Coquelicot | geegeez.co.uk

Tag Archive for: Coquelicot

Monday Musings: Snowden’s Gino Beats the Snow

4 December 2023/in Monday Musings/by Tony Stafford

I remember many years ago, walking out of my office in Fleet Street to be greeted by a healthy, or rather unhealthy, fall of snow, writes Tony Stafford. It was just before Christmas and that winter racing was decimated.

Some years we escape snow until well into the New Year and the jumps season appears to continue largely without meaningful interruption. With global warming and all that, you would have thought temperatures at the end of November would be temperate enough.

But here we were on the opening weekend in December, with the far north of England suffering large deposits of the white stuff, causing the formality of the cancellation of the Fighting Fifth Hurdle. With it evaporated the chance for Gosforth Park’s jumps adherents to get a second view of the great Constitution Hill as he sets off on his ceremonious way to a repeat Champion Hurdle, only three and a bit months from now.

My fear is that such an early start to freezing and snowbound conditions could set in for quite a while. With still three weeks to go to the shortest day, there is so little time in the mornings to address frozen tracks, so inevitably more meetings will be lost.

Yesterday’s unfortunate abandonment of Southwell’s all-weather (sic) card because of frozen hailstones must make the BHA wary of too many panicked extra flat or jumpers’ bumpers fixtures. Carlisle’s jumps card yesterday meanwhile was little short of a fiasco with 18 non-runners, mostly due to travel problems that reduced a 40-horse card almost in half. Three matches hardly made for value for money for racegoers.

Nicky Henderson was relieved to hear that the Fighting Fifth Hurdle was preserved – added to the Tingle Creek Chase card at Sandown next Saturday. It wasn’t all positive in compensational terms for the Seven Barrows trainer though, as Shishkin’s planned attempt at rehabilitation in the undercard featured Rehearsal Chase is apparently unlikely to be rescheduled.

It was more than something of a cliff-hanger before Newbury’s superb, effective deployment of frost covers and the three hours it takes to lay them – just an hour to remove them – that enabled both Friday’s and Saturday’s cards to proceed.

With snow in the north, how appropriate was it that the Lambourn trainer Jamie Snowden – pity the Welsh mountain isn’t spelt correctly! – took the biggest slice of the 250 grand on offer for the Coral Gold Cup. In its days as the Hennessy, Betfair and Ladbroke before its present identity, it has always been one of the races that trainers and owners most wanted to win and clearly nothing has changed.

Snowden had two runners, both second-season chasers, in the race - the Ayr Grade 2 winner from last year Datsalrightgino, and last year’s Paddy Power Gold Cup hero Ga Law - as the local trainer chose the most valuable chase handicap of the season at his home track to explore his pair’s stamina.

Over the years, I’ve always maintained that the perfect formula for the Hennessy was a seven-year-old in the lower half of the handicap and in its second season’s chasing. Thatsalrightgino fulfilled all three requirements. Stablemate Ga Law, whose career has revived splendidly after a near two-year injury hiatus, is a year older.

Six of Saturday’s 20 runners were age seven, including the first three home. Datsalrightgino was a 16/1 shot, getting the better of a splendid tussle from the final fence with the Irish gelding Mahler Mission (15/2) with the Jonjos’ Monbeg Genius a respectful six lengths behind after running out of puff from the final fence.

Jamie Snowden was full of praise for his jockey Gavin Sheehan who waited in the pack with his mount before making his move near the inside and challenging at the vital moment. One fellow jockey that might not have been quite so chuffed was Tom Cannon, due to ride Datsalrightgino until Newcastle’s abandonment enabled Snowden’s regular rider to change direction. A share of £142k doesn’t crop up too often for even the top jumps riders.

The bookmakers would presumably have accepted forecasts and tricasts on the race, and I recently joined with my vote against the affordability checks – funnily enough from a Nicky Henderson email.

It takes 30 bets for a six-horse straight forecast combination and £120 for a full-cover £1 tricast. The bookies’ version of the two paid not extravagantly generous with respectively £129 and £859 for a £1 stake, The Tote version was close to twice as productive with £230 for the Exacta and £1,539 for the Trifecta. Of course, I forgot all about it.

Thirty-one years ago, I found what I thought to be the handicap certainty of all time. Datsalrightgino carried 10st7lb on Saturday, 5lb more than the Peter Beaumont-trained and Mark Dwyer-ridden Jodami, who had slipped into the 1992 race with 10st2lb.

He started favourite but could not cope with the gutsy Ferdy Murphy runner Sibton Abbey, who was 21lb out of the handicap. In a preview of the race three decades later, the first two came six lengths clear of third-placed The Fellow, trained in France by Francois Doumen. The winner was owned by Geoff Hubbard and ridden by Adrian Maguire, the best jump jockey never to win the championship. Blame Richard Dunwoody and then A P McCoy for that.

All three (among five in the race) that year were also seven-year-olds and the runner-up, amazingly, went on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup just over three months later. I’ve never actually asked Mark Dwyer all the times we’ve met since, “What went wrong?” merely because when he shakes your hand, it stays shaken for minutes afterwards. Such a question might cause permanent injury! I’ll check again when I see him at the Tattersalls mares’ sales sale tomorrow when seven-figures will be a feature of the Sceptre section during the afternoon.

After his Gold Cup win, Jodami returned in 1994 and finished runner-up to The Fellow. You could say the form stood up and no doubt Saturday’s will, too, though whether Snowden will be thinking Gold Cup is another question.

Jamie Snowden may be a less high profile member of the jump trainers’ firmament, but he certainly knows how to exploit the material in his yard. Last season You Wear It Well went through the grades and impressively won the mares’ novice hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. The way she resumed her winning ways by beating a Nicky Henderson hotpot in Listed company at Wetherby suggests the big prizes will continue to come her way.

Formerly for a brief time in the Army, but long enough to qualify for the Military races at Sandown, where he was a multiple winner of the two top races, Snowden had a year as a pupil assistant to Paul Nicholls before spending three years as Henderson’s assistant trainer and amateur rider. You could hardly ask for better schooling than that.

Over the 15 years since taking out a licence, Jamie has developed to the level where he routinely trains between 40 and 50 winners (his best in 2021-22) and last season he passed the £700,000 mark in earnings for his horses, easily his best. These are exciting times ahead.

There are also exciting times – not that they’ve been short on them already – for the Geegeez syndicate mare, Coquelicot. When this column’s editor reminded me last Monday of his invitation to join him at the Horserace Writers’ lunch in London later today, he neglected telling me the seven-year-old mare would be returning to action in Listed company at Kempton that afternoon.

Usual result, she made all and won pulling away for a six-length margin over odds-on shot Kateira. In winning that race she was overturning a 10lb ratings deficiency, and her 127 mark is sure to go up by at least a few pounds in tomorrow’s updated list.

If it still leaves her a little short of, for instance, You Wear It Well, on 140 after her Wetherby success, I’m sure the always-adventurous Anthony Honeyball would not be averse to a tilt at the younger lady as the season progresses. They would need to come a bit nearer to three miles with the Snowden horse though, for that to happen.

- TS

Monday Musings: Vindication for the Absentee Triumvirate

4 December 2022/in Monday Musings/by Tony Stafford

The fallout from that unfortunate Ascot meeting last month continued at Sandown on Saturday when the third member of the famed Absentee Triumvirate made just as emphatic a statement as the other two had signalled a week earlier at Newcastle, writes Tony Stafford.

In all, there were 14 non-appearances that frustrating Saturday afternoon, when faster than expected going was the principal reason for the wholesale withdrawals. But, for the crowds that descended as ever at the Royal racecourse, only three really mattered.

That Constitution Hill, L’Homme Presse and Edwardstone could all stay in their boxes on one day was a kick in the teeth for racegoers. For their owners, and respective trainers Nicky Henderson, Venetia Williams and Alan King, the decision has taken only two weeks to be fully justified in each instance.

Constitution Hill, thrillingly in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle, and L’Homme Presse, grittily and with authority in the Rehearsal Chase, both at Newcastle a week after Ascot, did their bit to a nicety. Then at Sandown on Saturday, last season’s Arkle Chase winner Edwardstone contrived to give a major shake to betting on the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Festival next March.

His nine-length demolition of Paul Nicholls’ Greaneteen in the Tingle Creek Chase was only half the story. Six lengths further back was Shishkin, the one-time Great White Hope of UK jump racing and Nicky Henderson’s nominated successor to Sprinter Sacre and Altior and still highly enough regarded to start even-money in this deep Grade 1 field of top two-mile chasers.

Fourth just behind him was the Joseph O’Brien-trained Gentleman De Mee, the same J P McManus horse that had ended Edwardstone’s winning run of five at Aintree last year. (Aintree it was where L’Homme Presse’s Cheltenham-embellishing five-timer also culminated).

It wasn’t just Gentleman De Mee who got a revenge pasting. It was probably the fact that Edwardstone had been a cab-hailing 23 lengths behind Shishkin in the 2020 Supreme Novice Hurdle that first suggested to Alan King a switch to fences might be a strategic move to avoid that horse in the immediate future.

Edwardstone’s comeback run the following November brought an acceptable fifth in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle, but the initial try at chasing, the following month at Doncaster, ended in a premature conclusion when he unseated his rider at the fourth fence.

After finishing off that season with some solid runs back in handicap hurdles, King was ready for a second shot, but again there was a non-completion, at Warwick. This time, though, it was no fault of his as he was moving in the style of a possible winner when brought down four out.

Since then, Aintree in April apart, it’s been a story of onwards and upwards and, with hindsight, the only shock about Saturday’s race is that he started 5/1. Now he’s only 7/2 second favourite for the championship among two-mile chasers, that market understandably headed at 6/4 by Shishkin’s nemesis, Energumene.

That Willie Mullins champion has yet to appear this term, but we did get a first sight of the season of the Cheltenham Festival (and even more emphatic Punchestown) Bumper winner, Facile Vega. He must rank as one of the best-named animals around, as every one of the five races he has contested has been a Walk In The Park, Facile indeed. Of course, mum was Quevega, who only stopped at six Mares Hurdle wins at Cheltenham because she was feeling broody!

