What A Week
This game is full of ups and downs – and this week, for a range of reasons, was one that served up (mainly), downs! The car crisis continued, two went to the races, but neither troubled the judge for very differing reasons and we bore witness to what had been described to me as, ‘Dante’s eighth level of hell’
It’s all here – read on!
Monday – with And She Was declared to run in Ffos Las on Tuesday, it was good to see Ghost Dancing declared to run in Newton Abbot on Wednesday. At least I could head down to Ffos Las and then book a hotel around the Bristol area for Tuesday night before heading down to Devon on Wednesday – a handy little trip to see two horses returning from mid-winter breaks, neither able to handle soft ground, and both lined up for summer campaigns.
With badges organised for members of the And She Was syndicate, it was time to find a hotel. I had seen that Simon Gilson – better known as ‘The Doc’, the face behind Fergal O’Brien’s social media output, had spent the (rainy) weekend in a Yurt just south of Bristol, and had posted some fabulous photos of the food at a local pub – The Swan at Rowberrow in Somerset. This pub was ideally placed for my stop over – so, as it has a few rooms it seems like the right thing to do to sample the food for myself!
With the accommodation sorted it was time to open negotiations with Chester racecourse, where Dino Bellagio had been confirmed for his target race, the Chester Plate on Friday. As this race had been the plan for him for a year, there would be a huge number of his syndicate heading to the track, and it would be some effort to get them all an O&T Badge – best to get in early! Looking at the confirmations for Chester, it was evident that Dino Bellagio would be right at the foot of the weights for the Chester Plate, and there was a chance that he could even miss the cut. Looking back at the last 5 runnings of the race, he would have got in off his mark of 76, but with a record number of entries this year, it would be close. As a backup, Donald entered him in a 1m6f Apprentice handicap in Nottingham – he is ready to run, and we need to get going with him.
Tuesday – work morning in Barbury Castle, and Alan King sent through a couple of clips. Ghost Dancing having a breeze ahead of her trip to Newton Abbot the following day.
I’d Go Maniac working really well.
Alan was really pleased with his work, and he duly entered him in an Amateur Riders handicap in Windsor the following Monday. When Rossa Ryan jumped off of him last time in Lingfield, where the pair had finished 5th, he suggested dropping IGM back in trip slightly, as he had been on vapours in the last 100 yards of that race, to try him back on turf, and to apply headgear. This race, over 1m2f fitted the bill, and as it is restricted to Amateur Jockeys, the trainer’s daughter, Georgia will be in the saddle.
With the early work done, I jumped in the car and headed down to Ffos Las. You, the reader, will be all to familiar with the recent trials and tribulations with the car – but we had got to Ireland and back the week before, and although the issue did rear it’s head once on the way back from Punchestown, I had no reason to believe that the road trip to Wales and the West Country was beyond it. Sadly, I was wrong! Just as I reached the junction of the M4 and M5 at Bristol, cruising along at 73mph in the outside lane, there was a little pop from the engine, and a bit of smoke out of the exhaust. I managed to get over to the exit, and then avoid heading down the M5, eventually finishing up in a small lane just off both motorways. I checked under the bonnet, no sign of anything overly terminal to my untrained eye – so a quick call to my mechanic, who assured me that if I drove it carefully, I could get it back home. So that was the end of my trip, after calling the syndicate members that had made the trip to Ffos Las to explain that I wouldn’t be there with them, I navigated my way back across country, keeping everything crossed that I would make it home!
