Sunday, 3 July 2016
Sunday, 26 June 2016
Happy in defeat
Most of the time I'd be a bit annoyed about a string of defeats but we have gone so close with our runners over the past fortnight or so that I'm just happy all the horses are in such great health. Over the past two weeks we have had eight runners, with four of them finishing 2nd and two others finishing fourth. Frustrating, but when you see the odds of those seconds (14/1, 14/1, 9/4, 8/1), it shows that they are running above or to market expectations. After a good start to the year we were due a run of seconds but hopefully it doesn't go on too long!
We have just the two runners this week to try and go one better.
Limerick Lord was meant to run over hurdles last time but the ground has just been too soft for him to have a go over two miles. I'm not sure he'd stay that far on fast ground, never mind slow, so we are giving him another run on the flat. He heads to Brighton on Tuesday and it is a typically competitive handicap for the track. He ran OK in quite a hot race last time and I think soft ground over a mile could be ideal for him as he has won at Southwell over that trip before.
We will have plenty of time to get jobs done in the yard then as the horsebox isn't in action again until Friday when Duke Of Diamonds heads to Doncaster. He came alive last time with an easy win at Nottingham and I hope the 9lb rise by the handicapper isn't enough to stop him. He is dropping down in distance but the softer ground should make up for this. He is improving all the time and hopefully hasn't stopped yet.
The owners' golf day was a big hit last year with the sun playing ball as well. Readers of the newsletter (which can be seen by CLICKING HERE) will have seen that we are organising it again for this year with the date pencilled in as Thursday 18th August. Venue and timings will be confirmed closer to the day depending on numbers but you must register your interest with Ross by emailing rbirkett1989@hotmail.co.uk as soon as possible.
THREE TO FOLLOW LEADERBOARD
We have just the two runners this week to try and go one better.
Limerick Lord was meant to run over hurdles last time but the ground has just been too soft for him to have a go over two miles. I'm not sure he'd stay that far on fast ground, never mind slow, so we are giving him another run on the flat. He heads to Brighton on Tuesday and it is a typically competitive handicap for the track. He ran OK in quite a hot race last time and I think soft ground over a mile could be ideal for him as he has won at Southwell over that trip before.
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| Limerick Lord (Mark) |
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| Duke Of Diamonds (Caitlin) |
The Requinto gelding I bought from the Breeze-Up sales is now all but sold with just a couple of shares left in him. He has been named Pitch High and will be set to make his debut at Sandown in a couple of weeks. He is a lovely laid-back horse who has done all his homework very well. I can't wait to run him.
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| Pitch High |
The owners' golf day was a big hit last year with the sun playing ball as well. Readers of the newsletter (which can be seen by CLICKING HERE) will have seen that we are organising it again for this year with the date pencilled in as Thursday 18th August. Venue and timings will be confirmed closer to the day depending on numbers but you must register your interest with Ross by emailing rbirkett1989@hotmail.co.uk as soon as possible.
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| Last year's winning golf team |
THREE TO FOLLOW LEADERBOARD
| Annette Hall | 46 |
| Jonathan Kinge | 42 |
| David Haddrell | 39 |
| Barbara Walton | 37 |
| Maureen Case | 34 |
| Anthea Telford | 34 |
| Pauline Kennedy | 32 |
| Jean Allen | 30 |
| Chris Shirran | 30 |
| Gay Chalklin | 30 |
| Dudley Lever | 30 |
Sunday, 19 June 2016
So near yet so far for Valley
It was a quiet week with just two runners but we went a lot closer than we thought we would to winning with Valley Lodge on Saturday night. The trip up to Haydock was a long one but we thought it'd be worth it as the ground was soft and that's just what the horse needs. He started as the 14/1 outsider of the lot but we knew he would out-run those odds on this going and he did just that, only losing out by a head in a photo finish. It was a shame to get beaten as the race also carried the 'Plus 10' £10,000 bonus if he had won but it was a step in the right direction for the horse and gave owner Dick Creese plenty to look forward to.
The coming week will be a much busier one, despite our two jumpers not going to Southwell on Monday due to the soft ground.
So starting on Tuesday we will be heading up the A1 to Beverley. Spirit Of Sarwan improved to win on just his second career start at Brighton last time and he has come out of that win full of beans. He is stepping up to seven furlongs but that looks ideal for him and I really hope he can win another race before we start thinking about some better races.
Accompanying him will be Star Of The Stage. He won last time out but there haven't been any races for him since and he had a little back issue, hence the time off. He is now fighting fit and could run well, even though I think he is a better horse on the all-weather.
Dakota City has had some time off to freshen up after a successful winter campaign but he is fully fit again now and goes up the road to Newmarket on Thursday. He has shown very little on the turf so far but he gallops well on it at home and I hope that now he is a bit more mature, he can start to translate his all-weather form to the green stuff.
Meanwhile, Handheld will be going to Nottingham that day. He loves soft ground and it is just that there at the moment so I wouldn't be surprised if he bounces back to form. He has good form in apprentice riders' races so that shouldn't be a worry.
