Don't Tell Mary

Keith Trowbridge's 2yo filly Don't Tell Mary won the maiden at Bath last evening on her debut beating the odds-on favourite in the process.

This victory made several people very happy including Keith and his wife Mary (who, clearly, had found out) together with their two sons, daughter, daughter-in-law and friends of the family who were all present to greet their filly in the winner's enclosure and exhaust the supply of champagne in the hospitality lounge.

Paul Makin, the owner of Starcraft, a first-season sire, was reported to have been deliriously excited for his horse to sire a winner with his first runner.

Tom was more than a little excited as Don't Tell Mary was his 100th winner on the flat. (He had passed the 100 winner mark, overall, with the success of Gross Prophet on 5th May, but that score included three National Hunt winners)

22 October -out of the doldrums

After 66 winless days with 38 runners Gross Prophet a stable stalwart did the business at Kempton Park on Wednesday evening 22 October. This was the longest winless period that the yard has had to endure and Tom was mightily relieved when Gross Prophet got up and won quite convincingly in the end. As Tom said 'That horse is an absolute legend'. It was his 16th run of the year and his second win and he is totally genuine and always runs his heart out.

Last night at Wolverhampton it looked as though Campbeltown Trader would add to the score but he met an enormous amount of trouble in running and had he managed to extricate himself a little earlier would surely have broken his maiden. He has now run five times and come second on three occasions. This is often the sign of an un-genuine horse but it certainly is not the case with Campbeltown Trader. He has just been unlucky.

This week we are sending a number of horses to Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale at Newmarket with four going through the ring on Tuesday including both our 2yo Group 2 winners Classic Blade and Firth of Fifth as well as our 3yo listed winner Clifton Dancer. On Thursday five more are entered to be sold.

Winner number 27

Willridge won on only his third attempt at Salisbury today in a 7 furlong 3yo maiden. The owners John and Diane Dewhurst, who bred him, were delighted to have a winner. Richard Kingscote gave Willridge a perfect front running ride and shortly before the line he was two or three lengths in front. The odds on favourite finished back in third. Willridge clearly relished the soft ground.

This was the yard's 27th winner of the year passing last year's total of 26 winners with over four months of the year to go.

It has been a really fantastic year so far and we have plenty to look forward to this coming weekend, next week at York and the following weekend at the Curragh and Deauville. MIchaela Sowerby rides Blakfrankisch in the Ladies Derby at Newbury on Saturday. The very impressive Marine Boy runs in the Gimcrack on Wednesday, a Group 2, Noverre To Go who looked a certain winner on his debut at Doncaster only to throw the race away because of greenness, is in a Group 3 on Tuesday and Max One Two Three, who has been off the course since her run in the 1000 Guineas, makes a welcome return in a Listed race on Friday. Classic Blade, who was being aimed at the Tattersalls Ireland Sales Race at the Curragh on Saturday 23 August, may go instead to the Prix Morny, a Group 1, at Deauville on Sunday 24 August.

This last week has been very pleasing. Gross Prophet a tough and genuine horse won on his 13th outing of the year. Before that Shadow Bay who had been bought out of Mick Channon's yard privately after being declared a non -runner in a claimer, won a nice handicap in style.

Declarations & entries w/c 4 August 2008

Handful of Magic runs at Yarmouth tomorrow, Wednesday, at 6.05 pm and Naughty Thoughts runs in the 8.05 pm.

On Friday The Game is entered at Brighton, 4.00 pm and Newmarket 8.20 pm.

On Saturday The Game is entered at Ascot at 2.20 pm and Lingfield 7.40 pm. The Legal Blonde is entered in a Group 3 at Newmarket at 3.15 pm.

On Sunday Wing Home is entered to run at Windsor at 3.00 pm and Gross Prophet at 5.00 pm.

Declarations & entries w/c 28 July 2008

Shiva Adiva runs at Yarmouth this afternoon at 2.30 pm. Michaela also has a ride in the 5.00 pm.