I pulled over into a layby on the side of a busy A road in Oxfordshire to watch And She Was run. This was very much a ‘getting back on track’ exercise. ASW had run a lovely race in Uttoxeter in November on her seasonal debut but had got bogged down in the mud in Market Rasen in December, and Alan had taken the decision not to run her on the winter ground again, give her a break and set her up for a summer campaign – the better ground being far more to her liking. She had done plenty of work and was going really well at home. Her handicap mark was one that we felt we could exploit on the back of her homework, but this would be her first run for a few months, and she may just need to blow the cobwebs away. Tom Bellamy settled her in mid division, and she travelled and jumped beautifully. Everything was going smoothly – and with the pair going really nicely and in a great rhythm on the crown of the home turn, I started to get excited. And She Was looked back to form, and we were set for a fun summer. A little like my car earlier in the day – things can change suddenly, as just as I had on the M4 earlier, And She Was went from travelling smoothly to suddenly being under pressure. Tom was suddenly asking her for an effort, and it was clear that there was little response – and just like I had in the car – Tom quickly pulled off the road and came to a stop on And She Was. Although I was on the side of a busy road, I suspected the worst – And She Was had stopped so quickly it looked like she had burst a blood vessel again – something that she had done in Bangor on Dee last season. It was soon confirmed by Mark at the track who called quickly to update me with what Tom had said and what they had all seen – And She Was had indeed bled from her nose. Alan, who was not at the races called soon afterwards, to tell me, and was so very sorry to have seen her bleed again. And She Was had showed enough ability at home to be a really fun mare – she had speed and loved her jumping, but now that she had bled (badly) for the second time, it was time to call it a day with her – She clearly has an issue, and to ask her to race on would simply be cruel- she was retired there and then. Such a shame – Alan really feeling sorry for the syndicate that had stood by her – but it is the right decision. She will now have a few months in the field and then be found a new home. I have had better days!!
I continued my slow trek back across country and dropped the car off at the garage in the village sometime after 5.00pm – I’d lost track of time by then! At least it made it home!
One thing that did cheer me up slightly, was to see that Saxon Warrior had produced another nice winner in Ireland during the afternoon. A horse making just his second start – and one that his trainer Johnny Murtagh holds in high regard. Saxon Warrior is having a great season as a sire, and as he is the sire of our own Penselwood, I am following his progeny very closely! He had another horse placed in Pattern company last weekend, and his stock continue to impress on the track!
Wednesday – D Day – or Dino Day. Declarations for the Chester Plate on Friday. I sat glued to the computer from an early stage, as I knew it would be touch and go as to whether he made the cut or not. With the Plate being a consolation race for the Chester Cup, you really had to be on the ball and track decs in both races – with 15 minutes to go until declarations closed at 10.00am, Dino was the last one in – we were making the cut, but ominously, up above us in the list was Sax Appeal – trained by Charlie Johnson, who although not declared, had booked Jason Hart to ride. Johnson quite often leaves some of his decs until the last minute, and I was very much afraid that he would declare his runner, knocking Dino Bellagio out of the race. At 9.57 – with three minutes left – Sax Appeal was declared – and Dino was out! This week was not going at all well!!
I needed cheering up – and thankfully Jason Maguire had some good news. Our 3yr old by Golden Horn, ‘George’, is really going nicely. He is doing plenty of cantering and building up his core fitness. He will be ready for an away day in the next week or so. Jason really likes him, and we are pleased to announce that shares will be made available in him next week – so keep your eyes on the FOR SALE PAGE for full details.
Jason also sent through a clip of Penselwood – out in the field.
He is enjoying his R&R, but he needs to make the most of it, as he will be back in work in a few days. On Monday 18th, he will be back in a stable and back in work. He will spend a month trotting and cantering with Jason before heading back up to Sir Mark Prescott’s, Heath House Stables in Newmarket in June. His sire is firing in winners left right and centre, his half brother has win 4 of his 5 starts in 2026 and has a Group 1 entry – so you can see why I can’t wait to see him back in Newmarket and working up Warren Hill. I really like this horse, and I think we are in for a very interesting and fun journey with him!
One bit of good news this week – Cloud Dancer who has been undergoing a very comprehensive and lengthy rehabilitation at Ivy Lodge Farm, was scanned again and given the go ahead to stride on a gear quicker. Jason will take him away for a swinging piece of work in the next week or so, and at this stage he is very much on course for a return to the track in the autumn.
Another one that the vet checked over this week was Jimmy Gatz. He pulled a muscle in his hind quarters, just before he was due to make his hurdling debut a few weeks ago, and has had a period of box rest. The vet checked him over and prescribed a couple of weeks of exercise on the horse walker ahead of him being turned out. Jimmy Gatz is what you would call a ‘Good Doer’ and will not need too long in a field of lush grass, so keeping him in for a couple of extra weeks will do no harm!
