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Photos courtesy of Roger Hunter
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Leading over the last - photo courtesy of Roger Hunter
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Great to see Brian Toomey (claiming 7) who rides out for the yard having a great win on Sunday at Ludlow for G E Jones on Orrezzo @ 25/1. I am absolutely thrilled for Brian and let's hope this is the first of many wins for him!
Well done Brian - and keep up the good work!
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Les and Jan Gilbert, Bob Gunn, James Davies, Narpat and Wild Ground
Well, 8 horses went, but Big Al didn't run. At Fontwell we experienced the most bizarre weather conditions. In the Owners and Trainers bar/conservatory we were all baking like tomatoes in the sun it was so hot, and then later in the afternoon, the biggest and blackest cloud arrived and the most horrendous rainstorm followed. Clearly, this downpour suited some horses and not others.
All in all it was a fairly good day for the yard. Fit to Drive came fourth, Noble Ben came a respectable second, Job One came fourth. An excellent result for Job One who really battled on well.
The best result of the day clearly goes to the brave and talented mare, WILD GROUND. I was with the owners, Les and Jan Gilbert and Robert Gunn in the Owners and Trainers bar before the race. There was a little sniggering going on amongst this trio when the heavy rain arrived due to Jan apparently having done a quick "rain" dance with her feet under the table.
Off I went to the bookies as Bob and Les had convinced me that this bit of rain would help Wild Ground.
As I was taking pictures for the website I reassured them I now needed a winner to post up. Luckily, it all went to plan. A lot of credit again to young, James Davies. James rode Wild Ground in her last race for her previous trainer. I was with Brendan at Folkestone when he promised that James would still continue to get rides on her even though the trainer would change. Great news for everyone involved.
Thanks again to the lovely Pamela who looks after the Owners when they have had a winner. She is a real credit to Fontwell and nothing is ever too much trouble for her.
Courtesy of The Racing Post:
This was arguably the most competitive race of the day, as quite a few of them could be given a squeak on their very best form. The pace was not too bad and they were well spaced out by the end.
WILD GROUND was in the form of her life during January and February and shaped reasonably well on her return to the track after a break. She improved on that effort to regain winning ways and looks on the upgrade again
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Courtest of The Racing Post:
Job One was less exposed than most but had not looked about to win any time soon when down the field at Ascot earlier in the month. However, this step up in trip looked to suit him and a small race can be won with him before too long.
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Job One
The very modest Clare Wills, who many of us know who rides out and works in the office for Brendan had a great win at Larkhill today. Clare didn't tell me (she's far too modest), but luckily a little birdie did!
Clare was riding her beloved Watership Down (fondly known as Shippy) and seems to have won in great style. Another familiar face at the yard, the absolutely adorable Robin Gray who rides out for Brendan, and rides out Shippy for Clare, was commentating on the race, so I can only imagine his reaction when she crossed the winning line 8 lengths clear of her nearest rival! Clare, remember, you can't keep secrets from me.. and VERY WELL DONE!!!
Courtesy of our contact at the course today:
Clare won a point to point at Larkhill today. She made all the running to win by 8 lengths at 4-1, beating Rachel Green on Reviewer (6-4) and Beadnell Bay (10-1) who was 10 lengths further back. It was pleasing that Robin Gray who often helps Clare by riding out Shippy was also the racecourse commentator.
With Sir Bathwick being robbed yesterday, it was great to see the very gallant mare, win in great style under an excellent ride by Sam Jones at Cheltenham. Congratulations to the connections, LEITH HILL CHASERS!
Courtesy of The Racing Post:
The Twiston-Davies team came close to completing a double later on the card, but Petite Margot found another mare, the Brendan Powell-trained Gaelic Gift, one place too good her for her in a hair-raising 3m4f handicap chase.
Gaelic Gift's victory provided another opportunity for Sam Jones to shine!
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SIR BATHWICK should have taken the honours at Cheltenham.
Carrying the second highest weight in this competitive race and leading from the front the weight may well have found him out in the last few lengths. Take nothing away from this defeat though as he is one of the bravest and toughest horses in Brendan's yard. There is no doubt he loves his racing and with all his well documented problems, he is clearly having the time of his life right now. Let's hope there is more to come from him. I know Sarah Clifford adores her "Oscar" as he is fondly known as despite everything her has been through he continues to give 150%!
Courtesy of The Racing Post:
This was a competitive novices' handicap and it produced a cracking finish that will have pleased the handicapper, given that a blanket could have covered the first six.
