WELCOMING THE SUMMER BREEZE
18-05-2019
THIS WEEK
It's that time of year again as we welcome the summer breeze and the lush grass. A number of the winter string are already kicking back and enjoying a well earned summer holiday with very few still in training over the summer months. We started as we meant to go on with a fantastic win from Sirobbie at Uttoxeter on 4th May scoring our first winner for the new season tally in the first jumps race on the fixture card. Since then we've had a couple of other runners and we have a few more on the cards over the coming weeks. In other news work on the new deep sand gallop is coming along nicely and there's plenty of other summer improvements to keep us busy too...
REPORTS
SIROBBIE
Sirobbie won the bet365 novice’s handicap hurdle over 2m7f at Uttoxeter on Saturday 4th May. This was his second start in a handicap over the extended 3m trip and we felt that he would improve as he has done with every run so we were expecting a bold show here. There was a lot of pace in the race and they went a good gallop the whole way. After looking outpaced down the back on the final circuit it looked as if his chances were gone but when Gavin switched him to the outside and gave him daylight he started to pick up as they rounded the turn into the straight. He then began to pass tired horses and he suddenly looked to have every chance. By then the pace had fallen apart and coming to two out he hit the front and just kept on in willing fashion to win by 2 lengths. The handicapper has given him a chance and he has a few entries for the end of next week.
LANTIERN
Lantiern ran last Monday at Kempton in the Matchbook Betting Exchange Novices' Hurdle over 2m. He was coming into this debut over hurdles off the back of an eye catching bumper campaign this winter. He has plenty of talent but he hasn’t been the most straight forward. His jumping at home had been well above average for a novice so we were hopeful he would run well. The plan was to take a lead and get him to settle but as he met his hurdles he seemed shell shocked and was losing momentum by jumping too big. He was running off his nerves and not giving himself every chance which found him out in the latter part of the race where he got tired, so Gavin duly looked after him. He has come out of the race well and seems in good form so has now been declared for Bangor this afternoon in the 1.40pm Wrexham Lager Export Maiden Hurdle over 2m, where hopefully he will have learnt from the experience and show the ability he has.
PILOT STATION
Pilot Station ran last Tuesday at Exeter in the Wonford Inn Exeter "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle over 2m2½f. This looked a good opportunity on paper, he had shown enough speed and we thought he would be okay over the trip. He was outpaced for much of the way but stayed on without ever being in contention, he will need to run over further in the future.
BRANDY JAMES
Brandy James ran last Wednesday at Southwell in the isitsouthwell.com Handicap over 2 miles. He has been frustrating in his last couple of runs so we felt that it might be worth trying him here on the slower surface due to not getting his ground on the turf. We rode him handy as he is very one paced and he looked to be traveling okay until halfway when he started to come under pressure. He was struggling and reported to have not liked the kick back. He will now revert back to hurdles where we have him in at Uttoxeter on Sunday 26th May in the 2.25pm Foxy & Matilda On Signal 1 Novices' Handicap Hurdle over 2m 7f.
THE KINGS BABY
The Kings Baby finished 3rd at Fontwell last Wednesday in the Watch The #bettingpeople Videos starsportsbet.co.uk Mares' Handicap Chase over 2m5f. She has been running constantly well all season and this mares chase looked to be a good opportunity on paper for her. The riding tactics were to be positive but unfortunately there was a lot of pace on so we had to settle with being dropped in. She travelled and jumped her way into contention until she unfortunately made a bad blunder at the top of the hill on the final circuit where she lost valuable momentum at this point and just stayed on at the one pace to finish 3rd. She has now been declared to run at Stratford tomorrow in the 5.20pm Riverside Bar and Restaurant Mares' Handicap Chase over 2m 6f. This looks a very good opportunity with just 7 runners and she really deserves to get her head in front as she is a very tough and extremely popular mare.
SHANTOU VOW
Shantou Vow finished 3rd at Huntington last Thursday in the MansionBet Maiden Open National Hunt Flat Race over 2 miles. He has shown plenty of promise at home all winter since we sourced him at the store sales last Summer. He has been slightly backward mentally so we felt that the run would do him good before going on his summer break. There was a decent size field and plenty of pace on and so we rode him handy as we knew that he would probably be green. This was very much the case as he was one of the first to come off the bridle. But what was so pleasing about the performance was that he kept finding more and more for pressure and stayed on with gritted determination to finish a solid 3rd. He is one to look forward to novice hurdling next season.
