On our way to Cheltenham

pippa666 ♦ March 10, 2020

We will feel the weight of Yorkshire’s racing fans support & goodwill behind us this afternoon – thank you all so much for your kind wishes and messages. Despite the fears that racing may be cancelled, the Cheltenham Festival goes ahead and we’ve been on the road since 6am with our two special ladies in the back, LADY BUTTONS & DESARAY GIRL. Also on their way to Cheltenham will be Micky Hammond’s CORNERSTONE LAD and we wish them tons of luck in the Champion hurdle with their fantastic horse, let’s hope that most of all we can bring our horses safely home tonight and some prizes back to Yorkshire would be the icing on the cake!

THE RUN UP TO THE FESTIVAL : The prep has all gone smoothly and I asked Phil last night how he felt Buttons was going – he seemed very pleased with her, that she had worked really well last time and had enjoyed her racecourse gallop with Top Ville Ben at Doncaster, going a good swinging 2 miles and quickening up well in the straight. She has contested almost the same races as last time winning all three Graded & Listed events bar her Fighting Fifth 4th when a uncharacteristic mistake at the last probably cost her 3rd place. There’s no denying that her best form to date has all been on flat left handed tracks, but she hasn’t had many chances to prove herself on undulations, and we’re happy to give it a go again – her fourth here last year was a solid effort. Tommy is back in the plate and very much looking forward to his second ride round here on her – it’s been an emotional and difficult call for Phil & her Owners Keith & Jayne to make but with uncertainty surrounding Adam’s return and just the one ride back after injury, it was felt that this was the most sensible decision, and with 3 weeks to Aintree, Adam can look forward to reuniting with his favourite mare for a tilt at the race she was second in last season.

It’s been a tremendous season also for our talented novice DESARAY GIRL, winning 3 for her Owners Resdev Ltd and taking a valuable Listed novice event at Haydock in December.

Desaray Girl & Will, her regular work rider

Phil bought her as an unbroken 3 year old from Tatts Ireland and it’s been a very satisfying journey watching her develop into such a classy race mare.

Desaray Girl when she arrived from the sales

She runs here today rather than the 2 mile novice which would be too sharp for her, and she’ll handle the soft conditions underfoot, we just hope her jumping can hold up in the pace of this Grade 1 race. Desaray is an exciting mares chaser to look forward to in time and she has the services of the excellent Sam Twiston-Davies this afternoon. Followers of the yard will know that she is a real character and likes to make herself taller by standing on her buckets!

Desaray Girl

She can certainly stand tall this afternoon as she mixes it with the cream of racing’s top National Hunt Mares and its a proud day for Nick & Paula Wright of Resdev Ltd.