Pachacuti Winner!

Pachacuti Wins Fakenham!

It was great to get our 58^th winner of the season yesterday thanks to Pachacuti winning for the first time over hurdles at Fakenham.  On this sharper track Tom Scu rode him positively and he and the eventual runner up drew well clear of the rest from two out.  The race looked in the balance as they rounded the turn from home but our six year old is an out and out galloper who extended away again from the last.  He has taken a little time to get the hang of things but he is a lovely big horse who will make a lovely staying chaser in the future.  It was great for his owners, John, Anne and Sarah who have been big supporters of our yard for many years and these colours have been carried to victory by some very good horses in the past, including Tamarinbleu who is still enjoying his retirement aged 23 just down the road with Dynaste et al!

Ya Know Yaseff ran a much better race to finish second at Fakenham.  She seemed to enjoy the change in riding tactics and I thought she had nicked enough lengths to win as they turned for home but she was just caught at the last.  She galloped all the way to the line and showed enough to suggest that she can win races going forwards.  Neon Moon fell too early in his race to say what may have happened but he seems to be none the worse for his mishap this morning which is the main thing.  He does have an entry at Taunton next week so we will just see how he is in the coming days.  Colony Queen ran okay on the flat to be fifth, staying on from the back without ever reaching the leaders.

Today we have four runners at Chepstow while there is also jumps racing taking place up at Catterick.  Duc De Beauchene, Martinhal, Kepagge and Royal Defender make up our quartet of runners heading over to the Welsh track.  Duc De Beauchene runs in the 2.00pm handicap chase over 2m3f.  We were expecting better last time from our nine year old where a mid-race blunder basically ended his chance.  He sports first time cheek pieces this afternoon and if they have the desired effect then he is handicapped to go well.  Tom Scu rides our previous course winner.

Keppage and Martinhal run in the same handicap hurdle over 2m3f at 4.05pm.  Kepagge is the mount of Tom Scudamore and after a good run at Ffos Las on his penultimate start to finish third, he disappointed last time at Exeter.  We think he might not have stayed that day over 2m7f on really testing going so hopefully he can return to form with first time cheek pieces added this afternoon.  He is a previous course winner who looks good each way value at about 16/1.  Martinal is ridden by Fergus Gillard and he wears first time blinkers.  He has only had the one start this season after a long time off and he ran better than his finishing position suggests at Leicester.  He looked the first beaten but Tom Scu said he stayed on well to the line and was not beaten that far in the end and hopefully that run will have sharpened him up for this.  Royal Defender runs in the concluding bumper at 4.40pm with Tom Scu in the saddle.  He is the winner of an Irish point to point and didn’t run as well as we thought he would in a bumper at the track in October.  He is a horse for the future whatever happens today as he works well at home and at about 6/1 hopefully he will not be too far away.

There is a London derby in the football this evening with Chelsea at home to Fulham, kick off 8pm.  Chelsea will be looking for a good start with their new signings.

I got home from work today to find my kids have been on Ebay all day.  If they are still there tomorrow I will lower the price!  Happy Friday!