There was no jump racing in the first two weeks of August, but it was lovely to win with our first runner back after the enforced break.
Pisgah Pike won his second novice chase of the season at Worcester under a penalty, and he won it in quite taking fashion really. Gavin gave him a beautiful ride from the front, he jumped well and picked up nicely after his only mistake came at the last fence, to win going away. I’d like to aim him for the opening meeting at Cheltenham now, where there is a class 2 novice, but we’ll give him one more run in between and might put him in a handicap as he is quite unexposed.
Pisgah Pike wins under a penalty.
Talking of the last fence at Worcester, it was a great shame that Thistle Do Nicely came down there last weekend as he had the race at his mercy having just hit the front at the time. He travelled well as we stepped him up in trip, and he came through the race well and had just taken up the running when he met the last wrong and paid the penalty. He stayed down for a moment, but thankfully he was just wounded, and need to catch his breath. He is back in light canter work now, and none the worse, so can hopefully make amends before too long providing the handicapper doesn’t put him up for his pains!
Unfortunately, another horse to take a tumble was Thebannerkingrebel who was bowling along in front at Newton Abbot last Saturday in a Class 2, and he was jumping really well until he lost his concentration and galloped into the flight in front of the stands and took a nasty fall. Thankfully both he and Page were ok too, but we might think about running Rebel on the flat now to get his confidence back.
Our only other two runners since the break were Some Day Soon who was 3rd under a penalty at Stratford and Chapmanshype who just had a spin back over hurdles having lost his confidence over fences. He’ll find his form again but it’ll probably be next summer after a winter holiday.