I have had another busy week with lots of travelling and rewarded with a nice couple of winners.
Last weekend I was in Kelso on Saturday where I had two winners, one for Paul Nicholls and one for Harry Fry. For Paul, Kupatana won a Mares Novices’ Chase relatively easy after falling on her last outing, she has taken to fences well this season and hopefully will be a nice prospect for the future.
Winston C for Harry Fry was a bit of a different ride and we were struggling for quite some time, however once we turned into the home straight he started to pick up and weaved passed the other runners, I think it was a really gutsy performance to win. He has quite a few options where he could go next, and he does have an entry for the Scottish Champion Hurdle on the 13th April.
Harry’s horses are in great form at the moment, with his other runner, Captain Drake finishing a close 2nd in Kelso and on Sunday Sir Ivan was only beaten half a length in Exeter.
On Sunday, Dad and James had a nice winner in Carlisle. Equus Dancer won a bumper by about 12 lengths, he has only ever ran four times and looks to have a nice future ahead of him.
This weekend I am hopefully in Stratford Saturday for a nice book of rides. Dad has Viens Chercher, Lord Bryan, Atomic Rumble, Henllan Harri and Effretais entered, so we are hopeful for a few nice chances.
Now that all the hype of the Cheltenham Festival is over for another year, Aintree is the next big focus. I am hoping to have some nice rides at the three day festival, it is a festival which as a family we have enjoyed success at, especially with Always Waining winning the Topham Chase back to back in 2010 and 2011.
I am particularly looking forward to riding Lord Napier for Dad in the Liverpool Hurdle which is a Grade 1 over 3 miles, he won a Grade 3 handicap hurdle in Sandown back in February and finished a good 3rd in the Lanzarote handicap hurdle a couple of weeks previous. I am hoping we will go there with a good chance.
Another horse I am looking forward to riding is Bags Groove, he will go in either the 2m4 Novices Chase or 3m Novice Chase. He has had a great season so far since winning a Novices Chase at Ffos Las back in October and now that Noel Fehily has retired I have been lucky enough to take the ride.
