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Monday 25th November

A rewarding week that began with a treble at Exeter ended with Pic d’Orhy landing the Grade 2 1965 Chase at Ascot on Saturday for the second year running.

On the same afternoon Blueking D’Oroux was a close second in the Grade 2 Howden Ascot Hurdle while Bravemansgame defied very soft ground at Haydock that he doesn’t favour to finish a highly creditable third in the Betfair Chase.
Others to run well include Tahmuras who will come on plenty for his seasonal return at Haydock where I was also pleased with the way Take Your Time kept on to finish third and will prob head to Wincanton boxing day.
Pic d’Orhy was magical at Ascot, travelling comfortably in the lead, jumping smartly and finding plenty in the closing stages. He heads next for the valuable Fleur de Lys Chase at Windsor on January 19.
I was proud of Bravemansgame who showed he now stays by keeping on well in the last half mile wearing blinkers for the first time. He could be a lively candidate for the Grand National on decent spring ground. We have five weeks before sending him to Kempton for the King George and then he might have one more run possibly in the Denman Chase at Newbury before having a crack at Aintree.
The best is yet to come from Blueking D’Oroux who stayed on strongly, was giving weight to the winner Lucky Place and will return to Ascot for the Long Walk Hurdle in a month’s time.
Monday was a notable day for our talented conditional Freddie Gingell who rode all three of our winners at Exeter. Still only 18 he is improving all the time as he gains experience and has a bright future and is riding very well.
On Friday two of our nicer young horses The Bluesman and Sinnatra were successful at Chepstow in the colours of Neil and Alfie Smith.
Sinnatra is a gorgeous type, very much in the Regent’s Stroll mould, both in pedigree, size and stamp.
After a slightly slower start than usual to the main season we are hitting our stride now with 41 winners already and we have loads of interesting horses to run in the week ahead. We will be sending a strong team to Taunton on Thursday before a big weekend at Newbury with Regent’s Stroll set to make his debut over hurdles on Friday with Kalif de Berlais likely to run in the novice handicap chase. I will be choosing between Caldwell Potter or Captain Teague in the John Francome Chase on Friday with Kandoo Kid on course for the Coral Gold Cup a day later.
For all the latest news on my runners on both days please be sure to check out my Betfair column which goes live the previous morning.

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Tuesday 19th November

Course specialist Il Ridoto improved his excellent record at Cheltenham with a decisive victory in the valuable Paddy Power Gold Cup on Saturday.

The horse deserved to win a big handicap and was given a great ride by Freddie Gingell who always had him handy, seized the initiative at the second last fence and drove him clear for a brilliant triumph. Il Ridoto had a lovely light racing weight and showed the benefit of a run at Chepstow last month. He loves it round Cheltenham, the ground was ideal for him and he will be back again in a month’s time for the December Gold Cup in which he was beaten a short head in 2023. I am not sure he deserved to go up 11lbs for winning by 4 1/2 lengths, albeit idling in front, surely 6/7 would have been more appropriate.
I’m delighted for Freddie who is only 18, is coming on nicely, and is going to ride a lot of ours as well as plenty for his uncle Joe Tizzard and rode his first treble on Monday at Exeter. He is very much like Harry Cobden at the same stage, keen, hungry and works hard. He still claims 3lbs and is taking his chances with both hands.
The triumph of Il Ridoto completed a stunning 24 hours for his owners including Sir Alex Ferguson and Ged Mason who landed a huge pot in Bahrain the previous evening with Spirit Dancer for the second year running and enjoyed further success with L’eau du Sud and Potters Charm at Cheltenham.
While I was also hopeful of a decent show from Ginny’s Destiny in the Paddy Power and had done as much as I could with him at home as well as giving him an away day, I was conscious that he needed his first run last season and it was the same again on Saturday.
All is not lost with Ginny’s Destiny who is a big, gross horse, travelled very well until four out and will come on plenty for the outing. He would also prefer easier conditions underfoot and may appreciate a step up to three miles at some point.
The week had begun with Kalif du Berlais and Harry Cobden taking a heavy fall four out at Carlisle just as they looked poised to take the lead in a Graduation Chase. Kalif had been foot perfect up to that point, jumping like a natural before taking off too far from the fence and paying the penalty. Thankfully both Kalif du Berlais and Harry were ok afterwards though I’ve yet to decide where the horse goes next, possibly Newbury next Friday.
Quick ground restricted our opportunities last week when Fasol was a little disappointing in finishing only fourth in a novice handicap hurdle off a mark of 108 at Cheltenham on Friday. He shapes as if he needs stepping up to two and a half miles.
With some rain in the forecast at last we will have runners most days this week building up to Ascot and Chepstow on Friday and then Haydock and Ascot on Saturday.
I will be confirming Bravemansgame for the Betfair Chase and Monmiral for the £100,000 Handicap Hurdle at Haydock while Pic D’Orhy and Blueking d’Oroux will bid to win Grade 2 races at Ascot for the second year running.
For all the latest news on my Saturday runners please be sure to check out my Betfair column which goes live early on Friday.

