- Monday, 13 August 2018 13:20
- Written by David Pipe
Jamie Overton & Jack
With the jumps racing action having taken a mini-break over the last few days we have been quiet on the runner’s front. We did have one runner on the flat at Haydock with Acker Bilk on Thursday. He was making his yard debut and although disappointing, jockey David Probert was not too negative and he thought are gelding did not really ‘let himself down’ on the quick ground. He has good form on the all-weather and so will probably appreciate some cut in the ground. I am sure he can leave this run well behind him next time where he is likely to go over hurdles.
Rain at Last
We have had a nice drop of much needed rain over the weekend. We had 26mm on Saturday and Sunday and add that to what we got at the end of last week it totals over 56mm in the last few days. Although the rainfall seems to have been a bit hit and miss as to where it fell, a number of racecourses will be grateful for what they have received; many in fact now have soft in their going descriptions and we haven’t seen for quite a while!
This Week
Looking ahead to this week we are going to be relatively quiet once again but we could have runners at Newton Abbot on Wednesday. Dream Free and Malangen could make their stable debuts while Delirant holds an entry in the maiden hurdle and Take the High Road in the handicap hurdle. Delirant finished fourth on his yard debut at Bangor, the form of the race has worked out very well and we have been waiting for some genuine good ground to get him out on the track again. Dream Free and Take the High Road also hold entries at Market Rasen at the weekend.
Dell’arca has two entries on the flat both at Newbury, one on Friday and one on Saturday. He may struggle to get in the race on Friday so could run Saturday but his long term aim is a race in Ireland over fences in September.
Holidays are Over
The majority of our horses are now back from their holidays and are cantering away steadily while the later ones in are doing their roadwork. I really enjoy this time of the year as the horses settle into their daily routine and you have a blank canvas where you can start dreaming and planning the road ahead. You can see which horses have matured or maybe even grown and changed shape and just like humans they put on weight and come back in in various shapes and sizes. Several can be lively for the first few days of cantering which tests my nerves a little but we have a good team of riders and once they settle into their routine everyone is happy and we start steadily progressing their fitness. We have a lot of new horses that have not run for us as yet so it is exciting looking ahead to the Autumn when we will get to see them on the track.
New Recruit For Sale
MUTANAQEL
Last Wednesday was Doncaster sales and I acquired a nice three year old gelding called Mutanaqel who is looking for an owner. He is rated 72 on the flat and been placed in three of five starts on the flat. I spoke to Owen Burrows who trained him before I bought him and he recommended him to go hurdling. He has settled in well to Pond House and we have already done a lot of work with him in the loose school. He is fit and will be ready to go juvenile hurdling very shortly. If anyone is interested in being his owner please get in touch for more information on 01884 840715 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Somerset Cricket
Away from the horses I finally got to watch Somerset play cricket yesterday in Taunton. This was their final home match of the Vitality Blast Twenty20 match and they beat Glamorgan quite comfortably in an entertaining game. Somerset are doing very well this year and a win against Kent on Thursday will ensure they get a home tie for the quarter finals of the competition. Thanks must go to Jamie Overton for getting us the tickets for the match. Jamie likes his racing and came to visit the yard the other day. My son Jack was in his element and is now his number one fan!
Game of Golf
I am also on a day out today playing golf in the Jim Old Charity Golf day at Malborough. I am kindly invited to be part of owner John Dale’s team. Ashley Farrant is also on our team, though we have gone for the social occasion and to enjoy it rather than thinking we are likely to win any prizes! I will let you know next week how we got on!! Talking of golf I must say a big thank you to Wincanton racecourse for hosting their annual stable staff golf competition last Friday. It is a great event appreciated by all the local yards. We sent along a team from Pond House which was made up of Martin Ayliffe, Gerry Supple, Ashley Farrant and Gemma Edwards. They were not amongst the prizes but were pleased with their effort in very testing windy conditions. The competition was won by the Wincanton racecourse team with Harry Fry’s in second and Anthony Honeyball’s in third.
