Three is the magic number

Three runners at Yarmouth last Thursday produced three third place finishes making it 23 times that has happened this season, already more than last year. It's a bit frustrating to go so close but shows that the horses are holding their form and it's certainly better than finishing last!

Completing the three-number theme we have a trio of runners this week, starting with two back at Yarmouth on Tuesday.
Honeymoon Express was one of those who finished third last week and she has come out of that race in good order so she'll make a quick reappearance. Sprinters tend to have less hard races than long-distance horses so she should be able to handle a quick run and her last start was a bounce back to form after disappointing the time before. She loves firm ground so hopefully any rain will stay away.
Another who has been rattling the till this season is No Such Number. He was second last time behind a runaway winner and it showed that he seems to enjoy hold-up tactics over a longer trip so we'll try them again and hope that he doesn't meet another horse who is thrown in the handicap because he certainly deserves to win again.

No Such Number (Reno)

 

The final runner of the week doesn't come until Sunday when Automotive heads to Newbury, seeking his third course win. He didn't shine last week at Sandown but seems to save his best for amateur races so hopefully a return to that class will see a better result. He got a slight cut on his leg after his last run but I'm confident that will heal in time for him to take his chance.

We only bought a filly called Don't from Luca Cumani a few weeks ago but she was very fit already and showed us that she's ready for some more work recently so we galloped her on Saturday. It was only an easy piece of work but she was going with no slouch in Handheld and seemed to do it easy enough. The early signs are promising.

Handheld (Danny) & Don't (Shelley)

 

Brighton hosts its biggest meeting of the year in a couple of weeks and it'll be good to have a runner in the most valuable race of the festival as Luhaif goes for the Brighton Mile on August 6th. He seems to be a lot happier now we turn him out in the afternoons and he showed his well-being with a gutsy win at Yarmouth. I think the track will really suit him and it'll be fantastic to win the big race at my hometown track.
Tolly McGuinness is one I'm looking forward to running now he's handicapped. He has been galloping really well and I'm pretty sure he'll be earning some prize money when next seen.

Tolly McGuinness (Ryan) & Luhaif (Ross)

 

Handheld (Danny) & Silver Alliance (Ross)

 

 

 

THREE TO FOLLOW UPDATE

 

No winners recently but plenty of point scoring runners have meant a few gains in the standings. Leading with the way with 17 points is Len Cousens. Close behind on 16 are Jim Stevens, Bill Aspland and Harry Hurst. There are plenty more on 15 points so it really is tight at the top!

Good form continues

The good run of form for the yard continued last week with two third places from just two runners. Bushy Glade ran well above her 33/1 odds at Yarmouth to finish in the money and she shouldn't be too long waiting for a win as this was her first try in a handicap.

Hopefully we can get some more good results this week with a handful of runners heading to the track.
On Monday, Opus Too and Celestine Abbey go to Windsor in search of some more racecourse experience. Opus has had just the one career run to date but he showed plenty of promise when getting the hang of things late on. He's bound to find life easier in handicaps after three runs but he can certainly hold his own in maiden company.
Likewise, Celestine Abbey will probably be seen to best effect in handicaps but there definitely is a good maiden run in her. She wasn't disgraced at Sandown last time and another good show should be on the cards.

Opus Too (Danny) & Automotive (Ross)

Honeymoon Express (Shelley) & Celestine Abbey (Ryan)

 

With a better chance of winning on Wednesday is Automotive at Sandown. It's true that he seems to run better in amateur races as all his three career wins to date have come in them but he has run well in normal races plenty of times so there's no reason why he shouldn't win one. He finished third last time under Ryan Moore but the ground was probably a bit too firm for him on that occasion so he may not have shown his true ability. He can have an off day now again but I'm hopeful of a big run.

