We started the month with a gorgeous horse winning a bumper on his racecourse debut on the very first day of November and have been lucky enough to have had 8 winners since, including some really promising young horses. Whilst, Ga Law ran a career best to be 2nd in the Paddy Power Gold Cup off a mark 13lbs higher than winning it two years ago!
Fresh Prospective is a very imposing 4-year-old gelding who had won an English Point-to-Point in the spring. He had been pleasing us in his homework, and looked really smart on his racecourse debut when bolting up at Uttoxeter under a good ride from Gavin. We might think about the Listed bumper at Ascot before Christmas now.
Fresh Prospective wins a bumper on his racecourse debut.
Having won two bumpers from two starts last season, Hollygrove Cha Cha was always going to be a promising recruit to hurdling this season. She duly obliged on her hurdling debut at Ludlow to remain unbeaten. She sauntered around and can hopefully defy a penalty before we step up in class.
Holygrove maintains her unbeaten record.
Wendigo had also won two bumpers last season, and he too sauntered around for a bloodless victory in the £30,000 ‘introductory’ hurdle at Ludlow. He looks every bit as good as we had hoped and now will be aimed at the Grade 1 Challow hurdle at Newbury next month.
Wendigo brings up the double on the day.
I was thrilled to see Climbing winning in Her Majesty, The Queen’s colours when running for the Ebony Horse Club. Gavin gave him a peach of a ride after a shuddering error mid-way through the race, but he came with a rattle up Kempton’s home straight.
Climbing wins in HM The Queens colours for the Ebony Horse Club.
It was lovely to see another exciting youngster make her racecourse debut as Lady Tadita won well at Huntingdon in a juvenile bumper. She is from a smart family and looks another promising youngster for the team. She was purchased as a 2-year-old, as have many of our youngsters, and brought along slowly with time.
Lady Tadita wins on her racecourse debut.
Last week we introduced a couple of future staying chasers to the track and Epic West won well on his hurdling debut at Carlisle. He had won an Irish Point-to-Point previously so will obviously stay further, but I was impressed with the speed he showed to win over 2m. He might be one to target the EBF Final at Sandown in the spring.
Epic West wins on his hurdling debut.
Likewise, Admiral Stewart looked a really smart prospect when winning on his hurdling debut in the soft ground at Ffos Las. He is a strapping individual and will make up into a lovely chaser next year, but we might look at a Grade 2 with him next at Sandown in early December.
Admiral Stewart also wins on his hurdling debut.
I have always held Marche D’Aligre in high regard, and I was pleased to see him bolting up on his hurdling debut at Wetherby earlier this week. He had some smart flat form in France, and he jumps really fluently, handles soft ground and we might look at the Grade 2 Finale at Chepstow next month for him.
Marche D'Aligre looks a smart juvenile winning ion debut.
It was wonderful to see Ga Law running another career best to be a courageous 2nd in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham. Having won the race two years ago, he has rocketed up the handicap and is now verging on being Graded class. However, we had a go at this valuable handicap, and he ran superbly. The handicapper has nudged him up to a mark of 156 now, which makes life a tricker again. We might think about the Peterborough now or heading back to his beloved Cheltenham for a go at the December Gold Cup.
Ga Law is 2nd in the Paddy ower Gold Cup.
The majority of our other runners have been placed this month. Julius Des Pictons was just touched off on his stable debut when 2nd at Uttoxeter, in a race which is working out well, so hopefully he can get his head in front soon enough. The same applies to bumper winner, Laurens Bay who has been 2nd on both starts over hurdles and he looks another really exciting young prospect. Passing Well was 2nd on his seasonal return in a competitive handicap chase at Sandown, and he should go close next time as we up him in trip. Jack Sprat on the other hand, might be better off to drop back in trip as he was 2nd over 3m at Exeter. Torneo ran a belter to be 2nd at Wincanton over fences, staying on all the way to the line, but just unable to real in the winner. Bumper winner, Jackstell was a promising 2nd on his hurdling debut, and Realistic Optimism was 3rd on his second hurdles start this month too. Livingit Du Large looked a really lovely type when 3rd on his racecourse debut in a NH junior hurdle race. He is another future staying chaser but will clearly be winning over hurdles beforehand. Whilst Regarde was 3rd at Ascot last weekend over 3m and looks ready to go up to extreme trips now.
We were all eagerly awaiting You Wear It Well’s chasing debut in a Listed event at Bangor earlier this month. She attacked each fence with relish, and I was thrilled with her effort. However, having raced a bit too freely in front, we just got touched off by an Irish raider as we got in tight to the last fence and although we were gaining on the winner again, we just didn’t get there in time. It was a little bit frustrating, but she showed she has a big future over fences.
We head into the Coral Gold Cup (aka Hennessy) tomorrow with Colonel Harry, and having won it last year with the ill-fated Datsalrightgino, it would be very poignant to win it again for the GD partnership. Harry ran well to be 2nd on his prep run in the Colin Parker Intermediate chase at Carlisle earlier this month, and hopefully lightening can strike twice with a repeat win in this big handicap tomorrow!
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