CHRISTMAS WISHES

20-12-2019

THIS WEEK It's been a chilly week up on the hill coupled with the relentless rain.  Only a handful of runners to report but the festive season is now in full swing with plenty of entries for next week, most of which are on Boxing Day.  With an HWR record of potentially 7 runners that day, many at varying tracks, it's set to be an absolute blockbuster!  So it's all hands on deck for our festive elves working hard behind the scenes to help in hopefully make those Christmas wishes come true...   A very Merry Christmas to you all !!! REPORTS  SHANTOU VOW  Shantou Vow made his second start over hurdles on Saturday at Hereford in the Novices' Hurdle over 2m 3f.  Although it was a step up in trip they set off at a furious pace.  He was settled in mid – division but having made a bad mistake at the 3rd hurdle he lost his confidence a bit and was then off the bridle.  Jockey Page Fuller had to give him a couple of reminders at times, but he didn’t get in any rhythm.  A frustrating performance but he did however gallop home at the one pace.  We will freshen him up and find another opportunity for him in a smaller field next time round. PAT KELLY Pat Kelly made his debut over hurdles on Monday at Ffos Las in a maiden hurdle over 2 miles. Having been very green in his only bumper he jumps for fun at home so we thought we would get him started over obstacles. He relishes very sort ground but 2 miles is a bit sharp for him so we lined him up handy. He shaped with plenty of promise and just couldn’t quicken up in the home straight. He stayed on gamely and showed a good attitude.  He will appreciate a trip in time in handicap company. JAMMY GEORGE  Jammy George finished a close second at Newbury on Wednesday in a novices handicap chase over 2m7f.  He frustratingly unseated at the first fence last time out which knocked his confidence a bit therefore we had to do plenty of schooling at home to get him back on track.  He has a lot of ability and we felt he would run well in this contest.  He was generally slow throughout the race due to confidence but Gavin gave him an excellent ride, having worked him into the race.  He flew home to just be beaten 3 quarters of a length. The run will have given him plenty of confidence and we are looking forward to running him again. SHORE SHANTY Shore Shanty headed to Ludlow on Wednesday to make her debut in the bumper over 1m6f.   She was very green early on and lost her position which meant she was very far back.  Throughout the race the penny dropped and she showed a cracking attitude.  With lots of runners she was able to make up a lot of ground under hands and heels to almost finish 3rd.  Jockey Jonathan Burke reported she has plenty of quality and should go close in a mares bumper next time. CATELINE Cateline headed to Hereford yesterday to line up in the mares bumper over 2 miles.  She making her second start here in a bumper having shaped with promise on debut.  She has been a big project at home and we hoped she learnt plenty last time.  She jumped off in a handy position in very testing conditions.  She travelled nicely throughout the race showing she had improved from her last run. She has a nice big rounded action and handled the ground really well. At the top of the hill where they quickened up she was very outpaced but all she did was stick to the task well and stayed on extremely well to take a step forward from the last run. Jockey Jonathan Burke reported that she will be better suited to a more galloping track and therefore we will look for another race in 5-6 weeks time for her. ENTRIES CARDY Cardy holds numerous entries on Boxing Day where she will make her seasonal reappearance.  She has done well for a break since the summer and has filled out a fair bit for it. Her work at home has improved and we will aim to pick the easiest race for her. DARGIANNINI Dargiannini holds two bumper entries on Boxing Day, one at Huntingdon and the other at Wincanton. He is a lovely stamp of a horse with a good pedigree, being a half brother to Keeper Hill.  He has shown plenty of promise at home so hopefully he will transfer this to the racecourse. We have waited for the better ground and Huntingdon has had the best going all winter so that looks like the more likely option at the moment. SIMPLY THE BETTS Simply The Betts holds an entry at Kempton on Boxing Day in the 2m4f novices' handicap chase. He has come out of his back to back wins in excellent form. He is taking a step up in class and trip here, but hope he can improve again off his current mark. We are looking forward to running him. CAPTAIN TOMMY Captain Tommy also holds an entry at Kempton on Boxing Day in the class 3 2m5f handicap hurdle.  He has been in good form since Newbury.  It was a little disappointing how he finished off that race but we have dropped him back slightly in trip here and the plan would be to make the running on him. Hopefully he will bounce back to form with the change of tactics and the red blinkers! NEVERBEEN TO PARIS  Neverbeen To Paris also holds an entry on Boxing Day alongside stable mate Captain Tommy in the same race. He has been in good form and will run in this race where he has winning form over course and distance.  Things didn’t go right for him last time out but given he is proven round the track we are hopeful of a big run. YOUNG BULL Young Bull has a couple of entries including on Boxing Day at Wetherby in the Class 3 handicap hurdle over 2m5f.  He has come out of his win in excellent form and so we will take a view once we have had a look at the opposition. Hopefully he can take another step forwards in handicap company and we are looking forward to seeing him running again wherever he lines up. BLACK ABBEY New recruit, Black Abbey holds an entry at Fontwell in the Juvenile Maiden Hurdle over 2m 1f.  He was bought recently out of France to go juvenile hurdling.  He has winning form with cut in the ground over a 1m4f on the flat.  He is a tough little horse that likes to make the running and has taken well to hurdling at home. IN OTHER NEWS... THE HWR 5 TO FOLLOW COMPETITION CURRENT SCORES - TOP 50