Facile Vega started over hurdles at Fairyhouse on Saturday and the backers who accepted 1/9 about his chance never had a moment’s doubt that they would be collecting. A Gordon Elliott sacrificial object was offered up as token opposition. An Mhi, also by Walk In The Park and half-brother to top-class Slate House, might well be all right, indeed pretty useful, but Facile Vega had 14 lengths to spare with the rest of the 16 runners trailing behind, their presence more a case of autograph hunting than competition. He looks the same at the end of his races as at the start. A true phenomenon!

https://youtu.be/Vh2sR-3ULwQ

That’s the Supreme sorted then, and you must sympathise with Gary Moore, also on the mark on Saturday with one of the best from last season’s Festival Bumper. His Authorised Speed, in finishing fifth, was first home of the UK contingent, and before Saturday had won easily first time over hurdles at Lingfield late last month.

He got some more valuable match practice to open the Sandown card and, in spite of a last-flight blunder, still had more than six lengths to spare over a well-regarded Henderson newcomer who received 5lb.

Gary never shirks a challenge and will probably still target Authorised Speed at Cheltenham, as he will Hansard. The latter, a most impressive debut winner at Huntingdon yesterday in a hot novice hurdle on his first run since being bought for £48k out of Charles O’Brien’s yard after winning a Ballinrobe bumper, has obvious potential for a constantly upwardly mobile operation.

We mentioned last week the similarity between the conundrum Henderson was placed in the future campaigning of his two smart novice hurdlers from last season and that six years previously when Altior and future dual Champion Hurdle winner Buveur D’Air needed separating. Again there was a JP issue when Constitution Hill and Jonbon went to Cheltenham last year with mixed opinions in the yard as to which was the better. In the event, it was a no contest, Constitution Hill coming out on top by 22 lengths but with Jonbon second.

Perhaps surprisingly, that was still good enough to beat a trio of Willie Mullins challengers including the 2021 Festival bumper runner-up Kilcruit, third, and Bring On The Night fourth. Mullins might have had one in the first two though as Dysart Dynamo was going easily when falling three from home.

Henderson decided to go post-Cheltenham to Aintree with Jonbon, a mission he accomplished with a hard-fought victory, but there has been nothing hard-fought about his first two chase runs at Warwick and now Sandown on Saturday. In winning by eight lengths from Boothill, he was beating one of the beneficiaries of the Great Ascot Disappearing Act.

Harry Fry’s seven-year-old had been the recipient of the £65k first prize in the Hurst Park Handicap Chase, the race intended for Edwardstone.

Now that Aintree has separated its two previously joined at the hip big autumn handicaps over the Grand National fences, both the Grand Sefton, at the original date, and turn-of-the-month Becher Chase have attracted big fields.

Saturday’s version provided a big long-distance double in valuable handicap chases on successive weekends for the Skeltons. Their Ashtown Lad finally brought all his promise over several seasons to fruition in the style of a horse that could one day go well in a Grand National.

The success followed last week’s Coral Gold Cup win at Newbury for Le Milos, both horses getting exceptional rides from Harry Skelton, happy to have won a jockeys’ championship but happier still that all his energies can be put to the family business.

You could expect both horses to be among the entries for the 2023 Grand National, but I fear those two and pretty much everything else will have to work hard to get past the present incumbent Noble Yeats. He had a nice sideways look at some of the obstacles he encountered last April when he scooted round three miles, one furlong of the Mildmay Course on Saturday in the Many Clouds Chase, a £45k Grade 2 contest.

In the old days the perceived wisdom was that once horses win the Grand National, not only do they lose their speed, but they also find the hike in their ratings prohibitive. In out-speeding such smart performers as Dashel Drasher and Ahoy Senor in the last quarter mile on terms akin to their respective handicap ratings, Noble Yeats is clearly still improving – and fast! The Emmet Mullins-trained and Robert Waley-Cohen-owned seven-year-old could run up a sequence in the great race to challenge the memory of Red Rum and Tiger Roll.

Noble Yeats was the youngest winner of the race for more than 80 years. He is the first seven-year-old to have been successful since Bogskar in 1940. He was rated 147 going into the National this year and that had risen to 160 before Saturday. It looks sure to be set for another small increase, but weight may be less crucial than handling the fences at Aintree.

The two greatest Grand National exponents of my lifetime both began their careers in the race as eight-year-olds, which gave them plenty of time for multiple challenges and successive wins.

After all that I need to return briefly to one of the few races on infamous Ascot Saturday that wasn’t significantly affected by non-runners. That was the fillies’ hurdle race when many thought Coquelicot might have been flattered because basically Rex Dingle rode the pants off his rivals, getting a lead they couldn’t peg back.

Therefore, when she turned up again for another very strong mares’ race at Sandown on Saturday, they all knew what was coming – if they didn’t, they needed locking up! With Aidan Coleman taking over, ‘Cookie’ again made all the running, this time with some classy females snapping at her heels for the last mile. I told the owner/editor two weeks ago that Ascot was merely the start, rather than the end of her success story.

(Also, for the class of race, the £8k and not a lot more to the winner, looked meagre in the extreme for 0-130 animals. But the sporting owners that make up this fun syndicate operation put Saturday winners a long way over expensive dinners!). Don’t worry boys and girls, there will be other big days from this lovable mare!

Monday Musings: You Can’t Make ’em Drink

21 November 2022/in Monday Musings/by Tony Stafford

You can take a horse to Ascot, but you can’t make him run, writes Tony Stafford. This November 2022 re-working of the old proverb, where opportunities are spurned by those to whom they are presented, fitted nicely into events at that most wonderful of British racecourses last weekend.

Top hats and fashion in high summer or Barbour jackets and a hot toddy as winter takes hold, are all the same to the British public, enticed by Ascot’s Royal-ness but equally by the imaginative marketing of its executive.

Often admission prices are moderated even if that doesn’t hold for the catering. I wasn’t there on Saturday and while some of the 14 equine absentees from the seven races, leaving a total to run of 30, will have gone to the track, their trainers for the most part will have made the decision not to allow valuable animals to run on ground faster than had been anticipated.

The magnet was the £615k total money on offer. The advertised amount beforehand might well have been more, but for some time now where there are fewer runners than available prizes – or indeed if non-finishers result in that happening – the old way of bumping up the winner’s prize no longer applies.

In any case, 615 grand was a fair enticement and even such as Michael Buckley, owner of the one horse everyone wanted to see on Saturday, would have liked to have picked up the £56,000 Coral Hurdle for an exhibition round by Constitution Hill.

Not so Nicky Henderson, trainer of the horse that, in three runs culminating in that scintillating 22-length demolition of stablemate Jonbon in the Supreme Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, has even supplanted the unbeaten and present dual title-holder Honeysuckle in Champion Hurdle betting.

Henderson resisted the temptation of sending him on to Aintree last spring for the near guarantee of another big pot, but in hindsight, maybe the experience of connections of two more of Saturday’s elite absentees fully vindicated his decision.

Both Edwardstone, due to run in the 2m1f Hurst Park Handicap Chase (£65k to the winner) and L’Homme Presse, one of three pulled out of the Chanelle Pharma 1965 Chase, 39k; like Constitution Hill, were novice winners at the Festival.

L’Homme Presse won the Brown Advisory Chase over just a shade beyond three miles on the fifth start of a hitherto unbeaten season. Edwardstone’s coincidental fifth unbeaten run of 2021-2 came in the Arkle Challenge Trophy at the minimum trip that week.

Both, unlike the Henderson star, did go on to Aintree in April and each lost his winning sequence, Edwardstone only second to the Irish-trained Gentleman De Mee and L’Homme Presse finishing a well-beaten third of four behind Ahoy Senor.

The pair collected a few bob in defeat and brought the duo’s earnings for the season respectively to £245k (Edwardstone) and £225k for Venetia Williams’ horse. That little bit of money in the bank helped no doubt in Alan King’s and Ms Williams’ pitch to the owners that the wisest course on Saturday was to stand aside.

So far Constitution Hill has barely scratched the surface of the riches in store, those three victories amounting to £125k. But Buckley has seen it all before while Henderson still agonises about the time he allowed Altior to run in a three-horse race but a virtual match at Ascot over 2m4f. He believes adamantly that not only did it ruin Altior, but also his one serious opponent Cyrname and still regrets that he was persuaded in part by the clamour within the media for the race to be staged.

He will now need to shuffle his pack to bring the pre-Champion Hurdle lead-up for this horse, and previous winner Epatante, up to date. J P McManus’ mare has had the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on Saturday pencilled in for her return to action, as it has for the past two years.

She won it easily in 2020 but last year had to accept a share of the prize with Hughie Morrison’s versatile toughie Not So Sleepy. With options at the top level rather limited, who is to say that the Henderson big two might not take each other on? It wouldn’t be the first time the trainer has done that.

Indeed, he allowed Constitution Hill and McManus’ Jonbon to meet, just as six years earlier Altior and J P’s Buveur D’Air crossed swords in the same Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. Altior came out comfortably on top then with his team-mate in third. Henderson was adamant after the race that he would send Altior straight over fences which he did the following autumn with extravagant success. Buveur D’Air meanwhile remained over hurdles and won the Champion Hurdle in each of the next two seasons. Obviously, the best hurdler of his era was wasting his time winning his first 14 steeplechases!

The Cyrname defeat was followed with one more win, but two further defeats suggested not only was Henderson right about Altior’s being bottomed that day at Ascot, but also that it couldn’t be justified running on Saturday as the over-efficient Ascot drainage system allied to the very low water table after the summer drought, makes for rapid changes in surfaces after rain and then dry spells.

One man’s meat – it’s ages since I used or even thought of a proverb; how about a fool and his money, etc, says Mrs S? – is another man’s opportunity. Gary Moore, king of opportunism in racing, got an unexpected dividend with stable favourite Goshen.

