Fabulous Festival
We are back to our normal Sunday slot. Although it would have been the third Saturday publication in a row had Greyval been declared in Chepstow this afternoon. She misses that race, so here we are, back on a Sunday. Cheltenham week – a week of fabulous racing, tremendous drinking, and superb socialising! It was a fun week, but first we had some work to do!
Last Sunday we made the trip up to Carlisle to see Molly’s Lad run in a four runner Junior National Hunt Hurdle. His second hurdles start, after meeting two well above average opponents on hurdles debut in Doncaster. Seemingly not that level to take on this time, and he was odds on to break his maiden. Fern O’Brien, who rides him every day at home and who knows him so well, was in the saddle and the plan was to keep things very simple and pop out in front and control the race from there. On all know hurdles form, he would take a bit of beating, the only ‘lurker’ being the bumper winner from the ‘red hot’ Lucinda Russel/Michael Scudamore team. ML settled, and jumped beautifully in front, but as they climbed to the line, it was clear that the huge horse in behind was travelling very sweetly. ML did his best but could not repel the challenger on the outside and eventually went down by just under 5 lengths. Obviously, to be beaten when odds on is disappointing, but horse and jockey had done nothing wrong – just run into a better horse on the day. It had been a glorious drive up in the sunshine, and the folks at Carlisle are always very welcoming – ML had run a career best, and despite being beaten it was a really good day! The drive back was not quite so nice, rain through the Lakes, and dark afterwards, but it was without incident and I got home in the end.
Monday – we would be leaving for the Cotswolds around lunchtime, so I needed to get a few jobs out of the way before we headed off. First things first – Molly’s Lad all good after his run the previous day – Fergal sent through a video of him trotting up sound. He will have another run in a Junior National Hunt Hurdle before a summers break. He is a lot like his Dam, Molly Childers who showed enough speed to win over the 2m minimum trip but just couldn’t do it on the track until she stepped up to 2m4f, when she won on handicap debut by 14 lengths – ML is the same, and you will not see the best of him until he steps up to 2m4f next season. Hopefully he can get it done over 2m this term, but if not, we will at least go into next season knowing that he is very well handicapped when he steps up in trip, and we will have plenty of fun with him for sure!
Greyval has been in good order at home, and on Monday she got an entry in the mares’ handicap hurdle in Chepstow that she won last season. This has been the plan for some time, but she would only run if the ground was suitable, she would not tackle soft ground. Hopefully a drying week would see suitable conditions, and she could go down and defend her crown. The plan is then to head to Cheltenham in April, to contest the race she won there in 2025. That would cap her season off nicely.
The Alan King Racing Club’s, Ghost Dancing had a couple of entries during the week – One being Huntingdon on Wednesday – in the end, Alan decided to skip that heat, and instead opt for a mare’s handicap hurdle in Fakenham on Friday.
One thing that needed to be done was to get the race report for Nevada Samba’s owners typed and emailed. This one a pleasure to do! NS has come out of his race really well; he will have a couple of easy weeks and then head for another bumper before a summers break. He was SO green in Wincanton, he needs another run to learn a little more about his trade, and how to race properly. In Wincanton he was far too keen, collided with a rail, and then looked very awkward and ungainly for two furlongs when he was pulled wide from behind a wall of horses. All this – and he still won – showing what a good horse he is (more of that later), and he fairly flew when the penny dropped in the last furlong. With Aintree coming a little too soon for him, a trip to Punchestown was mentioned straight after the race, but he could also stay in the UK and learn a bit more in a slightly less competitive heat. That is a decision that Alan and I will chat about in the next week or two.
With all the office work done, it was time to pack the car and head off to Chipping Campden, and the Cotswold House Hotel which would be our base for the next few days. We usually stay at The Fish Hotel on the Farncombe Estate just outside Broadway, but we didn’t book as we left last March, and by the time we remembered in July it was fully booked. So, we headed over the hill into Chipping Campden.
The Cotswold House Hotel – a boutique hotel on the Market Square, and Chipping Campden a beautiful little village, with a host of hostelries ands shops. The hotel itself is fine – although there are one or two things that were noticeable as soon as we arrived. The rooms could do with a little bit of a spruce up – ours a little dated. If you are going to put aged furniture in the room to fit the style – at least put in furniture that is functional – handles off of drawers, cupboards and cabinets with no door handles or knobs – making it really tricky to open them. Unpacking became a bit of a battle, which wasn’t the best start to the week!
