IT’S ALL KICKING OFF

The bustling in the yard is getting louder and the horsebox is starting to gain some mileage again. We had two runners up at Sedgefield this week, Sheila Nash and Raffles Gitane who both won best turned out, looking fantastic on their first outings for the season and each finishing creditable 4ths.  All eyes are on the first big jumps fixture at Chepstow from this afternoon and tomorrow we have Torigni competing there in the Grade 3 Silver Trophy, with plenty more to look forward to in the coming weeks…

We sent two horses up to Sedgefield on Wednesday, the first of those being Sheila Nash, who made her hurdling debut in the 2m4f mares’ novice event.  Fitted with a first-time hood and resuming after wind surgery, she was held up in the early stages, creeping closer as the field went out on their final circuit.  She was being ridden along turning into the straight but was only a length down when making an untimely error at the flight usually jumped as the second last.  This rather knocked the stuffing out of her at a crucial stage, and with the last hurdle being omitted due to a stricken jockey, she was unable to find any extra thereafter, performing better than her fourth-placed finishing position would suggest.

Raffles Gitane, our second runner on the Sedgefield card, was another horse returning to action following wind surgery over the summer.  She made her chasing debut in the 2m1f novice handicap, but unfortunately the race proved to be a rather unsatisfactory affair with all three fences down the far side of the track being omitted due to the low sun.  Settled in touch in fourth, she jumped the remaining fences accurately, but found herself outpaced when the tempo lifted three out and should be seen to much better effect in a more truly-run/conventional contest.

Our sole representative at Chepstow’s two-day meeting this week is Torigni, who lines up in the Grade 3 Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle tomorrow afternoon.  This will be a step up in grade for Torigni, but he ran well on all four starts upon joining the yard last season, gaining a deserved success when dead-heating at Ayr on his final outing, and we hope the longer trip will help bring about further improvement.

Faire Part Sivola is under consideration to make his stable bow at Wincanton next Thursday, with a handicap hurdle over 2m5f a potential starting point.  A bumper winner on debut for Nick Williams at the same course back in January 2019, he joined us from Lucinda Russell in the Spring and received a wind operation shortly after.  We are still getting to know him, but he is potentially well handicapped on the pick of his form.

OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY

We have a good looking 3yo son of Champs Elysees on sale currently, either as a whole or in a small partnership potentially.  He is out of a black type Mare (Romantic Fashion) and having been purchased earlier in the summer he has been broken in and ridden away here at Hill Barn Stables. He is a strong, good moving type that carries himself very well and stands at about 16:2. He is clean of his wind and has a very likeable attitude. Please get in touch for further details or to arrange a viewing: info@harrywhittington.co.uk

STAFF PROFILE 

Until next week...