- Monday, 03 March 2025 16:01
- Written by David Pipe
Jurancon Winner at Newbury
Jurancon was a welcome winner at Newbury on Saturday, his third win of the season on his first try in handicap company. His form figures for us now read 12121211 in his career so as you can see he is a very nice horse who always runs his race. He won this race off a mark of 127 and did things pretty comfortably. Jack Tudor said he does not do a lot when he hits the front so there is more to come. There are no immediate plans for him but he has come out of the race well and he will be an exciting novice chaser next season. He will appreciate a step up in distance at some point but he is not short of speed and if the ground stays soft enough he will be running again this season and Aintree is a possibility.
Jurancon was our 46th winner of the 2024-25 National Hunt season and draws us level with winners for last year’s total. We are well ahead on prize money won and with just under two months left until the end of this season, I would hope we can add a few more to the tally. It has been a pleasing season so far and hopefully we can keep it going for the next few weeks.
Pachacuti returned to form to be second at Newbury on Friday while Walkadina ran a good race to fill the same position at Ludlow the day before. Pachacuti enjoyed the return to hurdling, we left all the headgear off and he galloped all the way to the line behind an impressive winner. This was a step back in the right direction and he can build on this next time. Walkadina returned from a wind operation and stayed on strongly to just to be denied at Ludlow. She probably will appreciate a step up in trip but it was good to get her back to form and she can win again going forwards.
River Run Free could not complete his hat trick of chase wins at Leicester last week, finishing a close fourth this time. He returned from the race not quite himself and is a reason for a below par effort. We will get him right and he can resume winning ways in due course.
This Week
It is a quiet start to the week for us on the runner’s front with our first runners likely to be on Thursday. Lock Out is an intended runner in the conditional jockeys chase at Wincanton and Ben Bromley will ride. He ran well to be second at Hereford last time and will enjoy the sunshine forecast this week and drying ground. At Fontwell, Saccary will run in the maiden hurdle while we have Royal Mer, Activist, Jaipaletemps and Bras D’or entered on the card. Keep checking the Daily News for the latest information on the stable runners but at this stage, the plan is for Bras D’or to make his rules and stable debut in the bumper. He is a lovely young horse who will carry the famous colours of owner J P McManus. Second in an Irish point to point, he has settled in well to life at Pond House and it will be good to get him out on the track. On Friday, we have entries at Exeter and Leicester.
Windbeneathmywings
While the countdown to the Cheltenham Festival next week is well and truly on, unfortunately for us, Windbeneathmywings will not be heading to the Champion Bumper on Wednesday. One of the favourites for the race since bolting up at Ascot before Christmas we were very much looking forward to seeing him in action but sadly, he has suffered a setback. It is a big blow to owners Professor Caroline Tisdall and Geoff Thompson and to the team at home but hopefully it is just a minor setback. He is a huge talent with a big future and we will give him all the time he needs.
Gericault Roque
Gericault Roque is in good form at home and has two entries next week, in the National Hunt Chase on Tuesday (12/1) and the Kim Muir (16/1) on Thursday. Runner up at the Festival in 2022 he has only been in seen three times since which includes a third place in the December Gold Cup at Newbury that year. I was pleased enough with his comeback run at Windsor in January where he just got a little tired but he has improved plenty for that at home and I cannot wait to see him back in action next week.
King Turgeon
King Turgeon holds an entry in the Ultima chase at Cheltenham on Tuesday. Plan A, was to run at Doncaster last Saturday but unfortunately he was a non-runner after pricking his foot the day before. Thankfully has taken no time at all to recover and he was back full of beans on the gallops on Monday morning. Perhaps he was telling us he wanted to go to Cheltenham! I shall be discussing options with his owners before the confirmation stage later this week but he is another who will appreciate the drying conditions this week and at 16/1 for the race he may well take his chance.
Point-to-Point Update
We took two runners for Larkhill on Sunday and African Lady ran well to be third in the maiden while Royal Defender unfortunately pulled up. Martin McIntyre rode both horses and African Lady is not very big but she is a great jumper and looks capable of winning between the flags. She is for sale should any point-to-point people be interested in buying her – please get in touch! It was Jack and friend, Oscar’s first visit to Larkhill and they were very impressed with the course although I think they were equally impressed but the large display of army tanks and vehicles that were close by on a training day!
This weekend, the pointing action come from Charlton Horethorne and we have First Lord Du Cuet entered in the Open and conditions races. We hope to give him a few confidence-boosting runs in point to points before returning to rules action and Rian Corcoran will ride.
Jack Pipe Back in the Saddle
Jack and his pony, Candy Kisses are also likely to be in action a pony race at Charlton Horethorne on Sunday. While we know, his pony is not a racing pony he thought he would like to have another go while the quest for a slightly faster pony goes on! While the race is open to ponies up to 148cm in height and she is only 133cm, it is for novice riders and ponies who have never won so hopefully there will not so many fast ones in this race! It will be another learning experience for them both and hopefully the ground will be a little less testing which might help them out as well.
Cheltenham Festival Marquee
We have a hospitality marquee at the Cheltenham Festival each day again this year, which provides a great base from which to enjoy a day’s action. We are sold out on Tuesday and Wednesday but we do still have badges available to purchase on Thursday and Friday. If you would like further information or would like to join us in the marquee and purchase a badge, please do get in touch by phoning the office 01884 840715 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