It was entirely in character that this man, who along with Alan King can win any type of race any time of year – there are others who we should mention, of course, in the cause of wokeness – should not balk at opposing the putative champ, even if his horse had a reputation to repair.

Clearly not enjoying his first experience of chasing last month even though it was at Ascot, his favourite track, there had to have been a chance that being smashed up by Constitution Hill would leave the sort of scar in Goshen that Henderson feared for his horse.

In the event he was left with only the three to beat in the Coral Hurdle, and you would never have thought he had been away. As to Gary Moore, he also won the main back-up race to the Betfair Chase at Haydock with the ultra-tough Botox Has. I can’t wait to see this powerful six-year-old try chases, which must surely be on the agenda in the future.

Amid all the riches on offer for the remaining Ascot 30, the 0-130 handicap hurdle for mares was worth a derisory £6,753 to the winner. But that apart, I know, it was the happy culmination of five years’ expectation and some disappointments along the road for the proprietor of this website who also happens to be the man who finds most of my many errors each week.

Coquelicot runs in the colours of Geegeez.co.uk PA, and she was winning her fifth race in 14 under a fine ride by Rex Dingle. Matt Bisogno’s sponsorship of the jockey and support for the mare’s trainer Anthony Honeyball has been as constant as the many years I’ve been penning these words.

Matt related from the winner’s circle afterwards that Saturday provided the thrill of his racing life and he sent the photo of a proud younger-looking editor holding the Soldier Of Fortune filly’s bridle right after he bought her five years ago today (Monday) for €26k at Arqana’s Autumn Mixed sale. I hope he puts it atop this week’s posting.

Coquelicot, bought as a yearling at Arqana in November 2017

Coquelicot, bought as a yearling at Arqana, November 21st 2017

Coquelicot and Rex Dingle win the Mariner System Mares' Handicap Hurdle in the geezgeez colours at Ascot. 19/11/2022 Pic Steve Davies/Racingfotos.com

Coquelicot and Rex Dingle win the Mariner System Mares' Handicap Hurdle in the geegeez colours at Ascot. 19/11/2022 Pic Steve Davies/Racingfotos.com

A half-sister to Melbourne Cup second and, before that, Ebor winner Hearbreak City, she has a future as a broodmare awaiting her, but plenty of winning to be done in the meantime. Matt has had lots of winners with his syndicates, but never a day like Saturday. As he says: “Didn’t those big horses run? I hadn’t noticed!” Not really folks!

The big races will be coming on apace now and on the same day as the Fighting Fifth, Newbury’s highlight is the newly-designated Coral (recently Ladbroke, same firm) Gold Cup Chase – but still, to oldies like me, the Hennessy which it was until 2017. Sam Thomas is a trainer I rate very highly, and he couples a sure touch with his plans to a degree of patience.

In former times when analysing the race, I always started with the second-season chasers, and in particular the seven-year-olds and it was scary how big a proportion of winners at the time did fit that profile.

Protektorat, whose skilled handling by the Skeltons brought a wonderful win in the Betfair Chase, by 11 lengths from Eldorado Allen, is that age, but I doubt Dan will want to send him back out even for the chance of £142k. Now there are much bigger fish to fry and maybe at last we have a proper chaser after the time of Kauto Star and Denman to see off the Irish next March.

Sam Thomas was on Denman when he won the 2007 Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup as a seven-year-old and rode him into third two years later. Ruby Walsh got on him for the second win in between. Now as a trainer, down on 10st5lb and a rating of 141 he has Our Power, a comfortable winner at Ascot three weeks ago on his return, from the useful Danny Kirwan.

Victory for him would be a tonic for Sam’s main supporter and Our Power’s part-owner, Dai Walters, who was badly injured recently in a helicopter crash when Thomas was also a passenger. It all has a ring to it. This is one horse that will go to the races and happily stop to drink in the glory.

- TS

Anthony Honeyball Stable Tour 2022/23

18 October 2022/in Horse Racing Blog/by Matt Bisogno

With the National Hunt season upon us once more, the team here at geegeez.co.uk is thrilled to once again be sponsoring the upwardly mobile yard of Anthony Honeyball.

Operating out of Potwell Farm, set in a beautiful nook on the Dorset / Somerset border, Anthony and Rachael have been gradually improving both the quality and quantity of horses they race; and this season they have their biggest and brightest squad yet.

They're already off the mark with seven winners this season at time of writing and, in the table below, you'll find Anthony's thoughts and hopes for the campaign ahead.

The comments can be sorted by any of the column headings, and may be searched from the box to the right just below this sentence.

