Complicit broke the track record at Lingfield and qualified for the Million Pound Finals day by beating the strongly fancied Sir Robert Cheval trained by Marco Botti by a length. Graham Lee reported it was all over once he got balanced up the straight at Lingfield.

He then travelled to France where he beat the strongly fancied favourite of Jean-Claude Rouget called Zvarov. He will now take a break until the Million Pound race day where he will line up in the 7 furlong conditions race.


Elysian Prince ran a great race at Lingfield coming second he was very unlucky in running on the bend as he tripped up and took a while to get balanced. He will now have a winter break and be back next year.

Berkshire is very well in himself, putting on weight and the plan is probably to have a prep race before the Guineas.

All the yearlings have been sold apart from a Champs Elysees Colt which we bought for 4,000 Guineas. He is half-brother to a Royal Ascot Chesham 4th in Mine Host and a Listed winner ‘Antediluvian’. He moves extremely well and will be ridden in the next couple of days. 

Lisamour put up a nice performance to come second at Kempton she broke very quick and found herself at the front, the instructions were to sit in third or fourth, its not that she would have won. She ran green and its like she had never run before forgetting the last time where she came 9/10 having missed the kick with the hood on and never faced the kickback. She will now head to Newbury for the 1m 1/4 maiden that Pink Symphony won "The Robert Sangster Memorial". The racing post describes her as "a filly that clearly has a future".

Rush will run again this year, as it's good for the pedigree if she is a two-year-old winner. She will probably run again over six furlongs but she will most definitely get 7f. She should win and improve with age.

The enigma Complicit passed his stools test. We are most sure we have the key to him now. He will go in with a hood on. He has been working very well and could be a nice horse for the future he has a lot of talent if he wins he is sure to be packed up until the big meeting at Lingfield next year the million pound day. 

All of our yearlings are sold so we are going to the December yearling sale to buy a couple of more. Berkshire is doing very well and is putting on weight he is still a big baby bouncing and playing at every opportunity, his lad Surrender does very well with him in the box because he will bite at every opportunity "approach with caution".

Black Run racing is a very exciting prospect, shares are available in eighths and quarters of three horses. A Rock Of Gibraltar a Royal Applause and a Aussie Rules with French premiums. These are all very nice looking horses by good stallions with decent pedigrees. 

Please feel free to ring, as they are inexpensive and going!

We have a few runners this week Dutch Art Dealer is going well and also is Treasure Key who didn't like the ground at Newbury its very hard for a two year old to overcome soft ground first time out. Lisamour will probably need the experience but could be a nice future project.

Please look at our site and see if any of the horses for sale could suit you! 

Racing Summary and Sales Season!

Runners and Riders!!

Cafetiere picked up £2,500 for coming fourth in a Deauville claimer. In a maiden today at home at a big track you can pick up £400 for coming fourth, it just shows you the terryfying comparison. She will head there in December now.

Meritocracy ran really nicely to win at Kempton since his gelding he seems to have settled and become a very handy racehorse. Cape Arrow was unlucky not to win under Jimmy Quinn and he will race again on the aw-weather at Wolverhampton. Silverheels did not like the ground at Ascot and he will probably head to Deauville in December.


Sales and Results!!

We went looking high and low at the sales in Newmarket and Deauville and it was very hard work to create value as we got outbid at numerous times anyway with hard work we managed to buy some exceptionally nice horses and came back with ten.

For Sale:
Paco Boy colt (Goffs 122)
Rip Van Winkle colt (Tatts 591)
Shamardal colt (Arquana 39) French premiums
Mount Nelson colt (tatts 1156)
Starspangledbanner colt (Tatts 674)

Black Run Racing:
Royal Applause (Tatts 1131)
Rock Of Gibralter (Tatts 833)
Aussie Rules (Arquana 73) French premiums

(for more information please look go down to black run racing an affordable way to get involved in three horses)

Mrs Fitri Hay
Teofilo colt (Goffs 77)

Richard Green
Dutch Art colt (Tatts 821)
Iffraaj colt (Tatts 1114)

Alan Spence
Iffraaj colt (Tatts 1297)

Colin and Melba Bryce
Dansili Filly (Tatts 1317)

A very big weekend for Whatcombe after a great year!

