Early Bumper News!
SURPRISE!! Admit it! You weren’t expecting to see this week’s update published already, were you??!
This week’s News is early – as I am ‘en route’ to Ffos Las to see Jimmy Gatz in the bumper there! Only 4 runners – hopefully the long trip will be worthwhile! More of that later.
We start this week’s news last Sunday – and I was over the moon to see Ciaran Gethings ride the winner of the maiden hurdle in Hereford. This was his 34th winner if the season and therefore took him one ahead of his previous seasons best of 33 which he achieved in 2017/18, when he was riding for us. I have been a big fan of Ciaran for a long time – I believe he is a seriously underrated jockey, and it is great to see him make the most of the opportunities that he is getting now. Ciaran made the difficult choice to go freelance a couple of years ago – and it is really paying dividends for him – he is riding with so much confidence and regularly riding winners on the big days now – including his latest – a Grade 2 winner in Kempton the previous day. We remain good friends, and are both very keen to see him back in the black, red and white colours again soon – I am sure it will happen, but obviously when you have horses trained at a range of yards like we do – the first choice in terms of jockeys always comes from within the yard where a particular horse is trained– they are the lads that have put in the hard graft, and got to know your horse at home, they deserve the first dibs at any rides. Trainers always like to use jockeys that they know and trust as well – so it has not been possible to put Ciaran up for a few years – we will!! In the meantime, we continue to follow his career closely and wish him all the best for the future – he is riding at a 14% strike rate and amassed his highest ever prize fund total - long may it continue!
Monday – I seem to spend most of my time in the office continually logging on to the BHA Admin site and tracking entries and declarations – being able to do so can pay some serious dividends in a couple of ways – sometimes you have entered or declared a horse in a race that you think will ‘cut up’ and have only a handful of runners that you feel you can beat on all known form, only for it to attract a very strong field, with competition that you know you can’t beat, and you can take your horse out – save a few quid, and look for an alternative. On the other hand, as happened on Monday morning, you spot a race that, although initially not on your radar, has attracted very few entries/declarations, and those that are in, look beatable, and you can pop a horse in and try and take advantage. On Monday I was tracking the entries in the bumper in Ffos Las on Sunday, and as the morning wore on, it was clear that it was not going to attract a large number of entries. The ground down there was Soft, Heavy in places – and as this was a Junior NH Flat Race, confined to 4 yr olds, and there was a similar race in Doncaster the previous day – where the ground never gets too testing – it was clear that this race was not going to attract very many entries. Why was this important – well, we have JIMMY GATZ – who ran really well on his debut in Carlisle to be beaten just 5 lengths in a similar race. That day the ground was decent, and he would have appreciated a softer surface. Jockey, James Bowen said that he liked him and that he should win a bumper – his trainer felt that he would improve massively for the outing and appreciate softer ground and a more galloping track – but crucially, we would not see him out again for 4-6 weeks. Carlisle was a day short of 3 weeks previous, and I had no idea if Olly would entertain running him in Ffos Las, but surely it was worth a look? I kept refreshing the entries and at 11.45am, 15 minutes before entries closed, I was getting very ‘itchy’ to say the least – there were just 7 entries, two of them, I felt, were unlikely to run on very deep ground and the remainder looked no better than JIMMY GATZ. Would I call Olly and ask him to enter him? It was a week or two too early, if he was going to give him the 4-6 weeks between his debut and his second run – would asking him to enter him be out of order? Was he even ready to run? There were still just 7 entries at 11.50am – and now there was just 10 minutes until the close of play – I kept refreshing. Three minutes later I decided it was at least worth a phone call – if JG wasn’t ready to run, we couldn’t go anyway – I would ring Olly and see what he thought. As I reached for the phone – it rang – Olly Murphy – ‘We don’t have to go – but the bumper in Ffos Las on Sunday has only got a handful of entries, and if you agree I think we should give JIMMY GATZ an entry in it’ Great minds and all that!
‘I was just picking up the phone to call you and ask you to do exactly that Olly – so stick him in, we can look at the race during the week – see what is likely to run and make a decision about running JG nearer the time for declarations on Friday morning’
So JG got an entry, and by the time the race closed – there were 11 entered – 2 were declared to run in Wincanton on Wednesday – and there were still the two that I thought would not run on deep ground – if the race cut up like it looked like it would, JG would be declared – he should relish the deep ground, and on all know form (admittedly, there was very little of it) he should have a very strong chance no matter what horses were declared on Friday. Sometimes it pays huge dividends to be on the ball and keeping an eye on what is going on!