VIEW ANTHONY'S UPCOMING ENTRIES / RECENT RESULTS HERE >>

NAME	Colour/Sex	OWNER	BREEDING	COMMENT
ASK LILEEN (IRE) 2017	br. m	Potwell Racing Syndicate I	SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (IRE) X TRENDY NATIVE (GB) (OVERBURY (IRE))	She was placed in two Irish point to points before winning her third start in commanding fashion by 6 lengths (the 2nd has won since and sold to Lucinda Russell). Her dam is sister to 7 winners and the grand dam Celtic Native was a top notch race mare. She’s a good looking quality mare who may well kick off in a bumper but I should imagine will quite quickly move on to obstacles as she’s got size and scope.
BING BELLE (GB) 2019	b.f	Mr and Mrs Jack Barber	ROYAL ANTHEM (USA) x ROXY BELLE (GB) (BLACK SAM BELLAMY (IRE))	Her dam was 2nd in a point to point and is sister to the two time winner Princess Roxy. She’s already had a few short stints in training and is quite forward for a 3 year old so we will be aiming her at either the national hunt juvenile hurdle series or a juvenile bumper this Autumn.
BLACKJACK MAGIC (GB) 2015	b.g	Hayward, Walker, Paterson and O'Gorman	BLACK SAM BELLAMY (IRE) X ONE WILD NIGHT (GB) (RAKAPOSHI KING (GB))	New to us this season (formerly with Jack Barber), he won two of his four completed starts over hurdles last season and is now rated 126. He jumps well and handles proper Winter ground so this season we will now turn his attention to chasing.
BOB BACKUS (IRE) 2015	b.g	Decimus Racing IV	MILAN (GB) X BORO BEE (IRE) (BOB BACK (USA))	He got the hang of hurdling in his last two starts in the 2020 / 21 season winning well at Plumpton before finishing a solid 2nd there again on final start (winner went on to win 5 more races and the third 25 lengths behind). Unfortunately he picked up a tendon strain and had to sit out last season. The plan will be to resume over hurdles this term and it’s likely that he’ll kick on over fences at some point during the Winter.
BOHEMIAN LAD (IRE) 2018	b.g	DECIMUS RACING IX	MAHLER (GB) x REHILL LASS(IRE) (SHERNAZAR (GB))	Out of a bumper winning mare and brother to Dolly’s Destination who has won 4 including a bumper and 3 hurdle races, as well as achieving black type when she was 2nd in a mares listed handicap hurdle at Killarney (peak rating 127). He proved to be very straightforward but a little backward last season and by the time he was anywhere near a run the firmer ground took over and we put him away for a Summer break. We will probably kick off in a bumper but he jumps well so may not hang around long in that sphere.
BORDERLANDS (IRE) 2019	br.g	The Mighty Six	GETAWAY (GER) X KNOCKNABROGUE (IRE) (AFZAL (IRE))	A very good looking, well put together athletic youngster, who is also brother to three winners. We broke him in, cantered and schooled him in May since when he’s had a Summer break. He will be prepared for a bumper or two between February and mid April.
BREAKING COVER (IRE) 2018	b.g	Cartwright, Langford, Redknapp, Saunders	GETAWAY (GER) X PEACE AND THE CITY (FR)(ELUSIVE CITY (USA))	His dam is sister to 4 winners including the Grade 1 Triumph hurdle winner Peace And Co with a career high of 159, and another black type performer Piccolino . Breaking Cover was 2nd in his Irish point to point, 2 lengths behind a horse who subsequently made £150,000 to join the Willie Mullins yard. He jumped and travelled beautifully in that point to point and looks a smart horse. He’ll kick off in bumpers this Autumn.
CAPE VIDAL (GB) 2017	b.g	Potwell Racing Syndicate III	KAYF TARA (GB) X MIDNIGHT MINX (GB) (MIDNIGHT LEGEND (GB))	His dam Midnight Minx was a smart performer for us, winning 3 bumpers and a hurdle and she’s passed that ability on to this lad. He was a very impressive winner on his debut in a bumper at Ffos Las at the end of May. He may next be aimed at a listed bumper at Cheltenham in November.
CAPTAIN CLAUDE (IRE) 2017	b.g	Decimus Racing V	SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (IRE) X PRINCESS SUPREME (IRE) (SUPREME LEADER (GB))	Brother to two winners (peak ratings 129 & 131) and got off the mark himself when winning a bumper at Ffos Las last Winter. He needed the experience of his first three runs over hurdles but hopefully now after another Summer under his belt he can capitalise on his low mark of 80 this Autumn. I suspect he’ll step up in distance and he’s proven he can cope with soft winter ground conditions.
COCO BRAVE (IRE) 2019	b.f	Cartwright, Tomkies Syndicate (SHARES AVAILABLE)	COURT CAVE (IRE)X COMING HOME (FR) (EXIT TO NOWHERE (USA) )	She is a very attractive, athletic filly who is sister to 5 winners including 2 achieving black type status. Three of the winners have NH ratings of 135 / 145 & 146 (the other two were 116 & 122). She was broken in, cantered and schooled in the Spring then went out for her Summer break. We will prepare her for bumpers this season.
CONCLUDING ACT (GB) 2019	b.g	FOR SALE	BLACK SAM BELLAMY (IRE) X GAN ON (GB) (MISSED FLIGHT (GB))	His dam was quite smart and a great jumper, she won 4 for us and reached a career high rating of 134. The only sibling to run so far was Nocturnal Myth who won a handicap hurdle at Plumpton. We are targeting an early start with this lad in NH Juvenile hurdles or juvenile bumpers.
COQUELICOT (FR) 2016	b / br. m	geegeez.co.uk PA	SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (IRE) X MOSCOW NIGHTS (FR) (PEINTRE CELEBRE (USA))	She got off the mark over hurdles last season in a £10,000 mares handicap hurdle at Chepstow. Only the three runs in total last term though, due to some health niggles that she just couldn’t fully shake off. Still loads of upside to her off her current hurdles mark having now got the hang of jumping. She may also have another run in a maiden on the flat as I think she would be very competitive in staying handicaps.
CREDO (IRE) 2015	b.m	Potwell Racing Syndicate II	FAME AND GLORY (GB) x TASMANI(FR) (TURGEON (USA))	A maiden point to point victory and 3 national hunt wins to date (2 bumpers and a maiden hurdle). Even though she won her maiden hurdle last season and ran very respectably a few times in defeat, I have to say overall she had me scratching my head . To me she ran like her breathing was affecting her so we eventually decided to give her a breathing op and she duly won with authority on her first start after that. Just as we thought we’d cracked it she reverted back to mediocre form again. She obviously has the talent and has what you’d think is a very workable mark of 107 to kick on with this season plus a switch to fences is also under consideration.
DEAR RALPHY (IRE) 2016	b.g	Mr J. Pike	WESTERNER (GB) X LETTERWOMAN(IRE) (FOURSTARS ALLSTAR (USA))	Half brother to the useful The Kings Writ (career high 141), he shaped with lots of promise in both his bumpers last season and in the latest one he was only beaten 6 lengths when finishing 4th having made most of the running. I think we will have one more crack at a bumper as he’s more than good enough to win one before heading over hurdles for the remainder of the season. Lots of potential in this son of Westerner and will hopefully end up a decent chaser later on in his career.
DOCTOR FOLEY (IRE) 2017	b.g	Dolan-Abrahams, Newton, Farrer.	MALINAS (GER) X QUARRYANNA (IRE) (MILAN (GB))	New to us from Jack Barber, he was bought after a promising 3rd in an Irish point to point that worked out well as the 2nd in that race, Pembroke, won a bumper last season at Huntingdon by 11 lengths. He didn’t set the world alight on his first two starts over hurdles but that said his season was over very early due to an injury so whether that was niggling in the background we don’t know. He needs another run over hurdles for a handicap mark so once that’s out of the way we could have a lot of fun in handicap hurdles or even straight over fences as he’s a very well put together strong horse.
DOYANNIE (IRE) 2014	ch.m	Barber, French & Shortland	DOYEN (IRE) X ANNIE MAY (IRE)(ANSHAN (GB))	New to us from Jack Barber, a big strong mare who has been placed in bumpers over hurdles and over fences but has not got her head in front as yet in 13 attempts. A very solid second at Exeter over fences last season before looking a certain winner at Taunton next time out but then collared late on. Usually travels strongly in her races, but sometimes not the most resolute so we decided to do a breathing op to help her out and give her a little more confidence. Her brother has won a bumper for Willie Mullins and was 3rd in the grade 1 champion bumper at the Cheltenham festival last season so she’ll be a good broodmare prospect one day (hopefully after a handful of wins to her name !!!!).
DOYEN FOR MONEY (IRE) 2018	b/br. G	Mr H. Kingston	DOYEN (IRE) X MRS JAY DEE (IRE) (HERON ISLAND (IRE)	An athletic forward going individual who made most of the running on debut in an Irish point to point and went on to win easily by 7 lengths. We bought him at a Cheltenham sale after his win and were trying desperately to run him in a bumper last Spring but the weather wouldn’t play ball so we put him away for this season. He will kick off in bumpers.
DREAMING BLUE (GB) 2017	b.g	Mr R W Devlin	SHOWCASING (GB) X GOT TO DREAM (GB) (DUKE OF MARMALADE (IRE))	He was back in action last season having been off the track for nearly a year, and posted some respectable efforts most notably when winning a maiden hurdle at Fontwell ahead of two subsequent winners. He backed that win up with a solid 3rd next time out, again at Fontwell, beaten only 3 lengths. He reached a peak rating of 119, ended last season on 117 so may well be competitive in handicap hurdles this Winter at around 2m 2f on soft ground and we may venture over fences at some point.
FANFARON DINO (FR) 2015	g.g	Mr John P. McManus	DR DINO (FR) X KADJARA (FR) (SILVER RAINBOW (GB))	Lightly raced half brother to “Epatante”, he’s been a bit hit and miss so far but rounded off last season recording his second career win in good style. We’ve been patient and given him plenty of time to fill his frame so I’m hopeful off a mark still at 100 he can really progress this season and fulfil his promise.
FERRET JEETER (GB) 2017	ch.g	Mr R.J. Matthews	RECHARGE (IRE) X HALO FLORA (GB) (ALFLORA (IRE))	He is a half brother to three winners including the useful Sizable Sam (4 wins so far / peak rating 131), Raffle Ticket a maiden hurdle winner with a peak rating of 128 and Fairly Grey a novice hurdle winner with a peak rating of 130. He was very backward early on when broken in, but has improved after every break and will now target an early Autumn bumper run.
FIRESTREAM (GB) 2017	b.g	Buckingham, Chapman, Langford & Ritzema	YEATS (IRE) X SWINCOMBE FLAME (GB) (EXIT TO NOWHERE (USA))	4 runs in bumpers last season, placed in three of them and winning very impressively at Exeter by 11 lengths. We’ve always thought a lot of him at home and I’m very hopeful he will make it to graded level events in novice hurdles this season.
FORTUITOUS FAVOUR (IRE) 2018	b.f	Decimus Racing XI (SHARES AVAILABLE)	SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (IRE) x NORTHWOOD MILAN (IRE) (MILAN (GB))	Her dam is sister to no less than 8 winners including two at black type level and three rated in the 140 - 149 range. She did very well to win on her debut in a juvenile bumper at Wetherby last season, she hadn’t been away for a racecourse gallop and in fact the race was the first time she’d galloped in anger on grass let alone coping with the long journey up there. She couldn’t follow that effort up with another run due to a cold which held her up then drying ground in the Spring. That extra time will have done her no harm as she’s still only 4yrs old. The initial plan is to line her up for a listed bumper but she jumps superbly well so will soon be going hurdling.
FORTUNA LIGNA (IRE) 2017	b.m	Owners For Owners Fortuna Ligna (SHARES AVAILABLE)	SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (IRE) x QUIET THOUGHT(IRE) (BOB BACK (USA))	She was very green at Warwick first time out but rattled home and was a fast finishing 5th passing 7-8 horses up the home straight !! That race has worked out really well with the first two having picked up black type since. She’s a mare I like a lot and should go very close in a bumper this Autumn. If she were to win on her return we would probably look at a Listed bumper next or otherwise switch to hurdling.
FORWARD PLAN (IRE) 2016	br. g	The Steeplechasers	VALIRANN (FR) X CULMORE NATIVE (IRE) (BE MY NATIVE (USA))	Irish point to point winner who was 2nd in a bumper last season as well as another two 2nds to his name in handicap hurdles in May before his Summer break. A little unlucky not hitting the mark but showed in his last two starts that he’s heading in the right direction and we should be able to place him to win in the Autumn. It might be that win comes over fences as he’ll turn his attention to the larger obstacles sooner rather than later.
FOUNTAINS CHIEF (GB) 2016	b.g	The Fountains Partnership	NATIVE RULER (GB) X TIGERALLEY (GB) (REVOQUE (IRE))	He was placed in a bumper last April and went on to win three in a row over hurdles during the Summer. He’s progressed really well and we may now let him take his chance in either a valuable handicap hurdle or the grade 2 Persian War Novices Hurdle at Chepstow in October.
GABRIEL'S GETAWAY (IRE) 2017	b.g	Buckingham, Chapman, Kingston & Langford	GETAWAY (GER) X CHOSEN DESTINY (IRE) (WELL CHOSEN (GB))	A horse that I've always felt posesses plenty of talent, but to date he's not really shown it on the track except for a very respectable effort when 4th in a bumper at Ludlow. He's always been electric over bumpers at home and did jump well on hurdles debut, so I'm hopeful that he can build on that effort and be competitive in Maiden Hurdles this Autumn. Plenty of size and scope so I suspect we'll see the best of him when he tackles fences.