On Wednesday Firth of Fifth runs at Goodwood at 2.50 pm in the Vintage Stakes, another Group 2. Unfortunately he has the worst draw. Sayif who Classic Blade beat at Newmarket also runs.

Also on Wednesday Blitzen has been declared to run at Kempton at 6.30 pm and Eyes Like A Hawk in the maiden fillies race at Leicester at 8.15pm.

There are a number of entries on Friday 1 August. The Game is entered at Thirsk at 4.25 pm, Clifton Dancer in a Group 3 at Goodwood at 5.15 pm, Belated Silver at Bath at 6.05 pm and The Game at 8.45 pm, Naughty Thoughts at Newmarket at 6.25 pm and The Game at 7.30 pm and The Game is also entered at Haydock at 7.50 pm.

On Saturday 2 August Noverre To Go (named by Aimee Barnes) is entered in a maiden at Doncaster at 2.50 pm and Gross Prophet is entered at Newmarket at 4.40 pm and Lingfield at 7.20 pm.

On Sunday 3 August Marine Boy is entered at Newbury at 2.10 pm (although the race is likely to divide) and The Game is in the 3.50 pm.

Declarations and entries w/c 14th July 2008

Gross Prophet runs today at Wolverhampton in the 8.50 Handicap Stakes. Richard Kingscote rides.

Wednesday Prince Desire runs at Kempton in the London Mile Handicap Stakes at 7.50.

Thursday Gross Prophet is entered at Leicester in the 5.30 Apprentice Handicap Stakes.

Friday Rowan River is entered at Newbury in the 2.35 Fillies' Handicap Stakes and Blakfrankisch is also entered on Friday at Newbury in the 4.10 Apprentice Handicap Stakes.

Saturday Shiva Adiva runs at Newbury in the 3.25 Weatherbys Super Sprint and lastly on Sunday Naughty Thoughts in entered at Redcar in the 5.20 Apprentice Handicap Stakes.

Declarations & entries w/c 19 May 2008

On Monday 19 May Savile's Delight runs at Windsor in the 7.10 Claiming Stakes.

On Tuesday 20 May Gross Prophet runs at Leicester in the 6.50 Handicap Stakes.

On Wednesday 21st May Zaskar runs in the 8.40 Fillies' Handicap Stakes at Sandown Park and on Thursday 22nd Doctor Robert in the 8.40 at Salisbury.

I would also like to say 'thank you' to everyone who kindly sponsored me for the bungee jump (which fortunately never took place) at the Lambourn Open Day. The total amount came to £320 and was very gratefully received by the organisers on behalf of the charities that they were supporting.

I have updated the Horses For Sale page on the website for a very nice colt by Refuse To Bend that I have available for sale. He did a very good breeze at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up and I purchased him for only 32,000 guineas.

1000 Guineas and this week's runners and entries

1000 Guineas

I'd like to thank everyone who sent me messages of support and 'good luck' for Max One Two Three's run in the 1000 Guineas yesterday. It was a huge thrill to have a classic runner in only my third season and although it was naturally disappointing not to have been in the prize money it was a fantastic experience from which lessons have been learned. We could not have had better publicity and I am very grateful for the coverage that I and the ONEWAY team received. None of this would have been possible without the support of some fantastic owners and, in the case of Max, from Bert Black and his family and friends. Thank you.

Runners and entries w/c 5 May 2008

Gross Prophet runs this afternoon at 3.45 pm at Warwick.

On Thursday I have entered Savile's Delight at Goodwood at 3.00 pm and both Clifton Dancer and Zaskar at 4.10 pm.

Saturday could be a busy day. At Lingfield I have entered Max One Two Three in a Group 3 for fillies and mares over 7 furlongs (3.40 pm) and both Desert Dreamer and Savile's Delight in a ladies amateur rider's race at 5.15 pm. I have also entered Old Father Zieten at Haydock in a 6 furlong maiden at 3.45 pm and Prince Desire in a 6 furlong handicap at 4.20 pm. Wing Home is entered in a maiden at Warwick at 6.25 pm.

