The end of April bring with it what would normally be the end of the jumps season, so a quick chance to reflect on last season before we go full steam ahead to the 20/21 season whenever that may be.
Last season brought 14 winners at a healthy strike rate of 12%, just one short of last seasons total but with the season finishing over a month early i would like to think we would have reached our target of beating last seasons total and pushing towards 20 winners. The most pleasing aspect of last season was the quality that we now have right across the board. Northern Beau winning at Cheltenham in December one of the highlights as well as Mysteree also winning a class 2 at Kelso and Court Master starting to show what he can do when completing his second win of the season when winning at Newbury. Caltex winning by an easy 20 lengths on his one and only start for us this season he like many others had big targets we were aiming him for during April. The better known horses such as Kingswell Theatre and Some Chaos just didn’t get there ground all season and again we were looking forward to some decent targets with them on some spring ground, Some Chaos having the Scottish National as his target all season. Northen Beau won at Cheltenham in December as already mentioned but sadly never got to return there in April for the race she won last season. Nada for Prada and Let Me Entertain You both bumper winners on the same day in February again show the quality we have to look forward in the young horses, the form of Nada to Pradas race is working out very well, two lovely horses for Novice Hurdles next season. Do Your Job who ran very well in his sole run for us when second in a decent Newbury novice looks to have a very bright future. Upton Road an impressive point winner who unfortunately fell in his only novice hurdle start but his home work was very impressive and he is a very exciting big chaser in the making. Rosie And Millie so close to Listed success at Haydock but for a mistake at the last, not sure her plans for next season yet as to whether she will stick to hurdles or go chasing. Thor De Cerisy and Ask Himself also winning their novice hurdles both could go chasing this season. A pleasing season with good winners at good race courses. Thanks to the owners we have the quality of the horses in the yard keeps improving and is better that ever.
Nothern Beau and Brendan Powell winning at Cheltenham
A special mention has to go to Mysteree you was retired in January a winner of a class 2 at the age of 11 on his first start of the season he ran twice more but he wasn’t himself so the decision was made to retire him having given his owners Lynne and Angus Maclennan so many good day including when winning the Eider Chase in 2017 then being runner up there in 2019. He now lives up the road and Gabby has him, he will now go eventing on the Retired race horse circuit. He was a wonderful servant who always gave his best he will leave a big gap that will will be hard to fill as tough staying chasers as good as him are hard to come by.
Mysteree sticking his neck out in typically game fashion to win at Kelso first time out.
These certainly are strange time we are in the the moment, we have just 6 horses being ridden at the moment all horses that can run on the flat. Some dual purpose ones such as Isaac Wonder and Dinsdale but all the jumpers including the summer jumpers are at grass. The staff have been fantastic and some have been furloughed as you can imagine on having 6 in is a massive strain on funds!! but having turned most out at the end of March most will have to come in a bit earlier otherwise they will be so fat from their holidays they will never get fit.
Lawmaking one of the flat horses we have to look forward to when we get back racing .
Having said that lets hope we can return to racing and some sort of normality as soon as it is safe to do so.