GETMETOTHEMOON (GB) 2019	b.f.	Unity Farm Holiday Centre Ltd	PETHER'S MOON (IRE) X GERTIE GETAWAY (IRE) (GETAWAY (GER))	Her dam was placed in a bumper and is herself sister to two winners including the Grade 2 placed Denise’s Profiles. She will be trained for juvenile bumpers or the new series of National Hunt Juvenile hurdles which are particularly valuable in the mares only category.
GOOD LOOK CHARM (FR) 2016	b.m	The Isle of Blue and White	COKORIKO (FR) X UNE D'EX (FR)(BRIER CREEK (USA))	She had a very good first season with us with two placed runs as well as winning twice from 6 starts. She kicked off finishing 3rd of 18 in a mares bumper at Aintree, went on to win her mares novices hurdle at Hereford then a £20,000 mares handicap hurdle at Exeter. I think she’s still on a very workable mark off 115 and I’m very much looking forward to taking advantage of that mark over fences this season.
GUSTAVIAN (IRE) 2015	b.g	Decimus Racing I	MAHLER (GB) X GRANGE OSCAR(IRE) (OSCAR (IRE))	He has won 3 times and been 2nd or 3rd 11 times from 15 career runs, so to date he’s been a fantastic fun horse for his syndicate . Last season he would have added to his tally of wins but for some untimely blunders in each novice chase. Overall his jumping was more than adequate but those mistakes certainly cost him. That said he ended the season with a tremendous 2nd in a £40,000 chase at Uttoxeter and the key positive is that he remains a novice for this season so we have lots of options and last season’s experience under his belt. My main hope if his jumping really comes together is that he can run in the Grade 2 3m 5f novice chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
HATOS (FR) 2017	b.g	Hats Off To Hatos	DIAMOND BOY (FR) X SANTALISA (FR) (LAVERON (GB))	Last season he shaped with lots of promise on debut for us when 3rd in a bumper at Chepstow first time out. He then went on to win his maiden hurdle again at Chepstow, but unfortunately in doing so he struck into his fetlock joint which sidelined him for the majority of the remainder of the season. He squeezed in one more run at Hexham but with the ground drying out he never really looked comfortable that day so best put a line through that effort. I think we will run in one handicap hurdle early on to get his eye in again before turning his attention to chasing. He seems to handle soft / heavy ground very well so should be at his best in the Winter when the mud's flying again.
I GIORNI (IRE) 2017	b.m	The Soldiers of Fortune	ARCADIO (GER) X SHECHANGEDHERMIND (IRE) (KOTASHAAN(FR))	Full sister to the two time winner Justmemyselfandi (career high rating 133). She won on debut in an Irish point to point at the end of January, and we bought her at the Cheltenham sales. We were very pleased with her ability and attitude at home but by the time we were ready to run in a bumper the ground dried up and stayed dry so we didn’t take any chances and put her away for a Summer break. Exciting prospect who will kick off in a bumper this Autumn.
JAIL NO BAIL (IRE) 2017	b.g	Bryan Drew & Friends, Chapman & Kingston	MAHLER (GB) X KITTYS OSCAR (IRE) (OSCAR (IRE))	His 1/2 brother was placed in a bumper and won twice over hurdles with a career high rating of 127. His dam is sister to 3 winners, two with black type, in particular Saxophone who won a Grade 3 hurdle and two Grade 3 chases. Last season was a write off with a few issues affecting his preparation so we really hope for a clear run and find out what he’s made of this time round. I’ll consider starting him off in a bumper but having missed that campaign last season and the fact he jumps very well, and has already schooled well over fences, we may well kick on in a maiden hurdle.
JEPECK (IRE) 2009	b.g	Mr J. Pike	WESTERNER (GB) X JENNY'S JEWEL (IRE) (BE MY NATIVE (USA))	Winner of 5 and placed in 19 of his 33 National Hunt starts as well as £123,000 in prize money; and 10 wins from 19 starts in point to points so somewhat of a legend !! He started last season slowly, but in his third run at the age of 13 he bolted up in a handicap hurdle at Wincanton - on this occasion all conditions finally came right for him - the ground was soft / heavy, over the distance of 2m 5f. He went on to be placed in all of his next 4 races in good company off marks around 130. We will see how he trains on this season, all being well and given his favoured testing ground he should continue running to a high level and pick up another win or two.
JITTERBUG GEORDIE (GB) 2018	g.g	Mrs S. J. Maltby	GEORDIELAND (FR) X DANCINGTILMIDNIGHT (GB) (MIDNIGHT LEGEND (GB))	New to us from Jack Barber - his dam won two point to points and had two seconds from 5 starts for Richard Barber before going on to win two hurdle races. This lad made his debut in a bumper at Wincanton last season finishing 9th of 12 runners, and he made a bit of a noise in his wind that day so he’s had a breathing op since joining us. We hope that along with maturing and filling his big frame this will result in a big step forward.
JUGGERNAUT (FR) 2019	b.g	Mr M Chapman and Ms G Langford	SPANISH MOON (USA) X SACOLEVA (FR) (LAVIRCO (GER))	This half brother to two winners is a compact, neat and athletic sort who has done plenty of early prep work to give him every chance of being ready for juvenile bumpers or the new national hunt juvenile hurdle race program starting in the Autumn. The NH juvenile hurdles are for horses that haven’t run on the flat or in bumpers and are quite valuable so a good alternative to the usual starting point in bumpers.
JUKEBOX JAZZ (IRE) 2019	g.f	Mr R. W. Huggins	JUKEBOX JURY (IRE) X SWEETHEART (GB) (SINNDAR (IRE))	Full sister to the 6 time winning black type performer Jukebox Jive (peak rating 100 on the flat - whilst trained here at Potwell Farm and 140 over hurdles). Her dam, Sweetheart was a superb race mare with 7 wins in total to her name including a Grade 2 win over hurdles (peak rating 140) and the winner of a big staying handicap on the flat at Glorious Goodwood (peak rating 80 on the flat). This filly was a little weak during the early part of the Summer so given a little more time out in the field to strengthen up and prepare for her debut on the flat this Autumn.
KEEPITFROMBECKY (IRE) 2018	b.g	Barber, Braid, French and Rees	DIAMOND BOY (FR) X TOBETALL (GB) (TOBOUGG (IRE))	New to us from Jack Barber, his dam was placed in a bumper and she’s produced Smoke Man who has won 8 point to points to date amd was 4th in a 4 mile Cheltenham Hunter Chase, The Grey Monty who won an Irish point to point and subsequently made £95,000 and has so far gone on to finish 3rd in a maiden hurdle, and the 3 time winner Arcade Attraction with a peak rating of 116. His dam is also sister to 6 winners including Aintree and Cheltenham festival winner Attaglance. He was a bit backward last season and given time to develop so I’m really excited to see what he can do this time round.
KILBEG KING (IRE) 2015	b.g	M.R.Chapman, E.Jones & H.Kingston	DOYEN (IRE) x PRAYUWIN DRUMMER (IRE) (PRESENTING (GB))	He won his bumper very impressively on debut for us under rules. That bumper worked out well with subsequent 125, 119 and 132 horses following him home. Unfortunately he picked up a tendon strain when being prepared for novice hurdling last season, and after rest and recuperation he's now back in training and getting ready for novice hurdles. He jumps very well so I’m very hopeful that he’ll make up into a high class novice hurdler this term.
KONIGIN ISABELLA (GER) 2018	b.f	geegeez.co.uk KI	ISFAHAN (GER) X KONIGIN CALA (GER) (CALL ME BIG (GER))	She ran with lots of promise in her first two bumpers particularly when staying on well in 3rd at Newbury (beaten 3 lengths - the winner won a listed bumper at Cheltenham next time out). She was a little disappointing in her next two starts, this may have been due to health at that time but we also decided she needed a breathing op so that has been done and I’d be very hopeful that she’ll continue her progression over hurdles this season. Another Summer break under her belt will have done her the world of good too as she’s still only 4yrs old.
LE COEUR NET (FR) 2012	ch.g	Wessex Racing Club	NETWORK (GER) X SILVERWOOD (FR) (GARDE ROYALE (IRE))	5 wins from 36 starts, his career high was 126 and last season is the first time the handicapper has really got hold of him. He still managed two 2nds and is now down on a mark of 103 which is his lowest for quite some time. This would lead you to think we could have some fun with him again this season. Either way he’s been a lovely horse for the yard and his owners over the years.
LILITH (IRE) 2015	b.m	DECIMUS VI	STOWAWAY (GB) x FLIRTHING AROUND (IRE) (FLEMENSFIRTH (USA))	She had a fantastic season with one 3rd, four 2nds and two wins from 9 starts. You could argue she has been quite frustrating up to March 1st as we kept hitting the bar finishing 2nd on four occasions to that point but then came a super performance in winning at Newbury followed by another win out in Ireland at the Punchestown festival !! She’s already qualified for a £35,000 mares chase at Hereford in December (2nd in that last season) and with her mark of 122, races like that still look the right option. She will also head back to Punchestown again in the Spring. Obviously if she progresses again through this season we could be looking at Listed and Graded mares chases. Both mares handicap and graded chases are available at the Punchestown Festival.
LILY THE PINK (GB) 2014	b.m	Wessex Racing Club	MALINAS (GER) X CARRIGEEN QUEEN (IRE) (DARNAY (GB))	3 wins and 7 placed efforts from her 13 runs so she’s been a particularly consistent and solid mare for us (has progressed to 118). Unfortunately she missed last season due to a tendon strain - that should be behind her now and we can hopefully kick on this time around. Probably start off over hurdles before trying her over fences in mares only events. She’s half sister to another solid mare in the yard Midnight Callisto and both are out of a half sister to Gold Cup winner Minella Indo so lovely broodmare prospects later on.
MARCO ISLAND (IRE) 2017	b.g	Buckingham, Chapman, Langford & Ritzema	MAHLER (GB) x FLORIDA BELLE (IRE) (FLORIDA SON (GB))	He took us a little by surprise when winning his bumper on debut at Chepstow, that was a lovely performance and he backed it up when winning a maiden hurdle again at Chepstow two runs later (the 2nd and 3rd won next time out). A big horse who should still be maturing and filling his sizeable frame so you’d hope he’ll improve plenty for his Summer break and could well switch to fences sooner rather than later.
MATTHIAS (GB) 2019	b.g	Mrs J. L. Buckingham	BLACK SAM BELLAMY (IRE)x ROUQUINE SAUVAGE (GB) (LOUP SAUVAGE (USA))	He is out of the 3 time winner Rouquine Sauvage who is herself half-sister to Master Tommytucker who won a grade 2 and was also 2nd in a grade 1 reaching a career high rating of 160. The grand dam was also very useful winning 7 and reaching a career high rating of 140. He’s a strong, solid and athletic youngster who will be aimed at bumpers this season.
MELK ABBEY (IRE) 2016	b.m.	Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates Melk Abbey	SHOLOKHOV (IRE) X CARRIG'N MAY (IRE) (CLASSIC CLICHÉ (IRE))	A solid strong mare who has won an Irish point to point, just the one run last season shortly after joining us at which point we decided to give her a good long break due to a few minor issues. That one run was very useful as she was subsequently given a mark of 78 and I’d like to think after a good Summer break she can really make the most of this low starting point. It may be we crack on over fences this term
MIDNIGHT CALLISTO (GB) 2015	br.m	Ms Gill Langford	MIDNIGHT LEGEND (GB) X CARRIGEEN QUEEN (IRE) (DARNAY (GB))	She ran eight times last season, placed in four and won two so a very solid season improving 7lb in the ratings ending on 109. Her mark doesn’t really tally with the ability we’ve always felt she possesses but she is gradually picking up the wins and has become very consistent overall. We will at some point this season try her over fences to see if that brings about further improvement and one day she will make a fantastic broodmare as she’s out of a sister to the Gold Cup winner Minella Indo.
MIDNIGHT MALIN (GB) 2016	b.m	Mrs S. J. Maltby	MALINAS (GER) X DANCINGTILMIDNIGHT (GB) (MIDNIGHT LEGEND (GB))	New to us from Jack Barber, she's half sister to Jitterbug Geordie (GB). Her Dam won two point to points and had two seconds from 5 starts for Richard Barber before going on to win two hurdle races. She had one run in a bumper two seasons back but got bogged down in the heavy ground, missed last season due to a nasty cut picked up whilst turned out for the Summer. She’s a compact, neat and athletic mare who put her previous experience to good use in a bumper the other day. She'll be running in a mares' maiden hurdle before too long.
MOLLIE BROWN (GB) 2018	b.f	Mr T. C. Frost	BLACK SAM BELLAMY (IRE) X MIDNIGHT CRACKLE (GB) (MIDNIGHT LEGEND (GB))	She is a well put together solid filly who is out of an unraced mare by Midnight Legend who was a half sister to the Grade 2 winner Sam Brown. A very straightforward filly and I'm looking forward to running her in bumpers this Autumn.
MOONCOIN QUEEN (IRE) 2018	b.f	Wessex Racing Club	DOYEN (IRE) X CARRIGEEN QUEEN(IRE) (DARNAY (GB))	Half sister to 3 winning mares trained here at Potwell Fm - Midnight Callisto, Lily The Pink and Precious, and her dam is sister to the Gold Cup winner Minella Indo. She was weak last season and had a slight setback too so we put her away, she’s grown on and strengthened up so we hope to find out what she can do on the track this season. We will start her off in mares bumpers (all 3 sisters won bumpers)
