100 FOR TEAM HWR!

12-04-2019

THIS WEEK The horses have continued to run well as we sour into Spring and we're delighted to report we have now reached a major landmark of 100 winners for HWR!  It's been a real team effort from everyone and we couldn't be happier to have reached this milestone.  We'd like to take this opportunity to thank all owners, connections and the whole team at the yard who have all played a part in getting us there. We've even managed to score a few more since in the past week to add to the tally so let the good times roll... REPORTS CAPTAIN TOMMY Captain Tommy won the Download The Star Sports App Now! Novices' Hurdle (Class 4) over 2m 5f 82y at Wincanton last Wednesday making it winner number 100 for team HWR!  He had come out of his Fontwell win in really good form and we were looking forward to getting him out again for the second time since joining the yard.  He was always going to improve for a step up in trip and better ground, so our plan was to stalk the favourite all the way round and see if we were good enough to be competitive against what looked a very useful rival.  When they jumped off we lost our position, the favourite was keen early on and set a strong pace so Tommy was a little bit on his head early doors which was evident from his jumping.  As they came by the stands for the first time the pace eased and we were able to get closer to the leaders down the back.  Turning in Tommy was staying on at the same pace and the leader looked to be going very well.   As they approached 2 out he was getting closer and finding plenty.  They jumped the second last together and there was a proper battle between then and the last with Tommy coming up in front jumping the last.  He went away again to win really impressively in the end and we were thrilled to get 100 winners up and for him to score 2/2 since joining the yard!  Captain Tommy will improve more for going up in trip and for now he will have an entry in a listed novice up at Perth at the end of the month. ROUGE VIF Rouge Vif finished an admirable third in the Grade 1 Betway Top Novices' Hurdle over 2m at Aintree on Thursday.  He was taking his first chance in a Grade 1 and this had been his target all season.  The flat, galloping nature of the track was always going to suit him well but unfortunately the rain came at the last minute making the ground softer than ideal for him.  We had planned to make the running but the eventual winner went off at a fast pace which meant we had to settle for tracking him.  Jockey, Daryl Jacob got him into a lovely rhythm and bar missing one down the back we looked to have every chance turning in.  The leader who ended up being the eventual winner was able to kick on again after the second last, unfortunately Rouge’s jump at the second last and the last meant that we couldn’t close but he plugged on extremely gamely having giving his all to finish a very good 3rd.  It was a career best run and he has had a fabulous season finishing off at a mark of 143.  He will now go away on his summer holidays and will hopefully come back a bigger, stronger horse for next season. BIGMARTRE Bigmartre ran at Aintree on Friday in the 2m5f (2m5f19y) (Grand National) Randox Health Topham Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (Class 1) (5yo+). He has been a great servant to the yard since we have had him but he has found it difficult it being his second season chasing, having excelled as a novice last season. However he is handicapped high enough to get into these big races, we always felt the Topham would suit him well and it was very exciting to have a runner in a race of this calibre over the national fences. He didn’t get the best of starts and he was slow at the first which meant we were further back than we wanted to be, once he got into a rhythm he put in some spectacular jumps for the majority of the way round the track. Coming to the canal turn he looked to have made a good bit of ground but for what looked a very good jump he lost his back-end on landing at the back of the turn and that unfortunately meant that we were without a chance of being in contention. But he plugged on again and jumped the rest of the course and finished 11 out of 27. He may just have one more run at Perth before finishing off for the season. KHAGE Khage won at Chepstow on Saturday in the Bet On Course At Sid Hooper Novices' Hurdle (Class 4) 2m 11y.  He was having another run in a novice here under a double penalty having won at the same venue very impressively last time out.  He has been in great form at home and it made sense to give him another run round a track that suited him so well.  Gavin set out to bowl along in front and it was obvious from an early stage that there was only one horse able to lay up with us.  We were able to go a good gallop the whole way and turning in we looked to have the upper hand on the only possible danger to us.  At the 3rd last he looked as if he could be tiring but he just kicked on again and put in two great leaps to go and win really comfortably.  That will be his final run of the season, he has always been about going chasing next season and we're hopeful he will improve for a fence so we are extremely excited for the next steps with him.   ZANZI WIN Zanzi Win won at Plumpton on Sunday in the Hepworth Saxon Sussex Stakes Maiden Hurdle (Class 4) (Novices' Championship Hurdle Series Qualifier) 1m 7f 195y 4YO+. He was coming into this run off a decent place effort, he really needed to get his head in front after running so many promising races.  Switching back to a left handed track was the key here and he really enjoyed the configuration of the tack.  Gavin set out to make every yard of the running and got him in a fantastic rhythm, he jumped very well and galloped all the way to the line without seeing a rival.  It was a weak enough race on paper but he should get a lot of confidence from that and hopefully he can back it up in a handicap or under a penalty.   HENRIETTA BELL Henrietta Bell finished fourth on Tuesday in the Toalsbet Mares' Standard National Hunt Flat Race (Conditional Jockeys' & Amateur Riders' Race) over 1m7f at Southwell.  This was her third start in a bumper having been unlucky not to get her head in front on the previous occasions.  