As Harry Bosch looked likely to miss his hurdles run on Monday, I had a back-up plan of Yarmouth on Friday so that's where he goes now. He was a bit too keen in the blinkers last time so I may leave them off and hope he can finally get back into some form as he is very well handicapped now.
Rounding off the week, Sabre Rock will be our first runner at Newcastle's new all-weather track. He hasn't shone in a few turf runs since returning from injury and I hope it is just a case that he is better on the all-weather. He still seems to have plenty of ability at home but he needs to be showing us some racetrack form soon.
I'll also enter Valley Lodge at Lingfield that day as the soft ground is key to him and he needs to make the most of it before the weather improves. I'll see how he recovers from this weekend's exertions before making any solid plans.
Our two-year olds are already doing great on the racecourse but we also have some lovely unraced ones at home. The Requinto gelding I bought at the Guineas Breeze-Up is absolutely flying and I cannot wait to get him started over seven furlongs soon. He is still unnamed and there are a couple of shares left in him so as soon as he is ready, he will be racing...don't miss out!
Mungo Madness has really improved recently and won't be far off running either. He has a great attitude towards his work now and I know it will give his owner/breeder Emma Raffan lots of pleasure to see him in action.
We've had a hell of a lot of rain recently but it has also been very localised. On Thursday night, we had 16mm of rain at the stud and got pretty flooded whilst just a stone's throw away, the July Course only had 8mm of rain and raced on good to soft ground the following day! Our mares are teaching their foals all about the weather and managed to herd them into the field shelter to keep dry.
THREE TO FOLLOW LEADERBOARD
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| Valley Lodge just misses out at Haydock |
So starting on Tuesday we will be heading up the A1 to Beverley. Spirit Of Sarwan improved to win on just his second career start at Brighton last time and he has come out of that win full of beans. He is stepping up to seven furlongs but that looks ideal for him and I really hope he can win another race before we start thinking about some better races.
Accompanying him will be Star Of The Stage. He won last time out but there haven't been any races for him since and he had a little back issue, hence the time off. He is now fighting fit and could run well, even though I think he is a better horse on the all-weather.
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| Spirit Of Sarwan (Adam) & Star Of The Stage (Sarah) |
Meanwhile, Handheld will be going to Nottingham that day. He loves soft ground and it is just that there at the moment so I wouldn't be surprised if he bounces back to form. He has good form in apprentice riders' races so that shouldn't be a worry.
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| Sabre Rock (Mark) & Dakota City (Chelsea) |
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| Harry Bosch (Tess) & Limerick Lord (Ross) |
I'll also enter Valley Lodge at Lingfield that day as the soft ground is key to him and he needs to make the most of it before the weather improves. I'll see how he recovers from this weekend's exertions before making any solid plans.
Our two-year olds are already doing great on the racecourse but we also have some lovely unraced ones at home. The Requinto gelding I bought at the Guineas Breeze-Up is absolutely flying and I cannot wait to get him started over seven furlongs soon. He is still unnamed and there are a couple of shares left in him so as soon as he is ready, he will be racing...don't miss out!
Mungo Madness has really improved recently and won't be far off running either. He has a great attitude towards his work now and I know it will give his owner/breeder Emma Raffan lots of pleasure to see him in action.
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| Requinto gelding (Adam), Serendib's Glory (Chloe) & Mungo Madness (Liam) |
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| Moment To Dream (Chelsea) |
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| The Ducking Stool (Sarah) |
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| Little Orchid (Chloe) |
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| Emma's Gift babysitting |
THREE TO FOLLOW LEADERBOARD
| Annette Hall | 45 |
| Jonathan Kinge | 41 |
| David Haddrell | 37 |
| Barbara Walton | 36 |
| Maureen Case | 34 |
| Anthea Telford | 34 |
| Pauline Kennedy | 31 |
| Jean Allen | 29 |
| Chris Shirran | 29 |
| Gay Chalklin | 29 |
Sunday, 12 June 2016
May May go away!
The saying "never cast a clout until May be out" is usually used as a warning against getting your hopes up about the weather before the month of May is over but it seems to apply to our yard as our usual May drought ended in the best way possible with two winners this week.
Spirit Of Sarwan had shown on his Newmarket debut that he has plenty of ability and he improved a whole chunk more from that experience to get up late at Brighton on Monday. It was a relief to have a two-year old winner as it has been a while since our last one but that is mainly because we hadn't really had many over the past few years. This season is the first time we have made a concerted effort to buy some nice and precocious juveniles and I'm glad it's starting to pay off.
The second winner of the week required a bit more patience from his owners as Duke Of Diamonds finally lost his maiden tag at the age of four. It was only his sixth career run and his owners, Carol Bushnell and Jonathan Kinge, had bought him knowing he would need time to mature and I'm delighted that their belief in the horse and my team paid off. Duke has really thrived this year and I think there is more to come.
As well as the two winners, both Silver Alliance and The Ducking Stool bounced back to form with a second and a third this week so I can only be happy about the well-being of the string.
Having said that, we don't have many runners this week as there just weren't the right races for them.