Tuesday – a long day planned – an early start – first stop, Ravenswell Farm to meet Debbie and to see GREYVAL and MOLLY’S LAD work.
GREYVAL had returned from Ivy Lodge Farm the previous week – and was back into her familiar routine. She had been away for a short break, a change of scenery and a little freshen up. This would do her the world of good ahead of her two remaining targets this season in Chepstow and Cheltenham. She had thoroughly enjoyed her ‘spa break’ and was on good form. The plan is to head back to the two races that she won last spring in Chepstow and Cheltenham – but should the ground be soft in Chepstow she would bypass that and I had felt she would head straight to Cheltenham – Fergal did mention that it may be worth giving her a spin on the all-weather should Chepstow not be suitable, which is not a bad idea – I will look for races for her. She did two routine canters on Tuesday.
MOLLY’S LAD, was also in rude health, he has come out of his first run over hurdles in great form, and will soon be having further entries – he will certainly benefit from a step up in trip, but for now the plan is to preserve his novice status for next season and restrict him to a couple more runs in Junior NH Hurdles this season – which will be over 2miles. He has clearly shown enough ability to win one of these, and we hope to do so – but more importantly – he will still be eligible for Novice and Novice Handicaps next season when he is certain to be stepped up to 2m4f and beyond. He ran to a decent level of form over the minimum trip in Doncaster – he will only improve when he is stepped up in trip. He is just the same as his dam, MOLLY CHILDERS, who we always felt had the ability to win over 2 miles, but just couldn’t quite do it. On her first try at 2m4f she bolted in! There is plenty of fun to be had with ML going forward!
From Ravenswell Farm we headed over to Ivy Lodge Farm, a road closure sending us down some very sketchy lanes – at one point I actually thought I was off roading!
Jason Maguire in great form. He rode ‘FLOYD’ our homebred 4 yr old. After warming up in the school, he did a few laps either way on the deep sand before striding on up the hill. Floyd is a beautiful mover and looks ‘all quality’ but he is the first one out of Savingforvegas that has shown himself to be on the weak side. We had a number of options for him this spring, but Jason has advised that the best thing for him. is to give him another few weeks’ education and then turn him away for the summer. He is still immature and weak – he says he is a very nice horse, but he just needs a little extra time. They are all different, and as always, we will do as Jason suggests.
It was good to see our 2yr old PENSELWOOD looking in fantastic order, and CLOUD DANCER is looking and moving well too.
Over a cup of tea, Jason and I chatted over a few things for the future – we have some exciting plans for the summer – more on that when we have a few more details thrashed out – and Jason floated some very interesting ideas going forward. Watch this space!
The sun was out, and as we ended up chatting with Jason for far longer than we had intended we missed lunch and were late to our third stop of the day. A glorious afternoon spent in South Gloucestershire, they really are lucky down there – although they have had plenty of rain, like the rest of us – you could have walked around in your slippers – not like around here, where we are literally up to our knees in water and mud!
It was a long day – but great to see all the horses looking so well – and some very interesting and useful chats about future ventures. There will be plenty going on over the coming weeks!
While we were on our way from Ravenswell Farm to Ivy Lodge Farm, Alan King sent through a video – I was hoping to get this one – NEVADA SAMBA working up the grass on the Barbury Mile. Alan had said last week that he was getting very close to having entries, and that he would just need to give him a couple of bits on the grass and he would be ready. This very good piece of work was just what we had hoped for – he did it very well! It is no secret how much everyone likes NS – now he has to go out and show it in public. We had hoped to have run him at least once before Christmas, but he developed an issue that meant that he was impossible to train – and he spent a long time on ‘tick over’ until we got to the bottom of the problem. He was never lame, and he never got any worse, but it took a while and a good few quid to find the problem and deal with it. He is now back on song – and everything is crossed that we get to see him in public very soon!
Wednesday – Olly Murphy sent through a video of JIMMY GATZ who looks in fine fettle. Hopefully he would get to run in Ffos Las on Sunday.
Work morning for I’D GO MANIAC at Barbury Castle and Alan King sent a video of him working up Sharpridge along with GHOST DANCING in the same group.
After the work Alan called to update me with all the latest on all 5 horses. He was very pleased with NEVADA SAMBA’S work the day before. He is ready to run, and there are a few options for him. We decided to enter him in everything and make a decision on where and when to run nearer the time – taking into account opposition and more importantly ground.