She is a strong travelling, quality filly who we think a lot of so we were hopeful of another step forward here.  She jumped off and settled nicely towards the rear under yard amateur, Jamie Neild where she stayed for most of the contest and travelled sweetly.  Turning out of the back straight she was upsides the eventual winner, but turning the bend a tired horse came back and carried Henrietta very wide.  She managed to make up a huge amount of ground however in the closing stages to finish an unlucky 4th, beaten just 4 lengths by a smart rival in 'It's probably me' (a half sister to Kayf Grace).  She will now be schooled over hurdles with a view to having a run in a Mares maiden hurdle in May.   SIROBBIE Sirobbie also went to Plumpton on Sunday to run in the Starsports Bet Handicap Hurdle over 2m 4f.  He has been particularly green so far in his 2 hurdle races for us but he has improved with each run and had been schooling very well at home going into this handicap debut.  A step up in trip was always going to suit him but as it happened the track was too sharp, despite settling and jumping very well.  Coming down the hill he looked to have every chance, but as they quickened up turning out of the back he got done for toe and was very one paced but stayed on well especially from the back of the last to finish a solid 4th.  It was a good experience for his first run in a handicap and he will now be stepped up again with potentially a stiffer track to get the improvement we are hopeful of. DARA'S PRESENT Dara’s Present ran at Ffos Las on Sunday in the M & M Green Haulage Handicap Chase (Class 5) over 2m 7f.  He was lining up here after a wind operation and not being able to finish his races properly.  This looked a good opportunity on paper and we were hopeful for a better performance.  We decided to ride him handy in order to give him every chance, he got into a very good rhythm on the way round and was the eye catcher - especially the way he was jumping.  Until he made a very bad mistake at the last down the back that looked to stop his momentum and turning into the straight he was looking very one paced.  He then made another extremely bad mistake and nearly departed company with jockey, David Bass which meant that he had to pull up.  David reported that the horse had still struggled with his wind and it is with sadness he will now be retired.  He always showed ability and talent at home but in the end the horse was just too fragile to ever fulfil his potential. HONOURMISSION Honourmission ran at Warwick on Wednesday in the Join Racing Tv Now Novices' Hurdle over 2m.  He was showing signs of improvement in his work at home so we were hopeful for another step forward.  Gavin jumped off in mid-div and he jumped and travelled really well on this occasion.  As they turned to go down the back the pace quickened.  He looked very one paced from there on in and he stayed on very much at the same pace finishing 11th.  He is going to be freshened up now and will most probably be stepped up in trip for his next run. DJIN CONTI Djin Conti won at Warwick on Wednesday in the  3.15pm Stephen Allday Perpetual Plate Chase (A Novices' Limited Handicap).  He had come out of his 2 races in really good form so we were keen to get him back out as he seems to be enjoying his racing.  It looked a good opportunity on paper with his rivals lack of experience over fences.  Gavin jumped off in a handy position and there wasn’t much pace on early so he steered him to the front but he made an unusual blunder on the 1st down the back which forced him back down the field.  From then on it became a master class ride from the jockey! He got him back up there turning in and got a good jump at the last and second last and kept his head in front.  We were delighted to get another chase win into this horse and we will keep him on the go due to the fact that he loves the good ground.   ENTRIES WEAPONS OUT Weapons Out has been declared to run this afternoon in the Purchasing Support Services Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race over 1m5f at Fontwell.  He has been running consistently well in 3 bumpers this season.  He could do with a drop back in trip hence why we have found this event for him.  He is in really good form at home, he is likely to travel strongly and hopefully he can stay the trip and run a big race. ANEMOI Anemoi is all set to run in the Scottish Champion Hurdle (Grade 2) over 2m at Ayr tomorrow.  He has shown huge talent so far having started off by winning a bumper on debut last year, before going on to win his 2 novice hurdles in good style this season.  He has shaped with promise on his handicap debut last time out to finish a good 3rd to two very useful types and was then found he has had a wind operation, which since that run has been corrected.  He lines up here in this Grade 2 and which is very exciting for the yard to have another big Saturday runner and we are looking forward to running him.   SALTO CHISCO Salto Chisco holds an entry at Wincanton on Sunday in the McCreery Military Amateur Riders' Handicap Hurdle over 2m 3f.  He has had the winter off and apart from refusing to let go of his hairy coat he is in really good form!  This will be his first start back where he is bound to need the run.  He had a really good season last time without getting his head in front.  With the handicapper not giving him the chance we are thinking of other options to try out including going up in trip, so hopefully we can find some improvement for him this summer.  He's an extremely popular horse and we look forward to starting off the new campaign for him. BRANDY JAMES Brandy James holds an entry on the flat at Pontefract next Monday in the Into The Sky Pontefract Marathon Handicap (Class 5) over 2m 5f. He has been running consistently well over hurdles without winning so he have decided to therefore switch to the flat in order to keep him as a maiden for next year.  He is entered on the flat here in this staying race and hopefully he will improve from his experience running over hurdles as well as the fact that he would have strengthened up a lot since last running on the flat.  We look forward to seeing how he gets on.