- Sunday, 18 February 2024 07:52
- Written by G Edwards
Royal Mer runs today at Southwell!
Today we have two runners at Southwell, Ya Know Yaseff and Royal Mer. Ya Know Yaseff runs in the opening race on the card, a three mile handicap chase and Jack Tudor rides. She is generally very consistent and has won two chases this season and been placed several times but she did put in a blelow par effort at Hereford last time. She never went a yard that day and it was definitely too bad to be true. We found her to be in season when she got home to the yard and so is a possible reason for the lacklustre effort. She seem in good form at home again now and while the ground might not be ideal she did handle similar conditions well at Wincanton where she finished second. There is already a non-runner which was quite a fancied one in the betting so I would hope if she puts her best foot forward she has a very good chance.
- Saturday, 17 February 2024 07:47
- Written by G Edwards
Today we have two runners at two different meetings with one at Ascot and one at Wincanton. Phantomofthepoints runs in the opening race on the Ascot card, a 2m3f novices hurdle at 1.15pm and Jack Tudor rides. He has just had the two starts for us, finishing a close second on both occasions, the first time in a bumper at Ffos Las and the second time in a hurdle race at Ayr. He was a neck second to a useful sort on hurdling debut and they pulled miles clear of the rest. He is a gorgeous big son of Mount Nelson out of the mare Swing Bowler who we used to train at Pond House. She was talented and had a great attitude and this one has definitely inherited this from his mum.
He will enjoy stepping up in distance today but this does look a competitive race. There are 11 runners and we are 7/2 second best in the betting. The favourite, Inthewaterside has a rating of 128 and sets the form standard but he does have to give us seven pounds which will hopefully be enough to turn things in our favour. It is not just a two horse race either, there are some nice young types in the line-up so it will not be easy!
- Friday, 16 February 2024 08:01
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
It is a quiet day at Pond House as there are no runners for the stable today, but yesterday we had 3 runners at Sandown. Sizing Pottsie did not run too badly, he seemed to be a little outpaced early on but kept going up the hill to finish fourth, it might be an idea of going up in trip now. Man Again jumped well early on, but seemed to lose his confidence as the race went on and he pulled up, but he goes much better than he showed yesterday at home, so I’m sure we will see a different horse next time round. Placenet was our last runner of the day and he travelled and jumped well, he looked to have every chance at the pond fence but didn't quite stay up the hill as well as the others, but we are still learning about him, so there will be more to come hopefully.
- Thursday, 15 February 2024 07:50
- Written by G Edwards
Lady Balko wins at Hereford!
It was great to get our 29th winner of the season yesterday with a deserved first success over hurdles for Lady Balko at Leicester. She has improved on every start over hurdles and after a good second at Leicester last time she won easily yesterday. She travelled and jumped well before Jack sent her on and she powered clear from rounding the home turn. The handicapper will likely have his say after this but we do have her entered at Taunton next week so we will see how she comes out of this but running her again quickly under a penalty is a strong possibility.
Today we have three runners at Sandown, we were due to have one at Leicester as well but that meeting was abandoned yesterday afternoon. Sizing Pottsie, Man again and Placenet make up our Sandown trio while Moodofthemoment was due to head to Leicester. Sizing Pottsie runs in the opening contest on the Sandown card, a conditional jockeys handicap hurdle over two miles and Gearoid Harney rides. After a promising seasonal reappearance to be second at Uttoxeter he ran a bit below that level of form on his last two starts although it wasn’t a bad run at Leicester last time where he was fourth. The handicapper has given him a little more help and Gearoid takes off seven pounds today (he wasn’t on board at Leicester). He loves testing ground and I think he can run well today at about 9/2 in the betting.
- Wednesday, 14 February 2024 07:53
- Written by G Edwards
Heure De Gloire runs today!
Our lorries are heading in three different directions today with runners at Fontwell, Hereford and Kempton. We have two runners at Fontwell, King Turgeon and Heure De Gloire, one runner at Hereford, Lady Balko and one runner on the flat this evening at Kempton, Makanao.
The first lorry to set off was the one to Fontwell, with King Turgeon running in the 2.50pm handicap chase over three miles. He is a previous course winner over a shorter trip last season so we know he handles the figure of 8 track, but will definitely appreciate the extra distance today. He will also enjoy the testing conditions and this represents a slight drop in grade from the race he contested las time at Leicester. He dropped a pound for that run but with Gearoid Harney back on board today (was on board for his win at Exeter earlier this season) he claims a valuable seven pounds off his back. He does have to put a couple of slightly below par efforts behind him but I don’t see why he can’t and looks a good each way price at 10/1.
- Tuesday, 13 February 2024 07:44
- Written by G Edwards
Kingofthewest runs today!
Today we have three runners at Lingfield, Iceo Madrik, Kingofthewest and Activist with Jack Tudor on board the first two and Gearoid Harney has his first ride back on Activist. Iceo Madrik runs in the staying handicap chase at 3.00pm over 3m5f, he heads the weights but is the outside of the field. He ran okay over hurdles on his seasonal reappearance at Newbury but then was disappointing at Plumpton last time in the Sussex National. I thought he might run well that day but after travelling and jumping well for the first circuit he stopped rather quickly after that. The ground was probably not soft enough that day, but I am not sure that explains the run but he enjoys soft conditions and stays well so todays conditions should be fine. The handicapper continues to give him some help and I imagine he will be ridden slightly differently today in a slightly lower grade of race. His French form wasn’t bad but he is yet to reproduce that over here, fingers crossed we might see a bit more today.
- Monday, 12 February 2024 07:44
- Written by G Edwards
We are back to Monday again, (weekends, go far too quickly!!) and there are two jumps meetings today at Catterick and Plumpton. The stable does not have any runners. There is an all weather meeting at Wolverhampton and no racing in Ireland today.
Things were a little disappointing over the weekend for the stable, American Sniper cruised into contention three out in his race at Newbury on Saturday, but did not last home and weakened quickly. I thought he would appreciate the 3 miles but maybe on this testing going it was a bridge too far. I didn’t think Jilaijone ran too badly in the Betfair hurdle, held up towards the rear, He did pass rivals later on but was never able to get involved in the business end of the race. Both horses have returned home safe and sound and we can look forward to other days.
