Friday 26th May 2023 - off the mark for the new season, and new purchases

It's always nice to get off the mark in the first few weeks of the new season, and I was delighted to see Double Click winning on handicap debut at Ffos las earlier this month.  He had won a novice hurdle at the end of last season, and he followed up here in good style under a lovely ride from Gavin.  We might look to run him again before he has a summer holiday.

Double Click wins on handicap debut and gets us off the mark for the new season.

We’ve not had many runners this month, and in fact have fewer summer jumpers than normal, as we’ve been re-investing into hopefully some smart winter types.  However, the majority of our runners this month have all been placed. 

Bumper winner, Teeceethree was 2^nd on her hurdling debut at Market Rasen on Monday.  She jumped well and travelled kindly, before being outpaced early in the home straight but she stayed on strongly from the back of the last, to finish well.  She should be capable of winning a novice hurdle next time out.

Teeceethree is 2nd on her hurdling debut.

Our 10lbs conditional jockey, Will Featherstone, gave Arbennig a cracking ride to be 3^rd at Ludlow, and both horse and jockey should keep progressing through the summer.  Bucko’s Boy was also 3^rd at Worcester, under Gavin, but he made a bit of a noise and so has just undergone a wind operation, and that should improve him. 

Bucko's Boy is 3rd at Worcester.

Phone Home was in the process of running a lovely race when booked for 2^nd at Southwell earlier this week, but a made mistake at the last meant she dropped back to 4^th.  She can have a nice summer holiday now, and should progress through the handicap ranks in the autumn.  Sea the Clouds was also 4^th on his comeback from 6 months off.  He was only beaten 4 lengths in a competitive race, and should be capable of winning off this sort of mark this summer.  Up For Parol was also 4^th in a novice chase, and he should have a future in that discipline after a summer holiday. 

It was a privilege to have our first runner for Her Majesty Queen Camilla, as Climbing made his debut in a bumper at Southwell.  Climbing was bred by HM Queen Elizabeth II, and had undergone wind surgery prior to his debut, and although ran well for a long way, his wind caught him out inside the final 2 furlongs and he came home 5^th. 

We had a productive time up at Goffs sales as we came home with six horses, and we bought one in Germany last week too, as we continue to look for the future stars.  You Wear It Well was on the front cover of the store catalogue, and she won the TBA award for the ‘Best British Bred Mares Novice Hurdler’, and I hope we might have found another star or two…..

We came away from Goffs with three store horses by Kamsin, Jack Hobbs, and Kingston Hill.  Whilst, we bought a lovely Irish winning Pointer called Wendigo, a winning Hunter Chaser called Ballydesmond, and Value Racing Club purchased You Are The Reason who was 2^nd in an Irish Point.  Whilst over in Germany we purchased a 3-year-old filly by Sea the Moon, with a beautiful pedigree and she will go down the Junior NH Development Hurdle series this winter.