NATION STATE always travelled smoothly race but did well to score after getting in deep to the penultimate fence. Enjoying what were probably his ideal conditions, he knuckled down well under pressure to grab the luckless Sir Bathwick close home, reinforcing the view that he is enjoying life more with blinkers.
Sir Bathwick ran a mighty race from the front, showing bags of enthusiasm in the role of hare. He deserved to win and is clearly at the top of his game.
Mick has now been moved to The Nuffield Hospital in Oxford so much closer to Chloe and his boys! Although there is some positive news about the prognosis, Mick still has to undergo another 5 hour operation on his neck on Monday!
Fingers crossed it all goes to plan, and that he is soon free of metal scaffolding he is currently having to wear to hold his head and neck in place!
According to the press, Mick has had a few of his friends round to visit. Carl Llewellyn, John Francome and Dominic Elsworth and of course his boss, Nicky Henderson! By all accounts, despite the pain and restricted movement he is in good spirits!
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The yard is definitely back in sparkling form again with another winner in the sunshine at Ascot this afternoon.
Lord Nellerie under Richard Bandey for the Opperman Partnership ran a blinder and takes the NH wins to 51!
Courtesy of The Racing Post:
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LORD NELLERIE produced one of the best hunter chase performances of the 2005-06 amateur season when striking by 30 lengths at Hereford, and anything remotely similar to that was always going to be enough to win this uncompetitive heat
. Racing here for only the second time since that May 2006 success, the 115-rated nine-year-old showed the benefit of a novice hurdle pipe-opener to make all. He could hardly have won with more authority and will now have serious claims in one of the many hot hunter chases that come up in the next few weeks.
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I was thrilled to be present at Fontwell today to see Brendan hit 50 wins for the 2007 National Hunt season with a win for Count Kristo ridden by Sam Jones. Count Kristo was advertised in last Saturday's Racing Post with some shares for sale. What a day it would have been for these new owners - with a win, and an extra celebration for hitting the magic 50 winners for the yard.
Courtesy of The Racing Post:
COUNT KRISTO was the chief beneficiary of an incident-packed race in which four horses went out at the second fence. As a result, two fences down the back were by-passed on the second circuit. It was a well-deserved success for the admirably consistent Count Kristo, who according to trainer Brendan Powell only has one speed, and jumps and gallops. He is in the Doncaster sales but Powell hopes to retain him and keep him going through the summer.
BRENDAN POWELL notched a best career total when Count Kristo gave him a 50th winner of the campaign and his fourth in the space of 48 hours in the two and a quarter mile handicap chase.
The Upper Lambourn trainer endured a quiet spell in March but has regained his previous smart form with a vengeance. After Count Kristo and Sam Jones had come home two and a half lengths clear of Lease Back he said: “It's great to reach the fifty and this is a smashing horse to do it with, he's so consistent.
“He's in at the sales but I own half of him and hope to keep him as he'll go right through the summer. He's won on heavy here but I don't think we made enough use of him last time.”
Commenting on his sudden run of form Powell added: “We were very quiet but the floodgates have opened and we still have a couple ofweeks of the season to go.”
The field was reduced by four at the second with the departure of Cleymor House, Golden Crew, Wishes Or Watches and Spinaround. The respective riders of the first three named, Charlie Poste, Rodi Greene and Henry Oliver were taken to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester.
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Leighton Aspell with his gorgeous baby daughter. The Leighton Aspell Fan Club sponsored the race that Count Kristo won so it was great that Leighton came and joined us to watch the winning DVD and a glass of orange juice.
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It was also a great day for Brendan's racing secretary, Clare Wills who has been with Brendan since he first started training in Morestead, Winchester. A horse she has herself trained, owns and rides came a very respectable third today! Watership Down has won in point to points, but a win under rules would be a dream come true for Clare and her very proud parents.
It was great to see so many of Brendan's owners staying for the last race to cheer her home. She said she was going to "go for it" today and she certainly did that. The pace was possibly a bit too quick for Watership Down in the first circuit, but as other horses started to tire coming down the home straight, Clare put every bit of effort she could muster to come a respectable 3rd. On this showing, there is certainly a race to be won for Clare and Shippy (his pet name) and I am sure Clare will enjoy watching the re run of the race again... and again....
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The ever smiling Clare being led in by her very proud Dad, Ray!
