Introduction
A solid set off results that just failed to yield a winner would best sum up our week. We had a good spell at Brighton and Guaracha gave it his all at Lingfield, bringing up £150,000 in flat money for the year. Back at Worcester four more horses were ridden out for the first time since their summer breaks’, and so I look forward to filling up the yard with a few of the old faces as well as some of the new from sales over the next month.
Round Up of runners
As mentioned last week, we were in the midst of Brighton fever given that it was their three day festival and we had secured a winner on day one. Day two began with yet another cruel defeat to Dee Little Engine, running his heart out and having to negotiate some alternative racing lines, losing out in the dying strides to finish second. He has been a stalwart centurion for the yard and I hope he continues finishing the way he is, just with a little longer nose! Ramblow was next up after an average run the day prior, she appreciated being brought back two furlongs in trip and was held up, produced to go through the field turning in but never quite being able to get to the leaders finishing third. A much better result.
A quick switch to Sandown for our third runner of the day, and French Mix was bidding to go one better than last time over a now shorter 1m2f. An excellent break soon followed an easy lead and she was able to quickly control the tempo. There lies from the final bend a stiff climb to the line at Sandown and French Mix tackled this initially well, but two furlongs out she was tapped for toe over this shorter trip and so had to settle for 5th.
Back to Brighton and day three was about to commence. I was feeling confident with Gendarme our sole runner of the day in a five runner contest. Alas leading up to the race two were withdrawn, leading me to fear that we may not get a true run race as we wanted to track the leaders. As soon as the gates opened my worst fears were realised and there was not a race to be had, in other terms a false race. We finished third of the three, yet still collected £775 which more than covered the day.
Beau Knight ran later on at Chelmsford, bidding to make it back to back wins. We got the lead at the break, but the second never left us alone and taking us on all the way, which blew our race. He weakened inside the last furlong to finish sixth.
Mr Minerals ran at Wolverhampton Monday, but it was not what we were hoping for. He dwelt out of the stalls and finished tamely, but onwards and upwards.
Our last runners of the week all ran on Tuesday, sending two runners at Lingfield and Nottingham respectively. At Nottingham Hollander faded towards the end and Reshaan did no better. Guaracha bid to save the day when at Lingfield and boy he tried. The race was not without incident though, with one horse refusing to race and another departing a circuit early. Guaracha was fortunate since he was tracking the leaders and the outer leaders’ departure allowed him the space to take up the lead. I warned the jockey Josh Bryan that he wasn’t the quickest and it may have been a mistake, since he kicked on at the three marker going two lengths clear at the two, just fading with half a furlong to go and getting robbed for second on the line. BornToReason jumped off favourite and I was hopeful, but a bad draw with many of the horses getting a good break meant he was trapped behind and never able to run a race.
Brighton Festival
Over the three day period we sent five runners to post: returning one winner, one second, two thirds and a sixth (but all horses finished in the top three eventually!)
Brighton for some reason seems to be a track that we compliment and I hope that this trend continues and even extends to other courses. I hope that the festival was a success for the course and look forward to next year’s return. P.S. Adam survived his overnight stay on track.
Statistical Summary
Jumps 19/20
Earnings - £22,262
Wins - 3
Flat 19
Earnings - £152,857
Wins – 22
Year 2019
Earnings - £210,824
Wins - 26
De Little Engine and Paige leaving for Brighton