I'm delighted to report that after a three-month battle with the BHA, our apprentice Liam Doran has been granted an apprentice licence. At the age of 25, the BHA thought he was too old but, after compiling substantial evidence to prove he was capable, they eventually caved in (probably helped by the fact they've had enough bad press recently due to their own inadequacies) and Liam will be making his debut for us on Friday night at Newmarket aboard Attain. The poor horse has had no luck recently, being caught in the wrong position in his last three races. He remains in good order and goes on most types of going.
Forecasters are predicting it to be a wet Royal Ascot next week with soft ground an important factor. Sadly we won't be represented at the big meeting but the ease in the going could provide Valley Lodge with a great opportunity at Lingfield on Saturday. He was disappointing last time but is much better than that and soft ground will be right up his street. Hopefully the mud is flying and he can too.
The rest of the two-year old squad continue to improve fast and I'm delighted with the way the Requinto gelding I bought from the Breeze-Ups is coming along. I'd love to run him but he still needs to be paid for and named so don't miss this opportunity to get involved in an exciting juvenile for £1550 per 10% share. Email me on juliafeilden@aol.com for more details.
Also improving fast is Mungo Madness. A few years back his mother, Emma's Gift, finished fifth this week at Royal Ascot in the Albany Stakes and, although he isn't as early as she was, he certainly is catching up fast and should be hitting the racetrack in a few weeks' time.
Tallulah's Quest is a lovely, big filly who has grown some more over the past couple of weeks and has gone a bit weak as a result so I may back off her for a week or two just to let her body catch up. I do love her though and she will be worth the wait.
Both Dakota City and Sabre Rock are all-weather specialists and run over the same trip with nearly the same ratings so it's no wonder they are likely to go head to head at Newcastle in a couple of weeks. Both seem in good form and fit for the task.
Little Orchid probably suffered the most out of the whole yard when the pollen count was high last month but she is now feeling a lot better and going really well. She is a tough and genuine filly who will pay her way.
After much deliberation between syndicate members, Limerick Lord has got the go-ahead to run over hurdles in a fortnight's time. We schooled him a while ago just to perk him up and he was a natural and, with no races on the all-weather at Southwell for him to run in, a change of tack will do no harm. He jumped brilliantly again this week and, if he stays the two mile trip, I think he could do very well in this sphere.
After years of no hurdle runners, we'll probably have two in the same race as Harry Bosch is likely to go jumping the same day as well. His owners are mad keen National Hunt fans and, with Harry showing little interest on the flat, a go over the jumps could wake him up. He jumps well at home too and could prove useful if staying the distance.
THREE TO FOLLOW LEADER BOARD
Spirit Of Sarwan had shown on his Newmarket debut that he has plenty of ability and he improved a whole chunk more from that experience to get up late at Brighton on Monday. It was a relief to have a two-year old winner as it has been a while since our last one but that is mainly because we hadn't really had many over the past few years. This season is the first time we have made a concerted effort to buy some nice and precocious juveniles and I'm glad it's starting to pay off.
The second winner of the week required a bit more patience from his owners as Duke Of Diamonds finally lost his maiden tag at the age of four. It was only his sixth career run and his owners, Carol Bushnell and Jonathan Kinge, had bought him knowing he would need time to mature and I'm delighted that their belief in the horse and my team paid off. Duke has really thrived this year and I think there is more to come.
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| Patience rewarded: Carol & Jonathan collected their prize at Nottingham |
Having said that, we don't have many runners this week as there just weren't the right races for them.
I'm delighted to report that after a three-month battle with the BHA, our apprentice Liam Doran has been granted an apprentice licence. At the age of 25, the BHA thought he was too old but, after compiling substantial evidence to prove he was capable, they eventually caved in (probably helped by the fact they've had enough bad press recently due to their own inadequacies) and Liam will be making his debut for us on Friday night at Newmarket aboard Attain. The poor horse has had no luck recently, being caught in the wrong position in his last three races. He remains in good order and goes on most types of going.
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| Attain (Liam) |
The rest of the two-year old squad continue to improve fast and I'm delighted with the way the Requinto gelding I bought from the Breeze-Ups is coming along. I'd love to run him but he still needs to be paid for and named so don't miss this opportunity to get involved in an exciting juvenile for £1550 per 10% share. Email me on juliafeilden@aol.com for more details.
Also improving fast is Mungo Madness. A few years back his mother, Emma's Gift, finished fifth this week at Royal Ascot in the Albany Stakes and, although he isn't as early as she was, he certainly is catching up fast and should be hitting the racetrack in a few weeks' time.
Tallulah's Quest is a lovely, big filly who has grown some more over the past couple of weeks and has gone a bit weak as a result so I may back off her for a week or two just to let her body catch up. I do love her though and she will be worth the wait.
