- Monday, 28 July 2014 15:29
- Written by David Pipe
There has been plenty written about Tom Scudamore’s error of judgement last Monday when taking the wrong course aboard Run Forest Run for trainer Karen McLintock so I will not dwell on the subject too much. Needless to say that Tom was mortified as soon as he realised his error and has apologised profoundly to all effected by his mistake. He accepted his punishment of a twelve day suspension (commencing 13th August) with the good grace and dignity befitting of a gentleman and he seems to have come out of this with his reputation enhanced rather than damaged by the entire saga.
- Monday, 21 July 2014 15:41
- Written by David Pipe
Well, he got there in the end! A P McCoy finally surpassed my father’s tally of winners with success in the Summer Plate at Market Rasen aboard It’s A Gimme on Saturday. To ride 4,192 winners is a phenomenal achievement and judging by his appearance at Pond House on Sunday evening to claim bragging rights, his hunger is undiminished. He still wants to ride 300 winners in a season and that feat alone would put him firmly on his way to an extraordinary 5,000 winners.
We had a lovely little get together last night (Sunday) to celebrate his achievement and for all that has been made out of the competition, it has all been in good humour and we could not be happier for him. Congratulations from everybody at Pond House to a very special talent.
- Monday, 14 July 2014 15:43
- Written by David Pipe
It has been well publicised that champion jockey A P McCoy is nearing the number of winners that my father sent out during his time as a trainer (4191) and it would seem that as he has drawn closer to that tally, the winners have become harder and harder to come by. It is a target that A P had set for himself after riding his 4000th winner and it has been an on-going personal challenge between him and my father for some time. To think that it has taken McCoy twenty years to achieve this total is some testament to the success that my father enjoyed as a trainer, although I know he will be delighted when the champ finally surpasses his tally. They have been exchanging teasing texts over the past few weeks, but it has all been of a fun nature although my father has threatened to take out his trainers licence again…I certainly hope he is only joking, otherwise I will be on the lookout for another assistant trainer!
- Monday, 07 July 2014 15:47
- Written by David Pipe
As I alluded to last week, we have been busy at the sales recently. Following a productive time in Ireland where we picked up six new recruits, we enjoyed an even more fruitful time in France where we purchased another eight inmates. They are a mix of promising, young unraced horses and a few with their ability already proven on the racecourse including exciting lots Alternatif and Batavir (pictured above). At this time last year we were all very excited for the season ahead and following a great campaign, we are extremely fortunate to be able to solidify an already strong team with these new additions. Of course, we wouldn't be able to achieve any of this without the wonderful support of our great group of owners, both old and new and for that I am extremely grateful. These are certainly exciting times for everyone at Pond House.
- Monday, 30 June 2014 10:04
- Written by David Pipe
Kieron Edgar
Although a fairly quiet time on the racing front at the moment it has been busy in many other ways! I was in Ireland for three days last week for Tattersalls Ireland Derby sale and I am pleased to report we have six new acquisitions to the yard who are already settling in well at Pond House. Five are un-named, unbroken youngsters who are long term projects and who hopefully could be potential stars of the future! Last year’s purchases from the sale, include bumper winners and placed horses, Molo, Lady of Longstone and A Hairy Koala. This year’s horses all have nice pedigrees and could literally be anything which is the exciting part! They will now be broken in before being turned away for some grass with the view to them hopefully making their racecourse debuts in the spring of 2015.
- Monday, 23 June 2014 09:15
- Written by David Pipe
I spent the last seven days in Bergerac in the west of France near Bordeaux with Leanne, her parents and the children and while we had a lovely time, there is only so much overindulging on fine wine and food I can manage before I need to get back to the grind. I was never too far away from the action though with required bedtime reading being the upcoming Derby and Arqana sales catalogues.
- Monday, 16 June 2014 15:11
- Written by David Pipe
Although quieter on the racing front with most of the horses now enjoying their summer breaks, the good form of the stable was maintained with the success of Lady Of Longstone (pictured above) at Worcester on Tuesday. Making her racecourse debut in the bumper, our daughter of Beneficial ground out a workmanlike victory under a good ride from Tom Scudamore. She would ideally have been suited by a stronger gallop so Scu sensibly produced her to challenge some way out and she stayed on gamely to draw away in the closing stages.
- Monday, 09 June 2014 14:51
- Written by David Pipe
I was very pleased to keep the good early season momentum going with a couple of winners from our four runners over the sticks last week. Mount Haven was the impressive winner of his bumper at Fontwell on Wednesday, while Guess Again (pictured above) took our seasonal total to sixteen when following up Problema Tic’s success of twelve months ago in the Perth Gold Cup on Sunday.
- Monday, 02 June 2014 15:27
- Written by David Pipe
Last week was certainly a quiet one with only five runners and while we didn’t post any victories during that period, at least the horses continued to run well with four places from our representatives. The week ahead isn’t looking too demanding either – the stable has no runners today, while there are no jumps meetings taking place in the UK tomorrow. Indeed, the next runners from Pond House will not be until at least Wednesday at Fontwell.
- Monday, 26 May 2014 17:47
- Written by David Pipe
Although a quiet week on the racing front, we still managed to secure three winners from our seven runners to take our seasonal tally to fourteen, and thus keep the momentum going with our great start to the new term. I was particularly pleased to see classy staying hurdler Top Wood (pictured above by kind permission of Matthew Wilkinson) make a seamless transition to the larger obstacles at Towcester on Monday – he enjoyed a relatively light campaign last season so will be kept on the go during the summer months and he is definitely one to keep on the right side of. With most of his stable mates now out to grass for their holidays, we will be left with a team of around 15-20 horses to run.