NEVADA SMITH (GB) 2018	b.g	Potwell Racing Syndicate IV (SHARES AVAILABLE)	KAYF TARA (GB) X MIDNIGHT MINX (GB) (MIDNIGHT LEGEND (GB))	Full brother to our impressive bumper winner Cape Vidal, his dam Midnight Minx was another smart performer for our yard winning 4 out of her 9 races. He’s similar to his brother, a very strong solid and athletic sort, we will be aiming him at a bumper to begin with. He’s one of the two horses we have in Potwell IV syndicate along with Pure Theatre.
NORTON HILL (IRE) 2016	b.g	Mr and Mrs J. J. Barber, & Mr A. Norman	FAME AND GLORY (GB) X CHARMING LEADER (IRE) (SUPREME LEADER (GB))	New to us from Jack Barber, he won a bumper at Wincanton on debut. That bumper worked out well - the 2nd now rated 120, the 3rd won a listed bumper next time then 4th in a grade 2, and the 4th won a bumper next time out and also won on hurdles debut. He’s subsequently been placed in both his maiden hurdle starts and those races have also worked out well with the horses around him having progressed since. He was still quite green in his hurdle races and his jumping was a little hit and miss so there’s tons of improvement to come. I would still be thinking he has the talent to make up into a graded novice hurdler but we may initially target handicaps as I think he’s extremely well treated off 111 !
NOTBITTERBUTBETTER (GB) 2017	b.m	Pryde & Van Der Hoeven	CHAMPS ELYSEES (GB) x PURELY BY CHANCE (GB) (GALILEO (IRE))	Half sister to the 3 time winners Ucanaver and Golden Spread. She’s not had a lot of luck in training having picked up an injury and therefore no run in her first season and health issues throughout last season. Her owner has been very patient and as a result we did manage to get her to the track to make her debut in May. She was the only horse in the race that had no previous experience and ran a respectable race back in 5th (only beaten 7 lengths). Hopefully her preparation will go more smoothly this season and we can see what she’s really made of.
ONEUPMANSHIP (IRE) 2015	ch.g	Phil Fry & Charlie Walker	MAHLER (GB) X LETTHISBETHEONE (IRE) (MOSCOW SOCIETY (USA))	New to us this season (formerly with Jack Barber), he has been placed in 8 of his 11 starts as well as winning his maiden hurdle two seasons back. Only the three starts last season, shaping very well on chase debut at Ffos Las before falling two from home. He picked up an injury later in the season which has kept him out of action but all should be well to resume his chasing career this term.
PARIS DIXIE (GB) 2015	b.m	Owners Group 037 (SHARES AVAILABLE)	CHAMPS ELYSEES (GB) X LAST OF THE DIXIES (GB)(HALLING (USA))	A bumper winner at Carlisle a few seasons ago, she went on to join Nicky Henderson and made a very encouraging debut over hurdles at Chepstow when 2nd. Unfortunately after that her form took a downward turn. She joined our team over the Summer and has run two very encouraging races finished 2nd & 3rd in two mares maiden hurdles. I’m very hopeful she’ll get off the mark over hurdles soon and the way she jumps I’m expecting her to have a future over fences too.
PURE THEATRE (IRE) 2018	b.f	Potwell Racing Syndicate IV (SHARES AVAILABLE)	COURT CAVE (IRE) X FAUCON (GB) (POLAR FALCON (USA))	She’s sister to 6 winners including As I Am who won 8 including two listed hurdles at Newbury and Cheltenham (career high rating of 142), Western Way 7 wins / career high of 130 jumps / 81 flat, and Elegant Touch who won his last two hurdle starts reaching a rating of 133. Pure Theatre was very unlucky not to get off the mark herself when beaten a short head in a bumper at Fakenham last time out and I’d be very hopeful she’ll improve for a Summer break and win a mares bumper this Autumn. If that happens we will then look at a listed mares bumper for her in November / December.
QUEENS FORTUNE (IRE) 2018	b.f	Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates Queens Fortune (SHARES AVAILABLE)	SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (IRE) X DOWN BY THE SEA (IRE) (FOURSTAR ALLSTAR(USA))	She made a very encouraging effort on debut when 3rd in an Irish point to point against the geldings. She’s sister to 3 winners and her sire Soldier Of Fortune has been lucky for us - we’ve run 6 horses by him / 5 have won and the other ran with lots of promise when finishing 5th of 16 in a bumper on debut - she’ll kick off in a bumper this Autumn.
REGAL ENCORE (IRE) 2008	b.g	Mr John P. McManus	KING'S THEATRE (IRE) X GO ON EILEEN(IRE) (BOB BACK (USA))	Two placed efforts in very valuable handicap chases at Ascot again last season, plus his third faultless round of jumping at Aintree over the national fences - this time in The Topham chase (finished 12th of 29 runners). He’s now 14yrs rising 15 so we play it race by race and see what he tells us but it will be fantastic to see him have another go at Ascot and see if he can yet again win a big pot there !! (4 wins and 7 placed efforts at Ascot to date all achieved in £75k,000 - £100,000 chases).
SAILING GRACE (GB) 2019	b.f	Mr A J Honeyball	DARTMOUTH (GB) X WAR CREATION (IRE) (SCORPION (IRE)	Her dam won a bumper and two hurdle races reaching a career high of 117 from only 8 runs. She’s done quite a lot already having been broken in last December so seems quite forward and we were delighted with her win in one of the new NH juvenile hurdle series. She did plenty wrong there but showed a great attitude, and will remain a novice next season whatever happens the rest of this campaign.
SAM BROWN (GB) 2012	b.g	Mr T. C. Frost	BLACK SAM BELLAMY (IRE) X CREAM CRACKER (GB)(SIR HARRY LEWIS (USA))	He is lightly raced over the years but now 6 wins from 13 runs, a Grade 2 and a Grade 3 win and £117,000 in prize money. Last season was definitely a much more straightforward campaign for him, with 3 very good runs including a fantastic 2nd in the Grade 2 Peter Marsh chase behind Royale Pagaille who went on to finish 5th in the Gold Cup. His highlight though was winning the £100,000 Betway Handicap Chase at Aintree on Grand National day by 15 lengths ! He’s now up to 157 and we will have a crack at the Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on the 29th October.
SERIOUS CHARGES (IRE) 2017	b.g	Potwell Racing Syndicate III	SOLDIER OF FORTUNE(IRE) x SOUTH WEST NINE (IRE)(OSCAR(IRE))	2nd in a bumper on rules debut before winning his next three races over hurdles in impressive fashion. He then went on to the Aintree Grand National meeting finishing 6th of 21 in a valuable handicap hurdle. He’s still only 5yrs old and looks to have a very exciting novice chase season ahead of him where we hope he can progress and mix it at the highest level.
SMART CASUAL (GB) 2018	b.g	Mr John P. McManus	BLACK SAM BELLAMY(IRE) x ROUQUINE SAUVAGE (GB) (LOUP SAUVAGE (USA))	His dam won 3 races and is a half sister to Master Tommytucker who is a 6 time winner including a Grade 2, and placed at Grade 1 level (career high rating 160). His grand dam won 7 races reaching a career high of 140. He is a tall horse who is going to take a while to fill his frame but an exciting prospect, we will kick off with him in a bumper this season.
SOMESPRING SPECIAL (IRE) 2018	b.f.	Yeo Racing Partnership	WESTERNER (GB) x NATURAL SPRING (GB) (GENEROUS (IRE))	She was 2nd on her debut in a UK point to point and is by the top class sire Westerner. She’s also half sister to a winner. Her Dam won 3 , reached a peak rating of 128 and is sister to 5 winners including the black type Ted Spread. I would imagine we will kick off in a bumper this Autumn.
STARSHIP MONA (GB) 2018	b.f	The Lifeboat Crew	TELESCOPE (IRE) x LIFEBOAT MONA (GB) (KAYF TARA (GB)	Her dam won 6 of her 10 races including two at Listed level, and reached a career high rating of 144. She was a little weak and backward last season but has been given time and developed in to a strong athletic type. We will aim her at mares only bumpers initially and potentially hurdling later depending on what level she reaches in her bumpers.
SULLY D'OC AA (FR) 2014	b.g	Mr John P. McManus	KONIG TURF(GER)X SAMARRA D'OC (FR) (MOON MADNESS (GB))	He has been a very good chaser for us over the last few seasons reaching a career high rating of 147. Two seasons back he won at Ascot first time out, was 3rd in a valuable chase at Newbury, then ran in all three Spring festivals finishing a solid 8th of 21 at Cheltenham followed by a 2nd of 18 at Aintree and rounded off by giving us our first winner in Ireland, winning a 19 runner 2m handicap chase at the Punchestown festival ! Last season was always going to be tricky having gone up in the weights but he still managed some solid efforts the highlight being when finishing 3rd beaten 2 lengths in an £85,000 handicap chase at Ascot. Unfortunately in his last run, again at Ascot, he broke a bone in his foot and has been sidelined since so missing all the Spring festivals. It’s hoped he’ll be back fit and firing again at some point this Winter targeting the Spring festivals once again.
SWINCOMBE FLEAT (GB) 2016	b.m	Yeo Racing Partnership	YEATS (IRE)X SWINCOMBE FLAME (GB) (EXIT TO NOWHERE (USA))	Her dam Swincombe Flame was a top notch race mare and she’s sister to a grade 2 winner and to our own smart bumper winner Firestream. She’s been more than respectable on the track herself having won a bumper and finishing 4th in a 16 runner listed bumper. Last season she won her novice hurdle and was placed twice before her form tailed off a bit in her last two runs of the season. She still looks on a very workable handicap mark and will more than likely kick on straight over fences.
TALKINGTOTHEMOON (GB) 2018	b.g	The Lunatic Partnership	PETHER'S MOON (IRE) x BLUE BUTTONS (IRE) (KING'S THEATRE(IRE))	Only two career starts so far - 2nd on his UK point to point debut before going on to win easily next time out. His dam Blue Buttons won 4 races and reached a career high rating of 137. One of her wins came at listed level and she was also 2nd in that grade. This lad will start off in a bumper this Autumn.
TROJAN HORSE (IRE) 2019	ch.c	Mr R Huggins and Mr Peter Jones	ULYSSES (IRE) X GUARDIA (IRE) (MONSUN (IRE))	He was twice a winner on the flat reaching a career high rating of 84. He’s got several winning siblings including Group 3 placed, Punchestown festival winning hurdler Guiri. His dam is full sister to the group 1 winning sire GETAWAY. Slightly disappointed us on his first hurdle start but it was a terribly muddling affair.
UCANAVER (GB) 2016	bl.m	Ifuwonner Partnership	MAXIOS (GB) X PURELY BY CHANCE (GB) (GALILEO (IRE))	Won 2 novice hurdles and placed once from 4 starts last season, a high quality mare who can hopefully take another step forward this year. Plan A is to have a tilt at a valuable mares handicap hurdle at Wincanton in early November and then we may well send her mares chasing as she seems to enjoy her jumping, she may well excel in that sphere.
UNNAMED (GB) 2019	b.g	geegeez.co.uk XXII	BLACK SAM BELLAMY (IRE) X BEHRA (IRE) (GRAND LODGE (USA))	His dam was 3rd in a listed race on the flat, and won a 17 runner maiden at Newbury (flat rating 92 with Sir Michael Stout). She is now the dam of 6 winners to date including two black type horses - Barizan who won 10 and reached a peak rating of 146 and Baradari who won 3 and a career high of 140. This lad is a lovely athletic type who has been cantered away and schooled. We will aim him at bumpers from January onwards (is qualified for a £100,000 sales bumper at Newbury in March).
UNNAMED (GB) 2019	b.g	FOR SALE	BLACK SAM BELLAMY (IRE) X DOLLY PENROSE (GB) (HERNANDO (FR))	His dam made £120,000 as a yearling and went on to win twice and reach a flat rating of 84. She was also a winner over hurdles reaching a rating of 117. She is sister to 6 winners, three of which were black type performers and her dam won the Grade 1 Cleeve hurdle at Cheltenham. This lad has been broken in, cantered and jumped. We like him a lot and will hope to run him in a bumper January onwards (he is also qualified for a £100,000 sales bumper at Newbury in March).
UNNAMED (IRE) 2019	b.g	Mr Gavin Pike	COURT CAVE (IRE) X SOUTH WEST NINE (IRE) (OSCAR (IRE))	A straightforward, athletic individual who is half brother to 4 winners including the smart horse trained here at Potwell “Serious Charges” (3 wins to date / rating 133). He was broken in, cantered and schooled in the Spring then out for a Summer break, the plan will be to prep him for bumpers this season.
WHYNOTNOWROY (IRE) 2018	ch.g	Mr Brian Derrick	NOTNOWCATO (GB) X MIDNIGHT LIRA (GB) (MIDNIGHT LEGEND (GB))	He’s had two educational stints with us, so after his latest Summer break he’s very much ready to crack on with this season. His dam Midnight Lira won 6 races reaching a career high rating of 125 so plenty of positives on pedigree. He’ll kick off in a bumper in the Autumn.
WINDANCE (IRE) 2015	b.g	Decimus Racing III	SHIROCCO (GER) X MACA RINCE(IRE) (RAINWATCH (GB))	He really got the hang of hurdling in his final three starts in the 2020 / 21 season winning two of them and third on his final start. Unfortunately he missed last season due to a tendon strain, and he’ll resume this term over hurdles before heading over fences as he’s a really good jumper and should thrive over the larger obstacles
WORLD OF DREAMS (IRE) 2016	b.g	Mr R. W. Huggins, M Bisogno & P Williams	KAYF TARA (GB) X ROSE OF THE WORLD (IRE) (VINNIE ROE(IRE))	He is a high quality performer, winning 4 of his 6 starts to date including two over hurdles last season. His 2nd in a novice hurdle at Hereford reads particularly well as the winner (which he gave 7lb) subsequently went on to win a Grade 2 novice hurdle next time out. We had him lined up for a very valuable hurdle in March but an injury forced us to shelve that plan and put him away. Hopefully we will be back on the front foot this season and he could be very interesting off a mark of 120 in some valuable handicap hurdles this term.