So, I needed a pint – to the bar – only to find that they only served Guiness in a can! This wasn’t going well. Paul and Jan arrived and when they had unpacked, we soon headed out to find a proper pint, which thankfully we did, at The Lyggon – which was very busy with a bustling racing crowd!
Found a proper on in the end!!
Dinner Monday night in Da Luigi Bistro – Italian. It was very busy as you would expect – the staff were lovely, the food was tasty and we did stumble on a very good bottle or two of red!
Tuesday – and the opening day of The Festival. A beautiful day – warm and sunny, and we were at the course in good time.
Lovely to catch up with Sir Mark Prescott in the car park – a flurry of flat trainers arriving at the same time – Mark Johnston the passenger in a car that parked very close to Sir Mark’s – when it was pointed out to Sir Mark that he would struggle to get into his car after racing, he paced round and tapped the passenger window where Mark Johnston was sat, explaining that Johnston was only even money to get out of his car – and he was 2/1 against getting into his!
A cracking days racing. Old Park Star leading a 1,2,3 for the Brits in the Supreme – what a great start to the meeting. I was watching Mydaddypaddy closely, as he is a horse that I have seen plenty of over the course of the last couple of years. He was broken in by Jason Maguire at the same time as Nevada Samba – and they did all of their work at Ivy Lodge Farm together. When Mydaddypaddy won his bumper in Huntingdon last spring – in the easiest way imaginable, Jason was on the phone to me to let me know that when NS and MDP had been with him, he had struggled to separate them in terms of their ability. I have followed MDP’s career with interest and to see him finish a close third in the Supreme really got me excited about Nevada Samba. I was not alone – I can’t tell you the number of people that stopped me and said how impressed they had been with his bumper win in Wincanton – jockeys, former jockeys, trainers and members of the public had all seen him! Later in the week, non-other than Paul Nicholls, who had trained the second, said that he had heard that Nevada Samba was a nice horse before the race, and that he must be good because he really likes Le Cold Grey, the horse that NS beat into second! All his homework, course form of him and others, and opinions of the very best in the business all point to Nevada Samba having a very bright future!
Amazed to see Mustang du Breuil go off favourite for the Fred Winter! Molly’s Lad third to him in Doncaster – there was a mountain of money for him – in the end it was misplaced on the day, but they must think he is well handicapped off 126!
Lulamba couldn’t quite get it done in the Arkle – it would have been nice to see his sire Nirvana du Berlais get on the score sheet – especially as Savingforvegas was due to foal to him on Thursday.
Lossiemouth was devastatingly good in the Champion Hurdle, two mares first and second – tough for the geldings to give 7lbs to good mares!
The frustrating result of the day – Madara winning the Plate. Everyone I spoke to seemed to know he was very well handicapped, and he duly obliged, but it was a tough watch – I had agreed a deal to buy him in October 2022 but in the it didn’t get over the line, and the deal fell through – what could have been!
In the evening, we had dinner in the hotel – just 6 in the dining room – down to 4 of us for most of it. Food was fine, wine choice could have been better!
Wednesday. Alan King Racing Club’s, Ghost Dancing declared to run in Fakenham on Friday – just the 5 runners, hopefully they miss the worst of the rain on Thursday – she would need a sound surface around there! GD returning off a mid-winter break, she is a slight filly and would not have appreciated the deep winter ground. She will run on into the spring and summer.
Talking of Mr King – he was the first man we met when we got to the track, and we soon found ourselves at the bar in the Guiness Village. Alan’s first port of call every morning – just a couple – ‘It’s tradition’ We ended up meeting up with a good gang of former jockeys and bloodstock agents and there were plenty of good stories told – most unrepeatable!
Another good day’s racing – there is work to do with the starts – it makes no sense to me to start hugely competitive, big field handicaps on bends – the horses on the outside have to be in canter just to keep up with those trotting on the inner – the starter simply can’t let any of them go! Work to be done there!
Great to see Il Etait Temps win the Champion Chase – he is such a tough little bugger!
Dinner in the Eight Bells – the best sausage and mash I have ever had! I pint and a night cap in the Noel Arms – an hotel with a very good, fully stocked bar! We will give this one a try in the future!
