Horses for Sale

   Tuxedo Junction (GB) 


Exciting dual purpose prospect,
click here for details!

 

    Fighter Allen (FR)  


Exciting new horse with proven form, 
click here for details!

 

 

Upgrade was a 1994 bay gelding by Be My Guest out of a dam called Cantanta.  He raced in the blue and maroon colours of owners Matt Archer and the late Jean Broadhurst who were Villa supporters.  He was unraced on the flat for Roger Charlton and was bought for 12,000 guineas.  He started his National Hunt career in the care of Nigel Twiston-Davies in juvenile hurdles and pulled up on his racecourse debut at Hereford in November 1997 after running far too freely.

He was the easy winner of his second start over hurdles at Kempton before finishing fifth in the Tolworth hurdle at Sandown.  He then won at Warwick and Sandown before lining up in the 1998 Triumph hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.  He was the game winner beating City Hall by 1¼ lengths with Carl Llewellyn riding.  He went to Aintree after this but pulled up.

When he returned the following season he was a bit out of sorts and failed to live up to expectations.  He ran six times with two third placings being the best he could manage, mind you he was contesting some top races!  He was third in the Kingwell hurdle at Wincanton but his form also included two falls.  The following year although second on his comeback in the West Yorkshire hurdle he disappointed at Ascot and then fell on his chasing debut in December 1999.

He was moved to Pond House in January 2000.  He made a winning stable debut in the Scilly Isles Novice Chase at Sandown at the beginning of February beaten Young Spartacus by 11 lengths with AP on board.  He disappointed after this in the Game Spirit chase but ran well in the Mildmay Of Flete handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival to finish sixth.  He was a faller at Aintree after this but returned to winning ways at Cheltenham’s April meeting when successful in the Silver Trophy handicap chase.

After a summer holiday he returned with a good effort to finish a close second in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter behind Bellator.  He then won a Grade 2 chase at Ascot reversing the placing’s with his Exeter conqueror in November 2000.  Unfortunately he picked up a little injury while running at Cheltenham in January 2001 and he was not seen on the racecourse again until December.

He improved with each of his first three starts that season and got back to winning ways at Wincanton in February 2002.  He finished second next time out before finishing fifth in the Melling Chase at Aintree.  He won on his final start of that season, a valuable contest at Ascot in April. 

The following season he finished second in the Desert Orchid chase at Wincanton on his comeback but then things a bit tough after a fall back at the track on his next run.  He pulled up in the 2003 Coral Cup but finished the season with a third place in the Silver Trophy chase at Cheltenham.

Another summer at grass followed and he returned with two good efforts at Ascot, a course he seemed to love.  He finished second on both occasions but got a deserved victory on his fourth start that season at Haydock beating stablemate Golden Alpha with Tom Scudamore in the saddle. That proved to be his final victory.  He ran another nine times in his career which continued until he was twelve years old.  He was placed a few times but he began to find things tough off his quite high handicap mark.  He actually fell in his final race at Haydock in February 2005 and he retired home to the paddocks of his owners where all of their horses have enjoyed their retirements. 

Upgrade was the winner of ten races from his 49 career starts and he was placed 13 times as well.  He was rated 157 at best over fences and 156 at best over hurdles and won over £262,000 in prize money.  He was a character who was a very talented and competed at the highest level for nine years which is a tremendous feat in itself.  We were very lucky to have him at Pond House for all those years after all, it is not very often you get a former Cheltenham Festival winner added to your team!

Watch his win in the the Scilly Isles Novices Chase 2000 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_vtOXYWGd0

Watch his win in the First National Gold Cup at Ascot in 2000 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WLKSzkx2gg