A Christmas 🎄 Winner !!
Firstly I’d like to wish everyone a very happy and healthy new year.
Ooh Betty put a disappointing run in the Gerry Feilden at Newbury firmly behind her by making all to win at Kempton in the class 3 £20k handicap. I was very frustrated after Newbury, having been the plan since the summer however we just got a very average start got behind and then were making ground as others were filling up. We were keen to be very positive at Kempton in a highly competitive race. Ben Jones got her out the gate sharpish to lead and even once headed after the last the little terrier found more to go on to score by a length. This was her 5th win and we will now look at a valuable £60k mares race mid January or the Scottish County Hurdle at Musselburgh on the 1st February.
Ri Na Cuirte has had a very good start to his season winning under Ben Jones in November in a 3mile 1f handicap hurdle at Fontwell and following this up with a fine effort 2 weeks later at Ascot finishing 3rd beaten less than 2 lengths. He recently ran poorly at Taunton on chasing debut but reasons have surfaced as to why this was the case. He will be seen out again at the end of January and remains well handicapped.
Cast’s Tasha followed up her seasonal reappearance win at Ffos Las with a fine effort 17 days later in a decent Sandown mares handicap under Rex Dingle. Will be seen out again soon and is in fine form.
Game Colours followed up her excellent 2nd at Stratford at the end of October with another fine effort in defeat finishing a head 2nd in a 2 mile 5f mares novice hurdle at Wincanton. Tough mare who is due to run this week weather permitting. Has a couple of targets later in the season we’re working back from.
Dr Kananga deserves a mention. A special horse to me having had him since a 4 year old with a remarkable back story. A couple of years ago he was single figure odds for a Becher chase and was highly fancied for a Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival. That season he suffered terribly with his breathing. He underwent a significant wind op that summer and spent last season very slowly getting his confidence back. He returned in the £50k London National putting in a fine display under Rex Dingle from the front being beaten 7 lengths. He will definitely improve significantly for the run and it was the first time in 18 months I’ve seen sparks of the talented horse he was. Really looking forward to him running again in January.
Renoir is a horse I bought for very reasonable money in October. A flat winner over a 1 1/2 miles and being by Nathaniel he is an interesting recruit to the yard. He was far too keen at Wincanton on hurdle debut and jumped a bit novicey but still managed to motor home to finish a running on 2nd behind a very smart horse. Clearly possesses plenty of ability having finished 2nd when doing plenty wrong. Would have learnt a lot from that run and he will be out again shortly. Will love spring good ground so a horse we will keep on the go right through the spring. Shares are available to get involved in this chap.
Risk De Pluie has started his chasing campaign with 2 solid efforts, finishing 3rd on chasing debut followed by a determined effort at Exeter on New Year’s Day finishing 2nd beaten 1 1/2 lengths. He struggled throughout at Exeter on very deep testing ground but with a great attitude put himself in contention over the last couple of fences to just be denied. A lovely young horse who will really come into his own after another summer on his back.
Finally Good Friday Fairy put a below par seasonal reappearance behind him with a solid 2nd at Exeter on New Year’s Day. With a change of tactics, this time dropped in, and up in trip he travelled into it smoothly just not reaching a very well handicapped winner who won again 4 days later. Although we have won 3 with GFF he is a real puzzle to solve. Completely genuine with an engine but quite a complex character. This was an encouraging run to build on.
From Higher Crockermoor we are 5 winners from 27 runners at 18% strike rate with 15 of our 27 runners finishing in the first 3 with £55,012 of prize money won.