Gaelic Gift came an excellent 2nd under Sam Jones
Courtesy of The Racing Post:
Gaelic Gift was rated almost 40lb the winner’s inferior over hurdles, but she was a winner at Lingfield earlier in the season and had better recent form than most. She took second going to the last and there was no disgrace in being outclassed by the winner. She can do better and will find life easier in mares only company.
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Brendan, Gaelic Gift, Lynsey and the very happy connections, The Leith Hill Chasers!
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Gaelic Gift getting a "well done" peck and an ear rub from her lass, Lynsey.
I am just having a self-indulgent moment, to post a photo of my lovely Bay Hawk who came 2nd under Mick Fitzgerald today. Brendan and his team (and his vet) have got Bay Hawk back on the track after a tendon injury about 13 months ago. Seeing Bay Hawk in the Winner's Enclosure today was quite an emotional moment for me as there was a time I wondered if he would ever make it back on to the racetrack again.
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Bay Hawk and Mick Fitzgerald
Courtesy Of The Racing Post:
Bay Hawk is still a novice over jumps, but he was a winner on the Flat and ran well enough here to suggest he will win a small race over jumps before too long.
Isintshelovely showed just how lovely she is by winning by a country mile in a Bumper at Fontwell today. She was never in any danger of being caught. Owned by Mr. Les Gilbert and ridden by Mick Fitzgerald, Isintshelovely is Brendan's first winner for 2008! May it be the first of many.
Courtesy of The Racing Post
This looked none too competitive, but ISINTSHELOVELY, who had already been placed twice, won it in great style, making just about all the running on the better ground towards the outer and storming right away up the stands' rail in the straight, in no danger at all in the last two fulongs. She seems to appreciate this better ground and ought to pay her way when she goes hurdling.
Many congratulations to Bob Gunn, Sam Jones and Atacama Star. A great performance today at Hereford and a winner by no less than 17 lengths.
This is the second winner for 2008 and with a lot more runners entered for the next 7 days, let's hope that figure improves even further.
Courtes of The Racing Post:
This race took very little winning and the form is obviously ordinary, but you can do no more than win the way he did and there might be a bit more improvement to come.
The weather has been really wet and windy over most of the UK for the last few days, but I braved the elements on Saturday and went down to see the staff and the horses. As always, there were lots of smiling faces, both equine and human, and I found Brendan in the office sorting out the runners for the day and the entries for the following week with Fred Gandolfo - and modelling his new ear muffs! Don't ask....
I went out to watch the 3rd lot with Fred. The gallops are always beautifully kept and looked particularly breathtaking in the morning winter sunshine. There had been a light dusting of snow overnight over the hills hence the white edgings to the gallops. It was such a lovely, bright morning I took a few photos of the horses and work riders as they came up the back hill - quite a strenuous piece of work for both horse and some riders!
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Brendan on Warnes Way and Sam Jones on Okoum
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Brendan "The Boss" after his gallop having ridden out, then back to the office to get changed and off to Kempton.
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Brendan Jnr. following in his fathers footsteps, literally up the gallops!
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Answer: You get a winning mare who goes by the name of FONDNESS.
The Queen bred this mare and with a positive ride from Mick Fitzgerald today, Fondness was a fairly easy winner in testing conditions at FAKENHAM. Many congratulations to the winning owner, Seamus Mannion.
Courtesy of The Racing Post:
Another race in which the testing ground took its toll and, bar the front two, the field was strung out like the washing.
FONDNESS was always chasing the leaders until going on from four out and she kept on well when the runner-up attempted to mount his final challenge after the last.
The winner had been kicked at the start and had suffered infection after winning at Fontwell in August, and was thought to need the race here, but obviously dispelled those worries. She will be kept to this sort of level and her jockey thinks that she will jump a fence one day, which will give connections further options.
Hats Off to Her Majesty
Sandringham is just down the road from the Norfolk coast and, as well as owning and breeding Gold Award, the Queen also bred another winner on the card in the Brendan Powell-trained Fondness
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FONDNESS - Photo courtesy of Tracy Roberts
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This time in the shape of Contra Mundum who went off to Southwell and was given an excellent ride by Hayley Turner to win by a comfortable 8 lengths.
Many congratulations to the winner owner, Mr. D. J. Coles
With the ground continually being announced at sp many racetracks in the UK as either soft or heavy, Brendan took a team of 4 horses up to the better ground that just happened to be up in Musselburgh, up near Edinburgh. A long way to go but if you have a yard full of horses ready to run, and hopefully, win, it's a gamble that paid off for owner, David Gamble with a winner for him in the shape of Princess Flame, ridden by Mick Fitzgerald. She won well and may have one more run before heading for the mares only final at Newbury.
Courtesy of The Racing Post:
Kerriemuir Lass was never near to challenge for Brendan Powell, who brought a four-horse team on a 374-mile trip north as he made only his second visit to Musselburgh as a trainer - and first since 2004 - and had struck immediately when Princess Flame took the opening mares' novice hurdle.
“I don't mind coming this far if they have a chance of winning, the ground is heavy everywhere with us,” Powell said.
“I have only come here once as a trainer before but I loved riding here - and it will be a shorter journey going home now.”
Princess Flame bounded clear for a seven-length win under Mick Fitzgerald and Powell said: “She probably should have won before now but things haven't worked out for her. She was very disappointing first time for us, jumping too big, then last time she got outpaced over two miles.
“She loved this ground and she jumped beautifully. She will probably have one more run then go for the mares' final at Newbury.”
Back up to Southwell again where Contra Mundum and Hayley Turner joined forces again to win again in goodstyle on the all-weather.
Courtesy of The Racing Post:
A banded-class event comprising mainly exposed sorts was won in effortless style by CONTRA MUNDUM, who has come back from hurdling in fine form.
An eight-length winner of a better race here last week, he followed up in similar style, racing keenlyearly but travelling well throughout and, after striding clear in the straight, scoring without being asked a serious question.
Well done to CONTRA MUNDUM for running up the quick hat trick, this time with Richard Quinn taking the ride.
Well done to all the connections!
BAY HAWK won in great style today. Anyone who thinks horses cannot come back after a "leg" and a year off, think again. Brendan and his vet took their time with Bay Hawk and assured me that he would grace the racetrack again and may win one day. He finished 2nd last time at Folkestone and if any one could win with him, Mick Fitzgerald could. Thanks again to Louis, Brendan and of course Mick Fitzgerald. It was a great day and I can't wait to come down and see Bay Hawk and all the people whose combined effort has made Bay Hawk's return to winning ways possible.
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As Brendan was busy on the phone... I took the opportunity to give Mick his instructions!
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Courtesy of The Racing Post:
Sent past long-time leader Funny Fellow approaching the straight, he was driven clear before the last and won well. Brendan Powell reckons he will stay much further and would have preferred faster ground. He added that he might go chasing in the summer and that the assistance of Mick Fitzgerald is important to the winner as he was ungenuine on the Flat and tends to race on and off the bridle.
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Receiving my prize from very charming Dorothy Missin who was celebrating her 80th Birthday!
A mention for the other runners at Folkestone. Moshahed coming in 4th in the Eastwell Manor Maiden Steeple Chase (Class 4) and then Atacama Star missing out on winning another race by coming a very respectable second.
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