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| Tallulah's Quest, My Name Is Jeff, Requinto gelding & Mungo Madness |
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| Sabre Rock (Mark) & Dakota City (Tess) |
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| Little Orchid (Sam) |
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| Limerick Lord (Ross) |
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| 'Flying' Harry Bosch (Graham) |
THREE TO FOLLOW LEADER BOARD
| Annette Hall | 45 |
| Jonathan Kinge | 41 |
| David Haddrell | 37 |
| Barbara Walton | 35 |
| Maureen Case | 33 |
| Anthea Telford | 33 |
| Pauline Kennedy | 31 |
| Jean Allen | 29 |
| Dudley Lever | 28 |
| Chris Shirran | 28 |
| Gay Chalklin | 28 |
Sunday, 5 June 2016
Limerick dogs it!
We did something a bit out of the ordinary this week as Limerick Lord headed to Towcester - not to run over hurdles but to race a greyhound in an epic duel.
The encounter was over a distance of three furlongs and was arranged by bookmakers William Hill to promote both the Epsom Derby and the greyhound Derby which took place this weekend. Handily at the track, both the dog and horse winning lines are in the same place, meaning the finish is easy to judge. I thought it would be a tight call but, in the end, the greyhound came home an easy winner by eight 'dog lengths'. However, as per usual, our rider Adam was full of excuses after and said the greyhound had a decent head start as there was a communication error which meant the horse stalls were opened late. Add to that the fact we had to race on very soft ground, I'd be happy to have a rematch in fairer conditions! Jokes aside, it was a good morning out and I was happy to be part of something unusual like this - I even think Limercick had fun too! A video of the day can be seen by CLICKING HERE.
Back to the proper racing and we have another busy week in store.
Kicking off at Brighton on Monday is Spirit Of Sarwan. He made a very encouraging debut at Newmarket last month and has come out of the run in great form. I think that effort entitles him to go close this time, providing he handles the course's unique undulations.
Wednesday sees the return of Great Yarmouth after its recent ground issues and we'll be there with Harry Bosch. He was ready to run a big race last time but got taken on for the lead and went far too fast, so it is best to ignore that run. He is on a mark he can win off and this is his time of year so I hope he can start to get competitive again.
Thursday looks set to be a busy one with runners all over the country.
Close to home, we have Serendib's Glory at Yarmouth. She shows lots of ability at home but hasn't matched it on the track. I'm inclined to think her breathing is holding her back so I'll put a tongue strap on to help her out and see if it can get her into top gear.
At Nottingham, Duke Of Diamonds looks to hold a great chance, providing the ground isn't too firm. The form of his Catterick run is working out very well and he has improved again since then. Also there will be Attain who has been unlucky the last twice after being in the wrong place during his races. He takes all his work well and is still in good form.
Also on Thursday we have Silver Alliance at Newbury. He hasn't been putting in much effort since coming back this year so he'll wear a pair of blinkers in the hope that they can wake him up. We've won this race five times in the past before so hopefully some of that luck can rub off on the old boy.
Handheld runs at York on Saturday but you won't see him in your newspapers as he is taking part in a charity race. I was asked a month ago by a friend if I had a horse suitable for a young lady to ride and Andy was the perfect candidate. His rider Siobhan has raised over £10,000 and has come in to have a sit on Andy for the past few weeks. It's all for a good cause and for once the result doesn't matter so hopefully the pair have plenty of fun and come back safe and sound.
Finally, on Sunday, The Ducking Stool heads to Doncaster. She missed a few weeks' work with a skin infection and needed her run last time so now she should be a lot fitter. She seems best in late summer nowadays and I'd be happy if she can just show a bit more spark.
THREE TO FOLLOW LEADERBOARD
The encounter was over a distance of three furlongs and was arranged by bookmakers William Hill to promote both the Epsom Derby and the greyhound Derby which took place this weekend. Handily at the track, both the dog and horse winning lines are in the same place, meaning the finish is easy to judge. I thought it would be a tight call but, in the end, the greyhound came home an easy winner by eight 'dog lengths'. However, as per usual, our rider Adam was full of excuses after and said the greyhound had a decent head start as there was a communication error which meant the horse stalls were opened late. Add to that the fact we had to race on very soft ground, I'd be happy to have a rematch in fairer conditions! Jokes aside, it was a good morning out and I was happy to be part of something unusual like this - I even think Limercick had fun too! A video of the day can be seen by CLICKING HERE.
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| Horse & hound ahead of their duel |
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| The greyhound scores a controversial victory! |
Kicking off at Brighton on Monday is Spirit Of Sarwan. He made a very encouraging debut at Newmarket last month and has come out of the run in great form. I think that effort entitles him to go close this time, providing he handles the course's unique undulations.
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| Spirit Of Sarwan (Adam) leads the string |
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| Harry Bosch (Tess) |
Close to home, we have Serendib's Glory at Yarmouth. She shows lots of ability at home but hasn't matched it on the track. I'm inclined to think her breathing is holding her back so I'll put a tongue strap on to help her out and see if it can get her into top gear.
At Nottingham, Duke Of Diamonds looks to hold a great chance, providing the ground isn't too firm. The form of his Catterick run is working out very well and he has improved again since then. Also there will be Attain who has been unlucky the last twice after being in the wrong place during his races. He takes all his work well and is still in good form.
