That was the year that was...

As the year comes to a close, it seems a good time to look back on the last 12 months here at Harraton Stud.
We were never expecting to match last season's great tally of 19 winners as we had retained most of the horses who contributed to those wins and, as a result, they were very high in the handicap for the 2014 campaign. However, it was a thrill to score more success with some of those same horses, despite their high weights. Silver Alliance took another step up the ladder and notched two more wins to add to his three the year before whilst The Ducking Stool bagged her sixth Yarmouth win as well as scoring a hatful of placings right across the country. Automotive was another who kept us in the winners with a pair of victories which contributed to our 12 winners for the year to date. The only frustrating thing was the 50 2nds and 3rds we racked up...if only a few more of them had gone one better we would have had a record-breaking season!
Unlike last year, the exciting thing about heading into 2015 is the number of new faces we have looking over the stable doors ready to show us what they have got. I can't remember the last time I had six yearlings to train and that is very promising as they are, after all, the future of the yard. We still have a whole load of the stable favourites and it will be great to go to battle with them once again as well as a team of unexposed youngsters.
Most of all though, none of this would be possible without the help of my fantastic owners who make training horses a pleasure. There is very much an emphasis on having fun in our yard and I hope you have all had fun over the past 12 months. Here's to the same and more in 2015!

There is still time yet to add to our winners tally as we have a couple more runners before the year is out. Candesta has been pretty frustrating after a promising start to his career and we get the feeling he is taking things a bit too easy. To help wake him up a bit, he will be wearing blinkers which he galloped in very well at home last week and we also popped him over a few hurdles on Saturday to give him something else to think about. He seemed to really enjoy it and we will see if the trick worked at Lingfield on Tuesday.

Candesta (Shelley) gets a taste for jumping

 

Also there on the same day is Sabre Rock. He made a great start for us last time by winning over the same course and distance and he seems to be in as good form now as he was then. The handicapper wasn't harsh on him so you'd hope he could continue his good start.

I won't be out celebrating New Year too hard as on the first day of 2015 I'm heading to Southwell with Tolly McGuiness. He ran a good race last time but struggles to stay even the minimum trip of five furlongs. Southwell is a real galloping track so the hope is that he can blast off and stay clear.

Shares in our syndicate horses have been in hot demand all year with Dakota City selling out in less than a week in October. However, there is another opportunity to join our team with a filly I purchased this month.
Moment To Dream is an unraced two-year old by Halling who was personally recommended to me by leading trainer William Haggas. He trained the filly for Darley who were selling her as part of their annual dispersal sale and he was very reluctant to let her go but had no choice. He wanted her to go to someone who could make use of her potential and I was lucky enough to be given the call.
She has pleased us in all her steady work and she will be ready to run on the all-weather this winter and beyond. She really does have untapped potential so it's exciting to think what she could develop into. A 10% share will cost £800 plus £200 per month all inclusive training fees.

Syndicate horse MOMENT TO DREAM

 

The saying goes that all publicity is good publicity and luckily I don't get much of the bad type. This week we were paid a visit by Emma Berry from Thoroughbred Daily News who wanted to do a piece on the family and our success this year. If you would like a read, the article can be found here: http://pdfs.thoroughbreddailynews.com/generic_upload/pdf/Tales%20From%20the%20Heath%201222.pdf




THREE TO FOLLOW COMPETITION - THE FINAL STANDINGS

I'm sure you'll agree that it has been an exciting year following the horses' results and this fun competition has given you all some extra interest in our runners. The amount of entries we received was far more than we expected and, as a result, we shall definitely be running the competition next year, probably starting in March but more details will be given closer to the time.
Before I announce the winner, I would like to make my excuses now for why I scored no points! I am an optimist and obviously my choices were a bit too ambitious but it just goes to prove that I do believe every horse can win a race!
Congratulations to Harry Hurst and Sophie Feilden who ended up as joint winners and will split the £100 first prize between them...just remind me to give it to you!
Here are all the entries and their finishing points:

31 - Harry Hurst, Sophie Feilden
30 - Mark Henry
29 - Sophie Collington, Ray Treacy
27 - Steve Freemantle, Ross Birkett, Zoe Fuller
26 - Malcolm Roper
25 - Linda Wright
24 - Stephen Broadley, Rob Wright, Angus Forshaw
23 - Chris Shirran, Anthea, Geoff Walton
22 - John Wardle, Dominic Lisle, Trevor James, Jean Allen, Ray Baker, Tony Birkett, Ged Turley
21 - Len Cousens, Graham Carson, Bill Aspland
20 - Jim Stevens, Rachael Shucksmith, Julie Feilden
19 - Colin Kennedy, Gordon Hill
18 - Danny Kerr
16 - Harry Crothers, Trevor Fuller, Reno Hawes, Sheila Collington, Rita Aspland
15 - Paula Smith, Emily Holloway, Jackie Olkowicz
14 - Mike Pop
13 - Carlo Malfatti, Jason Coote, Kevin Case, Manus Sammon, Andy Elliott
12 - Sam Feilden, Nick Feilden, Carol Bushnell, Martin Dawn, Jane Shirran
11 - John Mulgrew
9 - Wayne Moore, Glenn Johnson
8 - Poppy Feilden
7 - Barbara Walton
5 - Richard Fuller, Shelley Birkett, John Birkett, Ryan Moore
4 - Tony Monk, Geoff Roberts, Jeff O'Callaghan
3 - Christine Baker
2 - Jon Kinge, Li Moore, Chris Donaghy, Dave Betteridge
1 - Eleanor Monk
0 - Julia Feilden, Phil Green, John Ford