Monday Musings: Breeders’ Cup Digest

7 November 2021/in Monday Musings/by Tony Stafford

It has taken 362 runs from 126 individual horses and many thousands of motorway miles in their distinctive royal blue vans to earn the Charlie Appleby stable £4,827,062 in win and place money this year, writes Tony Stafford. Thus he enters the last seven weeks of 2021 with an unchallenged situation, guaranteeing his first trainers’ championship in the UK.

It took six horses on a single day <if you count UK time, which for the purposes of the starkness of the comparison, I am> walking the few hundred yards from the Del Mar international barn in the backstretch to the saddling area and back, to add £2,690,000 (55.7% of his entire UK endeavours) on November 6 alone.

Purists will point to the last on Friday at 7.30p.m. (daylight saving kicked in a week later in the US than the UK) and the two on Saturday, but in any event they were all comfortably within a 24-hour time-frame. The clocks went back in California at 2 a.m. yesterday earning the team from Moulton Paddocks a theoretical extra hour in bed. I doubt if any of them even bothered to turn in at all!

Six runners made the walk to potential equine immortality, two adorned with the pre-race red hood which denotes a trainer worries sufficiently about his horse’s temperament to defuse the potential problem of walking through the boisterous crowds that line the route to the saddling boxes.

The red-hooded pair were in Friday’s Juvenile Turf, Albahr, drawn two and next to stable-mate Modern Games in one, and on Saturday in the Mile, again on the Turf track, 2,000 Guineas runner-up Master Of The Seas, drawn one with his better-fancied elder stable-companion Space Blues in three.

Connections of many of the other European contenders would have enjoyed the chance of running from those plum draws around the tightest of tight circuits. Conversely, in the aftermath, the ever-measured Appleby said: “When they do get drawn there on the inside, they potentially can have a much longer wait and therefore more time to get upset if that’s their character.

“We had no inkling that the horses would behave in this way and it is something we’ll have to address when we get home. Happily both horses, and riders Frankie Dettori and James Doyle, are fine. Frankie especially was lucky to be dragged from Albahr and it’s unfortunate that the stalls man who helped him, got an injury from the horse.”

From a dual assault on three races, only their runners in the Turf produced the full complement from the stalls, with seven-year-old Walton Street (Doyle) actually a shorter price at the departure than Buick’s mount, Yibir.

Both horses had been sent to North American on September 18 for their previous races. Walton Street was off first in Canada (10.35 p.m. UK time) for the Grade 1 Canadian International at Woodbine which he won in a canter by almost six lengths.

Ten minutes later (10.45 p.m.) it was Yibir’s turn at Belmont Park and he comfortably put away six fellow three-year-olds in the Jockey Club Derby Invitational. This race as yet carries no official Grade category – it was merely a very valuable Conditions race – and Yabir beat a field including Bolshoi Ballet, who finished sixth on Saturday.

That made it more than £500k for the two September 18 races in ten minutes. Yibir’s strong finish in the Breeders’ Cup Turf to peg back Broome, who had raced into what looked like an invincible lead in the straight, alone earned a second-best prize of the weekend of £1.5 million and change.

All three Godolphin winners won convincingly. Modern Games and Yibir both came wide under Buick from some way back and finished very strongly. Contrastingly, Space Blues was always close to the lead and held off a late challenge to win by half a length. He had been singled out by Appleby as the likeliest winner and in fulfilling that prophecy has earned a deserved place at stud after 11 career wins from 19 starts. As a son of Dubawi he will have every chance of making a success as a stallion.

The best Coolmore Ireland position was Broome’s second to Yibir on a day when Japan, the country, not the horse who was fourth to Yibir, posted (like London buses) its first two wins at the Breeders’ Cup. Broome all this year has worn the silks of M Matsushima, a partner in the five-year-old along with the Magnier, Tabor and Smith triumvirate. [Coolmore did record a score, via Wesley Ward, more of which anon]

A son of Australia, you would imagine Mr Matsushima might want to stand the horse in Japan one day. The racing fraternity will be euphoric after trainer Yashito Yahagi’s double that almost matched the exploits of Appleby and Buick. Japan is spectacularly the best-endowed racing authority in the world. While its industry traditionally has been inward-looking, these so-visible wins will provide more of their top owners and trainers with the confidence to target the biggest prizes all around the world.

