What a fantastic training performance from Sir Michael Stoute to produce Workforce to win the Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Sunday following his disappointing effort in the King George at Ascot last time out.  He received a fantastic ride from Ryan Moore on a good weekend for the Brits - indeed, Clive Cox, Aiden O'Brien, Richard Fahey and Sir Michael Stoute were all among the winners in Paris.

I thought that Lucy's Perfect ran a good first race for the stable at Huntingdon yesterday afternoon.  She was beaten only a length into second by Dark Ranger and I would imagine that David will be able to place her to score in a novices' hurdle before too long.  The favourite Sircozy did not look any too keen and was doing plenty of tail swishing - he certainly looks like one to take on in future events.

 

I thought that it was a good performance from Cockney Trucker to turn over odds-on favourite and top ex-French hurdler Rock Noir.  Rock Noir was a little disappointing receiving 6lbs and a 17 lengths beating, and he certainly looks like he needs to settle better and may appreciate softer ground.

*****

The Ryder Cup continues today following the delays earlier over the weekend.  The European's begin (what should be!) the final day with a three point lead, and I still think that the result could be a nail-biter.  A few of the European team still look to be a little out of form, so I will be watching from the edge of my seat.  4th Oct '10

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Watch Out For...

Going through my note book for horses to keep an eye on I thought the Fanshawe trained Spensley who won at Kempton last Monday won with a fair bit in hand.  Fallon rode the handicapper and the horses did certainly not get the best of runs in the race as he got blocked several times and in the end did really well to win.  I think he is on the right side of the handicapper and definitely one to watch out for.  Here are a few more to keep on the right side of.  Tarkari finished second at Market Rasen in a handicap hurdle.  That was his first run for Evan Williams and showed a lot of promise.  He also could make into a useful novice chaser.  Herculean won at Haydock over 1m6f in a handicap going away from the field.  He should win again on the flat although he will make a very useful hurdler if connections decide to send him that way or ever think about sending him to the sales.  My last one to watch out for is Moonsail who finished second in a mile maiden at Haydock.  The filly looked very green that day and I am sure she will have learnt a lot from her first run and should go well next time.

I heard a good story from the Ryder Cup golf at Celtic Manor.  A marshall found Tiger Woods' ball in the rough and he marked it by leaving his hat on it!  Tiger then signed the hat for him so I shall keep an eye out for that one on Ebay!
3rd Oct '10

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Woodlark Island Non Runner Today

Sorry to go on about golf again but I was watching the start of the Ryder Cup yesterday it was very wet and I am sure that if it had been a stroke play Championship they would have not of even started.  The greens and fairways looked flooded and you always have to remember that generally the television usually makes everything look a bit lighter and brighter than it really is.  Play was eventually stopped as the course became unplayable.  I am sure a few of the players relaxed by playing ping pong as the Americans call it.  Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods seem to be the best players but on the TV yesterday Mickelson said that Kuchar is the dark horse and can play a bit!  Although it is dry at the moment.  With the weather forecast as it is it seems they may get a lot of practice at ping pong.  I just wish I could sneak in and give them a game!  I would fancy challenging them to a game as I used to be fairly good even with a frying pan or the bottom of a wine glass!

Back to the racing.  Dream Ahead looked like a very good colt when he won the Group 1 Middlepark Stakes at Newmarket by nine lengths yesterday.  Jockey William Buick said he gave him a feel like no other horse has ever given him and young Buick has ridden some good horses so that was a very bold statement to come out with.  His trainer said he does need a bit of cut in the ground but he does look a bit special so is one to look out for in the future.  There is some great action to look out for on TV this afternoon.