We have been very lucky to have some good horses this year and that has been show by our percentages, our 2 year old winners to runners is in the top 2 in Britain. Headed by Berkshire and Gifted Girl we have had a great year. We have been supported by some great owners and hopefully it will role on next year. Jim Crowley has also played a big part in the operation and has ridden very consistently for us. Our staff have done a great job and its been a real team effort. We have already bought some nice two year olds from Goff's and touch wood thy turn out to be good.

Berkshire ran a great race to beat Somewhat in a thrilling finish the race was best described as a football match in which "Manchester United play badly but still managed to win". He pulled hard for the first couple of furlongs was on the side where there was no pace, did not like the ground didnt come down the hill straightened out and had to catch the winners, class prevailed. Jim Crowley gave him a great ride and the dream is still alive.

Gifted Girl ran a great race in the Dubai Duty Free at Newbury it was run over 1 mile 3 furlongs and she was last of the bridle and did not get home inside the last furlong her optimum trip is 1 mile 2 furlongs in which the Prix De L'Opera is run over she is in the form of her life, still thriving and should put up a good show on Sunday.

We plan to have some runners in Deauville in October and December and will buy some French breds as the prize money with the premiums is so much bigger in France. We will be happy to assist anyone who would be interested in purchasing a French bred.

We have had a very quiet month in the month of August. The horses are very well in themselves and we are just about to turn it up a bit.

Gifted Girl may head to the Dubai Duty Free Arc Trial or she has been invited to the Flower bowl Invitational Stakes at Belmont Park in New York. Gifted Girl is in very good form and is fresh and well, There was some more good form for her through Lady's First at Sandown on Saturday, there has got to be a big one in her.

Jim Crowley came to ride Berkshire on Saturday and felt he was in good form and had come on from his race, the horse has grown an inch and we are very happy with him physically and mentally, he is ready to run and is fit and well. The Champagne Stakes is his target a week Saturday.

Double Points heads for Craon in France and runs in the Listed Criterium De L'Ouest over the extended mile. Double Points came fourth in a listed in Deauville on the 20th August, he was very unlucky not to have been there or there abouts after nearly been knocked over at the bend and loosing momentum and then finishing like a train. We really like him and he should have a good chance in Craon he is growing and strengthening all the time. He also thrives on racing

Complicit heads either to the Sirenia Stakes or the Mill Reef Stakes. Complicit is a very nice horse, he's come on from his race leaps and bounds and runs in the colours of T A Rahman. We expect him to run well for our new owner who we are delighted to have in the yard. He is a half sister to Jersey Stakes winner Rainfall and seems to be talented himself.

We still have some nice two year olds too come out either at the end of this month or even next month. Ones too look out for are Fort Berkley by Fastnet Rock who is a half brother to Ebor winner Tiger Cliff. Also Treasure Key who is by Bahamian Bounty and is shaping up really nicely.

It’s been a quiet couple of weeks at Whatcombe and we have only had a handful of runners.

Gifted Girl ran a massive race at Arlington in coming second behind Dank who in the end won nicely. The race did not really suit her way of running as it was a furious pace from the beginning, she broke and took a bit of time to get into stride aided by Tom who knows her very well. As Dank had left her up the straight by the time she got into top gear the race was over, she was a fast finisher.  She really enjoyed her trip and could be heading back to the States in September.

It was nice to see Strawberry Jam winning at Kempton under an enterprising ride by Nathan Alison he should get further in time as he stayed on strongly.

We do not have many runners over the next week and Dutch Art Dealer heads to Windsor he is in good form and we expect him to run well. Sovereign Power runs at Brighton and he is in good form.

