ALEX DUNN RACING WEEKLY REPORT (8th – 14th August)

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 Alas leading up to the race two were withdrawn, leading me to fear that we may not get a true run race as we wanted to track the leaders.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

ALEX DUNN RACING WEEKLY REPORT (1st – 7th August)

Introduction

Wow what a week, I am going to go back and check but I believe that the last seven days have been the best ever in our history.  There were no less than three winners, a further three places and we have just surpassed £200,000 for the season.

Round Up of runners

There is no better place to start than with Gendarme’s win at Epsom, our first ever winner at a Grade One flat track. A good ride with a perfectly panned out race set up the scene for success. Armaretto gave us the perfect tow entering the final furlongs to leave Gendarme in the lead from two furlongs out. The second came at us too slowly, enabling Gendarme to come back and place his head on the line and making a little bit of history for ourselves.

Sigrid Nansen ran only 30 minutes later, bidding to make it a double for jockey and trainer. Sigrid settled superbly up front and took up the lead over two furlongs out. It looked as if the double was sealed, but we were in front too long, got lonely and had no momentum to fend off the two fast finishers to be third. All in all a great day for us.

Enmeshinhg ran a decent race at Wolverhampton Friday, finishing fifth of eleven. We were always slightly just too far back and was given a lot to do turning in. I was pleased with his reappearance and look forward to his next run.

Jupiter took us back to winning ways at Lingfield, backing us his strong recent form to break his duck and win. These apprentice races have proved bountiful for us this year, winning three from eight attempts (38%). Jupiter was drawn wide and stayed in the middle for most of the race to avoid ground loss. He got away from the field easily enough three furlongs out, getting first run on the second and winning readily. Gabriella Laura ran soon after but yet again suffered ill luck, tangling her stalls blind with her hood and so we await our first clean race.

Monday saw our first visit to Les Sables-d’Olone, with no less than four runners. Waqt and Canford’s Joy set off first bidding to make it a one two finish. Waqt got an early lead and led till the home straight, though he had not been allowed to stretch the lead enough and was caught by his pursuers to finish fourth. One of the named pursuers Canford’s Joy came with a strong finish after sitting two lengths fourth for most of the race. He veered too much on the run in and so did not deliver a clean challenge finishing second, none the less a brilliant debut run to suggest huge promise.

Chiavari ran a better race, but was still short of what we expected and Sigrid just wasn’t quite over her near heroics at Epsom.

Born to Reason got off the mark in superb style at Brighton, winning under a strong ride from Cieren Fallon. This was the horse’s 26th run under rules and the first time at this extended trip. He holds two entries next week as we bid to beat the handicapper and is a horse searching for an owner.

Ramblow ran 30 minutes later and was hoping to secure an elusive first double for the yard on the flat. Unfortunately it was not to be as the race was anyone’s turning in with a whole line of horses abreast. We finished sixth of thirteen and she is declared tomorrow at the same course again, but two furlongs less.

Doncaster Sales

This week we ran two yard debutants after being purchased at the sales, Canford’s Joy and Born to Reason. The first Canford’s Joy was an unlucky second, whilst Born to Reason romped home to win at Brighton. I now have the pleasure to introduce to you two new sales purchases.

Molaaheth (GB) by Heeraat (IRE) x All Fur Coat (GB) 2016 B.C

This 3 yo Colt by Heeraat remains a maiden and has been running to an average RPR of 63. He was second by 1 ¼ lengths at Doncaster off a mark of 70 and was most recently beaten 4 ¾ lengths at Newmarket on August second, he now has a mark of 67. Molaaheth is for sale to stay in the yard.

Artois (GB) by Mizzen Mast (USA) x Intercontinental (GB) 2016 Gr.G

This 3 yo gelding by Mizzen Mast won in superb style on only his second run at Kempton under James Doyle. He has made four starts, winning one and earning a strong mark of 80. I l look forward to putting him into action immediately with his knew connections.

Brighton Festival

Brighton festival is in full flow, and we have had a winner on day one of the festival. Brighton has been a kind track to us this year with no less than five wins from 19 runs. The track has a great view of the sea, with a flowing finish that starts from high above, not forgetting a small sharp climb at the end. I look forward to three days of  excitement.

Statistical Summary

Jumps 19/20

Earnings - £22,262

Wins - 3

Flat 19

Earnings - £148,938

Wins – 22

Year 2019

Earnings - £206,905

Wins - 26

Gendarme at Epsom

ALEX DUNN RACING WEEKLY REPORT (25th – 31st July)

Introduction

July what can I say, the horses have been flying! Sadly my favourite TV program Love Island has come to an end, but I am sure I will find a way to survive!

Round Up of runners…

Diligent began the week at Southwell and ran similarly to his last run at the track. He was ridden patiently enough to approach the home straight in a promising position, but the front three broke away and so he and the fourth finished together in the middle.  It was nice for the Welch’s to give Bryony a ride, since the Frosts are neighbours to the Welch’s as well as Hannah and Bryony growing up together.

Panatos was bidding to justify his favourite price tag at Chepstow and boy did he have a crack at the whip. He was punched out early doors stretching the field to 15 lengths at least. Rossa gave him a big breather at the rise and I can’t help but wonder whether it was too much, since the field closed and he got headed in the final furlong and fought back only for the door to close. Knowing Panatos, he certainly backed off and I can 100 percent guarantee that this cost him second but not quite the win. I was left disappointed with steward’s decision not to reverse the placings between second and third, which to me looked a clear cut decision. 