David did have a runner today, Woodlark Island in the 4.05pm race at Fontwell but he has just been declared a non-runner as they have had a lot of rain which has softened the going quite a lot.  After 32 millimeters of rain yesterday it is now good to soft, soft in places at Fontwell so there could be several non runners there this afternoon so keep a close eye on the cards. There are three jumps race fixtures tomorrow, Kelso Uttoxeter and Huntingdon where David sends two runners.  Lucy's Perfect is making her hurdling debut.  She schools well at home and she should give a good account of herself in what looks like a fairly competitive event.  If you check lower down the news page you can find photos of her on the gallops and schooling.  Barlin Bay is our other runner.  She was a bit disappointing on her debut for the yard at Fontwell last time but we are hoping the step up in distance and the application of some blinkers will help her.  Check back her on Monday for news of the weekend action. 2nd Oct '10

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Great Sporting Weekend

The Ryder Cup will probably have started by the time you read this and the Barnes TV will be continuously on this coverage over the next few days.  If you didn't know this already I am a golf nut and so is my son who is a scratch golfer.  Quite a few of my mates are going up to Celtic Manor to watch, I just hope they have packed their waterproofs!  It looks like it is going to be very wet and windy today like it is at Pond House and we have had over 13 millimeters of rain overnight and it is still absolutely chucking it down!  This could be against the American teams as they are not used to these conditions.  In America normally when it rains they get thunderstorms and play stops, although this will not happen here!  I can see Europe winning all of this mornings four balls.  You can get 11/10 Westwood/Kaymer, 10/11 Mcilroy/McDowell, Poulter/Fisher.  The last named pair could be the dodgy one as they play Woods and Stricker.  Finally, I think Donald/Harrington can win their match at 8/11 so I think we can be 3/1 up after the morning four balls.  Paddy Power are 2/1 that Graham McDowell will be the top Irish man and that looks a good bet to me.  What a great weekend of sporting action as we have the Arc at Longchamp on Sunday to.  I could be in for another divorce by Monday, only joking, well I hope I am!

There is Jumping action from Fontwell tomorrow and on Sunday David has entries at Huntingdon and Uttoxeter.  It will be interesting to see how much rain these courses have but I expect David will have a few runners so check back here tomorrow to see the weekend action.  1st Oct '10

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What to Wear...

The rain seems to be forecast for Paris so the ground is going to be testing for the Arc on Sunday.  They have rain today and on Saturday and Clerk of the Course, Christian Deldonte said that the ground will certainly be on the testing side during the weekend.  It is probably not worth trainers even taking any horses that want top of the ground as it looks like the big race will be quite a slog in the mud.  I cannot wait for the action to start as it is a great couple of days of racing.  I recommend anyone to visit Paris and go racing on Arc weekend as you truly will have a great time and the atmosphere is amazing.

Should the dress code be relaxed at the races?  This is an article they are featuring in the Racing Post today.  I think smart casual is perfectly ok for a day at the races.  Even our golf courses are relaxing what you have to wear and at my course, Churston which is over 100 years old we are now allowed to wear jeans in the club house.  They must be of the smart type however, not any of those with tears or rips in and you are not allowed any jeans on the course itself!  I do agree that you should dress up for occasions like Royal Ascot as it is tradition and everyone likes doing this but we need to encourage new players and spectators to all sports, especially racing and a lot of youngsters do not like dressing up.  Smart casual is the way forward for racing.

Below you will find a couple more photos that were take on the gallops and hopefully David will be out with the camera again in the next few days to capture a few more of our inmates.  We have nearly made it to October when the real jumps action starts taking place and all of our winter horses are progressing nicely so it won't be long before we start to see a few of these appearing on the race track.  30th Sept '10

                    
                  Mamlook & Takamaru                               Lucy's Perfect & Mount Hadley

 

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Third at Sedgefield

Southerness finished third at Sedgefield yesterday.  He made a terrible mistake three out and lost a lot of ground and ran on well to finish third in the end, beaten 18 lengths.  If he brushes up on his jumping he should have no trouble in winning one of these early season novice hurdles.  At Sedgefield yesterday there was yet another vintage riding performance from AP on board Russian War.  He won by 1/2 a length but it was the Champ at his very strongest.  He also rode another winner, also by 1/2 a length but this was a very easy 1/2 length if you know what I mean, he could have won by 10 lengths!

