63 winners in 2009

Diapason won her race at Wolverhampton on Bank Holiday Monday bringing the total winners for 2009 to 63. We were all delighted for John and Diane Brown that their filly won as they have been great supporters of Tom and the yard over the last three years and they show enormous patience when their horses have set backs.

The total winners includes three winners in France courtesy of Danehill's Pearl, who won a listed race in Vichy in July, Ruler of my Heart who won a listed race in Deauville in August and Where's The Soap who also won a race in Deauville that month. We also enjoyed two winners under NH rules, King Red who won a bumper under stable amateur Nuno Santos on his first ride and Hope Road who won his first race, a chase, having run placed numerous times.

The target for 2009 was 52 winners so it was pleasing to exceed this total. However the closest we came to another Group winner in 2009 was the second by Orpen Grey in the Group 2 July Stakes,the race which Classic Blade won at Newmarlet's July course in 2008.

Runners, declarations and entries w/c 30 March 2008

Desert Dreamer was our ninth winner of the year at Lingfield on Friday.

Tomorrow, Sunday, Hope Road runs in the maiden juvenile hurdle at Kempton at 2.00 pm. There are only eight runners and Timmy Murphy rides.

On Tuesday 1 April Naughty Thoughts is entered in a mile and a half race at Folkestone.

On Wednesday Rowan River is entered at Nottingham at 4.10 pm. and Desert Dreamer is entered in another claimer at Kempton Park at 6.50 pm.

Classic Blade is entered on Thursday at Leicester at 2.10pm. Hopefully he will be our first 2yo runner of the season.

No Hope becomes Some Hope

Hope Road owned by the ONEWAY National Hunt Partnership surprised us all be getting a run in the Handicap Hurdle at Stratford tomorrow, Monday 10 March, at 4.40 pm. He will be ridden by Noel Felihy who road him last time at Warwick. Hopefully the forecast gales will not be too severe and racing will take place.

Unfortunately it was unrealistic to think we would get a run in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham on Tuesday so the Stratford option was taken instead.

Runners, declarations and entries W/C 6 March 2008

A mixed week so far with Desert Dreamer winning on Monday and Savile's Delight being beaten a nose (about two inches!) on Tuesday. Savile's Delight was in front half a stride from the line and again half a stride after but sadly not where it counts. Richard Kingscote gave both horses great rides.

Naughty Thoughts has been declared for Saturday at Wolverhampton in the 7.30 pm. It is an Apprentice Handicap and Ross Atkinson rides. The race is restricted to apprentices who have won less than five races and Ross won his fifth race yesterday. Timing is everything! He is only 16 years old and is apprenticed to Gary Moore and already has earned a reputation for the way he rides.

Our hopes next week are pinned on Hope Road.

It does not look terribly hopeful though. On Monday he is entered in two races at Stratford, the 2.10 a juvenile hurdle and 4.40 a handicap hurdle. In both he has ballot marks requiring 16 horses to come out of the first and eight out of the second. It is even worse on Tuesday, the first day of the Festival. He is entered in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices Handicap Hurdle at 5.20 but requires 23 horses above him in the list to come out before he gets a run. As they used to say 'There's Bob Hope and No Hope' and we have the latter. If he doesn't get a run either day I will just have to find something else for him.

A quick update! Hope or No Hope

It's half term and I've been struggling to write any posts! I've taken 3 days off this week but each of them has ended up with me wishing I had gone into the office. Running your own business as Tom would appreciate often calls for all hands on deck all the time.

Hope Road runs at Warwick in the TURFTV JUVENILE NOVICES' HURDLE @ 2pm. With 16 runners and a couple of previous winners in the race it looks rather competitive. But I'm going to be bullish and say the first three home will be

Prideus
Metaphoric
Hope Road

What order? Not sure.

Noel Fehily takes the ride as Timmy Murphy is at Sandown.

My father is keen to point out that Warwick is a front runners track and maybe that won't suit Hope Road but I guess he will be closer to Prideus today than the first time they met.

I know that Tom was pleased to get a run before the 24th as it would enable Hope Road to get a handicap mark before Cheltenham entries. Everyone would love a day out at Cheltenham!

A few friends own shares in the beast and one of them, Ed Prosser of Racing Post Bloodstock fame, referred to Hope Road as No Hope after his first run over hurdles. This was revised to Slight Hope after his run at Plumpton the week before last and we want it to change again today to Lots of Hope!

Runners today

Hope Road ran a far far better race today at Plumpton than he had on his debut for us at Warwick. Under a fine waiting ride from Timmy Murphy Hope Road got up in the final stages of the two mile trip to come a very respectable second. Timmy felt he would have won had he held him up a little longer although it wouldn't have done my blood pressure any good had he done so.

Savile's Delight had absolutely no luck in running from his number 12 draw at Wolverhampton over 7 furlongs and got pushed wider and wider by the other runners coming off the bend and up the straight. It was a disappointing performance but statistically it is almost impossible to win from such a high draw on that course over the trip.

Hope Road a big hope for his first run over hurdles

Today, as long as there are no further downpours or last minute cancellations will see the first run of Hope Road for the ONEWAY National Hunt Partnership. He's a nice horse and probably a more natural jumper than either Political Intrigue or Master Of The Race. I'm not sure if he's got the same ability of Political Intrigue but I hope he will show more willingness than the Master. The partners are 2 for 7 over hurdles, it would be great to be 3 for 8 but it is probably wishful thinking first time out.

The race looks interesting with the favourite having run second to Celestial Halo at Newbury. That run may or may not count for much as Prideus was a distant second but it gives everyone a yard stick. The horse that strikes most fear is the David Pipe trained Rock All. Already a 'St Leger' winner this runner could be anything.

The yard is in good form with 3 winners from 7 runners in 2008. I feel that we've been slightly unlucky with the last two runners. What's For Tea ran a solid enough race on Tuesday but came up against an unraced horse who clearly knew the time of day. Yesterday Michaela rode Savile's Delight at Lingfield and the race just didn't pan out as we would have wanted. No pace meant she had little choice but to try and make all which is very difficult at that course. They were second beaten 1/2 length. The horse may run again next week.

Horses in Training Sale

Last week I was in Newmarket the whole week looking for a couple of horses to buy to go jumping and to sell some of my existing horses.

Bold Diktator was sold to Richard Whitaker, who trains near Leeds, for an owner of his to go chasing. Rainbow Flame was also sold to go jumping, Ishi Adiva and Treacle Noir were both sold to become brood mares, Ishi Adiva to Spain and Treacle Noir to Ireland.

I purchased Doctor Robert, a maiden 2yo colt, formerly trained by Roger Charlton for new owners to me, Malcolm & Julie Cooper, who are putting together a syndicate to race him. The plan is to win a flat race and then to go juvenile hurdling later next year.

I also purchased Hope Road, a maiden 3yo, formerly trained by James Fanshaw for the ONEWAY NH Partnership as a successor to Master of the Race.

Both my purchases are horses by Sakhee (USA)