The less said about Lingfield the better. There was a miscommunication in the stalls between the starter and Cieren so that Cieren took the hood off early causing Gabriela Laura to jump awkwardly and so losing his stirrups. Jupiter was a much better result and lightened my mood. He benefitted hugely from the five pound claim and ran well down the middle of the track. I wonder if he may have needed to have been pulled out sooner to press the lead, yet he still put on a show and just managed to take third without quite challenging the win.

Polo the Mumm ran too freely at Perth and this hurt his chances, nerveless it was more experience for the maturing Tamby Welch.

Rogue simply didn’t take to the ground at Sandown, nor allowances for three year olds. Next time we will be more careful.

Interesting GB flat statistics

We have now sent out 19 winners and counting so far this season and have taken the time to glance over how we are doing. With all of the six figure races being fought over I am quite pleased to sit 78th in the standings, which rises to 51st on wins alone.

Brighton and Southwell have proven feasting grounds for the yard this season, returning a strike rate of 25% a piece with 16 runners each. Chepstow is also up there with a strike rate of 21 %. I was however slightly surprised to see that we have ventured to no less than 21 flat tracks, with our most visited track being of course Wolverhampton at 36 runs.

Hannah and Rossa have been our most used jockeys, whilst Cieren Fallon has quickly come on to the radar as an Apprentice to use.

Month by month we have been consistently sending out near to 30 runners and it only seems like yesterday the mad rush that was January. Having just completed our first month of the second half of the season, bagging three wins and a further 13 places, I hope to keep the momentum.

Statistical Summary

Jumps 19/20

Earnings - £22,262

Wins - 3

Flat 19

Earnings - £137,477

Wins – 19

Year 2019

            Earnings - £192,201

            Wins - 23

Panatos

ALEX DUNN RACING WEEKLY REPORT (11th – 17th July)

Introduction

Sigrid Nansen has become the first horse of 2019 to complete a hat trick, courtesy of a dominant display at Chepstow, now lying level on wins for 2019 with Waqt. There were further good runs from Guaracha and Ramblow. Zara performed outstandingly at Bath on one of her first days out at the races and I have two new purchases to introduce to you, brought at Ascot this week. 

Round Up of runners

As mentioned Sigrid dominated the field at Chepstow to win by a well eased 2 lengths. Sigrid has been a great project to work on and when she went to post at Bath last month I was hopeful that that would be her day. When she won I knew we could double it up and then the way she won second led me to believe that the hat trick was very much on. Obviously she has now jumped up nearly 20 pounds in the handicap, and one expects life to be a little tougher, but for me and the racing club the dream can hopefully continue.

Unfortunately for Polo the Mumm, we elected to take a lead and that turned out to be the wrong decision. They went at a crawl, which hindered his jumping and destroyed his race, though with a properly run contest I have no doubt in his ability.

We took three runners to Bath on Tuesday, Gendarme being our first runner. The pace was a very strong one from the get go and this was to our disadvantage, going up half a mile on his last few runs. He seemed to look dangerous turning in, though his run seemed to fade turning in with so few runners and so dwindled to fifth. Our other two runners ran head to head in the five o’clock. The British Lion suffered from a bad draw and never really got into affairs. Ramblow on the other hand ran superbly, tracking the leaders and coming with a run in the finish. She was blocked no less than three times on the run to the line and if not for this would have gone close. Despite this she finished only 3 ½ lengths off the winner.

Apologies to Sigrid, but I was actually most revved up by Guaracha this week, finishing second at Wolverhampton. This horse is such a ‘dude’ and has been with me for many years, indeed such is his attachment that he has become a family pet back in Worcestershire with my parents. Firstly I was astounded at his SP, since his previous two runs were good enough and suggested he wanted further. He took command of the race early on and ran the race to his pace, turning the final bend I thought we were in, but alas there was one better. I love this horse a lot and was very proud of him. 

We further ran a new horse at Wolverhampton, Over the River, bred by the Dyer family and making her debut. Although she is still green, she was extremely brave in the starting stalls with her neighbouring horse playing up to epic proportions, resulting in her being in the stalls for an excessive amount of time and denting her race. I wouldn’t go as far to say it cost her a win, but it did cost her a lot of ground and a chance to be in the bunch and so this I regret. A clean run next time will be intriguing.

In the yard

Bath was a busy day for Zara and James with three runners to get ready. Zara who is nervously awaiting her GCSE results, was working one of her first days at the races and did amazingly despite having two runners in the race. She is a credit to the yard and it will hopefully be no time at all until she can start to drive the boxes. 

Ascot Sales

Born To Reason (IRE) 2014 B.G.                                                                                                         BY Born To Sea (IRE) EX Laureldean Lady (IRE)

This 5yo has a flat future very much in mind. He has been placed on his last four starts now on a mark of 46, winning of a career high of 55. Born to Sea is for sale to stay in the yard.

Canford's Joy (IRE) 2015 B.G.                                                                                                              BY Canford Cliffs (IRE) EX Joyful (IRE)

This 4 yo formely of Amy Murphy’s yard, won on his last start at Brighton off a mark of 63 and now raised to 66. Twice a winner at 2yo, he gained an opening mark of 82 before as mentioned wining again. We aim to continue his flat trajectory and build upon his sprinting success. Canford’s Joy is for sale to stay in the yard.

Statistical Summary

Jumps 19/20

Earnings - £19,986

Wins - 3

Top 4 finishes – 11/24 (45.83%)

Flat 19

Earnings - £131,036

Wins – 18

Top 4 finishes –75/177 (42.37%)

Year 2019

            Earnings - £181,252

            Wins - 22

            Top 4 finishes – 106/261 (40.61%)