Not a meeting goes by at Yarmouth without a runner from our yard and we're back there on Thursday. The Ducking Stool recorded her sixth course win last time over 1m6f but there isn't a race over that distance there this week so she's got to step down in trip. It shouldn't be too much of an inconvenience and she always gives her best.
Honeymoon Express was a bit disappointing last time but maybe the ground was too soft for her. She has been improving in her runs before then so if she can get back on track, another placing could be on the cards.
Also entered beside the seaside is Bethan. She has finished 3rd on her last three runs at the track and is desperate for soft ground to improve. If it stays dry, no doubt she'll be placed again but if it rains, I really think she'll win.

Avidly has been enjoying a few weeks in the field to freshen up after a pretty long campaign and she's back now refreshed for action once again. She's only cantering at the minute and it'll be a couple more weeks before she is galloping again.

Avidly (Reno)

 

The Tattersalls July Sale has always been a happy hunting ground for us to buy new horses in the past and, although value was hard to come by, I managed to pick up a lovely filly called Don't. Formerly trained by Luca Cumani, she won first time out as a two-year old but has run poorly in two starts since when running far too keen. She obviously has the ability to win so it's just a case of getting her head right again and keeping her happy. She has been bought to run in the colours of one of my longest-standing owners, Dick Creese.

Don't

 

There are also another pair of new faces as two yearling fillies arrived from Ireland. The darker coloured filly is by Holy Roman Emperor and from a family we know well, being a half-sister to our good mare Emma's Gift as well as prolific winner Ocean Legend. All of the family win races so here's hoping she can continue the tradition when hitting the track next year.
The other filly is by exciting first-season sire Approve. Her family are also prolific winners and I'm delighted to be able to offer shares in her for the price of £2000 per 10%. She looks an early type and hopefully can run as good as she looks! Full details are on the website: www.juliafeildenracing.com under 'Horses for Sale'.

Appprove & Holy Roman Emperor yearling fillies

 

In the last few weeks this part of the blog has been dedicated to the riding exploits of our apprentice Shelley Birkett and she continued her lucky run with the biggest win of her career at Newmarket yesterday. Although unable to claim her allowance in Listed races, she showed she is more than up to the job by steering Noble Protector to a cosy win. Thanks must go to her trainer Stuart Kittow and also her owners for allowing Shelley the opportunity to shine on a bigger stage.

Noble Protector & Shelley cruise home at Newmarket

Golden Ducky

After a slow start to the year, it's great to be banging in the winners on a regular basis now and The Ducking Stool put up a career best effort to win her sixth race at Yarmouth last Wednesday. It's remarkable how she seems to show her best at that track yet there's no particlar reason why except she probably likes the long straight. This was her first win over 1m6f so we now have some more options open to her and she could go on to further success at this distance and maybe even further.

The Ducking Stool & happy connections (Photo: www.photoaction.co.uk)

 

There were also some great results elsewhere despite no other winners. Bethan, Silver Alliance, Tiger's Home and No Such Number were all placed and showed signs that they'll be winning in the not too distant future when conditions fall right for them.

Looking ahead to this week, we've got just a few horses running but some could outrun their odds.
Bushy Glade is now handicapped after three runs and I'm expecting a big improvement on what she's shown so far when going to Yarmouth on Tuesday. The race is full of exposed horses so hopefully she can grab a place.

Bushy Glade (Graham) & Celestine Abbey (Ryan)

 

The following day we have just Celestine Abbey going to Lingfield for her third run. She needs a few to drop out of the ballot to get a run but I think this will be a lot easier than the races she has been running in recently. She is a good, honest filly who will be improving all season.

We have two fillies in similar positions who are both coming back from injuries. Sadiigah had just joined us when she fractured her pelvis in the early part of the year and, after a long time off, she's now back in exercise. She had some good form for her previous trainer so I'm hoping she can stay in one piece.
The other filly is a big one by Authorized who is unnamed at present. She has been given plenty of time by her owner/breeder after getting an injury when in pre-training. As she is so big, we have to do lots of long, steady work to get her back without risking another injury. It's early days but she looks like a nice filly.