Thursday – a wet day – most of it spent under cover. Great to see Tom Bellamy win on White Noise – I had spent a bit of time with his brother Archie and his Mum Sue on the Tuesday, and they had said that he thought she would run a big race – but to win – beyond his wildest dreams! His Mum doing her best to find him a nice girlfriend live on ITV from the winner’s enclosure! Sue has ended up being one of the human stars of the week!
White Noise and Tommy Bells! Photo Debbie Burt
White Noise’s win was interesting as she is by Kingston Hill, who I have been considering covering Savingforvegas with this year. Kingston Hill has really come to the fore this year – two Listed winners on the same Saturday a few weeks ago – and now a Festival winner – he looks to be getting a lot of decent horses now! The final decision on which stallion she visits this year will be made after she has foaled, which coincidentally was due to happen on Thursday, although she always seems to hang on to her foals for a few days after her due date.
Dinner at Micheals in Chipping Campden. A very small restaurant, just around 30 covers, just 3 tables in the front – we sat in a garden room to the rear. It is cosy! Mediterranean menu – I really enjoyed my meal – Mussels, followed by Beef Sofrito – huge portions – you won’t leave hungry! But I would avoid the lamb chops – not a lot of meat on the bone and what was there was a bit leathery! If you steer clear of the chops – definitely give it a go!
Friday we always head for home. This year I could have gone to Fakenham to see Ghost Dancing run, but that was going to be a convoluted trip, and as the only Club members attending were good friends, it was a meeting that didn’t need a host.
First thing first – Greyval – due to be declared in Chepstow – sadly their ground had gone soft after overnight rain, and she had woken up with am infection in a hind joint. In the end – not worth her running, we will wait for Cheltenham in April, or we could give her a spin on the flat if we can find a suitable race.
We were home in time to see all the races from Cheltenham. Gaelic Warrior simply phenomenal in the Gold Cup.
Gaelic Warrior Photo Debbie Burt
Ghost Dancing a little less awe inspiring in Fakenham. She made an error at the 5th and was never really travelling after that. A combination of track and ground given as reasons for a poor run – there will be another day for her! Thanks to Nick Parsons who was there and got some videos for Club members.
Talking of videos – Jason Maguire sent through a clip of Penselwood. This cracking 2 yr old was gelded in January and although the op went well, he has just had a slight bit of filling in the area, and the best way to deal with it is for him to keep moving, so he is on the walker every morning and being ridden in the afternoon. The area will soon settle down, and this lovely young horse will be able to go out for some well-earned R&R in the field ahead of a return to work in a couple of months.
Saturday. I spoke with Donald McCain and checked in on the team we have at Bankhouse. Dino Bellgio is so fresh that Donald is giving him plenty of work to keep the lid on him. He did another one of his ‘horizontal’ tricks last week as he was coming back in off of exercise. Donald has no idea how Charlie Maggs sits on him! DB is very tough and takes plenty of work – he is now up to doing 3 miles on the deep sand and one up the hill! It will not take him long to reach full fitness!
Ridin Solo is back in full ridden work and going well. He is still on course for a return to the track this spring.
Old Blue Eyes is another one back in full work, he was rescanned before he resumed cantering and those scans confirmed that there was no damage to ligaments etc, and that he had simply sprained a joint. Donald is pushing on with him as quickly as he can in order to get him out before the very quick summer ground arrives. As he will have missed almost all of the 25/26 season – if her were to run before May 1st – he would run in a bumper and we would preserve his novice status for next season – if he isn’t ready to run by then the plan would still be to run him before a summer break – but he could run over hurdles, as he would still be a novice for next winter should he win.
Alan King called – he found himself less than fresh on Saturday morning after a week at the Festival!
All the horses at Barbury Castle well – Ghost Dancing – ‘a disaster of a run’ in the words of her trainer – she was fine on Saturday morning despite some scrapes and bangs. She is better than that.
I’d Go Maniac in great form and working very well, he had worked very nicely with Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 4th Baron Noir the previous week. He has earned himself an entry in a staying handicap for Apprentice jockeys in Lingfield next Friday.
Uhtred Ragnarson is doing two canters a day and will step up to faster work again next week.
And She Was is still with Jamie Magee but should be back at Barbury Castle in the coming days.
