Horses in Training

“Angel” is Silver Lily’s third foal. We used to train Silver Lily and she won 4 hurdle races for us and had a great fighting spirit. Angel’s sire, Nayef was top class winner at one mile to one and a half miles and was half brother to the great Nashwan. Angel is a lovely filly with an impressive frame and shares her dam’s lovely attitude. We backed her this Summer, with lots of long-reining and lunging before she was ridden away and she took to it all very well. She has now been given a break but will come back into work in the Spring. We are looking forward to continuing her education.

“Benny” is a big, good looking 3 year old son of Jet Away, a Juddmonte stallion who was a multiple winner over 1 mile – 1 mile 2 furlongs. Benny’s dam was a multiple winner on the flat (both on turf and on the all-weather) and also won over hurdles and she is a half-sister to Pragmatist, a triple 6-7 furlong winner at 3 and 4 years old and to Shy who won several times over 1 mile 4 furlongs on the turf. Benny had been lightly backed and then turned away when he joined us and has continued his education this Spring. In view of his breeding and his conformation, we are very much looking forward to seeing him on the racecourse this Autumn.

Blue came to us in the Autumn, following a tip from an Irish contact, and he has been a star. We acquired him for William to ride and he duly gave William his first win under rules, winning at Wolverhampton on 8 December. That was Blue’s first win and William’s ride that day was even selected as one of the five “Rides of the Month” by At The Races. He has also been placed 2nd and always gives his all to do as well as possible. A very genuine horse – it would be great if they all had his attitude!

“Brecon” is a very exciting member of the team. He is only six but has won two bumpers (one under a penalty) and has had an excellent novice hurdling season, winning twice and being placed in others, including in the valuable Dovecote at Kempton. He was second, only beaten four lengths by Brewinupastorm at Huntingdon when conceding six pounds to the winner and beat several other top novice hurdlers of the season. He finished his season at Aintree but didn’t achieve a fairy-tale ending as the unexpectedly rain-soaked ground didn’t suit him at all. As he was bought as a chaser in the making, his very successful novice hurdle campaign was a real bonus. He is now taking a break but will return in the autumn, possibly running in one or more handicap hurdles before switching to novice chasing. We are very much looking forward to running him again.

Homebred by us, “Cinders” is Call at Midnight’s first foal. Call at Midnight won her bumper, two hurdles and a chase and is full sister to both Call Me A Legend and Call Me A Star and so there is plenty of black type in the family. Cinders’ sire, Pether’s Moon, won the Coronation Cup over 1 mile 4 furlongs at Epsom and is an up and coming NH sire. Cinders has been backed and ridden away and shows a very competitive temperament, just like her mother. She should be on the racecourse soon.

City came to us in the Autumn as a 3 year old with a view to giving William some rides on the flat. She is a good-looking, good-sized mare and she has proved to be a model of consistency, being placed on all three starts since we decided, after her debut for the yard, to step her up to the longer trip of 1 mile 2 furlongs. Although she is still a maiden, she is sure to win soon and is a lovely trier. She has the size and scope, and the stamina, to be tried over hurdles in due course.

Gold is a 9 year old son of Passing Glance. He has joined us from Tim Vaughan’s yard and runs for our racing club, Yen Hall Farm Racing, winning on his debut for the yard (and for the Club) on 9 September at Uttoxeter. He is nicely bred, his grandmother being a full sister to Lord Windermere, who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2014, and a half-sister to Sub Lieutenant. He is versatile in trip and ground and will run over both hurdles and fences and so will give club members lots of opportunities and fun.

Gloire d’Athon (aka “Glory”) is a very good looking, tall and imposing individual. Although only five, he has had a busy life, winning in France and then running 7 times in Ireland, including a win and four placed finishes. He has shown significant ability but, given his size and age, we felt that he was due a break and so he has been resting since arriving at the yard in September. He is now being brought into work and we look forward to seeing him back on the track soon.

Gal is an attractive, long-legged mare with a cracking attitude. She always gives of her best and won on the turf at Catterick on her debut for the yard at the end of May, ridden on that occasion by William. She is leased to Yen Hall Farm Racing by Brian and Colleen Pryke who have owned and looked after her for years. We are lucky to have her in the yard. She is versatile, having won three times on the flat as well as showing ability over hurdles – a new discipline for her.  She will continue to run both over hurdles and on the flat including, during the winter, on the all-weather.

“Sean” is a gorgeous, strapping, 5 year old who ran in a bumper for experience just before the pandemic shutdown of racing.

He jumps and moves brilliantly and has a real touch of class. Although a relatively new sire, Getaway has been making a very good name for himself with excellent progeny including Verdana Blue, Talkischeap and Getaway Trump and others rated well over 140. We bought him privately on an  expedition to Ireland. He has run in a bumper and three hurdles for experience (being placed in two hurdle races) and now that he has a handicap mark, he will go chasing. He has scope and shows some speed and we are looking forward to seeing him chasing. He runs in the colours of Yen Hall Farm Racing.

Its Gonnahappen (aka “George”) is a strongly built, blocky horse. He is well-bred and his dam won her point to point, hurdles and chase races and is related to other successful runners, including Champion Chase winner, Special Tiara. George has only run once, at Gowran Park in March 2021, when he won in fine style by 12 lengths, going away. He has come on well since arriving at the yard and is an exciting prospect as a proper winter horse.

Jacks Touch (aka Jet) is a tall, strong and good-looking mare. She is well-bred being by Jeremy, the leading sire at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival, and her sister, Dime a Dozen, has run in 14 races, winning 4 and never being out of the first three home. Jet herself, has just run once, in a maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse in March 2021, finishing 2nd beaten only 3 lengths and being a full 15 lengths ahead of the 3rd horse home. She is an exciting prospect.

Nickle Back is a very exciting newcomer to the yard. He was bought as a four year old after his debut in an Irish point to point race in December. He was running very strongly when tipping up at the second last. The winner scored a very impressive 93 and was subsequently sold to a top Irish training yard for £205,000. There was strong interest in Nickle Back as well but we managed to move quickly to secure the purchase for The Friday Lunch Club. He is a very good looking, athletic horse who has impressed us with his conformation and the way he moves and it has been exciting to watch him work and school over hurdles. His dam is well-bred and was a versatile, multiple winner who won on the flat over 7 furlongs as well as winning two bumpers and over hurdles as well as over steeplechase fences. She was placed 4th in the Punchestown champion bumper (beaten just 4 lengths by the subsequent winner of the champion bumper at the Cheltenham Festival) before going on to be placed 3rd in a novices hurdle at Cheltenham before winning there a year later. The plan is to send Nickle Back straight into hurdle races.

“Pumpkin” is Call At Midnight’s second foal. She is a lovely stamp of yearling and could be very special. Clovis Du Berlais was a smart hurdler and chaser in France and half-brother to the high class Caid Du Berlais. Pumpkin is among his first crop of foals. Call At Midnight won her bumper, two hurdles and a chase and is full sister to both Call Me A Legend and Call Me A Star and so there is plenty of black type in the family. She has been lightly backed and long-reined around the farm and will now be turned away to mature further.

Railway arrived in the yard in early September from Ireland. Although his form in Ireland had been moderate (2 wins from 39 starts), we thought that he was well-handicapped and decided to take a risk. He settled into the yard and its routine very quickly and showed some ability. He then won a steeplechase for us on his debut at Market Rasen on 25 September and then, despite a 12 pounds hike in the weights, won again at Huntingdon 10 days later on 5 October. He is a tough and game competitor who clearly loves his racing!