Racing's Blank Day

 Jumps racing has just returned from its summer mini-break and so while things have remained quiet on the racecourse they are busy for the team at home. The horses have returned from their summer holidays and are all back cantering on the gallops and getting fitter.

This Week

Our first jumps runner for quite some time will be Ocean Heights at Stratford on Monday afternoon. He has won two races on the flat this summer but this will be his first run back over hurdles for twelve months when he finished third at Stratford over the same distance. He has only ever ran six times over hurdles and been placed a couple of times, he is definitely up to winning a race like this. Later in the week we have Old Bridge and Kintaro both entered at Worcester and Newton Abbot. Keep checking the Daily News on the website for all the latest news on the stable.

Rian Corcoran Conditional Jockey

Rian Corcoran is now officially a professional jockey after completing his conditional jockey’s course at Newmarket at the end of last month. He will ride as a conditional claiming a very useful ten pounds initially and finger crossed for a successful winter ahead

Stable Staff Golf

Gemma and Jack played in a stable staff golf competition at Wincanton racecourse organised by NARS last Monday and Gemma won! Apparently, she played quite well but was ultimately well handicapped! Jack Pipe was not given much wiggle room by the handicapper off 18 and played well and scored 30 points in his first ever golf competition. He has not even played many 18 hole courses so it was a great learning experience for him. They both qualify for finals day in Warwickshire in September; he is supposed to be back at school by then so we will have to see what happens! Gemma got a nice trophy and would like to thanks NARS for putting the event on, I think it was the first time they had had a qualifier in the West country and I hope they will have one again next year. They get of lot of people playing in Lambourn and Newmarket year in year out so it would be nice if it caught on down here.

Racing’s Blank Day

The racing fixtures that were originally scheduled to take place on Wednesday 10th September at Lingfeld, Carlisle, Uttoxeter and Kempton will not take place as British Racing goes on strike for the first time in Modern history. This is a one-off step for the sport to show strength of feeling at the Government’s proposals to raise tax on horse race betting ahead of the Budget, and it is anticipated a decision will be made in the autumn.

The Government wants to bring the tax rates on online horse betting in line with the tax rates for online games of chance such as slots and casinos; it is currently taxed at a different lower rate (currently 15% and want to change it to 21%). If it goes ahead with its proposals, it will be devastating for racing’s finances and impact jobs and communities across the country. This is because it will make British racing an even more expensive product for bookmakers, which will have the knock on effect of them offsetting the rise by offering worse odds, cutting bonuses, reducing advertising and marketing. All leading to a decrease in the amount of money flowing into the sport via the Levy. Another major concern is that it will make people choose to bet on the black market, from which racing derives no benefit.

Economists say that this could have a destructive impact with a £330 million revenue hit to the industry in the first five years and putting 2752 jobs at rick in the first year alone. This would be the third leg of a financial triple whammy with affordability checks and restrictions having already led to a £1.6 billion decline in online betting turnover in the past two years already. The aim of the blank day of racing is to highlight the strength of racings concern at the Government’s tax proposals to the Government, politicians, media and public. Horseracing is the nation’s second largest spectator sport and approximately 85,000 people rely on racing for their living. The cost of the blank day of racing will be in the region of £200k but the fact the sport has collectively agreed to do this will hopefully send a clear message of the importance and severity of the situation being faced by the sport should the tax thresholds be raised. Racings senior leaders will be in Westminster on that day to raise these concerns in person. The blank day is just one part of the Axe the Racing Tax campaign.

Everyone with an interest in Horse Racing, from working in the industry to being simply a lover of our sport are being encouraged to support the campaign by signing the Axe The Racing Tax petition and you can do so by following the link below. https://www.change.org/p/axetheracingtax-back-british-horseracing?recruiter=1379376085&recruited_by_id=cbf6a270-696f-11f0-b15b-11e5209b8018&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=petition_dashboard&utm_medium=copylink

Pond House Team

Jaipaletemps (FR)

A three time winner in France, he was claimed by his current owners in January. Ran his best race to date at Worcester in June when second but did not quite stay 2m4f at the same track on his next outing. Soft or heavy ground are his ideal conditions over two miles, which he has not had in England thus far. He has just returned from a short holiday and is handicapped to run well when he is back on the track.

Jurancon (FR)

A high class individual who has not finished out of the first two in eight runs for the yard, winning two bumpers and three hurdles races and finishing runner up on the other occasions. Now rated 132, he will have to step up another level but has an engine and an attitude to match and one to follow this winter. Likely to start over hurdles but is a lovely chasing prospect as well.

Keep Star (FR)

A relatively lightly raced five year old who was an acquisition from France during the summer. He is full brother to Dindin who was a very good horse in France that also won races and did well for Pond House. He is a two-time winner over hurdles, perhaps a little unlucky not to be more after falling on another occasion as well. A lovely big chasing type, he went out to grass when he arrived for a late holiday and we look forward to learning more about him as we increase his work.

Kingston Queen

Winner of two bumpers last season including a valuable listed mare’s bumper at Market Rasen. She probably bettered that form again when finishing a close third in the Grade 2 mare’s bumper at Aintree and in doing so, proving that she is one of the best mares in the country in this division. She has won her only start in an Irish point to point as well and she shows great heart and determination in her races. We cannot wait to see her over hurdles this winter and she is a very exciting prospect.

King Turgeon (FR)

Had a terrific season last year winning on his return to action at Chepstow off a mark of 118. So impressive that day, especially with his jumping we ran him in the Grand Sefton at Aintree next over the Grand National Fences. Off a featherweight, he put in a superb front running round of jumping and kept on strongly to win again. He then completed his hat trick when winning at Cheltenham before Christmas showing great determination in a battle. His rating soared to 140 following a third carrying top weight at Wincanton after and we had an eye on the Grand National if we could get his rating up a just a little more. He ran no race at Musselburgh unfortunately in the Edinburgh National and disappointed at the Cheltenham Festival when his form tailed off a little. He exceeded our season expectations by far and what a journey he took his owners on. He has summered well and has just returned from a wind operation. He will be aimed at the Grand Sefton chase again and maybe the Becher chase after this with the Grand National in the back of our minds long term. He does seem to prefer a sound surface and we cannot wait to see him back over the National fences again this season.

Lady Balko (FR)

A likeable mare who had a fantastic first season over fences, winning three times, the third of those a valuable mare’s handicap chase at Hereford. Found things tougher when the handicapper raised her to 137 but needed a break come the end of the season and I hope there is more to come this winter in staying races. She has a great attitude, is very tough and consistent and is a pleasure to train.