Horses in Training

Another Mystery (aka “Scoobie”) is a lovely, strong chaser . We bought him in the summer 2023. He had clearly taken time to mature, fill his frame and strengthen up but he had won his last two starts, both over hurdles. He was frankly rather disappointing under Rules for us, although he did finish 2nd in a chase at Uttoxeter in May 2024 and again in a hurdle race at Fakenham in June 2025. It was agreed that we would take him out of racing under Rules and send him chasing to give our team a chance to learn to ride in point to point races. After a few runs between the flags, we put him back under Rules and he won a 3 mile chase at Fakenham in April 2026. His spell of point to point racing appears to have rebuilt his confidence and enthusiasm. It will be interesting to see if he can follow up.

‘Billy’ is a tall, rangy gelding bought from the pointing field in Ireland. He had two educational runs coming 5^th and 6^th this spring, but being a June foal was very young and unfurnished at the time. He has had a summer at grass and has continued to grow and fill his frame and now stands 16.3hh. He schools very well will be a staying chaser in time. He is a very exciting prospect for the future.

Caelan is an exciting new addition to Yen Hall Farm Racing. We bought him out of Olly Murphy’s yard. He is versatile and has won over hurdles and twice on the all-weather. He has settled into our yard very well and is working and schooling exceptionally well. We are very much looking forward to seeing him run for our racing club.

A lovely, big grey with real presence. Dartan has won five flat races, including one on the all-weather and three hurdle races but is a maiden over fences, although already placed twice from just three starts over the larger obstacles. He is currently rated 139 over hurdles and 132 over fences. He has settled in well at the yard, having arrived in August and is now in work and showing a good attitude and pleasing ability. We hope to run him in some attractive “Saturday races” as the season progresses.

Shares in Dartan remain available.

Doneen (aka Dean) was bought by us from the Irish point to point field. He was second in May to a horse that then went on to win first time out under rules. Dean is a very striking looking horse who should be out in the colours of The Friday Lunch Club early in the Autumn, as soon as ground permits.

Four Towns joined us in April and will run in the Yen Hall Farm Racing club. He is versatile regarding ground and trip and will start off over hurdles where he has been consistent, before turning his hoof to chasing. He is rather cheeky and likes to keep everyone on their toes!

I bought Greatness Awaits in January 2026 as I thought that he was an interesting prospect. He is clearly tough and versatile. He has already won five times over hurdles and twice in flat races on turf (at Chepstow and Epsom). He has returned to the winners’ enclosure (ie finishing 4th or better) on 27 occasions. It seemed to me that he is just the sort to benefit from a break and a change of yard and, suitably refreshed, could make an ideal, fun horse representing real value.

Loggar is an exciting young horse. He was only just beaten into second in his only run to date, an Irish 4 year old geldings point to point at Tattersalls Farm in April. This was a pleasing first run from which Loggar will have learned a great deal. We believe that he will have a great future!

Lounge Lizard (aka Lizzo) is a lovely, big chaser. We bought him to run in some big handicaps and ‘Saturday’ races. He has completed over the Grand National fences and has a great and powerful jumping ability. We decided that he needed a relatively minor wind operation and his first run after that showed promise but, as is often the case in the first run after a wind op, he ran as though he was still a little concerned about his wind. The next run, at Ludlow, was very different and he was clearly enjoying himself and lead the field for most of the race. Frustratingly, he made a serious mistake at the penultimate fence and unseated his jockey (although it was recorded as a fall in the official race report). His jockey, Richie McLernon, was certain that he would have finished 2nd, which would have been an impressive result for a horse sent off as the rank outsider at 50/1. He has come out of the race very well and we hope for better luck next time!

Mars Harper is a talented horse who has run in some big races, including the Topham over the National fences. He has a lovely character and has clearly taken to life at our yard. He has had a minor wind operation after his first run for us and is working and schooling well. We have high hopes for him and look forward to seeing him on the track again soon.

Moon Hunter (aka Merv) was bought by John Rice as a point to point schoolmaster for his son, Niall, who works for us. Sadly, Niall had a very bad injury in 2025 (now happily fully recovered) and needed to opt out of pointing in the 2025-26 season. As a result, Merv has been diverted to racing under Rules and was successfully placed in a hurdles race at Plumpton in March. He is a lovely big horse and we are confident that we can achieve further success with him.

Park joined us from the Goffs May Sale being formerly owned by Munir and Souede. He is a consistent hurdler, but still a maiden over fences. He has had a nice break and will return to run over both in the autumn. His preferred trip seems to be around 2m4f and he enjoys a variety of going. We are excited to have him in the yard and looking forward to seeing what he can do!

An exciting graduate of the Irish point to point nursery, Synchronist (aka Ronnie) is a good looking, strong gelding with lots to like about him. He has a good attitude and jumps and works very well. He was second in his point to point in April 2024, beating the third horse by some 16 lengths. Ridden by an inexperienced young jockey, Ronnie who had led throughout the race was headed by the eventual winner at the second last and then made a bad mistake at the last that almost brought him to a standstill. Without that mistake, he would have finished much closer to the winner, Drop A Threat, who was a Euro 100,000 three year old store and sold immediately after the race for Euro 300,000. He is working and schooling well and we are looking forward to seeing him on the track before long.

The Wise Traveller (aka “Sam”) runs in the colours of our racing club, Yen Hall Farm Racing. He has won twice for the club. Hurdling seems to be a strength and he has proved to be consistent and regularly wins prize money. He runs on good and good to soft ground and is therefore a good combination with the other horses in the club.