Boxing Day Double

          No Walkover Aintree Winner

I hope everyone enjoyed Christmas Day and especially Boxing Day like I did!  After getting the work done on Christmas morning we had a lovely family lunch followed by a restful afternoon before evening stables and then early to bed in preparation for the following day.  I was up to feed both our runners, Red Wine Supernova and No Walkover before they left for racing and what a day it turned out to be!

It was the first time in a several years I did not go anywhere on Boxing Day but after a busy morning getting all the work done, Jack, Pete and I headed to the local pub to watch the racing action from there.  There was some terrific racing on both sides of the Irish sea and a thrilling King George, well done to Harry Redknapp, the Ben Pauling team and Ben Jones.

We had to wait until a bit later in the day for our runners but it was very worth the wait with a Boxing Day double!  Red Wine Supernova was given a nice patient ride by Rian Corcoran, tracking the leaders before moving up to challenge on the home bend.  She came there on the bridle as the race quickened and he pushed her out inside the furlong to win a shade cosily in the end.  She has always shown a great attitude at home and it was nice to see her put in a performance like this.  I know there were only four runners, but the runner up was and expensive recruit from the sales and was sent off favourite so I do not think the form will work out too badly.  We will now follow the same route as Kingston Queen, who won this race last year and she will head for the mares listed bumper at Market Rasen in January.  As mentioned before, she shows very similar qualities to Kingston Queen, both being out of the same sire and she is an exciting prospect for novice hurdling next season.  If all went well at Market Rasen we would have to look at the other top mare’s bumpers at both Sandown and Aintree later in the season.

   Red Wine Supernova Sedgefield Winner

Just 20 minutes later I was enjoying watching No Walkover win the valuable bumper at Aintree putting in a lovely performance under Jack Tudor.  Carrying a penalty to victory in a bumper is not easy but he did so with authority against some well-regarded opposition.  He was a little keen early in the race again but when Jack asked him to quicken up the home straight he did so nicely and went away from his rivals inside the final furlong.  He handled the ground but probably would have liked it a little softer and he is a lovely big four-year-old who is a long term staying chaser of the future.  He will stick to bumpers now for this season and we may look at the listed contest at Newbury next. 

Activist ran well to be fourth at Chepstow on Welsh National day, getting a little outpaced but staying on strongly in the final stages.  Bashful Boy also ran well on the all-weather to be second at Southwell.  He chased home a useful looking rival and there will be easier opportunities for him to get his head in front going forwards.  Gentleman Toboot was the only disappointment in recent days, finishing third at Leicester in a race he should have won.  He seems fine immediately after the race but we know this run was too bad to be true so we will see how he is and if anything comes to light in the coming days before making our next plan.  Penn Avenue made a pleasing hurdling and stable debut at Doncaster on Monday afternoon to be third behind rivals who had jumping experience.  We have not had her that long and we are still learning about her but she is a flat winner who has taken to jumping well and there will be plenty more fun to be had with her going forwards.

This Week

On Tuesday we have two runners at our local track Taunton, on what is their biggest day of the year.  October Hill runs in the Listed mare’s novices hurdle over two miles and makes her stable debut.  She has finished placed on her last four starts in Ireland and as settled in well since joining us.  She may find this race a little sharp as she probably wants a little further than two miles but she will like the ground and it will be good to get her out for her local owners.  There are still shares available in her so get in touch if you would like more details!  There is good prize money on offer and we will see if we can get us much as we can and maybe even some black type for breeding purposes if we get in the top three.

I would hope Green Sky has a good chance in the final race of the day at Taunton with Rian Corcoran riding.  She took a step forward from her stable debut, finishing third at Hereford last time and this will be her second run after a wind op.  The track and ground will suit and with Rian taken a handy six pounds off I hope she will not be too far away.

On Wednesday, Saccary runs at Uttoxeter and on New Year’s Day we are likely to be at two meetings, Exeter and Windsor.  Thanksforthehelp is likely to take his chance in the valuable 2m4f handicap hurdle so keep checking the Daily News on the website for all the latest news on the stable runners.  Looking a little further ahead, we have entries at Wincanton and Sandown on Saturday and Chepstow and Plumpton on Sunday.  The weather looks set to turn colder again come the weekend and frost sheets are already being deployed at some of these tracks so we could be in the lap of the gods as to what racing goes ahead.

Christmas

All the staff enjoyed a lovely evening at Villa Verde Italian restaurant last week for our Christmas meal.  It was very good food and a great atmosphere as the young and old mixed well together and told stories of days gone by!  We also had Christmas breakfast rolls from the local Potters Butchers on the Saturday before Christmas courtesy of mum and dad which went down a treat and we have copious amounts of chocolate to get through thanks to lovely people who have given treats to the yard.  Also many thanks to Ronnie Barlett for the pallet load of Albert Bartlett potatoes that he generously gives each year, they certainly are a big hit with the staff and their families.  Last but not least, a very big thank you to all our wonderful owners who contribute kind gifts towards our staff party, it is greatly appreciated by us all.  The work may continue like normal over Christmas but all these little things mean a lot to all the staff and keep them going.

Stable Staff Awards

Leanne and I nominated Gemma for the Godolphin Stable Staff Dedication award and she did very well making the top ten.  She has since undertaken two telephone interviews and has since heard the news that she has unfortunately not made the top three.  It was however a fantastic effort to get that far and we might try again next year with 23 years of dedication under her belt!

Happy New Year

As the Festive period continues I would again like to wish you all a very Happy, Healthy and winner filled 2026.  Thank you for reading and all of your support this year and I hope we can continue our successes in the New Year.  I shall probably be tucked up in bed before Big Ben chimes midnight on New Year’s Eve but I hope you all have a good evening whatever you may be up to!