A fine autumn day, settled weather again and drying up here at home and on the racecourses.  Watering back on the menu at Carlisle, Hexham, Newcastle and Kelso.  We are hoping it will be lovely good to soft ground at Ayr tomorrow where we have nine declared runners on what understandably looks a popular and competitive card.

We start with stable and hurdling debutant Jackson Court in the novice hurdle at 12.43; he’s a lovely horse who works well, schools well and won his last point to point prior to us acquiring him at Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale in April.  He’s had a straightforward preparation and I hope he will acquit himself well in what looks like a highly competitive race of its type.  We will certainly learn more – Dom rides and 8 run.

Jackson Court

Next up is Jirko in the staying handicap chase at 13.18; he ran some great races in defeat over course and distance last season and ought to go well back from a decent break off what looks like a competitive mark – Bruce rides and 12 run.

Jirko

We run The G Wizard in the feature staying handicap hurdle at 13.53; we were delighted with his 3rd when stepped up in class at Perth last month, that form has worked out well so he shoudl be involved in what looks like a select but competitive field – Bruce rides and 7 run.

The G Wizard

We are then double handed in the middle distance handicap chase at 14.28 with chasing debutant Cavalier du Luy (Bruce) and My Kiwi Girl (Kevin Brogan); Cavalier was lightly campaigned over hurdles last season but showed plenty of ability, he’s a winning pointer and schools well so ought to progresss over fences this season.

Cavalier du Luy

Kiwi looked highly promising over hurdles in the 2024/25 season and had plenty of excuses for losing her form completely last season.  Hopefully those problems are behind her and she can fulfill her early potential. It is a shame to run two of our brightest prospects against each other but as ever I feel obliged to look through the prism of every horse as an individual to ensure we do the best for them. 10 run.

My Kiwi Girl

Ginger Mail is our representative in the 2m handicap hurdle at 15.03; he has come down a whopping 18lb since he ran in the 3m race on this card a year ago and has run very well at this fixture over two miles in the past.  He’s had minor wind surgery this autumn and seems in great form – Bruce rides and 11 run.

Ginger Mail

Course winner Platin Moon makes his chasing debut in the 2m novice chase at 15.37; this is a good little race but he schools well and on hurdle form would be competitive – Bruce rides and 6 run.

Platin Moon

Finally we are double handed in the staying handicap hurdle at 16.10 with course and distance winner Better be Definite (Bruce) and Anamanda (Dom).  Both seem in very good order and ought to give a good account; BBD is 7lb higher than when he won here in February but should be capable of further progress, Anamanda is slipping down the weights and has the added benefit of Dom’s 7lb claim – I would expect her to leave her poor form last time at Perth behind her – 12 run.

Better be Definite

Anamanda

On to Carlisle on Sunday where we have one runner on an excellent looking card, the ground should be on the easy side of good and course winner takes a major step up in class to run in The Cumberland Chase at 15.33.  A big ask first time out but he seems in particularly good order so I felt it was worth rolling the dice for an excellent prize – Kevin Brogan rides and 8 run.

Orkney Blue

We were pleased with 4 of our 5 Kelso runners last week; Royal March made a nice debut to finish 4th, Oor Wish took a major step forward to be 3rd, Suspected was just getting involved in the race when he slipped on landing two out and unshipped Bruce, Ballyfort ran an excellent race to fill the runner up slot for the third consecutive time.  The disappointment was Maillot Blanc but a little issue came to light during the week that probably explains his performance so we have treated that and will hopefully run better next time.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Raining heavily here today, well forecast and it looks like a stormy weekend in prospect.  Uncomfortable but necessary to rebalance the books water wise from many perspectives.  With Cheltenham this weekend and the rain arriving the National Hunt season feels as if it is taking off.  Aside from our own runners we are also excited for daughter Clare & her husband Toby’s runners from their new base in Lambourn; the Jockey Club and Racing TV put together a lovely profile of Toby which you might enjoy watching here.

Our momentum is building and there are few things I like more than a Kelso Saturday fixture; the ground there for tomorrow was good this morning and likely to ease, we have five horses declared.

Royal March

We are double handed in the opening race at 13.37, a two mile maiden hurdle for horses that haven’t run on the flat.  Royal March (Kevin Brogan) is making his stable and hurdling debut having been 2nd on his only bumper start prior to us acquiring him at Goffs in May.  He seems a lovely straightforward horse and has been a natural in all his schooling so I hope he can give a good account.  Oor Wish (Bruce) is having her 3rd run over hurdles; she showed some nice form in bumpers last season without really building on her January debut.  She will be a stronger and better mare over further this season and a spin over two miles should set her up nicely. 6 run.

Oor Wish

Suspected makes his chasing debut in the 3m novice chase at 14.10; he progressed nicely over hurdles late last season and there should be lots more to come over fences, he schools well and whilst a clear round will be the priority he ought to be competitive though I do wonder if he might be marginally better right handed – 5 run and Bruce rides.

Suspected

Ballyfort runs in the 2m handicap chase at 14.44; he was a slightly fortunate winner of this race last year off 2lb lower and then progressed nicely through the season finishing up with a career best in a good handicap at the Scottish National meeting at Ayr in April.  He’s summered well and a repeat of that would give him a good chance – 6 run and Bruce rides.

Ballyfort

Finally we run Maillot Blanc in the conditional jockeys handicap hurdle at 16.55; a winner at the track in May over slightly shorter he is 2lb higher tomorrow.  He should have come on for his seasonal debut at Perth last month and this race ticks all the boxes for him so I’d hope he will run well – 9 run and Dom rides.

Maillot Blanc

A fine day at Carlisle yesterday with Half Track (3rd) bouncing back to form and Old Comrades (6th) both showing that their form last season was all wrong.  Bel Amigo (5th) also ran well.

Dreich today – damp and misty after a wet night.  Off to Carlisle tomorrow with three runners on ground that I am hoping will have eased slightly from the current “good”.

Old Comrades

We start off with Old Comrades in the novice hurdle at 13.17; he looked like an out and out stayer when he won his point to point in Ireland in spring 2025 and he ran like he hadn’t acclimatised on his two starts for the yard last season.  He seems much better this time round and is having a run over 2m to bring him forward.  Hopefully a horse to look forward to when he steps up in trip this winter – 13 run and Bruce rides.

Bel Amigo

Bel Amigo drops back in trip to 2m in the conditional jockeys handicap hurdle at  13.52; my initial inclination had been to step up in trip but he has a good record over this course and distance including when runner up in this race a year ago so thought worth another go.  This year’s renewal looks more competitive but he is 5lb lower now and ought to give a good account – 8 run and Dom rides.

Half Track

Finally we run Half Track in the 2m 4f handicap hurdle at 15.02; he was out of sorts last season and as a result has come down the weights and is now 15lb lower than when runner up here in December 2024.  Certainly has a chance on paper if anywhere near back to his best – that’s the question, I’ve been very happy with him at home. 13 run and Bruce rides.

At Hexham yesterday neither of our runners handled the track particularly well but we were very pleased with Lester Mail staying on nicely to be 3rd and Burning it Up did what was required in terms of completing safely prior to finishing 6th – he’s better than this though.  An excellent card at Carlisle tomorrow for anyone inclined to have a day at the races – great to see the wonderful Golden Ace appearing in the best hurdle of the season so far.