- Monday, 28 April 2025 14:13
- Written by David Pipe
The 2024-25 jumps season came to a thrilling conclusion on Saturday with Willie Mullins, not surprisingly having yet another super Saturday and coming from behind Dan Skelton at the start of the day to well in front and win the title in convincing fashion by the end of it.
- Monday, 21 April 2025 10:17
- Written by David Pipe
Chemical Warfare
Eight Time Winner This Season
Despite not having a winner in the last few days and I am delighted to have reached 50 winners for the season! How you may ask, well…. Chemical Warfare now has an incredible eight wins to his name for the season. We thought his win at Sedgefield the other day was his seventh, our 49th, but rather by accident, no one official has told us, we have discovered that he has been awarded a race that he actually finished runner-up in because the winner has been disqualified! It is quite fitting that he should be our 50th winner has he has been a flag bearer for the yard at his level for a twelve month period which is a testament to both him and to us for keeping him in such good form for the whole year.
- Monday, 14 April 2025 17:10
- Written by David Pipe
Chemical Warfare
Seven Time Winner This Season
Chemical Warfare was our 49th winner of the season when winning at Sedgefield on Friday evening and what a star he has been since joining us. In just under twelve months, he has now won seven of his fourteen starts, a 50% strike rate, and you could argue he is a little unlucky not to have at least one or two more wins beside his name, once when falling and once when finishing second and not having a lot of luck in running. His first win was from a mark of 75 at Market Rasen, while on Friday he was winning from a rating of 115 and this was for the third time at Sedgefield. His progression has been a joy to watch and he is a horse who wears his heart on his sleeve and always tries his best. While the Eider chase at Newcastle last time proved a little beyond him, he showed his resilience and bounce back capabilities in calmer waters. He is a horse who thrives on his work and routine, we tried to give him a little break during the winter but I am not sure enjoyed being off games that much!
- Monday, 07 April 2025 14:32
- Written by David Pipe
Kingston Queen - Third at Aintree
It was a case of ‘third-itis’ last week with three of our five runners filling that position but Kintaro and Castle Daragh ran their best races for a while and took a step in the right direction while Kingston Queen ran a cracker in the Listed mares bumper at Aintree. Kingston Queen has done nothing but improve all season and took another step forward to be a close third on Thursday. She was prominent throughout, galloped all the way through the line, showing a great attitude, and was closing on those in front of her in the final strides. She would have preferred a bit softer conditions underfoot but it was a good performance and that is it for her for the season now. She is a lovely mare and one very much to look forward to over hurdles next season after a holiday.
- Monday, 31 March 2025 15:50
- Written by David Pipe
Vieux Lion Rouge will be Parading at Aintree
On the final day of this month, I can report that it has been officially the driest March at Pond House since we started recording the rainfall 25 years ago. Just 8mm of rain has fallen here in the past 31 days, which fell on 22nd March (6mm) and 28th March (2mm). The previous lowest recorded amount of rainfall during March was back in 2012 when just over 22m of rain fell so we are quite some way below the previous lowest. In March 2024, we had 137mm of rain and up to the end of that month last year, the running total was 462.5mm. For the same period in 2025, we have had 243.5mm of rain. Despite the beginning of this year seaming as if it was endless rain, we are now well and truly behind last year!
- Monday, 24 March 2025 14:27
- Written by David Pipe
Rian Corcoran & MCP
The continuing dry weather has meant we have not had that many runners in the last week. The ones we have ran have all run well but a little frustratingly have not yielded a winner. Keppage was be our first runner of last week but I ended up making him a non-runner, as the ground was too quick.
- Monday, 17 March 2025 16:40
- Written by David Pipe
First Lord Du Cuet & Jack Pipe
Winner at Buckfastleigh
(Photo Courtesy of Jill Hurst)
The last week has flown by and just like that, the Cheltenham Festival 2025 is done and dusted. I hope you all enjoyed the week, there were some great winners and emotional stories behind those winners and my initial impression is that in general, it was a good week for our sport. We had just the three runners and sadly were not involved in the finishes but I was there every day and it was lovely to have so many familiar faces in our hospitality marquee. Matt Chapman came in every day before racing to go through the day’s card with me and I think we managed to find a winner or two along the way!
- Monday, 10 March 2025 13:36
- Written by David Pipe
Activist Winner at Fontwell
We are of course on the eve of the Cheltenham Festival and we head to Prestbury Park tomorrow with two runners who have each way chances. King Turgeon runs in the Ultima handicap chase at 2.40pm while Gericault Roque runs in the 5.20pm National Hunt chase and Jack Tudor rides both.
- Monday, 03 March 2025 16:01
- Written by David Pipe
Jurancon Winner at Newbury
Jurancon was a welcome winner at Newbury on Saturday, his third win of the season on his first try in handicap company. His form figures for us now read 12121211 in his career so as you can see he is a very nice horse who always runs his race. He won this race off a mark of 127 and did things pretty comfortably. Jack Tudor said he does not do a lot when he hits the front so there is more to come. There are no immediate plans for him but he has come out of the race well and he will be an exciting novice chaser next season. He will appreciate a step up in distance at some point but he is not short of speed and if the ground stays soft enough he will be running again this season and Aintree is a possibility.
- Monday, 24 February 2025 15:50
- Written by David Pipe
Gericault Roque
Cheltenham Handicap Weights Revealed this Week
Skin Full and Chauffeur Driven were our best runners of last week and both horses filled the runner up spots carrying the colours of owner Sarah Ling. We stepped Skin Full up in distance, to three miles for the first time under rules and he put in his best performance to date. He had finished second in and Irish point to point so we knew he would stay and he appreciated the better going and unfortunately, for us, he just lost out in a prolonged battle with the eventual winner. He showed a good attitude and galloped all the way to the line. I think we may have ‘bumped into one’ on this occasion and on this evidence our six year old is capable of winning a similar contest going forwards.