Authorized filly (Reno)

Sadiigah (Danny)

 

At the end of last week's blog I quickly mentioned that Shelley rode a winner in Jersey at the weekend and when she got back we were filled in with all the details as the racing isn't televised there. She won on a horse called King Kenny who hadn't won in two years but the fast pace suited him and he won quite easily in the end. He's apparently being aimed at the Jersey Derby next time so it'd be nice if Shelley could have a Derby ride!

King Kenny wins in Jersey

 

As well as riding winners, Shelley got dolled up for a photoshoot to promote the July Festival at Newmarket. She said it was great fun to be pampered for a morning but it was a bit embarrassing to head off to Ripon races in the afternoon with fancy hair and a face full of make up!

 

 

THREE TO FOLLOW UPDATE
With plenty of horses scoring points last week there has been plenty of movement in the table.
Now leading with 16 points are Jim Stevens, Len Cousens and Bill Aspland. Closely behind these with 15 points are Ross Birkett and Malcolm Roper. There are plenty of others with 14 points so the race is really hotting up now!

Runners galore!

With just the one runner last week we've got a bumper team to take racing over the next seven days and hopefully there will be some good results to show for all the miles travelled.
Kicking it all off on Tuesday we have Tiger's Home and Previous Acclaim at Brighton. Tiger has been very disappointing since winning at Bath last season so we're dropping her into a seller in the hope that she can get some confidence back.
Previous always tries her hardest and I think the track will be right up her street. She's only moderate but there's definitely a race in her.

Tiger's Home (Graham) & Tolly Mcguinness (Shelley)

 

The following day we're at out lucky track of Yarmouth. The watering system there has broken down so the ground might be a bit too firm for Bethan to run. If they get a bit of rain then she will take her chance.
The Ducking Stool loves the course but is still very high in the weights after a great 2013. She always gives her running though so can't be discounted.
The one to put in your notebooks will be Tolly McGuinness. He is a horse I have a soft spot for as he is named after a good friend of mine who passed away last year. This will be his third run and he is one to watch in a handicap next time.

On Thursday we look to be at two meetings with, firstly, Silver Alliance at Epsom. He won at the beginning of the season and is plenty high enough in the weights now but he is one of these horses who is very good when things go right for him. He thrives on getting into trouble in his races and Epsom is a track where this can happen so if he can weave his way through, I'm hoping he can run a big race.

Silver Alliance (Shelley), The Ducking Stool (Danny), Luhaif (Ross)

 

Also on Thursday is No Such Number at Doncaster. He got no clear run at Yarmouth last time and hardly had a race when finishing fourth. I think riding him patiently is the way to go though as he enjoys travelling through a race and pouncing late so if he can settle over the two mile trip and then get there as late as possible, he should go close.

No Such Number (Reno)

 

Completing the week is Luhaif at Ascot. We don't often have one good enough to run at the track but ours usually run well there with Emma's Gift winning there back in 2012. Luhaif got his head back in front last time and it seems to have done his confidence the world of good. He does need to make the running so a lot depends on how things pan out but he's in great order and could double up.

Busy Glade (Graham) & Celestine Abbey (Ryan)

 

Our yearling colts are growing up fast and it's a scary thought to think they will be ridden for the first time in just three months. Whilst the two fillies are at owner Peter Foster's stud, we have the two colts who are looking nice and strong. The Archipenko colt is the taller of the two and is shaping up nicely. The Observatory colt who is out of our star mare Bavarica is more of a stocky type and I think I've got a great name for him in Big Bang. Hopefully he'll make an impact on the track!

Big Bang & Archipenko colt

 

Hot off the press is the news that our apprentice Shelley Birkett has just ridden a winner in Jersey. She has been out there once before and goes if she is not needed here. She had four rides with two thrids to boot so it's a good earner and keeps her on the ball.