Weekend News & winner

Our exciting AW results continued with the lovely mare ‘Iconic Belle’ making the most of her reduced handicap mark on Thursday and winning the fillies 1m 4f race in great style for her Owners. Although she has won twice over hurdles since she joined our yard, this was her first flat win for us, and the first AW win of her career following fair few seconds, one of them at 80-1.

It was brilliant to see it all come together on Thursday, although we feel the handicapper has over- reacted with a 9lb rise – aged 7 and having had 22 flat runs, she hasn’t suddenly improved so much overnight. Nor was it a yard gamble as described in the press, it is more likely that the good form of our runners & her slipping mark resulted in her being tipped up, so it is easy to see why she was well backed in a small field fillies race, but frustrating to have it described as a gamble when it wasn’t! We celebrated nonetheless with a family Chinese takeaway in The Green Oak and Top Cat of course. He always likes to be in on the action….

As a result of the 9lb rise, Phil is having to run Belle  at Lingfield today with a 4lb penalty, and best of luck to her Owners on their bid for a double. She has come out of the race well, but it’s a long drive down there  and a more competitive race. Let’s hope for another winner in red, blue & yellow to end our week off in great style. Kevin Stott teams up with her again, he gave her such a lovely ride at Newcastle. Good luck to Alan & Rosemary Jowsey & John & Anne Cornforth 🍀

Yard news… we’ve had a busy week despite just the one runner since Thursday – we have taken  horses for outside gallops & there is plenty on at the yard, young horses being broken in by Simon, yearlings arriving from the sales and so much to look forward to in the coming weeks.

Next week is of course the Cheltenham Festival, and we’ve just the 1 potential runner this year, the incredible BUSHYPARK who is entered in the Pertemps final. Bushy had a grass gallop yesterday in case more rain falls than forecast, but Phil is clear that this gelding really does need it soft to have a decent chance and he won’t commit him unless the conditions are right. He is looking fantastic and loved his spin away from home. Two young mares followed him, Mayway and our homebred, Lady’s Present.  Photos by Marcus Andrews.

The previous day we took My Strong Man, Oak Vintage & Mountain Glory, and Joe wore the headcam on ‘Tonto’ to give his Pship Owners a clear view of his gallop!

Mid week we had a couple of runners at Catterick – Show Promise running a decent race for a close 3rd on ground softer than ideal after relentless afternoon rain.  Katie won BTO with him looking superb. He jumped very well & hopefully he can get a win on the board before the end of the season.  We also saw the racecourse debut of ‘Sir Jimmy Allen’, the popular young grey called ‘Pedro’ and he strode round the paddock with a ‘look of eagles’ after standing on Victor’s foot 3 times while being saddled up! He is still very much a baby but he travelled well and only tired to 5th in the final furlong – we were all pleased with this performance, particularly Joe who gave him a lovely ride for his racing introduction.

Some further photos from our week…