It's been a good couple of weeks for Whatcombe:

Starting of with a treble at Ripon, it was great to get another winner for the Sultan in Kuantan one who put up a very gutsy performance to win having taken the lead at the bottom bend. Complicit also did it the hard way in the maiden having broke a bit late and coming through to win given an emphatic ride by Graham Lee, he is a nice horse in the making and will run at Windsor under new ownership a week on Monday in a novice race at Windsor. One of the yards favourites Silverheel's can sometimes be hard to place but everything suited him a smallish field and daylight where he went onto prevail. Thatchit who is a half sister to Radiohead also ran a blinder to come second at Windsor we hope there is a maiden in her, she is very well at home. Dutch Art dealer looked like he got beat by a very good horse to come third at Ascot but we think there is a lot more to come from him as we have always liked him and he is one to keep an eye out for in the future. 

Goodwood:

Silverheels after his win at Ripon did not bounce back as we thought he may do but the feeling was he did not like the ground and the field was probably was too big. Grecian ran ok but we feel he did not quicken down the hill, it looked like the inexperience beat him, as he was one of the last of the bridle he is a very nice horse for the future he should have won at Ascot but did not have luck in running. The ground did not help Meritocracy by the mass of rain that hit the track the night before he is a firm ground specialist.

Bluegrass Blues is such a nice horse to train he is tough and genuine. He has won three races this year and probably was unlucky in a couple. The pace really suited him and he galloped right to the line. He may go over a mile next time.


Berkshire did his first gallop on the grass since the Chesham and his regular work jockey could not be happier with him the Champagne is still the target.

                                 Berkshire enjoying his wash after his gallop.

Gifted Girl worked very well on Saturday and will be heading to the Beverly D it looks a hot race but the prize money is big and she is in great form, she heads out there next Saturday.

                               Gifted Girl enjoying some grass after her work.

Walking back from the gallops after exercise

Newbury to France

Silverheels could run at Deauville on the 27th, along with others including Blue Grass Blues and possibly Double point, during August. The horses are fit and well, and enjoying the sunshine, Whatcombe looks beautiful in the sunshine. Meritocracy runs at Newbury this weekend in the Super Sprint, the horses is in good form and we are hoping for an exciting race.
August we are looking forward to a busy time in France with some decent prize money, it can be a profitable venture.

Gifted Girl continues to improve...

Gifted Girl ran very well against the odds at Epsom on Friday. She is a big horse and has a tendency to hang so Epsom would not suit. Tom Queally rode her well and we were trying to win and keep her balanced at the same time. She may go for The Beverly D at Arlington Park in August, a Group One Fillies race which we have won before.

Bluegrass Blues will run at Pontefract on Friday, he seems in good nick

Kalicamix missed his target in Deauville owing to a pricked foot, he would have had a good chance.

Kuantan One had ran two bad races before his win at Goodwood for no apparent reason apart from the fact that he has won twice on right handed tracks.

St Paul De Vence did not act at Epsom, he can do better.

Strawberry Jam is working well and will run at Ponterfract on Friday.

Berkshire is on track for the Chesham at Royal Ascot.

Double Point ran well at Goodwood last week and goes for an Auction race at Salisbury on the 11th June.

The gallops are good, as is the weather, the horses are well and are running well, let the winners flow.

Shaping up

Not much going on at the moment, horses are all well Circumvent is back and is in full Work. Silverheels runs on Thursday he is working well enough to get in the frame. St Paul de Vence is runs on derby day and he is getting much fitter.

We brought five horses at the Breeze up one is still for sale. They are nice bunch of fillies and a boost for the yard.

We will be running some the two years olds next month, and they are shaping up well and i am looking forward to it.

I went to Newbury races for two days last week and had a snack lunch. Services was very slow and the food was awful. It has got worse rather than better. Fancy having to pay to get in, hot soup and a fried chicken leg are not much to ask for.

Gifted Girl storms home at Ascot

The bad weather continues to interfere with the horses' training, they have their summer coats and the sharp north winds do them no favours.


We were delighted with Gifted Girls win at Ascot on Saturday. She has done plenty of work but not much fast work. Her target being the Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot in June but she will also be entered into the Windsor Forest Stakes, a Group 2 for fillies.