In the afternoon – it was all about Ghost Dancing in Newton Abbot. Sadly I was not there – not only had the car robbed me of a night at The Swan – who were very understanding when I called to let them know I wouldn’t be there – and have offered to carry over my booking for 6 months – so we will be heading that way this summer – but it meant that I was at home watching the race on the TV. Debbie – who is in a similar situation with her car as I am with mine – sneaked into the back of the trainers’ car and got a lift down to Devon – so at least one of us was on track!
Student Day at Newton Abbot – yes, you read that right – sleepy little Newton Abbot played host to an Invades event, with hundreds of students enjoying an afternoon at the races. With the students, comes a sound system – and it was clear early doors that Ghost Dancing was not appreciating their taste in music. With the speakers close to the stables – what a great idea! Ghost Dancing got pretty wound up and was in a sweaty mess before the race. By the time she reached the paddock, she had settled, but had the damage been done. Alan was not too happy and got late dispensation from the stewards to wear the red hood in the prelims and go to post in it, which had clearly helped. Ghost Dancing was another one coming back off a break, and one that would like the better ground. This would be just her 4th start, but she had been in good form at home, and the hope was that she would run well. She isn’t the biggest and was fairly dwarfed by the older mares in the paddock, but Tom was confident that if she settled and jumped, she would not be far away. The race went pretty much to plan – GD jumping well and travelling sweetly. There was one patch of softer ground on the track – on the bend as they turned into the home straight – just at the point when the race develops. GD had struggled slightly through that area on the first circuit, and as they turned in for the final time, she once again found it hard work and lost her place. She ran on when back on the better ground eventually finishing 4th. A nice enough come back. Alan believes that this filly is far better than she has shown so far – and is keen to give her every chance to show it. Although she likes a sound surface, and the temptation is to run her on through the summer, Alan feels that to get the best out of her in the future, she should have a little break on some spring grass and come back for an early autumn campaign. He feels this will allow this young filly to mature and strengthen and be a better horse in the future. So as not to rob the Alan King Racing Club of a runner this summer, Alan will add a nicely handicapped flat horse to the squad, which should be great fun going forward.
Thursday – still marooned at home – Dino Bellagio declared in Nottingham on Saturday. With just 9 entries, there was no chance of him missing the cut this time! In the end a field of 4 declared – it would be a nice race to start him back in. As it was a race restricted to apprentice jockeys who had not ridden 20 winners, the pool to chose from wasn’t the deepest, but we managed to secure the services of Conor Whiteley, who is connected to the David O’Meara yard, and who has ridden plenty of winners in 2026. A good booking!
With Dino declared – I wrote up the race report for And She Was and sent it out to her syndicate. Such a shame that she has been retired, but very much the right decision. Her syndicate very understanding.
Jason has decided to give ‘Floyd’ our homebred 4yr old by Falco a few months off over the summer. He has always looked and felt like a nice horse, so it was a huge surprise when his first piece of work was hugely underwhelming – we were so gutted as it didn’t fit with what we thought he was, that we almost pulled the plug on him there and then. When we had slept on it – both Jason and I felt we had been a bit hasty, and Jason continued on with him quietly. Thankfully that initial away day was not an indication of his ability, and he has got better and better as he has gone on. What he is, is very weak and immature, and Jason feels that the summer at grass will do him the world of good, and he will resume work with him in the autumn.
Our Breeding Syndicate is proving very popular once again – and it was great to welcome Andy and Lisa into the syndicate this week – after Karen took a share last week. That leaves just a single 10% share available – have a look at the details on the link and get in touch – there is only one better feeling than owning a winner – owning a winner that you bred! I promise you it takes it to another level! Hit the link – grab the last share and experience it for yourself!
https://www.nickbrownracing.co.uk/ForSale/8316/breeding-syndicate
Friday – Alan King sent through another clip of Uhtred Ragnarson working well on the Sharpridge gallop. He’s in great nick – and Alan has earmarked a race in Aintree for him next week.
