Having been lucky enough to have won the Grand Military and Royal Artillery Gold Cup double as a jockey, I was delighted to have finally managed to train the double for a partnership set up by my old Corporal, Jordan Wylie. Will Kellard gave Farceur Du Large another fabulous ride to win the Royal Artillery last week to double up following the Grand Military last month.
Farceur Du Large completes the big Military Gold Cup double.
About 20 years ago, when we were on operations in Northern Ireland, Jordan promised me that he’d own a horse with us one day, and we’d win these races….so when it finally happened, we certainly celebrated in style! Having originally set up the Cherry Pickers syndicate, this has morphed into the Racing Club, which also has Wendigo in training with us, who has won two bumpers this season. So, their jumpers have won four times, and been 3rd once from just five runners!
Milldam got back to winning ways this month when winning in the mud at Catterick. He won well at Ffos Las in December, and I think we might head up to Kelso next for the £120,000 Morebattle hurdle. He deserves a crack at a big race, and he loves the mud, so we’ll try to capitalise whilst this rain continues to fall.
Milldam wins again in the mud, and books his place into the Morebattle.
Having won a juvenile at Wetherby on his last start, we put Torneo into a handicap and he ran a belter but just bumped into a stronger stayer, and was 2nd. He is entered for the Boodles Fred Winter at the Festival. Fellow juvenile, Golden Maverick was entered for Cheltenham too having finished 2nd on his hurdling debut earlier this month, but I should imagine we’ll target the £100,000 novice hurdle final at Sandown on the last day of the season, having qualified by being 3rd at Ludlow this week.
Colonel Harry followed up his Grade 2 win last month, with another crack at a Grade 1, where he was 3rd in the Scilly Isles at Sandown. Believe it or not, but it wasn’t soft enough at Sandown earlier this month, but with the recent rain, I’d like to hope he has a chance at Cheltenham next month. You Wear It Well was 3rd in a Listed event at Haydock, where a bad mistake cost her any chance of victory. She won at the Festival last season, but we might keep her fresh for a target later this season….
One who had a lovely prep for the Festival was Hardy Du Seuil who was 3rd at Sandown last weekend on his seasonal debut. He’ll improve for that run, and could go to the Grand Annual or the Plate.
We’ve had a few new horses turn up at Folly House lately, and I am excited we’ve been sent a daughter of the Cheltenham Festival winner, Limini. Other new recruits are Landrake, who came from the Caldwell Construction dispersal sale; Scalloway Castle has been sent to us from the North; Value Added has come to us off the flat for Her Majesty The Queen; and the GD partnership have just bought an exciting 4 year old pointer called Fresh Perspective.
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