Cheltenham Festival winners are very hard to come by, and Grade 1 winners are incredibly hard to come by, so to win a Grade 1 at the Cheltenham Festival is very special.
I was absolutely delighted when Johnny’s Jury won the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival to give us our third Cheltenham Festival winner and second Grade 1 success. It was a fantastic ride from Gavin Sheehan, who kept wonderfully calm despite the chaos of the start — something that seemed to affect quite a few races at the Festival this year.
The celebrations afterwards were every bit as memorable. One of the owners had brought along some holy water blessed by the local priest, and we duly sprinkled a little over Gavin in the paddock beforehand! The celebrations continued that evening at The Queens Arms where the owners, staff and the whole team gathered to celebrate. There may also have been a little “English holy water” involved as well! It was a proper party and a wonderful moment to share with everyone who works so hard behind the scenes.
Passing the £1 Million Mark
Another incredible milestone this month has been passing the £1 million barrier in prize money for the season, putting us in 8th position in the trainers championship. That is something we are immensely proud of, and it is a huge credit to the entire team at Folly House. We have now amassed 77 winners for the season, operating at a remarkable 26% strike rate, which is the best strike rate of any trainer currently inside the top 25 in the championship.
Other Winners This Month
It was wonderful to see Super Survivor back in the winner’s enclosure. Now a ten-year-old, he produced one of his best performances yet to win off a career-high mark and has now climbed to a rating of 140. He has been with us for a long time and is a much-loved member of the team. He may now head to the Aintree Festival where he deserves to take his chance.
We were also delighted to have another bumper winner when Red Acres Max won at Carlisle for Olly and Sasha Brendon. He looks a properly smart horse, and I think he could develop into a top-class novice hurdler next season.
Tommy Pickles finally got his head in front when winning a maiden hurdle at Bangor under Joe Anderson. After a couple of placed efforts, it was just what he deserved, and I look forward to seeing him over a fence next season.
Similarly, Silver Hill won a novice hurdle at Hereford under Sam Twiston-Davies, defying a penalty for his win at Catterick earlier this season. After finishing second at Newcastle earlier in the month, it was just what he deserved. He is another really exciting future staying chaser.
Cheltenham Festival Reflections
We took five very smart horses to the Cheltenham Festival and, while it was frustrating that luck didn’t fall our way with the first four, it made Johnny’s Jury’s victory all the sweeter.
Wendigo arguably looked our best chance on paper going into the meeting in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase but unfortunately the ground was just a bit quick for him really. He was staying on in 4th when he came down at the final fence. Thankfully he is none the worse for the tumble and is back cantering again. The handicapper put him up 2lbs for his effort, which seemed harsh, but we’ll work back from next years Hennessey.
La Conquiere never quite travelled down the hill as well as we had hoped, although she stayed on strongly up the hill. A flatter track may suit her better and we may now look towards the Grade 1 at Aintree now. She was 2nd in the Grade 2 bumper there last season, so we know she handles the track.
Wild’s Legacy unfortunately missed the break when the tapes went up and that left him with plenty to do. He stayed on into mid-division but he is a better horse than that and should be seen to much better effect over hurdles next season.
Idy Wood ran well to a point in the Pertemps Final but didn’t see out the 3m. He’ll bounce back over 2m4 later this spring.
Other Notable Performances
There were plenty of encouraging efforts elsewhere during the month.
Dwight K Schrute ran a fine race to finish second at Hereford under Izzi, jumping well and just going down by a short head. He is improving with each run this season and deserves to win again before he too goes chasing next season.
La Marquise followed up her promising 3rd at Wetherby when being narrowly denied in second at Plumpton and looks to be coming back to form after losing her way slightly last season.
Rebel Tribesman won a bumper at Aintree last spring and was a very promising 2nd on his hurdling debut at Sedgefield. He’ll improve a ton for that outing and should be hard to beat next time out. He runs in the colours of Old Gold Racing in partnership with Walking With The Wounded. All proceeds from the syndicate go to the charity and there are still a few shares available, so if anyone would like to get involved, please do get in touch.
Git Maker produced a huge performance to finish third in the Midlands National. He has been a wonderful horse for us — previously finishing second in the Kim Muir and third in the Scottish National — and this latest run may well set him up for another tilt at one of the big spring staying handicaps.
Other horses who have run well this month include Enya, She Is For Me Boys, Double Click and Datsalrightcharlie who have all been in the winners enclosure,
Horses for sale
50% available in Code Name Cubitt who is a gorgeous athletic 4-year-old chestnut gelding by Jet Away (the sire of multiple Grade 1 winners including Brandy Love and Three Card Brag who was 2nd in the Hennessey). He is the full brother to the Grade 1 winner, Brandy Love, and a half-brother to the multiple winner Topofthecotswolds. Whilst Code Name Cubitt is out of a black typed winning dam.
Code Name Cubitt won the first four-year-old Irish maiden Point-to- Point of the new year at Bellharbour. The Jet Away gelding came into the race with a progressive profile, having been third to the subsequent £370,000 seller Minella Acdemy at Cork. He was immediately sent to the front, as he made all the running, jumping confidently throughout. Quickening in the style of a smart horse, he was able to pull clear of his rivals, and he still had enough in reserves to fend off a pair of JP McManus-owned rivals, with the €125,000 Derby Sale purchase and well-backed odds-on favourite, Youcancountonme, chasing him home.
The following link shows his impressive win:
https://secure.tattersalls.com/4DCGI/Entry/LotVideoGallery/CFB26/23?index=0
1/7th share available in Ballycrystal Boy who is a gorgeous 4-year-old bay gelding by Crystal Ocean (whose eldest crop are only 6 years old but include the unbeaten Cristal d'Estruval). He is out of a dual winning dam, who was out of the 8-time winning Mossy Fern, who herself produced 6 winners from 6 runners. His pedigree is a proper National Hunt pedigree being out of a mare by Alflora, who was out of a mare by Le Moss with Black Type littered across the page.
Ballycrystal Boy made a winning debut in a hot division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden at Borris House. The son of Crystal Ocean was always well positioned before improving into contention after three out, taking the lead before the second last and rallying gamely after pecking on landing at the final fence to score by two lengths.
The following link shows his impressive win:
https://secure.tattersalls.com/4DCGI/Entry/LotVideoGallery/CFS26/1?index=0
Horses for Lease
La Dame Ecarlate 2022 No Risk at All / Morena Du Berlais
La Dame Ecarlate by No Risk at All (the sire of 25 graded winners, including 7 G1 winners) out of a winning Saint des Saint mare, who herself was out of out of the black-type Katioucha, who is the dam of the successful stallion Nirvana du Berlais and fellow Grade 1 winner, Toscana Du Berlais. She also produced Nice To Meet You who is the dam of Nietzsche Has - now standing as a stallion in France. Whilst, Katioucha is a half-sister to high-class French exports Ma Filleule and Mon Parrain.
She has been in pre-training in Ireland and has recently arrived with us in the UK. She was 3rd in a good schooling bumper at Dromahane earlier this month, and is ready to win her bumper on the track this spring. She also qualifies for 50% GBB, where she can win up to £50k in bonuses.
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