- Tuesday, 02 June 2015 07:11
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Today we have four meetings taking place with three flat cards from Ripon, Brighton and Wolverhampton as well as a jumps fixture from Southwell. The three meetings from Brighton, Wolverhampton and Southwell do not total £100,000 in prize money for their twenty-two races - as far as I am concerned they should be ashamed of themselves. Top jockeys Tom Scudamore, Sam Twiston-Davies, Richard Johnson and Brian Hughes are all at Southwell where the prize money for the last race is worth £1559.52 to the winner - okay, that is my rant over for this morning! The stable has no runners this afternoon.
- Monday, 01 June 2015 07:06
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Have you missed me? What do you mean "Have I been away?!" We arrived back home on Saturday night after a great time in Ile de Re where we celebrated Martin's 70th birthday. The beaches nearby are fantastic with miles of golden sand, meanwhile there was also a Carousel nearby which Martin went on with David's children Jack and Sophie...he seemed to enjoy it more than the kids! Everybody on the island seemed to be riding bicycles including David, although he looked a bit stiff by the second day! There was a very good article in the Racing Post yesterday about Richard Hannon and MCP - the piece by Alistair Down started off in the early days and brought you right up until the pair retired and there sons took over.
- Sunday, 31 May 2015 08:53
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Broadway Buffalo Enjoying his Holiday
It is fairly quiet on the racing front today with just one jumps card at Fakenham and one flat card at Nottingham. Meanwhile in Ireland there is a jumps card at Kilbeggan and a flat meeting at Listowel. David does not have any runners today, in fact it is looking fairly quiet this week before we look forward to another trip to Paris next weekend. As you would expect, entries for the French Champion hurdle look high class and include a few raiders like ourselves. While we have Ballynagour and Un Temps Pour Tout entered, Paul Nicholls has entered Zarkander and Harry Fry has Activial entered. Willie Mullins has entered a few, including the might Hurricane Fly and Thousand Stars as well as Val De Ferbert who finished runner up to Ballynagour last time at Auteuil. We shall see what stays in the race later in the week but we are all systems go at the moment! We also have Katkeau and Dell'arca entered in a handicap hurdle on the same day and while their plans have yet to be finalised they could make the trip across the channel later this week.
- Saturday, 30 May 2015 07:07
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
My Brother Sylvest - 2nd in his last 3 races
There is a bumper list of fixtures taking place this afternoon with flat cards from Chepstow, Chester, Haydock, Newmarket and York, supported by jumping action from Stratford. The stable has three runners this afternoon at Stratford; My Brother Sylvest, Western Diva and The Bank Manager and stable jockey Tom Scu is aboard all three. My Brother Sylvest has produced three very good performances to finish runner up in competitive handicaps and he looks sure to go well once again. The trouble is he has been creeping up the weights without winning – he certainly deserves a nice prize, so let’s hope it is today.
- Friday, 29 May 2015 07:44
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
I must start today by wishing Martin a very happy 70th birthday and by that I mean I really must as I will be collecting my P45 otherwise! There is a great piece in today's Racing Post illustrating five of Martin's greatest achievements as a trainer...I am amazed they could narrow it down to five as there have probably been enough to fill the entire paper. A couple of my fondest memories are included - I remember backing Baron Blakeney ante-post for the Triumph Hurdle in 1981 and was congratulating myself on getting 50/1 about our grey only for him to return at 66's...some judge I am, at least he won! I notice they credit Martin with the purchase of Champion Hurdle winner Make A Stand from the Leicester claimer, although I still dispute that one to this day as I'm sure it was me...I guess as it's his birthday I will allow him bragging rights for the day! There will also be a piece about Martin and another soon to be birthday boy, Richard Hannon by Alistair Down in Sunday's paper following a recent interview (pictured above) and I would imagine it will be well worth a read. Anyway, many happy returns Martin, we all hope you have a fantastic day.
- Thursday, 28 May 2015 07:50
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
There are five meetings taking place this afternoon with flat fixtures from Sandown, Haydock and Lingfield and jumps action from Worcester and Wetherby. David casts his net far and wide today with two runners on the flat - one each at Sandown and Haydock, while he also has two jumpers at Worcester and Wetherby. Mikey Ennis, who won the Midlands National for the stable aboard Big Occasion in 2013 before concentrating on a flat career rides both Beijing Star and Rathealy. He has to perform something of a 'Challenge Anneka' to dash from riding Beijing Star in the 1.50pm at Haydock to partner Rathealy in the 6.00pm at Sandown...David is certainly making him earn his riding fee! Meanwhile, Tom Scudamore is taking it much easier with a couple of rides at Wetherby including forecast favourite Rathlin Rose (pictured above) for the stable. Our seven year old gelding was an Irish point-to-point winner so we know he can jumpa and he was the best of these over timber and looks to have a good chance of getting off the mark at the first attempt in the novices' chase. Multimedia is our other runner today at Worcester where he will be partnered by Kieron Edgar - he ran better last time at Warwick and a reproduction of that effort would give him a squeak.
- Wednesday, 27 May 2015 07:48
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
There is a busy day ahead with five meetings taking place this afternoon - three of them on the flat from Thirsk, Hamilton and Kempton, while there is also jumps action from Cartmel and Newton Abbot. David has just the one runner today, Alternatif (pictured above) who begins his chasing career in the 2m5 1/2f beginners' chase at 3.50pm. He put up a personal best last time out when a close second in the valuable Long Distance hurdle at Haydock on Swinton day and he has always looked a chaser in the making. Tom Scudamore makes the long journey up north with him and a clear round of jumping should see them go close, meanwhile Scu has also picked up a useful couple of outside rides for Gordon Elliott at the meeting.