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| Duke Of Diamonds (Mark) & The Ducking Stool (Sarah) |
Handheld runs at York on Saturday but you won't see him in your newspapers as he is taking part in a charity race. I was asked a month ago by a friend if I had a horse suitable for a young lady to ride and Andy was the perfect candidate. His rider Siobhan has raised over £10,000 and has come in to have a sit on Andy for the past few weeks. It's all for a good cause and for once the result doesn't matter so hopefully the pair have plenty of fun and come back safe and sound.
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| Handheld (Siobhan) & Attain (Ross) |
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| My Name is Jeff, Our Cilla & Tallulah's Quest gallop on the grass |
THREE TO FOLLOW LEADERBOARD
| Annette Hall | 45 |
| David Haddrell | 37 |
| Barbara Walton | 34 |
| Jonathan Kinge | 30 |
| Pauline Kennedy | 30 |
| Dudley Lever | 28 |
| Chris Shirran | 27 |
| Gay Chalklin | 27 |
| Maureen Case | 27 |
| Anthea Telford | 27 |
Sunday, 29 May 2016
Hoping Yarmouth can be great again
Yarmouth racecourse has had a bit of an up and down time over the past 12 months but I'm happy to hear our lucky and local track is now back on the right road and ready to host racing again.
The track closed in autumn 2014 to relay the home straight after some had complained about the undulations. Not one of the many horses I ran had ever been affected by the track's ridges so right from the outset I have thought the development was unnecessary. However, in racing, when the big names complain, heaven and Earth has to be moved. The course reopened again last September but, after a heavy downpour, the relaid turf became slippery and racing was abandoned until this year. After a spring setback, the track held a gallop morning this week to test the surface and all seemed to go fine.
I sent a pair of two-year olds there for some racecourse experience and both Our Cilla and Mungo Madness thoroughly enjoyed their day out. Yarmouth are set to race again on June 8th and we have a good few pencilled in to run so let's hope the weather stays kind and we can get back to winning there.
Luck wasn't on our side much this week with Go On Gal finishing second to a Sir Mark Prescott improver at Chelmsford and our Brighton raiders didn't fire. May is never a very fruitful month for us though so I'll be happy when June arrives this week!
Two-year old Valley Lodge made a promising debut in a hot race at Windsor last time and he hits the track again on Tuesday. He has come on for the run but will need to as it looks a competitive race. He should stay the extra furlong and I'll be happy if he can land a place.
Sabre Rock hasn't fired in two turf runs since coming back from a long lay-off and I'll be hoping that a return to the all-weather on Thursday can rekindle his form. He is stepping up to two miles which is a step into the unknown but I can imagine he will stay as all he does is gallop. It won't be the end of the world if he doesn't run well but hopefully he can show a bit of a spark this time.
Friday sees us making our first trip of the year down to Goodwood. Attain has two wins on the board already in 2016 but was unlucky not to add to the tally the last twice. He is pretty high in the handicap at the minute but he is still in great form at home so I hope he can be a bit more lucky this time.
Dakota City will be heading to the Downs with Attain and he too has a couple of wins on the board this year. He's had some time off after a busy winter and needs to prove he is as effective on turf as the all-weather because the two runs we gave him on the green stuff last year weren't very good.
The following day we're back on the road to Lingfield. Secret Ballerina has been running ok recently and there will be a race go her way sooner rather than later so we will take our chance.
Candesta runs in the lucky last and I hope he can be a bit luckier than last time when he probably would have won if getting a clear run. He goes fine over the course and distance so I hope he can end the week on a good note.
The third and final mare from our yard finally had her foal this week and both are doing absolutely fine. Bushy Dell was a successful filly for owner Dick Creese and he took the decision to breed from her once retired. Hopefully this little one can be just as fast!
THREE TO FOLLOW LEADERBOARD
The track closed in autumn 2014 to relay the home straight after some had complained about the undulations. Not one of the many horses I ran had ever been affected by the track's ridges so right from the outset I have thought the development was unnecessary. However, in racing, when the big names complain, heaven and Earth has to be moved. The course reopened again last September but, after a heavy downpour, the relaid turf became slippery and racing was abandoned until this year. After a spring setback, the track held a gallop morning this week to test the surface and all seemed to go fine.
I sent a pair of two-year olds there for some racecourse experience and both Our Cilla and Mungo Madness thoroughly enjoyed their day out. Yarmouth are set to race again on June 8th and we have a good few pencilled in to run so let's hope the weather stays kind and we can get back to winning there.
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| Our Cilla (Freddy Tylicki) & Mungo Madness (Danny Brock) gallop at the Yarmouth |
Two-year old Valley Lodge made a promising debut in a hot race at Windsor last time and he hits the track again on Tuesday. He has come on for the run but will need to as it looks a competitive race. He should stay the extra furlong and I'll be happy if he can land a place.
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| Secret Ballerina (Chloe), Valley Lodge (Liam) & Spirit Of Sarwan (Ross) |
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| Sabre Rock (Mark) & Dakota City (Caitlin) |
Dakota City will be heading to the Downs with Attain and he too has a couple of wins on the board this year. He's had some time off after a busy winter and needs to prove he is as effective on turf as the all-weather because the two runs we gave him on the green stuff last year weren't very good.
