- Monday, 12 June 2017 15:53
- Written by David Pipe
It was another quiet week on the racing front with just a handful of runners and it looks like being a case of more of the same during the week ahead. It is a good job we have the politicians to keep us entertained while there is a dearth of National Hunt fixtures! Don’t worry though, enough has already been said about the General Election without me adding to it.
- Monday, 05 June 2017 15:55
- Written by David Pipe
Although the winners are proving somewhat elusive at present, it is good to see the horses continue to run well and through the first few weeks of the new jumps season, over half of all of our runners have reached the frame. Of course, summer is traditionally our quietest time of the year and with the ground very fast up until the weekend’s downpours we have had relatively few runners. Even so, there is plenty going on away from the track and I was at the sales again last week securing some nice new recruits to bolster our string ahead of the core campaign.
- Monday, 29 May 2017 07:30
- Written by David Pipe
Delface - Winner at Ffos Las
After a somewhat frustrating period it was great to finally get on the board for the season at Ffos Las on Saturday evening. Delface won the opening novice hurdle under Tom Scu, making all. Bought quite recently from Ascot sales for reasonable money he carried the colours of the Pipe’s Prospectors and won on his Pond House debut. Tom Scu kept things simple from the front and he jumped very well and won in workmanlike style. This was his second win over hurdles for the four year old as he was winner on his last run in Ireland. He will probably want further in time but on this galloping track the minimum trip was no issue and he should continue to give his owners a lot of fun along the way. He may well have another run shortly before we decide whether to keep him going or have a little holiday. I couldn’t be more pleased for everyone involved.
- Monday, 22 May 2017 15:49
- Written by David Pipe
Although we were empty-handed on the week, it was good to see the horses performing well with the majority of our runners reaching the frame. The changeable weather during the middle of last week and the spontaneous downpours meant that some of the courses were offering noticeably softer ground than initially expected. Even so, looking at the forecast for the week ahead it would appear that we are in for another warm spell so the tracks will be drying up again rapidly and we will be monitoring the going carefully before making any firm plans (pardon the pun!).
- Monday, 15 May 2017 15:40
- Written by David Pipe
The weather continues to be fairly dry but we did have 8mm of rain at Pond House last night and we could get more this week so I am sure lots of the racecourse will be praying for their fair share of any drops that fall from above! The majority of horses our on their summer holidays now and they were all basking in the sunshine last week which is a great sight but we do have a few horses to run in the coming weeks. This week looks fairly quiet but we have Work running on the flat at Chepstow on Tuesday evening with Pat Dobbs on board. This is her first run on the flat for the yard and she runs in the final race, the 8.40pm over 2 miles.
- Monday, 08 May 2017 15:08
- Written by David Pipe
Wow! What a change about in the weather. The non-stop rain of the winter months seems an eternity ago now; indeed we have just had the second driest April since we started collating the Pond House rainfall almost 20 years ago, with just 16mm falling throughout the entire month. Whilst that is good for those that are already out enjoying their holidays, it is not so good for those that remain in training with the ground now unsuitably fast and leading to small fields on the jumps cards.
- Monday, 01 May 2017 11:18
- Written by David Pipe
There is certainly no rest for the wicked! The 2016/17 season has come to a close and following a day’s holiday we are back raring to go for the 2017/18 campaign. As I have said a number of times in the past, I am not convinced that one season following so hotly on the heels of another is the best way to go, but the days where there used to be a meaningful break of a month or more where jockeys, trainers, staff and most importantly the horses can recuperate are long gone.
- Monday, 24 April 2017 16:00
- Written by David Pipe
If any proof were ever needed (and I suspect it might not be) the success of Three Star General at Cheltenham last Thursday showed that a winner at Cheltenham racecourse is a victory to cherished, be it at the all-important Cheltenham Festival in March or a charity race in April where there is no prize money on offer. Just to walk in to the hallowed winner’s enclosure victorious is an experience that every owner, trainer and jockey in National Hunt racing craves.
- Monday, 17 April 2017 11:29
- Written by David Pipe
After the frantic few weeks surrounding the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals the programme begins to wind down, especially as the flat meetings rise to prominence and many of the jumpers who have been on the go throughout the winter months embark on their summer holidays. Unsurprisingly last week was a quiet one for the stable with all but one of our runners coming at the weekend. Unfortunately we were not able to add to our seasonal total although there were some creditable performances to take encouragement from.
- Monday, 10 April 2017 15:52
- Written by David Pipe
The major Spring Festivals are over for another year. A Cheltenham winner, places at Liverpool and another excellent run from Vieux Lion Rouge in the Grand National itself means that the Pond House team was once again well represented at the top table. I am pleased to report that all of our runners returned safe and sound and would like to congratulate Aintree on another excellent meeting.
