Another nine winners in the last month of the season meant we finished as strongly as we started, and the 2025-26 season was another record-breaking season for the team here at Folly House. We finished the season in 9th spot in the trainer’s championship, with 86 winners, and a brilliant £1,172,495 in win and place prize money. This was attained with an incredible 25% win strike rate, better than any other trainer in the top 30 in the championship. The horses have held their form from start to finish, quite literally as our first and last runners both won. The highlight was obviously Johnny’s Jury winning the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival, but other big winners included Wendigo winning the Grade 2 John Francome at Newbury, La Conquiere winning a Listed race at the same meeting, Colonel Harry winning the Grand Sefton over the Grand National fences and Only The Bold winning the Summer Cup at Uttoxeter. A special mention must go to Git Maker who was a gallant 2nd in the Scottish National, and would surely have won but for slipping on the back of the 21st fence. Whilst, it was a huge honour and a privilege to train our first winner for Their Majesties The King and Queen. We keep beating our previous best prize money total and setting ourselves a higher bar to aim for each season. I am immensely proud of the whole team here at Folly House, the wonderful horses, and all the support we receive from everyone associated with us.
I was delighted to see Move With The Beat get back to winning ways at Wincanton at the start of the month under Izzi Ryder. He travelled through the race with growing confidence and jumped the last well to win in pleasing fashion. He followed that up later in the month with another success at Warwick, again under Izzi, to bring up his third win of the season. He seems much happier on better ground and we hope to give him one more run in May before a summer break.
It was lovely to see Double Click winning again when scoring at Hereford under Izzi. He took a bit of riding but once finding his rhythm on the good ground he stayed on strongly to get his head in front for his enthusiastic Foxtrot team.
That was the first leg of an across the card double on the day as L'amandine won the bumper at Fakenham under James Davies for the Felix Legions. With Gavin serving a 14-day suspension, James stepped in and gave her a lovely ride. She is a home-bred filly of Lucy’s and shaped like a mare with a bright future and will be exciting novice hurdling next season.
Cinquenta rounded off a good season in style when winning a novice under a penalty when dropping back to two miles at Ffos Las. He has done little wrong this season and looks the sort who should make into a smart novice chaser next season.
Obsessedwithyou returned from a mid-season break to win the rearranged Cheltenham 2m mares handicap chase at Wincanton to record her fourth success of the campaign. She has been a wonderful mare for her owners and has thrived with a patient campaign this season.
There was also a very special success at Hereford when Maximum Offers won the three-mile chase. He was gifted to our three children by the late Sir Chips Keswick, so it was a proud family moment to see them all enjoying the victory together.
Having won a bumper earlier in the season, it was lovely to see Our Guide getting off the mark over hurdles at the second attempt. He should be able to defy a penalty in the coming weeks.
Having started the season with a winner, it was only fitting that we ended the season on a winner too as Torneo deservedly got his head in front at Chepstow under a fine ride from Gavin. He has been 2nd at Cheltenham this season, and 2nd at the Winter Milions meeting at Windsor too, so it was lovely to give him a confidence boosting win before his summer holiday.
Git Maker ran a tremendous race in the Scottish National to finish second despite slipping badly at the 21st fence when travelling strongly into contention. He showed enormous heart to recover and your heart goes out to this veteran. He surely deserves a big race success.
We’ve had our fair share of seconds this month too. Regarde finished second in the rearranged Cheltenham staying handicap chase, run at Haydock. He could now be aimed at a valuable Summer Cup. Legendary Luke was 3rd in the Class 2 novice hurdle on the same card. Milldam stuck on gamely at Ffos Las to be 2nd stepped up to 2m4 and may run again should conditions ease this spring. Whilst Rebel Tribesman filled the runner-up spot once more at Sedgefield and looks sure to win his maiden before long. Senator and Admiral Stewart both finished second at Bangor and will now enjoy a summer break. Senator, looks an exciting novice chasing prospect for next season with his four-year-old allowance. Epic West was another to finish 2nd this month, when narrowly denied at Ludlow.
I was delighted that Sheisformeboys picked up some valuable ‘Black Type’ when 3rd in the rearranged Grade 3 Cheltenham mares handicap chase, when run at Market Rasen.
Aintree reflections:
We took a team of four up to Aintree for the Grand National festival, and although they ran well, we didn’t get the rub of the green. Our Grade 1 Albert Bartlett winner, Johnny’s Jury was 3rd in the Graade 1 Sefton novice hurdle. He got boxed in, and when he finally got out into the clear, he stayed on to be 3rd, but the winner had got away from him. Le Conquiere was running a huge race in the Grade 1 2m novice hurdle, before making a crucial mistake at the second-last which ended her chance. Whilst, Kosac D'oudairies ran to a similar level of form as when 2nd in a Grade 2 on his previous start, but just wasn’t up to Grade 1 class over hurdles. He looks tailor made to jump fences next season and is hugely exciting. Meanwhile, Wendigo just found this race one too many for the season, and we’ll look to aim him for the Coral Gold Cup (aka the Hennessey) next season.
Whilst up at Aintree we bought a super exciting young horse at the Goffs sale. Lead Officer is a gorgeous athletic 4-year-old bay gelding by a new sire in Planteur, who is the sire of top-class Trueshan and Gran Diose. Lead Officer is the first produce out of a ‘black type’ mare, from a good family including the useful Sporting Medic, Just Call Me and Drumavish Lass.
He came from the Irish pointing field, where Johnny Fogarty trained him to win on his debut at Curraghmore in April. He caught the eye when showing a good turn of foot, he was never too far off the pace and showed he had plenty of gears as he quickened clear from the back of the second last and kept on well on the run-in to deny Crystal Wings by two lengths.
Another exciting recruit to the team came courtesy of the English pointing field. Midem De Berce has a smart French family and is the brother to the decent hurdler and chaser, Grisbi De Berce. Tom George trained him to win on his debut at Maisemore in March. He jumped out and made all to win very impressively, to beat Kapella Grey (Wendigo’s sister) who was trained by Will Biddick and is now in training with us. We like her a lot and think that she will be a Black typed mare. The horse in 3rd won on his next start, so the form looked strong.
Whilst, I was delighted to receive the call from Johnny and Sam de la Hey asking if we would like to train Joyau Allen and Welcom To Cartries for their family. It is wonderful to welcome them to Folly House, and I hope we can have plenty of fun and success with them over the coming years.
To conclude our final newsletter of the season, I must thank you all for supporting us throughout this record-breaking season. I am incredibly proud that we trained 86 winners, at an incredible 25% win strike rate and amassed just shy of £1.2m in win and place prize money. The horses have kept their form throughout the year, and I am so lucky to have a wonderful team of owners, staff and hugely exciting horses. I am already looking forward to the new season, which begins on Saturday!
The sales season is once again just around the corner – stores and horses in training both in the UK, Ireland and in France - so if any of you would like to discuss future purchases, please do give me a call.
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