The following day we're back on the road to Lingfield. Secret Ballerina has been running ok recently and there will be a race go her way sooner rather than later so we will take our chance.
Candesta runs in the lucky last and I hope he can be a bit luckier than last time when he probably would have won if getting a clear run. He goes fine over the course and distance so I hope he can end the week on a good note.
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| Our Cilla (Mark) & Champagne Reef (Liam) |
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| Bushy Dell and foal with owner Dick |
THREE TO FOLLOW LEADERBOARD
| Annette Hall | 45 |
| David Haddrell | 37 |
| Barbara Walton | 34 |
| Jonathan Kinge | 30 |
| Pauline Kennedy | 30 |
| Dudley Lever | 28 |
| Chris Shirran | 27 |
| Gay Chalklin | 27 |
| Maureen Case | 27 |
| Anthea Telford | 27 |
Sunday, 22 May 2016
One for the bargain buyers!
It was great to see a bargain buy win today's Irish 1000 Guineas after Jet Setting upset the odds-on favourite Minding at The Curragh. The winner was bought out of Richard Hannon's yard for just 12,000gns at Tattersalls Horses In Training Sale last October and it just goes to show you that bargains can be found for this kind of money. I think this sale in particular is a great one to buy from as the big yards often have a good clear out towards the end of the season and there can be some horses which are over-looked and sold without much thought. After today's win and the success of Makfi, who won the 2010 2000 Guineas after being sold cheaply, I carry on hoping that we will one day strike just as lucky!
Although not hitting the highest heights, we are still doing pretty well with our own bargains and I hope this week they can prove their worth some more.
Artbeat is declared at Leicester on Monday but she won't run unless the heavens open overnight. She has to have ground softer than good and the forecast doesn't look promising for her.
Go On Gal had a busy couple of weeks when she finished second and third and I've given her a few weeks off to recover from these exertions and she has done very well, regaining the weight she had lost. She is working nicely at home and I hope she can out in another good run at Chelmsford on Thursday. There could be a few unexposed runners in the race but we know she handles the track and is capable of running well off her current handicap mark.
Brighton on Friday will hopefully see a strong raiding party from Harraton Stud as we head down to the south coast with four runners.
Veeraya is a frustrating type who struggles to get his head in front but we have worked out he runs best fresh and he is down to a good handicap mark so sooner or later things should go his way.
Kemsing has a great winter with four wins but he is high in the weights as a result. He hasn't shown much on turf but a step up to 1m4f should be ideal and his chances would be boosted by any rain.
Limerick Lord was a winner over the winter too and things really do have to go his way for him to win but a track like Brighton should suit him and I hope he can be in the money.
Rounding off the afternoon will be Harry Bosch. He ran a blinder to finish second at the track last time and he is still in flying form at home. A reproduction of that run would see him in the shake-up.
It was encouraging to see first-season sire Requinto have his first winner at York on Saturday after only two runners. We have a lovely Requinto two-year old up for syndication who, like the winner, was bought at the Breeze-Up Sales. Our horse has been moving like a dream at home and he will be out on the racetrack as soon as I can find an owner for him! Details can be found on my website: http://juliafeildenracing.com/5556.html
THREE TO FOLLOW LEADERBOARD
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| Bargan buy Jet Setting gets the better of Minding in the Irish 1000 Guineas |
Artbeat is declared at Leicester on Monday but she won't run unless the heavens open overnight. She has to have ground softer than good and the forecast doesn't look promising for her.
Go On Gal had a busy couple of weeks when she finished second and third and I've given her a few weeks off to recover from these exertions and she has done very well, regaining the weight she had lost. She is working nicely at home and I hope she can out in another good run at Chelmsford on Thursday. There could be a few unexposed runners in the race but we know she handles the track and is capable of running well off her current handicap mark.
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| Limerick Lord (Ross), Veeraya (Liam) & Go On Gal (Adam) |
Veeraya is a frustrating type who struggles to get his head in front but we have worked out he runs best fresh and he is down to a good handicap mark so sooner or later things should go his way.
Kemsing has a great winter with four wins but he is high in the weights as a result. He hasn't shown much on turf but a step up to 1m4f should be ideal and his chances would be boosted by any rain.
Limerick Lord was a winner over the winter too and things really do have to go his way for him to win but a track like Brighton should suit him and I hope he can be in the money.
Rounding off the afternoon will be Harry Bosch. He ran a blinder to finish second at the track last time and he is still in flying form at home. A reproduction of that run would see him in the shake-up.
