Monday 13th February 2017 - winners, and Festival dreams.....

What a difference a week makes in our sport! Through the latter part of January the horses were running well, but lady luck went against us with a few injuries and fallers, but this week two live Cheltenham Festival chances have emerged from the pack at Folly House. Three Ways put himself into the Cheltenham picture when winning well at Doncaster on Thursday and then Dans Le Vent went close in the notoriously competitive Listed Bumper at Newbury on Saturday and might have earned himself a place in the Champion Bumper at the Festival…..add to the mix Lunar Flow bolting up at Uttoxeter on Saturday as well, and it’s been a pretty good week at the office!

Having been placed in a Grade 2 at Chepstow and a Class 2 novice at Cheltenham earlier this season, I was delighted to get Three Ways into the winners enclosure in a competitive handicap at Doncaster last week. Page Fuller took 7lbs off top weight and gave him a terrific ride as he stayed on genuinely to the line when the second horse came to him. They pulled a mile clear of the 3rd horse home, who in turn was a mile clear of the remainder – so it was a decent performance. He will now go to the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival.

Three Ways wins well under Page Fuller and earns his place at the Festival.

We’ve had plenty of bumper winners, but haven’t yet had a runner in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival, but we may just have found ourselves a useful recruit as Dans Le Vent put in a seriously good performance when a close 3rd in the Listed Bumper at Newbury on Saturday. He won a bumper at Towcester in the autumn on good ground, but he showed improved form on Saturday and looks well above average. A certain Altior finished 3rd in this race in 2015!

I was thrilled to see Lunar Flow win over fences on Saturday at Uttoxeter on only his 2nd start over fences. He won a handicap hurdle last season but has taken a bit of time to get right this season, and thankfully he repaid our faith when bolting up by 37 lengths! He may have to be out again quickly as the handicapper is sure to react!

Lunar Flow bolts up at Uttoxeter over fences.

Of our other recent runners, it was lovely to see Pride of Pemberley run well to be 4th at Wetherby last weekend in a strong looking bumper. He’s taken well to jumping and won’t be seen to best effect until over an obstacle and a trip. He got a smashing attitude and will turn into a smart stayer.