Alan was delighted with I’D GO MANIAC’S work earlier that day – he had put in a smart shift and was nearly ready to run again. His last run was disappointing, but he had scoped dirty following that outing and now seems back to his best. GHOST DANCING is in fine form too – she has been kept away from the worst of the winter ground and is nearly ready to run again. She is another one that will be kept to Junior NH Hurdles, to retain her novice status. You see – she will end up in the same races as MOLLY’S LAD! Awks!!
AND SHE WAS is still over the hill with Jamie Magee and Alan was hoping to see her later that day if he could. She had run up very light after her disappointing run on soft ground in Market Rasen and really needed a break – she had not been ridden since, but he was keen to be cracking on with her again very soon.
UHTRED RAGNARSON was back in ridden work with Magee. He too does not want the mud eithe, and is a far better horse on a sound surface. There will be plenty of fun to be had with both UR and ASW through the spring and summer!
Nice to catch up with Louise at The Elms – all good there – SAVINGFORVEGAS is well – and due to foal on March 12th. She is due to Nirvana du Berlais – so it would be great to see LULAMBA win at the Cheltenham Festival in a couple of weeks. I have still not made up my mind what direction to go with SFV next year. She will not travel to Ireland or France this time – it’s just a question of which British based stallion to use – if I cover her at all. A lot will depend on what happens in the next few weeks.
Decision made re Constitution Hill he would not run in the Champion Hurdle – in my opinion the right move. In winning with such authority in Southwell, he showed that he can be competitive in good company on the flat – if you were his trainer or owner, why would you put yourself through watching him jump hurdles again? I hope they have lots of fun with him going forward – if nothing else – CH deserves to go to the races and enjoy himself!
Thursday – admin day – bills to pay!
Great to see Intrepide Sud take his first steps on the road to his new career as a hunter. He looks really well and should be well suited to his new job!
Olly Murphy called mid-afternoon – ‘I think we have to run Nick’ JIMMY GATZ in good form, and he could run on Sunday. Olly had heard that the two horses that we would be wary about taking on would not be declared, and with 2 having run the previous afternoon, that left a maximum possible field of 7. One trainer had two of those and would be unlikely to run both, meaning that number fell to 6 – we had to give it a go! The one thing that would still need to be sorted was jockey – Sean Bowen would be in Huntingdon – his brother James likely to be there for his employers too – so we would have to wait and see who was available in Ffos Las.
At 8.30pm – Olly called again – Kevin Brogan who rides out at Warren Chase, and who has ridden JG at home would be in Ffos Las and could ride him. As mentioned, I very rarely get involved in jockey bookings – I feel that trainers and jockeys have established relationships, and I would not want to come between that. Girls and boys that have ridden for the yard and ridden out deserve first dibs – Kevin Brogan has earned his spin on JG.
Friday – We got there!! Finally, NEVADA SAMBA got the first entries of his career – both bumpers – in Haydock and Wincanton next Thursday – Haydock a race confined to Conditional and Amateur jockeys. He will have further entries going forward, but we will look at these two races over the course of the next few days and see if either of them is a viable option. It feels like the end of a very long road – when it is actually the start of what we hope is a very special journey.
JIMMY GATZ declared as planned – in the end, he will face just 3 opponents – all of whom will be making their racecourse debuts. Kevin Brogan booked – ground Soft Heavy in places – with rain forecast. They look likely to have to inspect ahead of the meeting – hopefully it gets the go ahead!
Later in the day – JG installed as the odds on favourite!
Saturday – Ffos Las inspecting tomorrow at 7.30am – I am heading down to Wiltshire later, so will be halfway there – hopefully the meeting gets the go ahead!
Alan King sent through a clip of I’D GO MANIAC and GHOST DANCING working upsides. IGM very good – GD doing her hardest graft since her return.
Up with Donald McCain – OLD BLUE EYES is still on light duties after spraining a joint a couple of weeks ago. RIDIN SOLO is back in ridden work and will be prepared for a run in the late spring. DINO BELLAGIO is his usual self, and in great order – all roads lead to Chester with him!
So, there you go – an early update – now time to hit the road to Wiltshire for a party tonight.
Ffos Las (hopefully) tomorrow, and hopefully a winner!
Next week – could we finally see NEVADA SAMBA make his debut – there will be a couple of sleepless nights if we do!
Drop by next week for all the latest. The update will be back to its usual spot on a Sunday!
