpers and hurdle races as a 3 and 4 yr old. Having been in training with Olly Murphy since July – he is now ready to make his debut, and on Wednesday he got his first entry – a Junior National Hunt Flat Race in Carlisle on Tuesday 3 February. We can see from his away days – he is a horse that definitely has plenty of ability and we have been looking forward to running him for some time. This entry was another small step on the path for his owners to see him on the racecourse. Getting involved in a young horse, so early – it can feel like an age before they get to run – but it is extremely rewarding to see them come through our system and develop over time. We had hoped to see JG on the track before Christmas – but he is a burly sort of horse, and Olly has rightly taken his time with him.
Thursday – the monthly admin day – spent in the office paying bills!
GREYVAL in good form at home – and as planned she was entered in a mares’ handicap hurdle in Ludlow next week. Having tried her over fences, we have reverted back to hurdles with her, with the Mares Challenger Series Final in Cheltenham in April her fresh target race. She won it last year – and we have a clear plan to get her there in the same form this spring. A look at her form will tell you that she is a far better mare with a bit of sun on her back in the spring but having changed course with her mid-season – she has to run in Ludlow in order to qualify for the final – so she is an intended runner next week.
Alan King called to update me after the vet had finally got out of Herefordshire and made it to Barbury Castle.
I’D GO MANIAC is sound after his run – he had been a little sore behind, but a scope and trach wash had found him to be suffering from a respiratory infection, and he would start a course of antibiotics immediately. His run in Kempton was simply too bad to be true, and you are always hoping to discover a reason for it – and hoping even more that it is not a difficult, costly or time-consuming exercise to rectify. A respiratory infection was just about the most favourable outcome!
While on the phone Alan and I talked through options for AND SHE WAS who clearly hates the winter ground – and as a result Alan felt it would be a good idea to send her over the hill to Jamie Magee’s for a couple of weeks. Away from the hustle and bustle of Barbury, she would relax, put on a bit of weight and have plenty of sessions on the water treadmill. This is something Alan does with a good number of the fillies in the yard and it is something that pays dividends in the future. As ASW will be running in the spring and on into the summer, it is the right time to give her a short break – and she will be back on better ground around the middle of March.
UHTRED RAGNARSON will remain at Barbury but is another that will just tick over until the ground dries up. It was quick ground when he won so impressively on seasonal debut in Warwick – and a return to those conditions will suit him well – he is another who will be running on into the summer months.
Friday – NEVADA SAMBA continues to make progress – striding on up Sharpridge behind two lead horses. Fingers crossed, he has shown no signs of regressing back to the problems he was dealing with before Christmas – so everything remains positive!
Fergal called – MOLLY’S LAD had worked very well earlier in the morning and had earned himself and entry in Doncaster next Thursday – a 2m Junior National Hunt Hurdle. He has been very green in his two bumper starts but is a young horse with plenty of ability. He simply adores jumping and has done an awful lot of it at home as Ferg has had him jumping on his quieter days as a way to keep his mind engaged. If left too long to think about things he can get up to all sorts of tricks! As he loves his jumping so much – it is the ideal exercise to keep him happy!
Mid-morning I headed over to meet Steve at The Elms and have a look at the horses there with Louise. It has been an age since I have been over. ‘NANCY’ our yearling (Nirvana du Berlais x Savingforvegas) is growing and developing nicely. She is a tall, athletic young lady, with a fantastic step to her. She has a real ‘go forward attitude’ and it looks like she will make up into a really nice filly in the future. At this stage there are a number of options for her, she could be sold as a 3yr old – sold in shares and remain on the team – or even leased to a syndicate to run in our colours. All options open to us. Savingforvegas is well – still the boss of the mares she is turned out with – she is due to Nirvana du Berlais once again in the spring.
Late afternoon – Jason sent through a video of PENSELWOOD safely back at Ivy Lodge Farm. He looks really well – and has come through everything in the last few months very well. Gelding him will make a huge difference – and should make Maguire’s job an awful lot easier!