The three runners at Windsor today are more hopeful than expecting. Cafetiere got unbalanced at Newmarket and ran poorly, Kuntan One is lazy and may need some blinkers on to show his best and Strategic Strike should go well but it is a competitive race.

Berkshire runs at Newbury on Friday, he is a nice horse and worth following.

We have two runners entered to run in France on Friday. Meritocracy should win and Keep the Dream will run well and has a good chance Christophe Soumillon rides both and he has a good record for us.

Getting going with runners

The horses are all running as expected, except Bluegrass Blues who ran disappointingly at Newmarket, he can do better and runs at Wolverhampton on Monday and Graham Lee rides.

Meritocracy ran ok at Newbury, but could do better on decent ground.

Cafetiere got unbalanced at Newmarket.

St Paul de Vence was rusty at Windsor and will do better in time.

Strategic Strike did well to win over a trip short of hist best yesterday at Wolverhampton. He ideally needs 1m4f.

Puteri Nur Laila is declared to run on Thursday at Lingfield but can not be relied on, she wears blinkers again and Ryan Tate takes a handy 5lb off her back too.

Key Appointment has improved for his run and should run well at Sandown on Saturday in the Jump vs Flat jockeys race.

Sheikh Mohammed's trainer has beaten us in some decent races last year and it makes one wonder about the ethics of the operation. As we know, some drugs are not detectable yet or may leave the system before testing, lets hope all involved suppliers and administers all get there come uppance.

Good Start!

The horses are in good form and we are now using the grass which is great. Our one mile two furlong wood chip has been great so far this season, where we have done most of our work. Our gallop man has done an amazing job. We sent some two year olds up the grass in a bunch for the first time and they  went well.

Whatcombe got away nicely with Bluegrass Blues who quickened away nicely to win by one and three quarter lengths at Kempton. We are really happy with him and he may go to Newmarket.

Cafitiere ran very green, she was the fastest finisher in the race and will probably now go to Newmarket. We Like her and think she does have ability but missing the break at Kempton and been crossed is very hard to overcome especially as a two year old.

Puteri Nur Laila is fit and well.

Strategic Strike ran a nice race. We think he may of got slightly tired in the las 1/2 furlong. We were pleased with his effort and he is likely to head to Lingfield over one mile and a half.

Key Appointment runs at Kempton over a mile in a maiden he has been of the track for seventeen months he is fit and well but should come on from the race. It will be very interesting to see how he gets on.

Intermix runs over a mile and he is well and should come on from the race. We think he has ability to go on.

Nice to get the flat on the way. The horses are fit and working well. We have a runner at Kempton on Saturday, Cafetiere, she goes well and with a draw should be there or there abouts. No doubt the other trainers will be thinking the same.


Bluegrass Blues runs on Tuesday and is working well.

We are very much looking forwards to the trials at Newbury and Newmarket, we have horses to run there. Strategic Strike will need the race; he is fit but however lacks the experience.

I notice more and more All-weather races are being reopened, they need much more prize money. The costs are high, and you get a pat on the back at the most for your troubles.

Looking forward to Easter weekend

The horses are now in full work. We are working our two year olds next lot on the Summerdown gallops and there is a good feel in the yard and people are buying horses. We are expecting runners at Kempton over Easter. The weather has been bad, but the all-weather gallop and our gallop man Philip have kept us going so the horses have not missed any work.

We have entered a few two year olds in early closing races, Weatherbys Super Sprint, DBS Premier Stakes and the Weatherbys Insurance Stakes.

Cheltenham week

We had two runners in France last week, one ran poorly and one ran well. Stormbound got over excited before the race, thus ran badly. Kalicamix only dropped out in the last half a furlong, finishing 5th, which paid for the trip and he may reappear on Thursday at Chantilly in a listed event which may be a little too hot for him.

Although the weather has been inclement the horses are quite well forward bearing in mind. Other than Doncaster, racing gets off to a very low key set of races until April when we have Newmarket and Newbury in one week (can't wait for it). We have bought a faster type of two year old, trying to go the successful Hannon route and they are shaping up well.

