Four Winner Week

              Saccary & Rian Corcoran

It has been a great week for the yard with four winners from our last six runners and we are now on four winners for the new season.  October Hill got the ball rolling at Ffos Las last week under a fine ride from Rian Corcoran.  Rian has actually been on board all our winners of late as Jack Tudor is currently not riding and serving a ban.  October Hill has been very consistent since joining us from Ireland but was yet to get her head in front over hurdles.  She had been placed a few times but did have to bounce back from a slightly lesser effort at Exeter last time.  The handicapper had given her some help and with Rian’s five pound claim she duly took advantage showing a good turn of foot inside the final furlong.  It was a competitive little race and all five runners held every chance from two out but she quickened up nicely close home to score a shade cosily.  On this evidence she can be winning again this summer.

It was a stable double and first professional career treble for Rian Corcoran at Worcester on Friday evening.  Karnaval Point made his stable debut in the 2m4f handicap chase and ridden prominently throughout he quickened clear from the field and wasn’t for catching from two out.  It was a very impressive victory in his first start since coming over from France.  We claimed the six-year-old after he won at Auteuil last month and while he has settled in well and goes very nicely at home we were not sure quite what to expect.  We thought the ground may be quick enough for him as his win in France last time was on heavy ground but he handled the quicker conditions with no problems and it was a nice performance.  He has won three times in France and this was a fourth career victory and it was great for members of our David Pipe Racing Club.  The handicapper will of course have their say after this but he will stay further and there is lots of look forward to with him in the coming months as he seems very versatile with the trip and ground.

Rian had already won the first two races on the Worcester card but had to wait to the lucky last to bring up his treble.  Saccary had finished runner up in his last three starts but went one place better to score for the first time over hurdles in impressive fashion, quickening up very well on the run in.  He is now going on his summer holidays and now he has got his head in front I am sure he can continue to progress.  He is rated quite highly on the flat and we may look to run him on the level at some point as well when he returns.  It was a memorable night for Rian with three winners from three rides.  He rides with maturity and confidence and his five pounds is a great asset.  He has ambitions of being champion conditional jockey this season and we will certainly be supporting him in this quest. 

Grand Clermont capped a fine few days for the yard by winning at Uttoxeter on Sunday.  He left his debut effort well behind in quite a breath taking display, jumping fantastically and he seemed to come alive inside the final circuit and pulled himself to the front leaving the back straight.  He was always in command from that point and it was a comfortable success for our ten-year-old who was winning for the ninth time in his career.  He was another we were a little concerned about with the ground being quick enough but he seemed to enjoy the sounder surface and definitely appreciated the step up in trip to three miles.  The handicapper will have their say after this performance and we will make some entries for him to possibly run with a penalty but we will just see how he is in the coming days before deciding a plan.  He is another we bought from France, sourcing him from a claimer and it is a route we do enjoy acquiring horses from.  Karnaval Point and Grand Clermont are good examples of what can be done and we are always on the lookout for more!

It was nearly another double on the day at Uttoxeter as Show Your Hand ran very well to be a close second in the bumper.  He travelled well throughout the race and was the last one off the bridle and looked certain to win but just got caught close to the line.  He is a lovely four-year-old who will go novice hurdling in the autumn. 

This Week

It promises to be a little quieter on the runners front this week with slightly less racing and fewer entries for our team.  We do have two runners at Newton Abbot on Wednesday, Ocean Heights and American Sniper and both will be partnered by Rian Corcoran.  Ocean Heights has not run for a while over hurdles but will like the track and ground.  He has been running on the flat all winter and running consistently without winning but we hope he will enjoy the switch back jumping.  He has threatened to win previously over hurdles and hopefully he might be able to do this this time around.  It does look a competitive little race but our lad seems in good form so fingers crossed.

American Sniper has not won for a while but the handicapper has given him some help so I am sure he can be competitive in this.  He carries top weight but Rian’s five-pound claim helps.  He was a little disappointing last time at Hereford coming back from a break but hopefully that will have put him spot on for a better performance this time.

On Thursday, Mancero could run at Worcester in the 2m4f handicap hurdle so keep checking the Daily News on the website for all the latest news on the stable runners.  It will be a relatively quiet weekend for runners but we do have some entries at Stratford on Sunday we will see what the ground is like towards the end of the week before making plans. 

Horse For Sale – Masterius

Leanne and I were at Doncaster sales last week and returned home with three lovely new acquisitions.  One of those, Masterius is a nice four-year-old gelding by Pastorius who was a close second in his only start in an Irish point to point recently and he is looking for an owner!  He looks good value at £30,000 with the winner having made £50,00 at the sales last week and we will do a bit of work with him now and learn about him, and may run in a bumper shortly.  He has settled in well since arriving and has a nice temperament and has a nice bit of size and scope.  If you would like to know more details and possibly have some relatively quick action on the racecourse, please do get in touch as we would love to hear from you. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or telephone 01884 840715.

Point to Ponting & Pony Racing Update

Last week the news broke that hunter chasing and pony racing would be stopped with immediate effect following worsening cases of equine influenza being reported.  It has been done to protect racing and thoroughbreds as even though there have been no reported cases in thoroughbreds at present, experts are worried about horses mixing from unlicensed yards where there could be unvaccinated horses and ponies which pose a greater threat to it spreading.  Point to pointers and ponies who race are double vaccinated just like any other race horse but again it is the fear some of these may come into contact with others that aren’t and equine flu is very contagious.  Point to pointing has been allowed to continue but hunter chasing has stopped and it was due to be the big meeting at Stratford later this week.  Jack was also hoping to be pony racing at Chepstow as well on Friday but at the moment everything is paused indefinitely.  All the people behind the scenes are working hard to find a solution to how things might continue in some form in the immediate future.  For now, the most important thing is that for everyone associated with horses to remain vigilant and contain and stop the outbreak so that things can get back to normal as quickly as possible.  Fingers crossed racing will not being be affected.