Saturday – Jason Maguire called with updates – he has offered INTREPIDE SUD to a local guy to go hunting with – he hopes that he will be in to see him next week. DINO BELLAGIO still has his rash – he is doing plenty of work – and it isn’t affecting plans, but he would rather the rash was better before he sends him back to Donald McCain. As he was on the phone to me, he was actually riding ‘FLOYD’ our 4yr old homebred by Falco out of Savingforvegas. As regular readers will know – I have always liked this horse, and I am delighted to report that having sat on him since he has come back into work, Jason is very much of the same view – a big fan!! He says he is a horse that gives him a very nice feel, and he looks to be another really nice young horse on the team. We have decided to give him 6 weeks work and then make a plan for him – he is likely to be syndicated – if you would like to put your name on the list of interested parties then do so now – there are already shares reserved in him!!
Jason also had an update on CLOUD DANCER who is on the walker – the next phase of his rehab after a tendon injury. He is the model patient!
Wetherby off - along with the first day of the Dublin Racing Festival– a day in front of the fire watching the racing from Sandown. Great to see Fergal O’Brien win the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices Chase with Sixmilebridge. A plan made a long time ago. Wonderful to see Kielan Woods get his second Grade 1 victory as well. The horses’ owners, The Megsons rewarded with a victory at the highest level after remaining loyal to their jockey.
In the evening, we headed over to Potton for a bite of dinner with friends. Potton is a bustling little village, with number of nice pubs and restaurants around a small market square. A table in O’Sarracino – an Italian restaurant in the centre. A small entrance, almost through the kitchen, up a flight of stairs led into the restaurant – which was quite the shock – tables set out amongst the oak beams and rafters – plenty of ducking and diving to get to our table – the only one not occupied when we arrived shortly after 7.30pm. This must be good – the place was heaving! And it was! Although being full of ‘glue’ I couldn’t taste too much – everyone said how good the food was, the portions were generous, and the service excellent. Another lovely restaurant to add to the list. It is always lovely to hear from those that put themselves through the torture of reading this waffle every week, when they have tried one of the eateries or hotels I recommend, some have said that they would never have booked a table at certain places had they not read about it on here – and luckily they have agreed with my reviews!
Sunday – JIMMY GATZ has been declared in Carlisle. The inner track there not ideal – but we felt that it was very important for him to start his career in a smallish field (there are 7 runners) crucially, in a race confined to horses of the same age (4yr olds). Yesterday, Olly sent through a video of JG getting a blow in around the ‘New Gallop’ at Warren Chase, upsides non other than American Mike, a Listed Bumper winner who was second in the Champion Bumper in Cheltenham and went on to win a Grade 2 chase when trained by Gordon Elliot in Ireland.
As you can hear from Olly on the video, he was very happy with JG. James Bowen who rode him in his last piece of work in Lambourn last week is in the saddle – he must have liked what he sat on that day – as he is travelling all the way up to Carlisle for just the one ride on JG in the bumper, and would certainly not be making that trip if he didn’t think that the horse was of limited ability!
There is one last chance to get involved in him before he runs – and take advantage of what is an absolute bargain price. We saw last week what the winners of these junior bumpers are making -if he were to win on Tuesday, that asking price will certainly be going up! Click the link – see his photos and videos – read about his sire – and get in touch – 07909 518902 – or email nickbrownracing@gmail.com
https://www.nickbrownracing.co.uk/ForSale/8143/jimmy-gatz
Next week looks like being fun – hopefully I will be rid of all this mucus in my head! On Tuesday I will be heading up to Carlisle to see JIMMY GATZ make his debut. From there I will head down to Cheshire for the night and then head into Donald McCains early Wednesday morning (at last) – from there I will make drive down to Ludlow to see GREYVAL before making my way across country, and probably back to The Falcon in Long Whatton for an overnight stay ahead of the short trip up the M1 to see MOLLY’S LAD make his hurdles debut in Doncaster on Thursday.
Should be a fun week – drop by next week for all the details of how it all went!