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| Duke Of Diamonds (Mark), Kemsing (Ross) & Serendib's Glory (Adam) |
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| Dakota City (Mark) & Harry Bosch (Tess) |
It was encouraging to see first-season sire Requinto have his first winner at York on Saturday after only two runners. We have a lovely Requinto two-year old up for syndication who, like the winner, was bought at the Breeze-Up Sales. Our horse has been moving like a dream at home and he will be out on the racetrack as soon as I can find an owner for him! Details can be found on my website: http://juliafeildenracing.com/5556.html
THREE TO FOLLOW LEADERBOARD
| Annette Hall | 40 |
| David Haddrell | 36 |
| Barbara Walton | 34 |
| Jonathan Kinge | 30 |
| Pauline Kennedy | 30 |
| Dudley Lever | 28 |
| Jean Allen | 26 |
| Chris Shirran | 26 |
| Gay Chalklin | 26 |
| Maureen Case | 26 |
| Anthea Telford | 26 |
| Phil Gunning | 25 |
| Sophie Feilden | 25 |
| Eileen Turner | 25 |
| Matt Bisogno | 25 |
Sunday, 15 May 2016
Star shines again!
Star Of the Stage continued his resurgence with his second win in 2016 under a terrific ride from Adam Beschizza at Lingfield on Wednesday. It has taken a while for us to figure him out since we bought him in October but Adam and Star have really clicked now and hopefully the pair can be in the winner's enclosure again soon. It was great to bang in another winner as we try to continue the great start to the year.
Spirit Of Sarwan ran a blinder on debut at Newmarket during the week too and his run reassured me that we do have some nice two-year olds this year who are all capable of winning. Another colt I like is Valley Lodge who makes his debut at Windsor on Monday. He is a super quick horse and I think he will win in the near future but probably not this time as it is a decent race and I've told his owner Dick Creese that if we win this we should go to Royal Ascot!
Also on Monday, we have a pair of raiders down at Brighton. Secret Ballerina ran no sort of race at Wolverhampton last time when she never looked happy on the track so I'm hoping a switch to turf can see her in a better light. There are only three runners so I can say with confidence that she will be placed!
Also by the seaside is Moment To Dream. She too was a bit below par at Wolverhampton last time but her homework since then has been nice and I certainly think she is capable of more than her previous runs have shown, if she handles the unique track.
Candesta is a pretty solid yardstick in the right grade and he should put up another good run at Lingfield on Tuesday. He has run well over the course and distance before and is usually in the shake-up when things go his way.
After a busy start, we have nothing going racing until Nottingham on Sunday. The Ducking Stool has had to have a few weeks on the easy list as she had a stubborn infection on her back leg that took a while to clear when the weather was so wet last month. She is now in much better shape but it's likely she will need the run to get back fully fit.
Dakota City has come out of his spring break in fine fettle and is aiming for a return to racing next month. We will run on the all-weather first and then see if we can persuade him to make some sort of effort on the grass next time!
Attain has had a great time of things this year, winning twice on the all-weather already. Although most of his best form is on the sand, he did win at Nottingham last year so hopefully he can still transfer his good form across to the green stuff on Sunday.
After a hard week, at least the boys get to chill out with each other on a Sunday!
I said last week that our two foals were establishing a pecking order and, as always, the girl was the boss but, as you can see, they have settled their differences now and have found time to give each other a scratch.
THREE TO FOLLOW LEADER BOARD
Star Of The Stage's win gave the rankings a much needed shake-up and his supporters have climbed up the standings.
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| Adam & Star Of The Stage return victorious at Lingfield |
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| Valley Lodge (Liam), Veeraya (Caitlin) & Spirit Of Sarwan (Adam) |
Also by the seaside is Moment To Dream. She too was a bit below par at Wolverhampton last time but her homework since then has been nice and I certainly think she is capable of more than her previous runs have shown, if she handles the unique track.
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| Moment To Dream (Chloe) |
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| Candesta (Sam) |
Dakota City has come out of his spring break in fine fettle and is aiming for a return to racing next month. We will run on the all-weather first and then see if we can persuade him to make some sort of effort on the grass next time!
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| The Ducking Stool (Ross) & Dakota City (Tess) |
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| Attain (Liam) |
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| Little Orchid (Chloe) & Go On Gal (Caitlin) |
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| Limerick Lord (Mark) |
I said last week that our two foals were establishing a pecking order and, as always, the girl was the boss but, as you can see, they have settled their differences now and have found time to give each other a scratch.
THREE TO FOLLOW LEADER BOARD
Star Of The Stage's win gave the rankings a much needed shake-up and his supporters have climbed up the standings.
| Annette Hall | 40 |
| David Haddrell | 36 |
| Barbara Walton | 33 |
| Jonathan Kinge | 30 |
| Pauline Kennedy | 29 |
| Jean Allen | 26 |
| Chris Shirran | 25 |
| Gay Chalklin | 25 |
| Dudley Lever | 25 |
| Phil Gunning | 24 |
| Sophie Feilden | 24 |
| Eileen Turner | 24 |
| Matt Bisogno | 24 |
| Maureen Case | 24 |
| Anthea Telford | 24 |
| Annette Hall | 24 |
Sunday, 8 May 2016
Happy to have the sun back
Finally we can enjoy some glorious weather, just a week after getting snowed upon! The change has been a bit sudden but it is great to get some sun on the horses' backs and for them to get rid of the last of their winter coats.
With some reliable weather it also means we can properly plan the turf runners as it will be easier to predict ground conditions around the country which is just as well because we have another busy week ahead.
