Nice Surprise & Update

           Shell Crystal & her colt foal

We had some lovely news from our next door neighbours, Keith & Angela Prettejohn this week.  They had a nice surprise on Wednesday evening as they had a handsome colt foal born about 10pm.  They were both present at the birth and what a cute mum and baby they look to be in their first photo!  Shell Crystal used to be here at Pond House and is a first time mum.  The foal is by Keith's own stallion called Spillex Rosi who is a grandson of Sadler's Wells.  Exciting times for them and we would like to wish them all the best and look forward to hearing how mum and baby are getting on!

With the UK seemingly heading in the right direction with regards to the Coronavirus with the peak on a downwards trend it is great the hear racing is planning to re-start on the flat on the 1^st June behind closed doors. Trainers have been sent an updated provisional outline race programme to cover the initial period after resumption.  This includes the naming of the racecourses where the first eight days of fixtures will be held. 

The first meeting will take place at Newcastle on 1^st June with two meetings everyday thereafter and three on the first full weekend.  Please see below where and when racing is planned for during the initial period;

June 1   Newcastle
June 2   Kempton & Newcastle
June 3   Kempton & Yarmouth
June 4   Newcastle & Newmarket
June 5   Lingfield & Newmarket
June 6   Lingfield, Newmarket & Newcastle
June 7   Lingfield, Newmarket & Haydock
June 8   Lingfield, Chelmsford & Haydock

By the end of next week the BHA intend to publish a fixture list and race programme for the rest of June which will provide greater clarity for planning for trainers, owners and everyone involved in our sport.

You may have heard but the dates for the bigger flat races have also been announced.  The 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas will be run on the 6^th and 7^th of June.  Royal Ascot is scheduled for 16^th to 20^th June while the Derby and Oaks (Sat 4^th July) and the Eclipse (5^th July).

All these plans are working on a best case scenario and of course remain subject to assessment by public health officials in relation to the risks posed by the virus at that time.

The good news is that there will be no regional restrictions in place for British based horses when racing returns and there will be further news about the participation of foreign based runners shortly.

Jump racing is still being planned for resumption at the beginning of July and there will be more news to follow about this in due course. 

Prize money for races will of course be affected with racing happening behind closed doors but measures have been put in place to try and support races at the more grass roots level which is a great initiative.

It is fantastic we have all got something to aim and look forward to with hopefully the resumption of racing on 1^st June.  I think everyone involved with organising has done a very good job.  It has been good to watch the return of racing in France this week and they seem to have done a good job also so hopefully we can follow a similar route.  Obviously there is still a lot that needs to go right between then and now for racing to definitely get back but fingers crossed there will be a continued reduction in the number of deaths and cases due to the Coronavirus and we can get back going.  We all know life as we knew it is not going to be normal for a very long time yet but I hope we can at least make a start in the right direction.

We have about a dozen horses ready to run on the flat so we are really looking forward to getting a run into them as soon as we can in June.  We have also started bringing a few horses back in from the field to get them ready for jumping later in the summer.  Here are some of the names to look out for on the flat in June – Teaser, Airton, Dell’arca, Yaa Salaam, Miss M, Jacbequick, I’lletyougonow and Malangen.

Thankfully we are all keeping safe and well at Pond House and are very much looking forward to racing returning in Britain as soon as it is safe to do so – hopefully 1^st June!  Fingers crossed.