- Monday, 01 May 2023 09:38
- Written by David Pipe
Thanksforthehelp: Our last winner of the Season!
The 2022-23 season came to an end at Sandown on Saturday and we had a great final week to the season with four winners across both codes to end with 74 winners and over £1 million in prize money. This is our best season in terms of numbers and prize money for some Time and while I shall reflect in greater depth about the whole season in due course it has been a fantastic season and something we can build on again going forwards.
- Monday, 24 April 2023 09:00
- Written by David Pipe
Gearoid Harney (right)
Out of Action Following Fall
We are now entering the final week of the 2022/23 National Hunt season. It looks set to be a busy few days for the stable with several runners this week and it would be great to get another winner or two before the curtain comes down at Sandown on Saturday. We kick off with a flat runner at Windsor today and a runner over hurdles at Kempton this evening.
- Monday, 17 April 2023 13:09
- Written by David Pipe
Duc De Beauchene - Our 71st Winner
Another week has flown by, another Sunday and another winner for the yard thanks to Duc De Beauchene winning at Wincanton under Jack Tudor. This was our veteran chasers first win of the season but it was a deserved victory after being placed on his last three starts. The handicapper has given him some help but Jack gave him a nice positive ride and he jumped, travelled and won a shade cosily in the end. There is a race for him up at Perth next week so he will get and entry there and he may head to Scotland for his next race.
- Monday, 10 April 2023 09:26
- Written by David Pipe
Jack Tudor - New Stable Jockey
Last Thursday I announced that Jack Tudor would be riding as number me jockey at Pond House and it was fantastic to get the ‘monkey off our backs’ with our first winner together courtesy of Kepagge at Ffos Las on Sunday. This was in fact Jack’s fifth winner for me in total but the first of our new partnership. It is fair to say things have been a bit frustrating of late with regards to winners but we have been knocking on the door with lots of seconds and I was quite a relieved to get that win, our 70th of the season.
- Monday, 03 April 2023 14:59
- Written by David Pipe
A very young David, Craig & AP!!
Last week we said a fond farewell to travelling head lad Craig Wylie who has worked at Pond House for nearly 28 years. In the autumn he told us of his plans to move back to his roots in Scotland with partner Lynn and you knew the day was coming but all of a sudden it creeps up on you! Craig started work at Pond House in November 1995 and has been travelling our horses to the races ever since. Born and raised in Hawick, he left school and took employment with Jaeger as a power knitter! Although he played rugby in his younger days, horses were always his main interest. He started riding at an early age and he rode out for local trainers Ken Oliver and John Leadbetter growing up. He then worked for Mary Reveley for three years before a spell in New Zealand with Mike Moroney and then he started working for my dad when he returned to the UK.
- Monday, 27 March 2023 11:38
- Written by G Edwards
With the dust having settled on Cheltenham for another year the jumps racing action has continued thick and fast. It has been a little frustrating from our end with our runners yielding five seconds in the last week but just not being able to get their head in front!! New Age Dawning ran as well as he ever done to be second at Taunton behind a progressive rival. The track did not really play to his strengths and he was flat out all the way but stayed galloping through the line so you cannot ask for more.
- Monday, 20 March 2023 16:00
- Written by David Pipe
King Turgeon - Happy With His Win!
In the blink of an eye the 2023 Cheltenham Festival has been and gone. All of us involved in our sport dream of having Festival winners but with the domination of the Irish at the moment it is proving very difficult for everyone but we will all re-group, re-build and try again next year!! Thanksforthehelp was carrying the weight of our Pond House expectations but sadly it was not meant to be. He did not get the clearest of passages from the very beginning of the race after the standing start and I never really felt totally happy at any stage. He had a few traffic problems and even though he came through to have a chance before the last, he could not sustain his challenge. Ultimately he was only beaten eight lengths which covered the first 12 horses home, perhaps testament to the fact the early gallop was not that strong which also would not have suited.
