Friday 27th News

pippa666 ♦ April 27, 2018

Punchestown 5 0’clock tomorrow for grand stayer Kilcullen Flem

We’ve been doing a raindance at Punchestown and the heavens did open this morning with a fair deluge on the track but with it set to fair up and a drying sunny day tomorrow we won’t have the really soft ground that Flem requires to be at his best. It’s going to be tough for him as they’ll go a real rattle round here despite it being 3m 6f but he goes in good form, is off a feather weight and deserves his chance at a big handicap before a well earned summers rest. Eastview Boy found the trip and track far too sharp for him yesterday but he did stay on all the way up the straight and a step back up in trip will be on the cards.

Our two runners at Perth ran well without winning – Macardle making a pleasing start to his hurdling career in the 2mile Novice and Skipthescales running yet another good race – he’s won three this term- but had to be content with 3rd in the feature staying Hurdle. The track was on the sharp side for him but he kept on gamely and won over £1000 for finishing 3rd so not a bad day at the office for him and his Owners, Les and Maureen pictured below with Phil & Skip – thanks to Sandy Frew for the photo.

Today we have The Resdev Way at Doncaster – his form on grass doesn’t compare to his AW form but he’s not without a chance off this lower turf mark and he’s really well at home. We’ve a host of runners tomorrow headed by Flem in Ireland, Rayna’s World ( Leicester) & Pumaflor, Man of Verve and Pullman Brown at Haydock. Man of Verve won’t mind the forecast rain at Haydock – he has won on soft and it’s a pretty wet day ahead according to BBC weather.

Its only a couple of weeks until The Chester Cup and Phil is hoping to have Star Gazer in top form for his biggest test to date. We’ve had 2 seconds so far with him, it would be especially nice to make it third time lucky but to say it’s going to be competitive is an understatement! You need a good draw, huge luck in running and everything to go right – he’s also stepping right up in trip to 2m 2f but switches off nicely in his races so we hope this will help.

Its not long until the major sales at Goffs UK in Doncaster. It’s the National Hunt 3 year old Sale on May 22nd followed by 2 days of Horses in Training & Point to Pointers on the 23rd & 24th. Plenty of homework for Phil and some high class in training horses on offer. He’ll be in attendance all 3 days.