A busy week and another run for Savile's Delight

This week has been really busy at Oneway and my office. The first quarter of the year always generates new business opportunities and this year has been no different. Hopefully a few will come off and new business deals will be struck. This year might see a rapid deceleration in the marketing sector and, if it does, we need to be more protected against the credit crunch hangover. (Tom would also like to have a few more clients so please give him a call if you are interested in a horse or share).

The job at Oneway is not so different. 2006 was a great start with a handful of two-year-olds and older horses giving the stable a good start. 2007 was a brilliant continuation but with a slightly different profile of two-year-olds, a few older horses and only Ishi Adiva and Shawhill
in the three-year-old age group. This year Oneway has more two-year-olds, mostly bought by Tom at the sales last autumn, a few older horses and for the first time a handful of the classic generation.

Of course the most exciting of the three-year-olds, on paper, is Max One Two Three, the winner of the Rockingham Stakes at York. As Andrew Black (Bert) has hinted to on his blog we will be aiming her at the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. We might be trying to bite off more than we can chew but we will give it a go. Her form is good. A line through Rosa Grace her conqueror at Newbury (which Tom blames himself for!) would have seen her running in the first four in the Dubai 1000 Guineas run at Nad Al Sheba last week.

Apart from Max, Tom also has Clifton Dancer a nursery winner, Zaskar a dual winner last season, Parisian Gift a winner at Lingfield this winter and Gross Prophet a multiple winner and a seriously consistent type. There are also a couple of others that we will discuss over the next few weeks.

The reason I mention this is that the older horses are very well and seriously fresh at the moment! Tom is definitely getting his hands dirty both in and out of the saddle! Let's just say that Clifton Dancer one of the most passive horses of all-time has decided to 'drop' his rider on each visit to the gallops. This was previously unheard of I'm not even sure that she got this excited when she was being broken in!

Add the well being of the classic generation and older horses to the frisky two-year-olds and I'm sure that Alton Towers would be considered a breeze! Let's just hope that everyone and all the horses stay in one piece.

I'm guessing that it could also have a lot to do with the very mild temperatures that we are having this year. In our garden the daffodils are already out (my wife says that they aren't the winter type), the catkins are on the trees and the birds are in full song at 6.20 in the morning. I
imagine the horses also think it's spring, let's just hope we aren't surprised by a long cold snap. I remember when Sheikh Mohammed took some of his two-year-olds to Dubai to winter for the first we all thought that they would have a massive advantage on their return because they would be more forward in their coats etc. Well I think 'nature' may well be trying to even this out.....but that's definitely not a good thing!

Today Savile's Delight runs at Southwell. His last two visits to the track have produced wins over the minimum distance. I would hope for the same result today. His run at Wolverhampton on Monday was rather disappointing. There seems to have been lots of comments about the distance but I personally don't think 7 furlongs is out of his range. He has, of course, previously run and won over 7f even beating horses such as Fonthill Road. In the blog at the weekend Tom mentioned that he was concerned about coming round the home turn with a wall of horses in front, which was absolutely the case. As such the draw, losing a shoe and a bit of indecision probably cost him the race and so it's best to move on. Today would be a great opportunity to do just that.

Of course there are a couple of other beasts in the race and the most likely 'second' would be Spoof Master ridden by Tom’s good friend Jim Crowley. Jim is having a magnificent time of it on the flat and fully deserves to be 5th in the AW Jockey's Championship. Let's just hope he doesn't add another winner to his tally in the 3.50 at Southwell.

Powered by ScribeFire.

Great way to start the New Year

3 runners 2 winners....what a great way to start 2008.

It is fantastic that you can have a short break and return to the horses in good form, well done staff.

Sawwaah ran as we had hoped on Saturday under a fine ride from Richard Kingscote. It wasn't the strongest contest that's why he started even money favourite but even so he ran like a favourite should, not dropping himself to far out the back and staying-on on the bridle.

