It’s been a while since our last update and we have had a few winners since then!
Native Robin has proved a star this season winning two races for his owner Phillip Moore. His second on Boxing Day at Wincanton, was a foot perfect round of jumping and if you watch his face, you can appreciate how much he is enjoying himself! He is 11 years old now and has won 9 chases over the years, he is ultra consistent and has provided his owners some great days!
It had been almost two months between winners before Champagne Court and De Young Warrior provided a double at Exeter in the middle of December. Champagne Court had run two good races this autumn over hurdles and I thought he had a good chance. Lorcan gave him a brilliant ride and it was great to get his head back in front again. De Young Warrior was a pleasant surprise, he had good form over hurdles last season and this was his first run over fences in a competitive handicap chase. He had strengthened up a huge amount over the summer and we thought before the race that he would learn plenty and would improve mentally for the run, however was probably up against it with more experienced rivals. However he proved us wrong! David Noonan have him a confidence giving ride and we were over the moon for his owner, Helen Stoneman, who was there to greet her winner!
Our other runners all ran well that day at Exeter, Bonza Boy gave us a surprise with his hurdle run, he had been well beaten in his bumper and we thought he would improve for hurdles as his sister’s had done and he rightly did so. He is the first produce from Purple Patch with size and hopefully he will continue to improve. Sienna Royal so almost made it a treble on the day, she was unlucky to be caught on the line and there are more races to be won with her.
Petticoat Lucy ran extremely well on her hurdling debut, she travelled strongly and jumped left at a few hurdles. We successfully dropped her back in trip at Wincanton on Boxing Day and she won well with a hood front running ride from Lorcan.
Dashel Drasher is a star in our eyes, he always needs his first run of the season as he did at Ascot. We were running out of options for him over the festive period with a lack of rain forecast. Luckily we spotted this handicap hurdle for him at Newbury, where he had won before and Rex gave him a great front running ride! One of the best comments on social media was comparing him to Gandalf in Lord Of The Rings ‘you shall not pass’!! The win was for Matt, he is such a massive part of Dashel Drasher’s career, he rode him on and did all the work on him prior to his accident and this is all his hard work coming to fruition.
The Russian Doyen ran a much improved race at Newbury, showing more enthusiasm for racing and finished second to an improving horse. He ought to win a race soon.
Kissesforkatie has struggled to comeback from a fall at Wincanton 2 years ago, she has had plenty of physio treatment from Piers and Angela and has been nursed back to full fitness by the team in the yard, Dave Pritchard and Emma Jones particularly to get her back onto the racecourse and to running back to the form she should be. We were delighted after her run at Sandown in December and Harry got off her that day and said she will win again. It is extremely satisfying and makes all the hard work worthwhile when you get a horse back to form, she is a credit to the team at home to get her back to winning ways. Drash On Ruby should be in the winners enclosure soon, she led the field a merry dance at Exeter and just got tired after the second last. this was her handicap debut and there is more to come from her.
Happy New Year to you all, here’s to a successful 2022!