e_street_boy_wincanton_steve_kemp

It is great that the yard continues in such good form with the Cheltenham Festival now less than a fortnight away.  Yesterday we notched another across-the-card double courtesy of Qalinas at Lingfield and E Street Boy at Wincanton (pictured above courtesy of Steve Kemp) taking our seasonal total to 90.  I must pull jockey Michael Heard to one side though after his post race quote - the young amateur said 'He won well.  He was going so well for me, all I had to do was get him home'.  Now what Michael should have said was 'I gave him a great ride - it took all of my skills to win on the six year old and I don't think he would have won without me in the saddle!'  I'm sure he will learn!

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Franklin_Roosevelt_Leicester

We enjoyed another nice winner when Franklin Roosevelt (pictured above) got up close home to land an eventful novices' chase at Leicester under a cool ride from Tom Scudamore yesterday.  Our seven year old was winning his second race in the space of eight days and appears to be on an upward curve and can hopefully go on to win again.

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Franklin_Roosevelt_Southwell

There are three meetings taking place this afternoon with two of them over the sticks at Leicester and Catterick and an all-weather flat meeting at Lingfield.  The stable has runners at Leicester of which Quinte du Chatelet looks quite interesting.  His recent form hasn't been great but he is on a feasible mark based on some of his old hurdle form and Tom Bellamy claims a handy 7lbs off his back, while Franklin Roosevelt (pictured above) bids to follow-up his Southwell success of last week.

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Volt_Face_Towcester

It was another fine weekend for the yard with a couple of winners yesterday courtesy of Shoegazer at Fontwell and Volt Face at Towcester.  Shoegazer won the Josh Gifford Cup under Noel Fehily, taking our eight year old's tally over fences to five wins from ten starts - he gave favourite Poungach a 3 1/4 length beating from level weights, so it was clearly a good performance - I am sure that owner Wayne Clifford will keep the trophy very well polished.  Meanwhile, over at Towcester the yard enjoyed yet another bumper winner as Volt Face (pictured above) made a winning racecourse debut under Tom Scudamore - it is always difficult to know what the form equates to, especially in these newcomers races but he could do no more than win by ten lengths and will have learned plenty for the experience.

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Shoegazer_Newton_Abbot

This afternoon there are just two meetings taking place over the sticks at Fontwell and Towcester and the stable has runners at both meetings.  The admirably consistent Shoegazer (pictured above winning a Listed contest earlier in the season at Newton Abbot) takes his chance in the novices' chase for the Josh Gifford Cup at Fontwell at 2.40pm and while there are only five runners, it looks like a competitive little race for the £20,000 prize money on offer.  Josh was a great trainer with a love of cricket and I will always remember how he used to take a cricket team over to the Isle of Wight each year and stay at the Atherfield Bay holiday camp.  I used to play table tennis exhibitions at Atherfield Bay, but to give you some idea of how long ago I am talking, the site is no longer there.  The managing director now runs Potters in Norfolk - they hold the Indoor British Bowls Championships at the holiday village...it is well worth a visit.

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Broadway_Buffalo_Warwick_220213b

What a great day for the stable yesterday afternoon with four winners moving David back up to third place in the trainers' title.  Shotavodka (A P McCoy) and Doctor Harper (T J Murphy) were our winners at Sandown, while Broadway Buffalo (pictured above) and Ballynagour scored at Warwick.  Feature race winner Ballynagour was one of the easiest winners I think I have ever seen and I would imagine he will be facing a hike in the weights for this.  David has said that he will probably now go for one of the handicap chases at next month's Cheltenham Festival.

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Doctor_Harper_Taunton_web

There is some good news to start the day as both jumps meetings at Sandown and Warwick have passed their early morning inspections and racing goes ahead.  The stable has runners at both meetings - at Sandown, bumper winner Doctor Harper (pictured above) takes in a very competitive looking bumper so the result should be informative, while at Warwick unbeaten Broadway Buffalo makes his second start over hurdles - he looks very promising.  Meanwhile there are also two all-weather cards taking place at Lingfield and Wolverhampton.

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