Easily the more authoritative of the Japanese triumphs was the fast finish provided by Loves Only You in the Filly and Mare Turf race, extended this year to 1m3f to take account of the configuration of the Del Mar Turf course.

It hadn’t helped Audarya’s attempt at a second successive win after her victory over 9.5 furlongs at Keeneland last year. William Buick – guessing wrong for the only time over the two days – dropped her in from her widest draw, got across nicely and in good position on the rail only to run into an equine brick wall turning for home. In the circumstances, fifth and 40-odd grand would have been consolation for the Swinburn and Fanshawe families.

Love’s route could hardly have been worse, three wide all the way. She had the class to strike for the lead in the straight but was soon challenged and in the end could manage only fourth as Loves Only You brought her earnings within a UK Group 1 success of £5million. A five-year-old daughter of Deep Impact, she has a wonderful turn of foot.

No UK-based jockey has as strong an association with Japanese racing as Oisin Murphy, who spends as much of his winters – and collects as many billions of Yen – as he can riding over there. His association with Deirdre, now a seven-year-old on whom he won the 2019 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood, was a comparable breakthrough to Saturday’s at the time.

Oisin was seen congratulating the Japanese rider Yuga Kawada straight after the Filly and Mare Turf and two hours later he joined the party in his own right, partnering Marche Lorraine, also a five-year-old, in the Distaff on the dirt track.

This race was supposed to be a private affair between some fast locals, but they went much too quickly, cancelling each other out and all giving in before the straight. Oisin could be seen halfway down the back going best, his red cap moving forward while his mare, a 50-1 shot, was still under restraint. That collapse up front meant he got the lead too soon and in the end it took a triple champion’s ability to keep her going for a short-head verdict.

I loved the day’s final race, the Classic, where Knicks Go beat Medina Spirit, and I also very much enjoyed Life Is Good, runaway winner of the Dirt Mile and Golden Pal, flying winner of the Turf Sprint, the last named for Coolmore America and Wesley Ward.

Also, I’ve never seen a horse running in a million plus dollar race but not for betting purposes. The former favourite too, Modern Games bolting up to a chorus of boos from the crowd who had been obliged to give back their tickets for refund as the horses waited to go. [Worse still, our esteemed editor had ‘singled’ Modern Games in the last leg of a Pick 4: his sole option re-routing to the non-winning favourite in the race!]

No boos from the Doncaster crowd on the final day of the 2021 turf season at Doncaster. John Butler’s Farhan, the 9-2 favourite for the season’s final big event, the November Handicap, ridden by Hollie Doyle, bolted up. The only piece of luck was that the three-year-old son of Zoffany squeezed in exactly as number 23 at the foot of the weights. The triumph (and landed gamble) was delivered with military precision by trainer and rider on probably Hollie’s last year not to be asked to ride at the Breeders’ Cup.

Butler has another important assignment this week. On Friday Poetic Music, an easy bumper winner on debut at Market Rasen, is lot number 1 at Tattersalls Cheltenham post-racing sale. A big filly, she looks the type to figure in black type juvenile fillies’ races for the rest of the season. So bid away – you will be making someone very happy!

One happy camper – and he always has winners when in the US for the Breeders’ Cup – was my already mentioned editor Matt Bisogno, who runs the Geegeez syndicates. Their mare Coquelicot was an easy winner at Chepstow last week, adding a first jumps success to three including a Listed in bumpers. The only way is up, Matt!

Monday Musings: A Very Different World

16 March 2020/in Monday Musings/by Tony Stafford

In the week that Lord Derby’s much-hated Hatchfield Farm plan has finally been given approval in its latest scaled-down form, Newmarket’s own Member of Parliament has indicated that there will be further irritations to come for some of his most celebrated constituents, writes Tony Stafford.

Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health as well as West Suffolk MP, said that “in the coming weeks, people aged over 70 would be required to stay at home in self-isolation for four months” with the aim of protecting that vulnerable group from the ever-growing threat of Covid 19.

Sir Michael Stoute is one of the trainers who will need to work out feasible working patterns within his yard to fulfil those conditions. Nick Rust, outgoing Chief Executive of the BHA, indicated that within a very short time, the UK would echo most other racing authorities around the world by imposing the “no-spectator” format, with one groom and one owner only allowed for each participating horse.

I was looking forward to Huntingdon on Thursday but that no longer seems an option. Even if Waterproof is allowed to run, I’m in the soon-to-be-barred age group. Last night my wife, who doesn’t drive, confirmed that our local shop where I’ve bought my Racing Post each morning for the past 17 years had run out of toilet rolls in the manner of the supermarket we visited late on Friday after my return from Cheltenham. Yesterday morning, the Turkish-born owner laughed as he pointed to very full shelves of the largely-missing product. I don’t think the people that sanctioned the seemingly-annual price-rise in that publication, now £3.50 daily and £3.90 on Saturday, might experience a reader backlash!

It’s a fast-moving situation.

We knew we were on borrowed time in Gloucestershire (or across the border in Worcester where Harry Taylor and I stayed in the wonderful Barn B and B, Pershore) last week. Thankfully for the racing industry and racegoers, but more especially the local community, as the Racing Post headline put it, it was a Last Hurrah. See you, hopefully, sometime in July. Just how much damage in human and commercial terms will have been done by then is a terrifying prospect.

Every day since 1962, the best part of 60 years, I’ve been obsessed by horse racing. I still find it hard to accept that almost everyone else has no conception of Hethersett, the 1962 St Leger winner who a month earlier at York was the agent of my first big win as a 16-year-old in a Bournemouth betting shop, part of a treble with Sostenuto (Ebor) and Persian Wonder.

In jumping, contrarily, it wasn’t ever Arkle: I was a Mill House adherent in their clashes in the mid-1960’s. It was his compatriot, L’Escargot, a few years on, twice winner of the Gold Cup and the horse that prevented Red Rum from a Grand National hat-trick in 1975 when the weights and the ground turned the tide in his favour. Rummy’s third win was delayed for two years, Rag Trade similarly denying the Ginger McCain star in 1976. These heroics from L’Escargot came five years after his first of two successive Gold Cups.

Last week Al Boum Photo joined the select group of dual winners of Cheltenham showpiece, with Kauto Star’s two victories being separated by success for that great horse’s equally eminent stable-companion and contemporary, Denman. Triple winners in the modern (post 1945) era have been restricted to Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate, whose trainer Henrietta Knight was busily autographing copies of her latest book in the Shopping Village last week.

On Gold Cup Day I believe we were in the process of witnessing the best performance ever by a four-year-old at the Cheltenham Festival when the final flight intervened to halt Goshen’s serene progress. Veterans, like me, will have been recalling a similar blunder by Attivo back in 1974, but he and rider Robert Hughes recovered. The Cyril Mitchell-trained and Peter O’Sullevan-owned favourite kept going to win by four lengths as his owner commentated with his usual unflappable calm on BBC television.

In 2013 - is it really seven years ago? - Our Conor won the race by 15 lengths, his final victory in a career ended a year later with a third-flight fall in the Champion Hurdle. Four horses have achieved the feat of following the Triumph Hurdle win in the next year’s Champion Hurdle. The first was Clair Soleil, in the race’s Hurst Park days. That track, between Kempton and Sandown, closed in 1962, the race transferring to Cheltenham three years later.

The Hurst Park years were generally a French benefit and some of that country’s top trainers targeted it. Francois Mathet, Derby winner Relko’s handler, trained him as a four-year-old but it was in Ryan Price’s care that he won the Champion Huirdle, Fred Winter the jockey both times. Alec Head was another to win the race during that era. At Cheltenham, the great Persian War preceded three consecutive Champion Hurdles with his Triumph victory and the others were Kribensis, trained for Sheikh Mohammed by Michael Stoute all of 32 years ago and Katchit (Alan King).

I’m convinced that had the understandably distraught Jamie Moore managed to retain his balance after his mount’s single error in an otherwise flawless performance, Our Conor’s margin would have been superseded. It was a display of raw power that the handicapper Dave Dickinson would have been hard pushed to keep below 165 at a minimum.

It was a week for the clever trainers, that is those with yards full of horses that they can engineer to enable them to target big races without giving away too much in the build-up, and some spectacular results were achieved. None was more striking than Saint Roi, a horse who had been fourth in his sole run in France, in an Auteuil Listed race in September. Transferred to Willie Mullins plenty was expected, but certainly not the 23-length fifth of 17 at 1-3 at Clonmel in December. He atoned by winning a maiden by nine lengths on New Year’s Day at lowly Tramore.

He’d obviously improved more than a touch in the intervening ten weeks under Mullins’ tutelage as the torrent of money told on Friday morning and, off 137, Saint Roi won the County Hurdle as he liked. McFabulous on Saturday at Kempton, a superb bumper horse the previous season, but surprisingly lack-lustre in his first couple of hurdles, also managed a timely win at the third attempt for Paul Nicholls at Market Rasen last month. That (minimum three runs) qualified him for the EBF Final. Off an undemanding 132, McFabulous strolled home as the 5-2 favourite in an 18-runner supposedly-competitive race where they went 10-1 bar one in the re-scheduled-from-Sandown event.

I keep intending to give Coquelicot a bigger mention in these jottings and she certainly deserves a stage of her own after a third win in a row on Saturday. Her victory came with some elan in the also re-staged from Sandown EBF Mares’ Final, a Listed National Hunt Flat race which makes the geegeez.co.uk-owned filly a very valuable proposition.

Do I sense a move in her direction by someone whose horses run in green and gold colours and who has horses in the Anthony Honeyball stable? She certainly has the profile of a JP horse! By the time we get the answer to that, Sir Michael and me will almost certainly be in lock-down. This time a week ago we inhabited a very different world.

Membership Login

Tag Archive for: Coquelicot