Still without a car – I was in the office and got the Ghost Dancing race report out to the members of the Alan King Racing Club.
While I was in the office, Steve was over at The Elms to see the horses there and he sent through a photo of our Nirvana du Berlais yearling filly, Nancy – who is really developing nicely!
Good to welcome another new member on Friday, Joe, taking a share that unexpectedly came available in Molly’s Lad – we wish him the best of luck with his first horse!
Saturday – and we were heading off to Nottingham – driven for once – Cheryl at the wheel.
Work to do before we set off. Alan King declared I’d Go Maniac in Windsor on Monday, as planned.
Uhtred Ragnarson got his entry in Aintree next Friday – a 2m 0-110 handicap hurdle, decent ground and left-handed should suit well.
Debbie dropped the bombshell that the meeting in Nottingham was Lady’s Day! Oh My – these can be an experience! Debbie’s colleague describing Lady’s Day in Nottingham as ‘Dante’s eighth level of hell’ – Oh well – it would be an experience!
Donald called to talk through the race, and excuse himself from being at the track – had he heard it was Lady’s Day?? He had updates on the other two at the yard. Old Blue Eyes in great form – he is doing plenty of cantering and building up to a return to the track. The plan is to get a run into him before a short break – he has plenty of ability and starting him off at this time of year could be no bad thing. Brian Hughes has always maintained that he appreciates a sound surface, and he could get a nice introduction to hurdles in quieter company.
Ridin Solo is getting close to a run. He is doing masses of work and will start faster work this week as planned. He will run on through the summer after suffering a minor setback late last year.
So, we set off to Nottingham. Arriving at 3.00pm we were greeted by some array of sights!! OMG!
The less said about some – the better!
So, we will focus on Dino Bellagio, with just 3 rivals, he was well supported into second favourite. This was his first run back, on ground that was quick enough. Donald and I had talked over the ground in the morning, and felt that if the times of the races were very quick we may not take our chance, but as I had checked the results on the way up, the races run on the round course were all fairly slow, so there was no issue on that score. The plan - Conor to bounce out in front as usual, set his own fractions and make the best of his way home up the straight.
Everything went to plan for the first couple of furlongs, Dino bucked out, got to the front, and settled beautifully at the head of affairs. Then it all changed, as they started down the back straight, the jockey on the outsider, thought it would be a good idea to close up and join Dino in front. Dino is nothing if not competitive, and in fact he works on his own at home as he can simply do too much in trying to beat his workmate in routine gallops. So being joined in front simply lit the blue touch paper, and he took off. I turned away at that point; there was no way the two in front could keep up that gallop. In that situation when a horse is lit up, there is no taking a pull and settling again – you are in real trouble, and Dino was. It was no surprise to see the pair weaken and be easily passed by the two horses held up. Dino eventually finishing a distant 3rd. On the positive side, he will be dropped a couple of pounds which will make him eligible for a lower grade next time out. He will have knocked a few cobwebs away, and he picked up £1500! All very well – but the way it happened is very frustrating – Conor did exactly what we asked of him – no criticism there, and he described the jockey on the outsider as ‘Fxxking stupid’ as he came back in! It’s just another thing that went wrong this week!
Around the rest of the team – Nevada Samba has had a few days out in the paddock in the daytime and in his stable at night. He will head back to Ivy Lodge Farm early next week for his summer holiday, which he will spend with Mydaddypaddy again.
Molly’s Lad is out at Timmy Murphy’s and looks fantastic.
Greyval is entered in the Goffs UK Spring Horses in Training Sale, but I am working on a deal to get her sold before putting her through the ring – which hopefully we will finalise in the next few days. She has been retired and will head off for a new life as a Mum!
Well, that just about sums up a pretty ordinary week for me! I’ve a new car to buy – so if you are interested in any of the shares on the FOR SALE PAGE, get in touch – every little helps!!
I hope your week was better than mine. Next week looks like I am once again stuck at home, certainly for the first part of it – and I am already out and will not be heading to Aintree on Friday – I have never missed so many days racing!
Check in next week to see what we got up to – hopefully it’s a better week than this one!
