16 January 2023
Another relatively quiet week with only a handful of runners. The consistent rain that has swept the county has left the racetracks pretty testing and not for the faint hearted! We had some very happy results with only 2 out of the 7 runners this week being out of the first two!
The Wise Traveller ran a good race under Bradley Roberts seeing out the trip really well and staying on all the way to the line. Brad rode a fab race coaxing the traveller all the way! He was beaten by what looks to be a very well handicapped horse. Lyrical Genius found his mojo with a bang over fences at Doncaster only getting chinned on the line! Gutting to be second but delighted to see the fire back in his belly with a committed Lilly Pinchin on top. While our first two horses handled the ground really well, it was not to the liking of Tommy Cullen who on the back of a win last time found it all a bit testing.
On Friday we ran 2 horses at Huntingdon. No No Tango ran a really fab race being held up at the back to settle him before making his move, he got stuck in quite a bit of traffic down the home straight and couldn’t quite reel the winner in coming a good 2nd. We were all really pleased with him as it has been a long education for him to learn to settle and run to his best ability. Work in progress as they say! Western Zephyr the went out and blew them away in the Novice Hurdle to win really nicely under Sean Bowen for the Swanee River Partnership. I have always loved this chap who is quite a character at home! He still needs to settle a little but is very much going the right way. Zephyr's win also clocked up our 700th National Hunt winner, many many thanks to all of our wonderful owners who entrust us with their horses, and to all of my team back at home, I cant to wait to celebrate the next 700 with you all!!
We took Snow Leopardess our mighty Queen to have a pop round the XC fences at Cheltenham, needless to say she ate them for breakfast and loved every minute!
Saturday was a nice short trip to Warwick, one of our most local tracks. Guetepan Collonges ran in the very competitive Classic Chase. He ran a very creditable 4th which I was delighted with. This was his first time in a big Handicap and he would have learnt a lot for mixing it with the big boys! Glimpse of Gala was then all heart toughing out the win in the Pertemps qualifier. This little mare really does not know when to give up, Bradley gave her a fabulous ride and we are all delighted for her breeder (and our landlady!) Fran Marriott and all of the Tweed Clad Fossils.
