We started the month well as Cinquenta won the EBF Qualifier at Market Rasen Racecourse for the Broughton family. It was a very pleasing performance, and he will now head to the EBF Final at Sandown in March — a race we won last season with Laurens Bay.
Wilde’s Legacy followed up a nice debut win at Lingfield with an impressive success under a penalty in the bumper at Huntingdon on soft ground. He travelled well through the race and quickened up in the style of a smart horse. He will now head to the Champion bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.
Hollygrove Cha Cha has been running well over fences this season. After finishing third in a Listed contest on her chasing debut, she won her next start before things didn’t quite go to plan at Windsor during the Winter Millions meeting, where her jumping wasn’t as fluent as we would have liked. We reverted to hurdles at Warwick and she responded superbly, winning a Listed race impressively. An 11lb rise means she is now one of the highest-rated mares in England. Although we are not currently entered in the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, we do hold an entry in the Mares’ Novices’ Chase. However, if the rain continues, we may consider supplementing her for the Mares’ Hurdle.
On the same Warwick card, A Path To Ronda ran a fine race to finish third in the Grade 2 Jane Seymour. She perhaps found the track a little tight and prefers a more galloping venue, but it was still a highly creditable effort. She then followed up under a penalty today at Kelso, and we’re now considering a trip to Fairyhouse for a Grade 1 over Easter.
Johnny’s Jury was very good at Carlisle, winning under a penalty and booking his place at Cheltenham in a Grade 1 novice. Whether we opt for the Turners or the Albert Bartlett will depend on conditions, but he very much deserves to take his chance.
Senator continued his upward trajectory at Market Rasen to win convincingly. He will now head to Ascot at the end of March for a juvenile handicap.
A particularly proud moment for the yard came at Kempton when Fine Shot became our first winner for Their Majesties The King and Queen, taking a Class 3 bumper in decisive fashion. Having ridden winners in the Royal colours, it was a very special achievement to train one. With the whole family there to celebrate, it was a day none of us will forget. He looks an exciting prospect for hurdles next season, though we may target the Grade 2 Aintree Bumper in the spring.
I was very impressed with Madeforlovingyou who bolted up on her racecourse debut in a Junior NH Hurdle race in the colours of Foxtrot Racing. Bred by Eskdale Stud, out of a Grade 1 winner, she has the size and scope to make up into a seriously classy prospect. Educated in Ireland with Denis Leahy and Michael Moore, she is one to look forward to in novice hurdles next season.
We have also hit the crossbar on several occasions this month. Only The Bold ran a tremendous race to finish second in the Eider at Newcastle for Value Racing Club. Having won the valuable Summer Cup at Uttoxeter, he is now our highest money earner this season - not bad for an 11-year-old!
We’ve run some hugely exciting young horses in bumpers this month, including Wildes Legacy and Fine Shot who both won, but I was also very impressed with Smokehouse who made an excellent racecourse debut when second in a bumper at Southwell and promises to develop into a proper staying chaser for the future. Red Aces Max also finished second on debut in a bumper and posted a very smart figure, marking himself down as another exciting prospect for the future.
I was pleased to see Livingit Du Large run with credit when second at Fontwell, and he should improve when going up in trip on some spring ground. Meanwhile, Tommy Pickles was runner-up again over hurdles at Hereford and deserves to get his head in front soon — a more galloping track should suit him well before he progresses into a nice novice chaser next term.
A couple of the older boys have also hit the crossbar as Hardy Du Seuil was just touched off at Carlisle under Izzi, and was 3rd at Newbury this week when we ran again quickly before his handicap mark goes up again! Whilst Dwight K Schrute ran well again when 2nd at Sedgefield. He deserves to win another race before going chasing next season.
Of our other runners, Legendary Luke ran well to be 4th in the Grade 2 novice hurdle at Haydock. He is another who will be an exciting novice chaser next season. It was lovely to see La Marquise run well again to be 3rd, and she should improve for nicer spring ground too. The same comment applies to Epic West who was 3rd at Leicester. Git Maker ran well to be beaten only 3 lengths in the Grand National Trial at Haydock.
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