Horses in Training

“Brecon” is a very exciting new member of the team. He is only four and has run in just 3 races, all bumpers. He has won two of them, just beaten by a head to finish 2nd under a penalty in the other. He is half-brother to Double Discount who was rated 95 on the flat as a 5 year old. We are very much looking forward to running him in novice and maiden hurdles this season, although he could also run on the flat. Shares are available in Brecon. Please contact us for further information.

“TJ” is the first foal of Silver Lily who we used to train and who won 4 hurdle races for us and who had a great fighting spirit. TJ seems to have a similar attitude and is showing a lot of promise. He will start in juvenile bumpers this autumn. Mawatheeq is a young stallion by Danzig and part of the Nashwan family. He won several races, including the class 1 Cumberland Lodge Stakes over 1 1/2 miles at Ascot, and he has produced a good crop of winners already. If TJ can combine his dam’s attitude with his sire’s speed, he could well develop into a very useful hurdler.

A seven year old bay gelding by Duke of Marmalade out of a winning Sadler’s Wells mare, all of whose progeny are proven winners. His second dam has produced a number of excellent jumpers, including Battle Group and Upgrade, both of whom were rated over 150 over fences. “Fred” is a stunning looking horse who moves beautifully and looks every part a future chasing champion. He was second in a competitive Irish point to point in April 2014 – the winner was then sold at the Brightwells Cheltenham sale for £300,000. This is a very serious and exciting prospect.

“Hattie” is a strong, powerful 5 year old mare. Given her size, she would have been very weak when she was placed in an Irish point to point as a 4 year old. We bought her last year but have given her plenty of time to fill her frame. She is now much more powerful than when she arrived and we plan to start her in staying hurdles. She is for sale in whole or in shares.

A five year old bay gelding by Vision d’Etat out of Lyli Rose (by Lyphard’s Wish), “Star” is half-brother to the very useful Rolling Star, a class 1 winner who was 6th in the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2013 and rated 150 over hurdles. Star has so far run in two bumpers, beaten only 1 1/2 lengths on his last outing and the 4th horse from that race has since won. Star is a very good looking, athletic sort who still had some growing to do when he arrived with us and has done well for a summer break in the paddocks and is now a much stronger and more mature individual. We are looking forward to running him this Autumn.

A four year old bay gelding by Aqlaam out of winning mare, Libritish (by Librettist), “Dick” is an exciting youngster from a good family that includes Wolf of Windlesham. He has run in a couple of bumpers for experience and, although showing a good turn of foot and some ability, has tended to run too green. He will improve with maturity.

A seven-year-old, 16.1 hh bay gelding by Dark Angel out of a Danehill mare. “KP” is one of the Yen Hall Farm Racing horses. He is a remarkably versatile horse, who has had 6 wins on the flat (4 on turf and 2 on the all-weather – including the feature race at Chelmsford (at very long odds!) on his first outing for me – as well as 3 wins over hurdles. He is a lovely horse with a great attitude and he has been placed in 4 of his 5 races for me this year.

Larteta is a lovely, athletic sort who jumps very well. Remarkably consistent performer over a variety of going and trip, Larteta won his novice hurdle at Stratford in July 2014. He has since been a great performer for Yen Hall Farm Racing, being regularly placed and being very unlucky not to win more often. I have decided to give him a break from racing club duties and he is being reschooled as an event and riding horse and would be for sale to progress in that sphere.

“Eddie” is out of our mare, Pentasilea, who we trained and who won on the flat as well as over hurdles. “Cilla” was a lovely, strong mare and Eddie takes after her. He has the look of a classic chasing type. Given his size, we have given him plenty of time to mature into his frame. He is surprisingly light on his feet and is well balanced. He is working well and will run in a bumper this autumn for experience before moving on to staying hurdles. His future will be as a staying chaser.

Local Show is a 9 year old strong, athletic gelding who joined the yard in the spring of 2017 and ran with considerable credit in the Kim Muir Chase at the Festival. He is a very classy horse who moves very well and he will continue to run in staying races and the veteran series this season.

Louis is a newcomer to the yard. He is unraced but is half-brother to Virnon who has won 7 races to date, including on the flat, over hurdles and a chase. Louis’ sire was a top class horse that won 6 of his 10 races, including a listed race as a 2 year old and the Darley Cup at the Newmarket July Course. We have every reason to believe that Louis will also be a very useful operator and the plan is to run him in some 3 year old bumpers this autumn. Shares are available for sale.

A six year old, brown mare by Robin des Pres out of a Presenting mare, “Bridget” has run nine times, winning twice and being placed five times. She is rated 117 over hurdles and, although untried so far over fences, she has the size and conformation to do well chasing. She is well-bred and her full sister is rated 127 over hurdles and her older brother, who is also by Robin des Pres, is a multiple point to point winner and, having made a late switch to running under rules, has won twice and been placed once over regulation fences from his last three starts (being his only runs under rules to date). I am looking forward to running Bridget in novice and mares’ chases in due course.

Ruby is a good looking, athletic mare who joined us at the end of 2016. She has run in two bumpers for experience, being placed once and was then placed on her hurdling debut for us. She excels at jumping and is a very exciting prospect for mares races.

The Happy Chappy is a lovely, big athletic gelding with enormous scope. He won both his maiden and restricted point to points in the spring of 2016 before moving to Paul Nicholls. He was third in his first novice hurdle to No Hassle Hoff before being sold as part of a dispersal sale. On his first run for us he was third by 2 lengths to Step Back who then ran at the Cheltenham Festival. Chappy then won a staying hurdle race at Huntingdon in May. After a summer break, he was a very good second in a beginners’ chase at Worcester on 17 October and then won with a superb round of jumping in a 3 mile 2 furlong novice chase at Sedgefield on 2 November and followed that up with a win in the feature race, a 3 mile 1 1/2 furlong race at Ludlow on 16 November. As the Racing Post commented, “he is an exciting young chaser”.

“Tyson” (as yet not officially named) is younger brother to Call Me TJ (see above). He is still at play school but has been handled and shown how to behave. He loves to spend his time lying in the sun and “playing dead”! He is shaping up into being a lovely, big, strong and athletic sort. He has been backed and ridden during the summer and is now turned away to continue to mature before being brought back for more serious training next year.

A seven year old bay gelding by Craigsteel and full brother to triple bumper winner, Man of Steel. Who You For (aka “Doc”) was placed in his debut Irish point to point and went on to win an Irish point to point. Doc is a lovely, strong gelding who has the size and scope to make an exciting chaser. He opened his account for the yard by winning the bumper at Southwell on 2 September in emphatic style, being selected as the “eyecatcher of the day” by The Racing Post. He has since been placed in all but one of his subsequent races for us. He sustained an injury but has had plenty of time off to recover and is now going very well and is being aimed at races this autumn/winter once the ground softens up.