HOT TRAINER

Some of you may have seen that we were top of the hot trainers list as published in the Racing Post on wednesday 17th June. If you didn't see it well here it is! It is great to be above the likes of Jeremy Noseda, Sir Michael Stoute and Luca Cumani even if it is for a short time and during Royal Ascot week as well. However, we feel we have shown with the limited ammunition we have that we can get winners!!!

Of course the credit for this must go to John Cullinan (aka Jerry) and the whole team who have done a great job.

If Sweet Gale had won on wednesday night the stats would have looked even more impressive. However, we are pleased with her and all the horses.

Let's hope the good times continue and we have ambitions to be at the Royal meeting next year!!!

Sweet Gale hatrick just fails

Sweet Gale was seeking a hatrick on wednesday night at Kempton but just failed, finishing second to a horse which looks a Kempton specialist. However, she once again ran a cracking race and everyone at the yard is delighted both for the horse and her owner, Maureen. She has come out the race well and we will look for other opportunities for a "filly in form".

The Week Ahead - w/b 15th June

It's another busy week ahead and although we would love to be at Royal Ascot it will not be this year. However, you have to be an optimist to be in this game and you neve know what might be around the corner!
We hope Sweet Gale can continue her recent form and she goes to Kempton on wednesday under a 6lb penaltry for the hatrick.
We also have a maiden filly called Katie The Hatter running at Kempton on the same night. Football fans will appreciate that one of the owners is an avid Luton fan! She is a nice long term prospect and we learn more after giving her what we believe will be a nice introduction to racing.
Another maiden, Trempari, should run at Leicester on thursday evening having been withdrawn on Sunday due to the firmer ground.
Ross Moor runs at Newmarket on friday evening, a course he likes, and we go there in the hope he can run another good race.

WINNER AGAIN - SWEET GALE

Sweet Gale ran a cracking race at Leicester on 13th June to win by over 2 lengths to follow up on her win at Kempton 10 days earlier. Our only worry is the handicapper who may take the manner of her win too literally. We hope she does not go up the handicap too much as the horses behind us where very moderate. However, she is clearly in great heart and all things being well she will probably go to Kempton for the hatrick on wednesday.
Congratulations are due to Maureen Bartlett, Sweetie's owner, who has been very patient waiting over two years for her first win and getting a second win ten days later!!

Handicapper Madness

We were delighted with Murrumbidgee's win last week BUT furious with the reaction of the handicapper.
The horse has been raised 6lbs for a nose win in a "kids" race worth £2047.20p (before deductions) to the winner. The horse last won 3 years ago and the race was described by the Racing Post as "little better than a seller".
The second, Pretty Officer, has been raised 7lb to a rating of 54 having never won from 12 outings!! He was aided by the jockey being able to claim 8lbs for riding for his own stable which clearly helped him.
The third horse, Tivers Song, was 4 lengths back in 3rd and also has never won a race!!
The fourth horse, Ruwain, has won two races from 20 starts off marks of 46 and 48 and was running off a mark of 51, clearly not competitve at that level.
It must be obvious to any race watcher that this was a weak race run at a fairly strong pace where the winning jockey gave the horse a cracking ride. To raise "Bidgee" 6lbs is LUNACY. We expected 2lbs and his chances of being competitive off his new mark are virtually non-existant!
We shall seriously consider not running horses in these apprentices races for if the jockey gives them an excellent ride the horse is effectively penalised. It must be obvious to any casual observer that the range of winning distances in these races is likley to be greater due to the inexperience of the jockeys.
Perhaps members of the public should be asked to review handicap ratings!! A web based system utilising say 100 members of the racing public and called "Youcap" might be a better system and cheaper to administer!!!

WINNER - Sweet Gale

Sweet Gale won at Kempton under a good ride from Frankie McDonald. She was beaten a nose at Wolverhampton some 44 days earlier and this time got her head in front at the 2f pole and nothing was going to get to her. She has been a straightforward horse but unlucky in running. It is the first winner for her owner Maureen Bartlett who also has been very patient and understanding. We hope it is the first of many!!!!

WINNER-Murrumbidgee

Murrumbidgee won at Nottingham under an excellent ride from Barry Adams. "Bidgee" has run twice for us, being fourth on both occassions, and we felt the fast pace would suit. Barry followed our instructions to the letter holding the horse up off the pace and picking up down the straight. He managaged to get Bidgee's nose in front in the very last stride!!! We are especially pleased for Bidgee's owner, David Ellis, who has been both a patient owner and a great supporter of teh yard.