I was thrilled that our first runner for Kate and Andrew Brooks, Fortunate Fred, ran very well on his racecourse debut at Huntingdon last week to be 3rd in what looked to be a very competitive bumper. Its wonderful to be attracting horses which carry familiar silks, and I think Fortunate Fred looks to have a promising future ahead of him. He travelled well and although he looked a bit green, he stayed on really strongly to pick up 3rd place as he ran through the line. We’ll probably look to win a bumper with him this spring and bring him back to go novice hurdling in the autumn.
Unfortunately, Thomas Macdonagh couldn’t land the four timer when beaten in the Grade 2 River Don at Doncaster on Saturday, but he just didn’t stay. It turned into a dour staying race, and although we thought he would improve for the step up in trip, it wasn’t to be. He appeared to be traveling well around the final bend into the long home straight, but they got racing a long way from home and he couldn’t handle it. He will need his wind doing again and there should be a nice race for him back over 2m4, but we’ll not rush him as he’ll be a lovely novice chaser next season.
Of our other resent runners, Pisgah Pike showed up well to be 4th on his hurdling debut and will improve for better ground so will have a little break now and he’ll be back in for the summer. Irska ran well to be 3rd on handicap debut at Hereford under a good ride from Ben Hicks, but found Fakenham a bit sharp for him last week and will find better opportunities especially when we send him chasing.
The quirky Coole Well was 2nd again at Taunton earlier this month, which meant he has finished 2nd in 5 of his last 6 starts, but couldn’t go one better when making one mistake too many and unfortunately unseating at Sedgefield at the weekend. He’s surely got to get his head in front before long……
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