Starting on Monday, we have four representatives around the country.
Both Silver Alliance and Harry Bosch are more than capable of winning their races at Brighton if in the mood and I couldn't be happier with them at home. They are both wise to the game but Brighton is a course which can revitalise these older horses - as shown by Silver's six-length win there last year.
We'll be at a couple of meetings on Wednesday too with Star Of The Stage travelling to Lingfield. He won at Southwell earlier in the year but didn't handle the track at Bath last time. He's won at Lingfield before so I think he can get back into form with a better run.
Heading to York the same day will be Sabre Rock. He had a good blow-out over a mile at Ascot last time and came back safe and sound so now we can focus on some bigger targets. The step up in trip is what he needs and he still seems like a horse capable of winning off his handicap mark, despite his long lay-off. No doubt he will improve for this run again but hopefully he can get a bit more competitive this time.
Newmarket town was packed to the rafters last weekend with the Guineas meeting and the track hosts another three days' racing this week, where we will have two runners on Thursday evening.
Spirit of Sarwan was one of the two colts I bought at the Ascot Breeze-Up sales last month and I've been very happy with him since arriving. The beauty of the Breeze-Ups is that the horses are already half 'race ready' so all you have to do is add the finishing touches and they are good to go. His sire Elzaam has made a great start with his first crop of babies but they have needed a run to get the hang of things. This lad might be a bit green too early on but I hope he shows promise towards the end.
Also at HQ will be Handheld. He ideally needs soft ground but there isn't much hope of getting that so he may as well have a run locally. He will be trying hard like usual but the softer ground just blunts the acceleration of his rivals.
I'm also delighted with the two I bought from Tattersalls' Breeze-Up sale last week and they have settled in extremely well.
The gelding by first-season sire Requinto is a quality horse to look at - he has size and scope and looks as though anything he does this year will be improved upon next. He is going about his work in a lovely manner and I'm pleased to say that the shares in him are selling fast. If you would like to join the syndicate, a 10% share costs £1550 plus £200 per month all-inclusive training fees. Email me on juliafeilden@aol.com for more details.
With the good weather, the mares and foals can stay out as there is no risk of them catching a chill. This means though that a pecking order needs establishing and, as you can see, the girls always get their way!
THREE TO FOLLOW LEADERBOARD
With some reliable weather it also means we can properly plan the turf runners as it will be easier to predict ground conditions around the country which is just as well because we have another busy week ahead.
Starting on Monday, we have four representatives around the country.
Both Silver Alliance and Harry Bosch are more than capable of winning their races at Brighton if in the mood and I couldn't be happier with them at home. They are both wise to the game but Brighton is a course which can revitalise these older horses - as shown by Silver's six-length win there last year.
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| Serendib's Glory (Adam) & Silver Alliance (Ross) |
Up at Wolverhampton on the same day, I hope Secret Ballerina can build on her promising debut and run another good race. She has been in top order since then at home and should be a bit sharper this time. The winner from her debut takes her on again and I hope we can reverse the two-length deficit from last time.
Accompanying her will be Serendib's Glory. She didn't fire at Thirsk last time but a return to the all-weather can hopefully see her get back into contention off a handicap mark I know she is capable of winning off.
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| Secret Ballerina |
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| Star Of The Stage (Mark) |
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| Handheld (Liam) & Sabre Rock (Ross) |
Spirit of Sarwan was one of the two colts I bought at the Ascot Breeze-Up sales last month and I've been very happy with him since arriving. The beauty of the Breeze-Ups is that the horses are already half 'race ready' so all you have to do is add the finishing touches and they are good to go. His sire Elzaam has made a great start with his first crop of babies but they have needed a run to get the hang of things. This lad might be a bit green too early on but I hope he shows promise towards the end.
Also at HQ will be Handheld. He ideally needs soft ground but there isn't much hope of getting that so he may as well have a run locally. He will be trying hard like usual but the softer ground just blunts the acceleration of his rivals.
 |
| Veeraya (Tess) & Spirit of Sarwan (Adam) |
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| Moment To Dream (Chloe) & Candesta (Sam) |
The gelding by first-season sire Requinto is a quality horse to look at - he has size and scope and looks as though anything he does this year will be improved upon next. He is going about his work in a lovely manner and I'm pleased to say that the shares in him are selling fast. If you would like to join the syndicate, a 10% share costs £1550 plus £200 per month all-inclusive training fees. Email me on juliafeilden@aol.com for more details.
 |
| Requinto two-year old available for syndication |
With the good weather, the mares and foals can stay out as there is no risk of them catching a chill. This means though that a pecking order needs establishing and, as you can see, the girls always get their way!
THREE TO FOLLOW LEADERBOARD
| Annette Hall | 30 |
| David Haddrell | 25 |
| Phil Gunning | 24 |
| Sophie Feilden | 24 |
| Eileen Turner | 24 |
| Matt Bisogno | 24 |
| Maureen Case | 24 |
| Anthea Telford | 24 |
| Chris Shirran | 24 |
| Gay Chalklin | 24 |
| Barbara Walton | 23 |
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