Around the remainder – good to see Timmy Murphy in Cheltenham, he is very pleased with how ‘George’ our 3yr old by Golden Horn has wintered. He keeps them tucked up in a barn, and George has done really well – he will head back to Ivy Lodge Farm in a couple of weeks and go through secondary school. He was very impressive when he was broken in last summer, and like his half-brothers, he looks like he is tailor made for bumpers and will start of in 3yr old bumpers in the autumn.
Cloud Dancer continues his rehab and will soon resume cantering, if the vets are happy with his scans. He will be in work for another 6/8 weeks before doing a swinging piece of work at Tom Georges after which he will head out for a summers break. All being well he will be back in training in the summer.
Jimmy Gatz is very well and came out of his run in Ffos Las fine. I spoke with a few members of the Olly Murphy team while in Cheltenham, and they were all surprised that he got beat that day. They all agree that he was definitely unsuited by the very deep ground and a return to a sounder surface will suit him well. He is an unbelievable jumper, confirmed by Archie Bellamy who did lots of schooling on him when he was a 2yr old. A switch to hurdles will be very beneficial as well – and he will run in a Junior National Hunt Hurdle in the coming weeks.
It was interesting to see the winner of the Ffos Las bumper, Mojito Lido make £85,000 at the sale in Cheltenham on Thursday – bought by Dan Skelton.
Mojito Lido selling on Thursday Photo Debbie Burt
Jason Maguire in good form when I spoke to him on the phone. I had seen him in Cheltenham on Tuesday, and we had chatted over a few options, and I wanted to finalise a few things with him.
I have made a decision about ‘Floyd’ our unraced and unnamed homebred out of Savingforvegas – after his older half brother Nevada Samba gave us a glimpse of what he is capable of in Wincanton – we think the right move is to syndicate this lovely 4yr old and have him run for us rather than see him in someone else’s colours!
‘Floyd’ (by Falco) is the spitting image of Nevada Samba, and having been through our system, he has shown us that he has plenty of ability as well.
Like NS he has benefitted from time – and is a horse that will be even stronger after a summers break. He will be syndicated to run in our colours. The syndicate will be made up of 12 members, and each share will be priced at £2500.00 – with no monthly fees to pay until July 1st, 2026, when he comes back into pretraining. I will finalise training plans with Jason next week before we go live with the share issue. Current NBR members and followers get first refusal on the 12 shares. Please let me know of you are interested and I will put you on the list and send you out full details including pictures and videos when they are done next week.
You know all about the family – Savingforvegas has produced four winners from her first four sons to have run – and three of them have won bumpers on debut. You have heard what we (and others) think of Nevada Samba and just how good we hope he can be – which makes this horse unbelievable value!! Text 07909 518902 or email nickbrownracing@gmail.com to reserve yourself a share!
Talking of Nevada Samba – there is still the 10% share available in him – after all that I heard folks say about his bumper performance last week – I am amazed that this share is still available. When you see the prices that the horses were making at the sale on Thursday evening – I promise you this share is outstanding value! It is a rare opportunity to get involved in a horse of this quality and ability – don’t miss him – he is going to take you to some very nice meetings next year!
Just as an example of how good he is – this is a piece of work from last spring – absolutely hacking in behind a triple Group 1 winner and a 100 rated 1m4f flat performer! At this stage he was an unraced 4 yr old!
07909 518902 – or email nickbrownracing@gmail.com
One syndication that has taken off is our new Breeding Syndicate – I only mentioned last Sunday that I would lease a limited number of 10% shares in Savingforvegas to breed a foal in 2027, and there was plenty of interest. Three shares have already been snapped up – you can breed your own racehorse – starting at just £150/month – you will lease a share in a proven broodmare producer of winners – with lots of very exciting updates likely to appear on the page in the next few months. Her progeny are all winners, and all being well there should be some Black Type under her name very soon – meaning that any of her young stock will automatically be sought after and command a higher price at the sales!
At this stage I am limiting the number of shares I am leasing – so there are only a couple of chances to get involved – again – call/message me on 07909 518902 or email nickbrownracing@gmail.com
Next week we could have the latest addition to a long line of winners on the team – if Savingforvegas produces a healthy foal – but then again, she is never in a hurry and that could come the week after!
I hope to get to at least one yard – if the work that is needed on the car is fairly simple and completed in a day.
Check in next week for another NBR round up!