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Monday 11th November

After a slightly quieter start than usual to the core season it’s fair to say that our horses are flying now.

Irish Hill set the tone with a tidy victory at Plumpton on Monday before Sorceleur and Captain Teague completed an unusual double at Exeter on Friday.
Things got even better when we enjoyed a five timer at Wincanton on Saturday before the talented novice Tutti Quanti completed a rewarding week for the yard with a fluent success at Ffos Las on Sunday.
In the previous few weeks some of ours were holding their condition a bit longer than usual and just needing their first runs but they are fit and firing now.
Sorceleur jumped well on his way to an impressive success over hurdles at Exeter. As he didn’t have anything like a hard race I turned him out again at Wincanton 24 hours later with the same result.
The double at Exeter was completed by Captain Teague who was handed a walkover in a valuable staying novice Chase when his two opponents were pulled out because of the ground. Small fields are a serious issue at the moment and with little or no rain in the forecast that is likely to be the case in the coming days. It’s frustrating for everyone involved, trainers, owners, and racegoers but clearly racecourses cannot risk over watering at this time of year.
I’m not sure where I go next with Captain Teague given the dry outlook. Basically we need it to rain before making any plans with him.
Beau Balko showed the benefit of a recent run at Kempton as he landed the conditional jockeys’ chase at Wincanton in the hands of Ben Bromley who joined us this season.
I was thrilled to win the Richard Barber Memorial Mares’ Hurdle for the first time with Larchmont Lass who would have preferred softer ground and might go to Sandown in a month’s time for another mares’ handicap hurdle. Richard played a big part in my starting training at Ditcheat back in 1991 and proved to be a great friend and mentor. He was so good to me.
Rubaud’s spring-heeled jumping was again decisive as he saw off the challenge of Brentford Hope on his way to a second successive success in the Elite Hurdle. The plan is for him to go chasing now and as you can imagine his schooling has been really good. I’ll probably look for a beginner’s Chase before aiming him at the Wayward Lad at Kempton over Christmas.
Mofasa couldn’t handle the fast pace in the Badger Beer before Swingin Safari delivered our fifth triumph of the day with the help of a determined ride by Harry Cobden.
The next afternoon Harry was quickly back in the winner’s enclosure after a pleasing success in the opening novice hurdle at Ffos Las on Tutti Quanti who has a bright future.
With eight winners over Friday, Saturday and Sunday our horses could hardly be in better form.
I’ll be looking to push on this week provided the ground is safe and should have runners on all three days at Cheltenham where I will be confirming Il Ridoto and Ginny’s Destiny for the Paddy Power Gold Cup. Though I should say I will be a little cautious about Ginny’s Destiny until I have checked out the ground.
For all the latest news on my runners on all three days at Cheltenham please be sure to check out my Betfair column which goes live early the previous morning.

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