Gross Prophet ran another solid race in the Conditions event and may now have a break as there aren't many opportunities for 3-year-olds over 6/7 furlongs between now and the start of the turf season. He has done brilliantly up until now.

Savile's Delight has just won the 12.40 at Southwell under a good ride from Michaela. That's her second winner for the yard in just six starts. The horse is entered again on Friday at Kempton so we will have to wait and see how he is before making any decisions.

Hope Road is entered for a Juvenile hurdle on Wednesday. The ground is likely to be very soft at Newbury so we will see what happens with the weather.

Happy New Year and here's to our first runners of 2008

Thank you all for our Christmas cards and gifts. Michaela and I had a fantastic break in Thailand and are recharged for the coming year.

We ended 2007 on a high with wins for both Gross Prophet and Parisian Gift. Those wins enabled us to post a total of 26 winners for 2007. Now to beat it in 2008.

We are going to start of with the ever young Sawwaah and the osmium tough Gross Prophet. Both are running at Lingfield this Saturday, January 12th, in the 12.45 and 2.55 respectively. At the weights Sawwaah has a great chance whilst Gross Prophet would possibly be the first 3-y-o to beat his elders this year on the flat if winning the Conditions event.

We also have a couple of entries for next Monday, January 14th with Savile's Delight (12.40) and What's for Tea (2.10) at Southwell. I will post an update on these two runners on Saturday. We need one or two to come out of the respective races.

Next week I should also have a runner over hurdles at Newbury. Hope Road, is entered in the Juvenile Novices' Hurdle (12.50) which potentially looks a hot race if Quenta Des Bordes and Mamlook stand their ground.

Declarations & entries w/c 17 December 2007

Tomorrow, Wednesday, we have two horses declared at Lingfield.

Sawwaah is in the 12.40 pm, a claimer over 10 furlongs and is drawn 2 of 11.

Parisian Gift, who has just been purchased by PG Tipsters, runs in the 1.40 pm., a maiden over 7 furlongs and is drawn 10 of 14.

On Thursday, at Wolverhampton, Gross Prophet has been declared for the 6.50 pm novices stakes over an extended 5 furlongs.

On Friday, What's For Tea is entered at Southwell in a 6 furlong nursery at 1.30 pm.

These will be the stable's last runners for 2007. Michaela and I are off for a two week break on Saturday and Andy Lindsay, our head lad, will be giving the horses an easy time until our return on 6 January 2008.

A happy Christmas to you all and may you have a healthy, happy and successful year in 2008.

Adding to the numbers - winners and yearlings!

This week I'm in Newmarket for the Tattersalls' October Yearling Sales. We have had one winning bid so far for hip 215, a nice looking son of Halling out of a Sadler's Wells Group 1 placed mare, Mystery Play. http://www.tattersalls.com/cat/october/2007/215.pdf.

As a half brother to Conceal a listed multiple winner in the Emirates and with a further 6 winning half siblings I had expected it to make a bit more than the 25,000 guineas that we paid.

We have also reached our target for the year in terms of winners....but we're not stopping there!

Last night Richard Kingscote gave What's For Tea a great ride from the front at Kempton to record our twentieth winner of the year. It was also the thirteenth winner of the year for Alan Solomon and I would like to thank him for all the support that he has given to ONEWAY this year.

Also a big thank you to all the staff for working so hard and making our success possible. Well done team!

We have a few entries this weekend including Gross Prophet who has been declared to run in a Conditions race at Ascot. It will be his 10th race this season and I am sure he will run well. Also Max One Two Three goes for a listed race at York. There are 15 runners declared and we have been drawn in the middle. She has already been put up 6 pounds by the handicapper without running as the two horses that came home first and second in her last race at Newbury performed well in a Group 3 at Newmarket.

On Sunday, October 14th, What's For Tea in entered at Lingfield, Clifton Dancer is in a Nursery at Goodwood and Ishi Adiva is entered at Bath where she won as a 2-year-old.