- Sunday, 01 December 2019 08:51
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
With Leicester called off today there is no runners from Pond House but all eyes will be on Fairyhouse where there are some stars on show. Envoi Allen, Samcro, Apple's Jade, Honeysuckle, and Penhill just to name a few in Grade 1 races like the Royal Bond novices hurdle, Drinmore novice chase and Hatton's Grace hurdle. Fingers crossed they have no weather problems and racing goes ahead. In November we had over 150mm of rain at Pond House, which is on top of 145mm that we had in October and nearly 100mm in September - it has been the wettest Autumn we have recorded for several years. We have coped with it well at home and it has meant many of the horses have got onto the track for their first races sooner than in recent times. We are due a few colder days now at the start of this week before the rain returns again. With Sandown and Aintree next weekend we do not mind the rain coming! Vieux Lion Rouge is on course to run in the Becher chase once again over the Grand National fences. He is a former winner of the race and finished second last year. He is in good form at home and already a winner this season we return to Aintree hopeful of another good run.
- Saturday, 30 November 2019 08:07
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Champers on Ice Winner at Newbury
We were thrilled with Champer's On Ice win at Newbury yesterday under a great front running ride from Tom Scu. He lead the field a merry dance under top weight and as they came to challenge him up the home straight he fended them all off. It was a super display of jumping and we were delighted to have got him somewhere back near his best. He had some high class form in his younger days and was in fact third in the Albert Bartlett novice hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. He was off the track for quite a while through injury and you never know quite how they will return but he has now made it two from two this season. He dropped down in class last time at Ffos Las and won nicely and it is amazing what confidence this can give a horse and he loved every minute of yesterday and is a very happy horse this morning. Owners Bryan Drew and Caroline Tisdall have been very patient with him and I am delighted they were rewarded with a great success. He is out in the field and looks more brown than grey this morning! We have the option of going back over fences again at some point but there are no definite plans at present. Eamon An Cnoic did not look himself at Newbury yesterday unfortunately but he seems fine this morning and we will get him fully checked over in the coming days as his run was too bad to be true.
- Friday, 29 November 2019 08:06
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Champers On Ice runs at Newbury
Today is the start of the Ladbrokes Winter Festival at Newbury which is two days of top quality action and what a feast we have to look forward to. The yard has two runners today, Eamon and Cnoic and Champers On Ice both ridden by Tom Scu. Eamon runs in the 1.50pm handicap chase over 2m3f. It looks fiercely competitive but we are hopeful of a good run. He was an early departure at Cheltenham on his seasonal reappearance when Tom got unseated at the second fence but this is uncharacteristic and on the best of his form he looks to have a good each way chance with conditions in his favour. Champers On Ice runs in the final race on the card, a handicap hurdle over three miles and it looks equally as competitive. Champers won last time out at Ffos Las and it was fantastic to get him back to form. He has some high class form to his name in his younger days but unfortunately had time off due to injury and this was his first win back. He did it nicely that day, the softer the ground the better and although he has top weight in a more competitive race he looks to have a decent each way chance. There are some great stars in action also on the card, with Champ and Paisley Park to name just two so it should be a great afternoon of action.
- Thursday, 28 November 2019 08:25
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
It was a case of so near but yet so far yesterday with both of the stable runners finishing second. Delface put in an exhilarating round of jumping at Hereford (albeit a little to his left) on only his second start over fences. He only gave best after the last and should be winning more races judged on this effort. Meanwhile, Meep Meep Mag also ran well in the closing bumper at Wetherby. She kept trying all the way to the line and was not beaten very far. She will clearly appreciate a step-up in trip and has a smashing attitude and could pick up a similar race but looks to be a surefire winner over obstacles.
- Wednesday, 27 November 2019 08:26
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
There was a good day for the stable at Sedgefield yesterday as both of the Pond House runners were successful. Induno (pictured above) showed a really likeable attitude to win on his hurdling debut. He didn't travel as well as he can, but he really put his head down when headed at the last and won going away on the run-in to score by 2½ lengths with Tom Scudamore never having to resort to the whip. He looks sure to get further in time and he is very much one to look forward to. Our other winner was Paricolor who landed the conditionals and amateur riders handicap hurdle in the hands of up and coming young jockey Fergus Gillard. Fergus was the epitome of cool as he bided his time on our three year gelding, coming with a beautifully timed run to lead at the last before going on to score a shade cosily. He is progressing rapidly and is proving to be yet another good buy as he was sourced from a claimer on the flat in France. He is looking to be a bargain now.
- Tuesday, 26 November 2019 08:26
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
There are three meetings taking place this afternoon with jumps cards from Sedgefield and Southwell as well as an all-weather flat card from Wolverhampton. David has two runners today as exciting bumper winner Induno makes his debut over timber in the 2m1f novices' hurdle at Sedgefield at 2.20pm, whilst Paricolor bids to follow-up his Fakenham success in the conditionals and amateur riders handicap hurdle at 3.20pm. Induno (pictured above) has looked a most promising type in bumpers, winning well at Ffos Las last time and has always looked the type to progress over obstacles. He looks to be the one to beat under Tom Scudamore. Our other runner, Paricolor won well at Fakenham last time under amateur jockey Fergus Gillard and he is in the saddle again today. He carries a penalty for that success but receives a nice age allowance and is a progressive individual who must go close again.
- Monday, 25 November 2019 08:21
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
There are four meetings taking place this afternoon with jumps cards from Ludlow, Musselburgh and Kempton as well as an all-weather flat card from Chelmsford City. David has one runner this afternoon as Story Of Friends (pictured above) runs in the 2m conditional jockeys' handicap hurdle at Kempton at 3.40pm. He makes his handicap debut from a mark of 118 which does not seem unreasonable and the form of his last start has been subsequently well advertised with the winner obliging again. He was the winner of a bumper and a novices' hurdle earlier in the season and whilst he has also won an Irish point-to-point over three miles, he is not short of pace. Jonjo O'Neill Jr is a positive booking in the saddle and he looks sure to go well.
