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APRIL NEWSLETTER 2016
Dear All
March was a wonderful Month. Fabulous racing at the Cheltenham Festival. New Champions for all the big races.. A new era? Cheltenham as a racecourse excelled. The new Grandstand and walk way was a resounding success and Ian Renton, Simon Claisse and David McKinnon deserve recognition for what they achieved during those fabulous 4 days.. Although we failed to have a winner all my horses ran to form and with great credit.
We ended March with our first winner in Ireland . Emily Gray has been a star for us and finished her racing career for us on a high.
This is a high pressure week for us.. The Last Samuri runs in Saturday Crabbies Grand National.. will he remain second favourite? He is in the form of his life and must have an outstanding chance.. tense stuff.. David Bass rides him as usual and there is only one place to be standing at 5.30 on Saturday evening..
Have a good one..
MARCH UPDATE
We started March off with a nice double at Doncaster with The Last Samuri winning the Grimthorpe Chase and Cracked Rear View his first novice hurdle.
The Last Samuri was hugely impressive when winning the Grimthorpe Cup.. It might not have been that strong a race but TLS won it easily, and now heads to Aintree as potential favourite for this years Crabbies Grand National in April… Pressure… we love it.
Cracked Rear View is by Portrait Gallery and CRV is no different from the others Kim has trained by that sire.. quirky, but talented…. CRV will be better over 3 miles on good ground.
We celebrated when Magic Money showed what a tough little mare she was but battling back to win by a short head at Bangor. Great for Henry Kimbell and his GSTTKPA Charity team and for her breeder David Jenks who was with Kim at Cheltenham to watch. Champagne was bought to celebrate which would be far better than the bottle he would have won at Bangor!
Sainte Ladylime was 4 to 1 on and only had to canter round to win according to the pundits. The race started well enough but as they went down the hill the saddle went right up Sainte Ladylime’s neck and then Kim though bugger (well stronger words were actually used) another odds on beaten and this time not because we were not good enough..
Somehow Tom Bellamy managed to keep his mount going and in the right direction, especially when it came to the bends.. Tom even managed to stay on when jumping hurdles.. you might think ‘oh well that is easy’ but it is not when your legs are either side of the horses ears and he was sitting half way up her neck. A winner and Tom, thank you for a fine piece of horsemanship… so glad you went to Pony Club and learnt to ride bare back..
Sainte Ladylime followed up on her Towcester win and did the job with ease in the Mares novice hurdle; she won as she liked, although she jumped better for Tom Bellamy when the saddle was half way to her ears and his legs were around her neck than for David yesterday.. She is becoming rather flippant. Yesterday’s win makes it 3 out of 3 for her now and we will see how she comes out of yesterdays race as to whether she runs again.. she prefers soft ground.
My first winner in Ireland..Emily Gray won the John and Chich Fowler Memorial Mares Chase at Fairyhouse yesterday.. What a great day..
Well it should have been.. John Perriss, David Bass and Kim all met up at Birmingham Airport to catch the Aer Lingus 11.25 to Dublin. The Aer Lingus flight was delayed due to storm Katie.
Finally, and with no warning, it was announced the Aer Lingus flight would board at 3pm which meant David Bass was not going to make the race on time.. Phone calls to Timmy Hyde (who we had leased Emily Gray from) who, with the help of Charlie Swann sorted jockey and saddling arrangements, while David and Kim headed to Huntingdon.. John Perriss and Susie Gee took the flight in the hope they might see something.
David was rightly furious and Kim not much happier. All they needed was some information as to what was going on and they might have been able to get David on another flight .. Ryanair’s flights all left on time..
The end result was that Johnny Burke was booked to replace David Bass.. Instructions were given over the phone and Emily Gray showed again how tough she was by winning the hard way.
John Perriss missed the race, but arrived in time to lead Emily Gray into the winners enclosure and pick up the trophy.
John was understandably disappointed not to see his mare's last race, but enjoyed meeting all the great and good on the racecourse including Michael O'Leary who must have chuckled when he heard that his opposition Aer Lingus had let us all down.
'The Mindy Partnership' celebrated a winner with their first runner and with their first horse Laval Noir. The Mindy Partnership' is led by Andrew Bengough who was there yesterday along with Mark Horne, Laura Goedhuis and Sandy Douglas.. the others involved, who could not make it, are Mindy Hammond ,Patrick Bailey, Atty and Celia Beor-Roberts, Mikey Elliot and Nick Wentworth-Stanley.
BET365 Jump Finale – Saturday 23rd April 2016
On Saturday 23rd April the Jump racing season will come to a climactic end at Sandown Park as we host the bet365 Jump Finale.
Following Sir Anthony McCoy’s retirement last year and a historic 20 year tenure as ‘Champ’ this year’s fixture will see a new champion being crowned. After 16 years as runner-up and as the only active jockey to have ridden 3,000 winners, ‘the best jockey never to be champion’, Richard (Dickie) Johnson is the front runner to take home the title.
To mark his inaugural victory, 20-time Champion Jump Jockey, Weighing Room colleague and friend, Sir Anthony McCoy will hand over a brand new trophy to Johnson - who has ridden over 200 winners this season and is the only active jockey to have ridden 3,000 career winners.
McCoy commented: “I am delighted to have been asked to present the trophy to Richard - there is no one else I would rather be handing it over to. It is a defining moment in a jockey’s career to be handed the Championship title and Richard has been waiting for this moment for a while. It is so thoroughly deserved!”
The new trophy, which has been created by British silversmith Asprey of London, is due to be unveiled later next month after the previous trophy was decommissioned and presented to Sir Anthony in honour of his twenty successive Championships.
The Punchestown Festival 2016
26th - 30th April 2016.
The Punchestown Irish National Hunt Festival is one of the highlights of the Irish sporting and social calendar. The special combination of thrilling sporting action, brilliant live entertainment, delicious food and drink, family fun, dazzling glamour or casual comfort is unequalled thanks to the unique Punchestown Festival atmosphere.
Racing: The Punchestown Festival is considered the grand finale of the jump season with top class horses, trainers and jockeys from both sides of the Irish sea converging on the Kildare venue to settle scores and confirm reputations. The quality of racing is unrivalled with a total of 12 Grade 1 contests taking place. Punchestown is proud to be the home of Irish National Hunt Racing and host the famous La Touche Cup, a spectators favourite run over the cross country course. It's a "must see" for any racing fan.
Tuesday: BoyleSports Champion Chase Day
The opening day is a feast for racing fans with three Grade 1 races including the feature BoyleSports Champion Chase. There are 7 races this day. First race 3.40pm and the last race is at 7.15pm.
Wednesday: Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup Day
The highlight of the chase calendar with the Grade 1 Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup. First race 3.40pm and the last race is at 7.15pm.
Thursday: The Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle Day
There are two Grade 1 races including the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle and the Ryanair Novice Chase over 2 miles not to mention the famous La Touche Cross Country race on day three of the festival. First race 3.40pm and the last race is at 7.15pm.
Friday: The BETDAQ Champion Hurdle day
The jewel in the crown of the Festival. A favourite with race goers, locals and socialisers alike. First race 3.40 last race 7.45pm.
Saturday: The AES Festival Family Day
Since its introduction as a Festival day the Saturday has become the second biggest day of the entire event festival. First race 2.30 last race 6.45pm.