its been a busy start to March with horses seemingly hitting top gear and running well. It has been a hectic period with the Cheltenham Festival also been and gone, although we did not have any runners there it was a great weeks racing. We had runners else where during the week.
8th March- Two smoking Barrels ran at Wincanton in what before hand looked a competitive race where all of the 9 runners had a chance. Smokey had been unlucky not to get her head in front already this season and came here on the back of a good second at Leicester. Ridden again by Tom Scu Smokey jumped brilliantly and led most of the way to go on and win by 1 1/4 lengths. This was her 6th win from just 15 starts and she has been second or third on 4 occasions. She will now head to Cheltenham in April for a Mares chase there. This was Timo’s first winner he has led up for us so a great day for him with as he also rides Smokey every day.
10th March – Grace Tara took the short journey to Hereford for a 3m1f mares h’cap chase ridden by Robbie Dunne. Grace who had had a wind operation since her last run ran a really good race to be second, she has won a bumper two hurdle races and it would be great if we could get her head in front over fences. This was her best run so far since she has been chasing so hopefully there will be more to come, it was great that so many of the syndicate that own her were able to attend thier local track to cheer her on. She has plenty of options in the coming weeks so hopefully she will be out soon.
Monday of Cheltenham week we sent sounds of Italy down to Plumpton with Tom Scu on board the conditions were barely raceable but he managed to plug on for second place. We may look to replace his cheek peices with blinkers next time and some slightly better ground may help him as well.
14th March Skint the 12 year old went to Huntingdon ridden by Ben Poste. Skint had just been denied when Second last time only 9 days ago. Given a positive ride here by Ben the re application of blinkers seemed to do the trick as the old boy kept on to win by 3/4 of a length. He seemed to have the race won jumping the last but idled badly in front but luckily the line came in time. Unfortunately his owner Mrs Bettina Evans was unable to be there but was cheering him on it was a very well deserved success for all involved, and Becky who looks after him and rides him every day .
16th March – Aramanth took the very long journey to Mussleburgh this is a horse who is very well bred and had shown a lot of promise in his work including on racecourse gallops but unfortunately he pulled to hard and the ground had gone softer than ideal for him and he finished 7th of the 11 runners. Twenty Eight Guns returned to Fakenham where she won last time, she had been intended to run at Newcastle last week but the weather put a stop to that. She finished 4th of the four runners not beaten far for second but behind an easy winner she has come back well so will see where we go next with her.
17th March – A busy day as we took three to Uttoxeter on Midlands National day. All three owned by Lynne Maclennan and ridden by Tom Scu. Cadeyrn was up first this hugely promising novice hurdler who had been first and second on his last two starts. He was only beaten last time by the slow pace of the race but not today he was second most of the way before powering into the lead going into the second last before going on to win by 3 lengths against a competitive field. This was a step up on what he has achieved so far and the future looks so exciting for this 6 year old, he may well head to Aintree for the 3m Grade 1 novice hurdle at the grandnational meeting. Cobajay Island was declared a non runner after this race as the ground was too heavy, this left new recruit Smiths Cross to run in the bumper. He had only been with us 30 days but had settled in well and he loves soft/heavy ground so we decided to strike while the ground was in his favour, he put up a mighty performance to win by 21 lengths, he may not have beaten much but the manor in which he did it you could not help but be impressed and we left thinking what two very exciting young horses we have here who could well be anything!!