David was busy on the gallops with his camera again and below are a few more snaps he took yesterday.  It's a good job he had the camera yesterday as it is not such a nice day for taking photos this morning!  It is a very dark and wet morning at Pond House.  After three millimeters of rain overnight we have had heavy rain first thing and at the moment it shows no signs off stopping!  Anyway it was a good job we had the camera on the gallops yesterday!

                    
             Arrayan & E Street Boy                                   Poole Master & Massini's Maguire

          
          The Tracey Shuffle & Theyellowlough                      Gentle Ranger & Peut Etre Sivola

It is practice day at the Ryder Cup today and there will be about 25,000 people there just to watch this.  In a way the windy and rainy weather should help the Europeans and I will be glued to the television over the next few days.  I still think that Paul Casey should have been in our team, perhaps instead of Padraig Harrington who has not won a title in two years and has missed the cut in three of the four majors.  I would have also picked two time American tour winner Justin Rose in the team as well, but what do I know about golf! 29th Sept '10

 

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Thick Fog

They had to call the last couple of races off at Bath yesterday when the fog came in.  Two jockeys had falls after the winning line, Eddie Ahern injured his shoulder and Liam Jones was thankfully ok.  Jones said they had to choice but to call racing off and I particularly like Ryan Moore's quote of " I've no view, I'll just go along with everyone else!"  That was the problem in the fact that the fog was so thick it was just too unsafe to have the last two races.  I remember once that we had to try and land the helicopter at Bath in thick fog.  We were only about 50 yards from the weighing room but we could really not see a yard in front of us.  In the end we did land safely but had to walk about two miles to get to the track!  It is currently quite foggy down here at Pond House, although the sun is trying to come through and it looks like it should be a nice day - well the sun did come out not long after and David captured some of the horses down on the gallops!

          
        Lough Derg & Madison Du Berlais                    Hunterview & Woodlark Island

                    
                           Piraya                                                 Jazz Age & Dynaste

David has one runner today.  Southerness makes his debut for Pond House and has traveled up to Sedgefield where he runs in the 2.25pm race.  He has fallen on his last two starts where the going was on the softer side of good but it is hoped our Catterick bumper winner will enjoy the better ground up there today.

It is Angie Malde's birthday today.  I won't tell you how old the 61 year old blonde is but Happy Birthday Angie!  Angie and her husband George owned the legendary Bonanza Boy who lives with them still in his retirement.  It is also the birthday of another person formerly connected with our yard.  Ashley Farrant is 39 today.  Ashley was a former Champion point to point rider and great amateur jockey who now trains point to pointers not far from Pond House.  I hope they both have a good day! 28th Sept '10

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Market Rasen Crackers

It was a good weekend of jumping action at Market Rasen over the weekend and David's runners ran well.  Raslan ran a cracker yesterday and was only beaten a length by Ben's Folly.  He was trying to give 26 pounds away to the winner and remember that Raslan went up twelve pounds for winning at Newton Abbot last time out.  The handicapper probably thinks he has done a good job with our gelding but I just wonder what he will do to him after this effort?  He raced off a mark of 137 and carried top weight and I thought our runner had each way claims although I do think it is hard to catch him right.  Yesterday he opened up at 16/1 in the market and returned at 12/1 so hopefully a few people made a profit.  He ran an absolute cracker and we are pleased to report he is in fine form this morning.

On Saturday our three runners in the valuable handicap chase, Qulinton, Swing Bill and Pablo Du Charmil all ran well.  Qulinton finished third and just held of stable mate Swing Bill who finished fourth and Pablo Du Charmil was not too far behind them either in what was a very competitive race.  We were delighted with their efforts and they have all recovered well from their races.

Tom Scudamore had a winner on board Dormouse at 9/1 for Annabel King in a driving finish.  They will probably have to run this one quickly as most Dormouse hibernate for the winter?!

I thought the most impressive winner at Market Rasen was Get It On.  The Evan Williams trained five year old won by eight lengths and was eased down.  He looks like he could be able to defy a penalty so watch out for him next time.  27th Sept '10