HONOURMISSION
Later that evening Honourmission lined up at Wincanton to run in the SJH Carpets Handicap Hurdle over 2m5½f. Unfortunately he managed to unseat his jockey at the start when the tape went down so he never even had a race. This was obviously extremely frustrating. He has now been declared to run at Uttoxeter tomorrow in the 5.50pm Optimum Pay Group Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle over 2m 3f with Jonjo O’Niell Jr on board. He has the ability to be able to win a race of this kind so we hope he will run a big race, the trip and track will really suit him.
HENRIETTA BELL
Henrietta Bell finished second in the Lucas Machinery Ltd Maiden Hurdle over 2m½f at Market Rasen on Friday. She was lining up in this to make her hurdles debut. She had been schooling nicely on the gallops at home so we were looking forward to seeing how she got on. There was no pace at the start so Gavin felt we should use our stamina to full effect and make the running. She looked to be getting an easy enough lead all the way, she travelled well and looked to be enjoying herself despite being a little inexperienced over her hurdles. This factor along with the fact that the track was a bit sharp for her were what got her beat sadly but none the less she showed a very willing attitude to finish a good second. She now holds an entry at Southwell on Wednesday in the 7.15pm Bloomfield Horse Boxes Mares' Maiden Hurdle over 1m 7f. The race looks a very good opportunity on paper and hopefully she can back up the run.
SALTO CHISCO
Salto Chisco ran at Warwick on Saturday in the Join Racing TV Now Handicap Hurdle over 2m5f. He has run two crackers after his winter break so we decided to step him up in trip coming back left handed. Unfortunately we didn’t learn a lot because there was no pace and it turned into a bit of a sprint which really didn't suit. We will aim to freshen him up and run him again in a couple of weeks’ time. He currently holds one entry for Newton Abbot on Wednesday 29th May in the 3.00pm Smiths and Heywoods Support Par Inn Handicap Hurdle over 2m 5f.
WEAPONS OUT
Weapons Out headed to Ludlow on Sunday to run in the Scott & Newman Centenary Estima Novices' Hurdle over 2 miles. He was having his debut over hurdles here since running consistently well in bumpers all season. He has a lot of speed and wasn’t staying all that well so we felt a sharp track novice hurdle over 2 miles would suit him best. There wasn’t a lot of pace in the race early doors but once they had jumped a couple they went on at a strong pace. He jumped and travelled well and looked to have every chance turning in. It was a very good race of its kind and he showed ability to stay on at the same pace to finish a good 4th. He will now head to France to run over hurdles there where the way the races are ran will suit him a lot better
GOLDEN GROVE
Golden Grove also ran at Ludlow on Sunday in the Scott & Newman Centenary Newcomers Standard open National Hunt Flat Race over 2 miles. He is a very likeable horse that had been showing plenty of speed at home. He has a sharp pedigree so we felt he would run a nice race on debut. He was a bit green jumping off but travelled away nicely at the back of the field. He was always in touch and looked to have every chance turning in and from 2 out he just showed a bit of greenness but ran a very good race to finish 3rd in what looked a decent contest. He will come on a huge amount for the experience and you would expect him to win next time out. He now heads to Doncaster sale next week.
ENTRIES
DESIGNER DESTINY
Designer Destiny has been declared for Bangor this afternoon on her yard debut in the 5.10pm Goldford Stud Mares' Intermediate Open National Hunt Flat Race over 2 miles. She is a quality, athletic type with lots of speed and turn of foot. She lines up in this and for what she has shown us at home she should run a nice race. She has the champion jockey booked.
INDIEBURG
Indieburg holds an entry at Huntingdon on Tuesday in the 5.40pm Yard At Pringle Farm Maiden Hurdle over 1m 7f. He is a big, rangey type who shows ability at home. He was reported to be on the weak side when he ran in his bumper 6 months ago and so now he has been given the time to strengthen up before his hurdles debut. We hope he can show the promise that he has always shown at home by running well but he will most likely need the experience of a run.