Looking forward to Cheltenham in front of the fire although with new Channel 4 team, I am not expecting too many laughs. 

French runners this week!

The whole string is nearly in now and back in full work. Although we have not got a lot of horses, they are all likely sorts and lets hope we don't have to go to France for the ground and the prize money. Since last August we have had 8 winners from 11 runners in France, earning the yard nearly 200K with claims and prize money.

I can see the way things are going, average runners per race are down to eight, trainers are running purely for a pat on the back, benefiting only book makers. With many races being re-opened, All Weather racing could be under threat and prize money needs to be trebled. Everybody seems to have got used to racing for nothing, I think racing will start withering from the bottom.

We have two runners in France tomorrow, Kalicamix and Stormbound. Kalicamix is probably out of his depth but Stormbound has an each way chance from a poor draw.

Stormbound & Kalicamix likely to be next runners

Stormbound & Kalicamix may run in France at the beginning of March if they are both fit, well and if conditions suit. They are both nice horses and very capable.

All the horses who are in work are doing two canters here at the Paradise gallop at Whatcombe. The two year olds are going upsides and going through the stalls every time they go out and all seem a very nice bunch.

We are hoping that the weather is a bit more on our side this year as we go into the season. We do not want the soft ground again as Whatcombe horses do not historically go well on it.

We are very pleased that Circumvent is staying in training and also that Silverheels was bought back by us at the sales to go into a new partnership. The partnership consists of Silverheels (leased) and three two year olds (Fastnet Rock colt, Iffraaj colt, Azamour colt). We are selling eighth & quarter shares in the partnership. For more information please contact alex@paulcole.co.uk

Stormbound to France after win!

We are delighted that Stormbound won his maiden at Wolverhampton and beat Gosden's horse in the event who we thought was the danger. He won with a little in hand and as a consequence we have had some offers to buy him. We are keeping him for the time being and he will probably run in Chantilly on the 5th March in the claiming race on the all weather surface.

Kalicamix is another nice horse who may go back to France on the 14th March for a valuable conditions race over 6.5f. He is now doing faster work and we expect him to run if he is in good health and fit.

Belova sold for £4,500 at the Tattersalls sales last week for owner Henry Robinson, we believe she has gone to be a brood mare.

We have had a new arrival in Lutra a two year old Halling filly who is owned and bred by Henry Robinson and a few old faces have returned from their winter holidays. Cut No Ice, Standing Bear, Call me Marilyn, Gifted Girl & Secret Success have all come back into training.

Nearly all the horses are cantering now and we are very much looking forward to seeing the two year olds start doing some faster work.

Horses to step up shortly

Now that the snow has melted, Whatcombe is looking green again and the horses are able to trot round the loop instead of trotting in the indoor school. Strombound, who ran very well but a little free in first time blinkers two weeks ago, runs again tomorrow in the Maiden at Wolverhampton (4.00pm). We have left the blinkers off because we do not think that he needs them over this trip (1m 1/2 f) and hope that he wins. Pategonia looks like the danger, Gosden's horse also steered clear of the Lingfield maiden last Saturday in favor of running here.

The two horses who look like they have improved the most over the winter are the Captain Rio colt bought at Tattersalls book 2, who is still for sale (see horses for sale page) and Another Name, an unraced three year old colt by Red Clubs who is owned by PJL Racing.

We are sending Belova a very well bred filly by Soviet Star to the February Tattersalls sale. She sells on 7th February in the evening and is Yearling Bonus registered for this season.

All our horses will start cantering next week. We have two early entries for the DBS Premier Stakes at York in August, Meritocracy & Skaters Waltz.

Stormbound left as flag bearer

As we enter the New Year, the yard is fairly quiet with most of the horses trotting or having a break in the field. The two year olds are doing very well, they are walking through the stalls everyday after their exercise.
We have Stormbound still in training who runs in the 2.25pm Handicap at Lingfield on Thursday 10th January. Raul Da Silva is riding him and takes off 3lb. He is working well and we are hoping for better luck in running than his last race.

We would like to wish all our Owners a Happy New Year and the best of luck for the 2013 season!