Monday 12th October 2015 - the return of Present View

With the horses running so well in the last couple of weeks, I was eagerly awaiting Present View’s return to the track at Chepstow yesterday. Having not run for a while, this was always going to be a prep run before the main target of the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on 14^th November – the race he was 3^rd in last season after an interrupted preparation.

Although it was a shame not to win yesterday, I was far from despondent. We finished 4^th in a competitive field, where we were only beaten 8 lengths in total after a terrible blunder at the second last. In all honesty I think we were booked for a good 3^rd prior to the mistake, but he did well to rally to pick up 4^th after that error as he could quite easily have finished 6^th after that, as it will have knocked the wind out of him. All in all, he was a bit race rusty and probably found the 2m3 an inadequate trip really.  He wants a bit further now, and so all things considered I was perfectly happy.

Present View makes a very satisfactory seasonal reappearance. 

With this run under our belt, we’re all set to target a big race – however, I am unsure at the moment whether that will be the Paddy Power Gold Cup (2m4), or whether we look at the Ascot Gold Cup on 31^st October over 3 miles, with half an eye on the Hennessy Gold Cup in late November. I have always thought of ‘Elvis’ as a 3 mile chaser, but as a younger horse his exuberance meant 2m4 suited him best. He is a more mature horse now, and perhaps now is the time to step him up in trip…..

Meanwhile, I was delighted with Souriyan’s debut over fences last weekend when he was 2^nd to a horse who ran well behind Faugheen in the Neptune at the Festival. He jumped with assurance and has set himself up for a good season ahead. He’ll just need a bit of cut in the ground now.

Souriyan is 2nd on his chasing debut.

Pretty much all of our other runners have been placed or won lately. Jean Fleming ran the race of her life to be 2^nd in a class 3 at Ludlow on Wednesday, Our Reward put in a lovely racecourse debut to be 3^rd in the bumper at Newton Abbot on Friday, and Shockingtimes was 3^rd at Huntingdon last weekend, and just wants to step up in trip now.

Our Reward is 3rd on his racecourse debut.

We have a busy day tomorrow at Huntingdon where Breaking Bits has every chance in a handicap hurdle; Fact of the Matter makes his hurdling debut and Denboy makes his racecourse debut.  Unfortunately the latter are running in the same novice hurdle - it’s always a shame to run two horses against each other, but as the ground is good I was rather forced into it, as its only going to get quicker as the week progresses.  Fact of the Matter won his bumper, and has been schooling well; whilst Denboy is a very promising young horse for the future and has been doing everything right at home, but he is bound to improve for this education.  I'd be over the moon if we were first and second!

I have been pleased with the progress of our store horses that we bought over the summer. They are currently cantering away and looking smashing prospects. We are going to syndicate both the Midnight Legend and the Notnowcato geldings. The Notnowcato is a big strong 3 year old from a serious pedigree including the dual Arc winner, Treve. The Midnight Legend is a tall good looking sort and his family is littered with winners, including the magnificent Dubacilla.

25% shares available in the Notnowcato and 12.5% shares available in the Midnight Legend