- Wednesday, 21 March 2012 08:31
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
The stable enjoyed another winner yesterday when our only runner, Katchmore was successful at Exeter. He defied a 7lbs penalty and the welter burden of 12-5, although his young jockey Tom Bellamy was able to claim 10lbs off his back as he works in the yard. That is quite a chunk of weight to be able to take off and is a good incentive for trainers to use these young jockeys, especially when they are good value for it, such as Tom who is clearly very promising. Katchmore was maintaining his unbeaten run since joining the yard, although things will get harder as the handicapper hit him hard for the first of his successes. When you take Tom Bellamy's claim into account, he was actually 3lbs lower than when scoring at Taunton so hopefully the handicapper will not see fit to put him up anymore.
- Tuesday, 20 March 2012 08:02
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
The stable has one runner at Exeter this afternoon, Katchmore, who was successful on his Pond House debut at Taunton last week. Young Tom Bellamy more than offsets the penalty earned for that success with his 10lbs claim and he is due a sharp rise in future handicaps so he looks to be a leading contender today.
- Monday, 19 March 2012 09:17
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
It was a great weekend for the yard with David landing the Midlands National for a second consecutive year, this time courtesy of the gallant Master Overseer. He battled on really bravely in the closing stages to see of Major Malarkey, the pair of them pulling 16 lengths clear of the third. Master Overseer won well at the start of the season over hurdles at Chepstow but had just disappointed a couple of times more recently and this was an excellent training performance from David to bring him back to land this £37,000 prize. I thought that Tamarinbleu also ran a cracker - yes, I know that is a strange thing to say about a horse that was pulled up, but he was bang there until four out and didn't seem to get the trip. A drop back to trips around three miles should see the veteran winning again.
- Sunday, 18 March 2012 00:00
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
David Outside Our Cheltenham Marquee
Kauto Star got a tremendous reception when he came back into the unsaddling enclosure after pulling up in the Gold Cup. I have never seen so many people waiting to greet a horse that has not finished a race. It just shows you what a superstar he is and how many fans he has got. Ruby Walsh did the right thing in pulling him up and I think great sportsmen always know when it is time to call it a day. The problem is that horses cannot talk so it is up to connections to make the right decision for the best chaser many of us have ever seen. I don't think its a decison they should rush and I am sure they will make the right one. He has been fantatsic for our sport and for raising horse racings profile we owe him a lot.
- Saturday, 17 March 2012 08:00
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Pond House did not have any winners on the last day of the Festival but I thought AP gave Synchronised a fantastic ride to win the Gold Cup. Ted Walsh said "it wasn't out of the ordinary". I think as you get older you see things differently. Champion hurdle winning jockey Noel Fehily said " How he won i'll never know", while Davy Russell said it was a great ride. Ted Walsh must have been looking at a different race! Tom Scu finished a gallant second on The Giant Bolster. I said to Tom afterwads that he was probably working out his percentage as he crossed the line. Tom replied I was working it out coming to the last! It may not have been the best Gold Cup of all time but it certainly one of the most exciting and the only thing you can say for sure is that it was won by the greatest jockey of all time! Well done to all connections.
- Friday, 16 March 2012 08:25
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
It was great for David and the stable to have a winner yesterday. Salut Flo made all in the Byrne Group chase and won by six lengths and the noise in the marquee was deafening! It seemed like everyone had backed him! Mind you MCP was tipping him to everyone that would listen! Click on 'read more' for a little video clip of him returning to the winners enclosure. It was great for Tom Scu as well as he gave him a great ride to record his second festival success, these winners are very hard to come by and mean so much to everyone. It was great for owner Allan Stennet as well. He is a great supporter of David and National Hunt racing and his patience with Salut Flo has been rewarded. It was only our geldings second run in almost two years after suffering a tendon injury and it was fantastic to get him back in such fine form.
- Thursday, 15 March 2012 08:03
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Buena Vista at Cheltenham 2011
David has plenty of runners at the Festival today, 14 if you count On Khee in the charity race! Zaynar, Our Father, Ashkazar, Buena Vista, Great Endeavour, Dynaste, Notus De Latour, Matuhi, Salut Flo, Swing Bill, Faasel, Piraya and Sona Sasta. The fairy story will be if Buena Vista can win the Pertemps Final again for the third time. He is a real Cheltenham favourite and it would be a great story is young ten poun claimimng jockey Tom Bellamy could win on the 11 year old. He will run a big race I am sure but as Ruby Walsh said in the Racing Post the other day, Cheltenham is not Disney!