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A few of the horses have not been running up to their true form in the last few weeks which has been fairly frustrating for everyone concerned with the yard. Where many horses had worked well at home, some of their performances on the track had not been reflective of the form they should have been capable of achieving. Today therefore heralded what will hopefully be a turning point with 3 horses winning on 3 different racetracks across the UK!
Kerriemuir Lass was the first to get her head in front at Towcester for JP McManus ridden by Tony McCoy, followed by Lupita at Bath ridden by William Buick owned by Ken Rhatigan. Binfield ridden by Jamie Spencer for N. Hitchins made up the treble with a decisive win in the evening at Kempton.
Well done to everyone at the yard at what has been a frustrating few weeks!
Courtesy of The Racing Post:
KERRIEMUIR LASS
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Several unexposed sorts on show here, among them handicap debutante KERRIEMUIR LASS. Tried in Listed company on the Flat, the mare had run her best race to date over hurdles when third in a maiden at Huntingdon, where she raced off the pace, as she had done on her previous two starts.
Now given her head, she had forged clear of her field turning for home and, though she was being closed down by Wotchalike and Rawaabet from two out, she was never in real danger of being caught. She can win again from this sort of mark.
LUPITA
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An ordinary staying handicap, which was run run at just a fair pace. LUPITA won a couple ot races at Wexford for Frances Crowley last summer over 1m5f and had run creditably over hurdles since joining this yard. Improving on the outer before strikingthe front, she was always holding the runner-up's renewed challenge. She will not go up too much for this and should continue to pay her way.
Lupita, ridden by apprentice William Buick, took the staying handicap for trainer Brendan Powell, who was at Towcester, where he was successful with Kerriemuir Lass.
Lupita's owner Ken Rhatigan said: ''She had a hard race over hurdles at Towcester and didn't give her running next time, but she's been given a bit of a break and enjoyed the sun on her back today. The yard's coming back to form now.''
BINFIELD
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Not a strong race by any means but a taking performance from BINFIELD, who left behind a bit of a patchy juvenile career to thrash some unexposed rivals. Always travelling smoothly under Jamie Spencer, she settled well, helped by the decent gallop, and having hit the front before the distance she drew right away in the final furlong to win with a fair bit in hand.
Bred to be well suited by this surface, connections think she'll get a bit further, and she is very much going the right way now.
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Many people are still awaiting for an update on Mick Fitzgerald's condition after his fall from L'Ami in The Grand National at Aintree yesterday.
I know that Brendan and his team are all wishing Mick well and here's hoping that Mick is soon back on his feet. Brendan is in contact with Chloe for regular updates of his progress. Bay Hawk is also natually interested in any updates about his favourite jockey's progress too.
Let's hope that Chloe soon has some positive news to pass on at this very worrying time for her and their family!
Courtesy of The Racing Post:
Fitzgerald reported to be "comfortable" in hospital
Mick Fitzgerald is undergoing assessment in hospital after his fall from L'Ami
by Nick Robson
MICK FITZGERALD is reported to be in a "comfortable" position in the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
The 37-year-old was taken to Liverpool's Fazackerley Hospital on Saturday following his fall from L'Ami in the John Smith's Grand National.
Immediate reports suggested he had suffered spinal injuries and was undergoing further assessment.
Fitzgerald was transferred to Liverpool Royal on Saturday night and a hospital spokesman said: "I can tell you he is comfortable and is undergoing assessment."
Fitzgerald's boss Nicky Henderson told PA Sport: "He's very battered and very sore, but comfortable.
"The main thing is heis able to move everything, but they are just keeping an eye on him and I think they are taking some more X-rays.
"He's very sore, he had two bad falls in two days, not that the first one was anything to do with the second one.
"We are all veryconcerned, but the important thing is everything is working OK.
"He's had a fair old battering and I would have thought that he will be staying in Sunday night also."
BENFLEET BOY owned by Miss J Semple, won decisively at Folkestone under Ryan Moore.
A great start for the month after a quiet few weeks where some of the horses have not been running to the best of their ability.
Courtesy of The Racing Post:
Proud Killer, fit from the AW, grabbed the rail from stall 5 and tried to make all, but BENFLEET BOY joined him around 2f out and soon asserted. This was Benfleet Boy's first run since his Polytrack win at Kempton for Brian Meehan 573 days previously, a fractured knee, which had to be screwed, having kept him off the track in the meantime.
He was nicely backed, however, and won decisively, despite Ryan Moore telling Brendan Powell that he hated the ground as he is such a good mover. He can go on to better things provided the Handicapper does not over-react.
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Count Kristo
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