17/11/2014

OF INTEREST

Berkshire has come out of his race really well, and the plan with him is to head to the Prix Ganay next year. Gifted Girl, who was very unlucky at Salisbury earlier on in the year heads to the Tattersalls December Mare sales. Meritocracy may be heading to St Moritz for their festival next year. We have bought some very nice yearling and we may still have a couple to Syndicate which are a Kheleyf (lot 536, Tattersalls) and a Cape Blanco (lot 224, Doncaster) these horses can also be bought outright should someone wish to. Please contact us for more details if interested.

We have had a number of winners in the last couple of weeks and the stable is in good form:

FRANCE

In France, Elysian Prince took our tally up to eight winners, its not over yet. We head to the Deauville meeting, which starts on the 1st December. Complicit who will run on the 2nd December in a Listed. Bluegrass Blues, Rockaroundtheclock, Dusty Blue, Silverheels, Stormbound and Elysian Prince will also run during that month in conditions races and claimers.

BRITAIN

Upstaging, who we have always liked a lot, dissappointed us when running down the field first time out at Kempton. After that, on his last outing he won very nicely at Kempton and has now been put away for next year.

Dutch Art Dealer won two on the bounce and went to the sales, didn't sell, so we will aim for the Lincoln next year.

Rotherwick won very well at Newmarket under Adam Kirby which took his Tally to three this season. Remarkably, he won over 1 mile 1 furlong considering he is by Starspangedbanner, who was a sprinter himself. He has now been put away until next season.

Lyfka has gone up in the weights 18 pounds from her first win at Wolverhampton on the 21st October, and was unlucky not to have won another, she was nearly taken down in her penultimate race at Wolverhampton. She won last time out and she now runs at Kempton on Thursday with a penalty. Its usually quite hard to win with a penalty of 6 pounds but the handicapper is going to put her up another 10 pounds.

Falmouth Harbour is going the right way and will start at Kempton on Wednesday over a mile, will need a mile and a half in time. He is still developing and will hit top gear next year.

Foxy Boris has been working well and will head to Lingfield on wednesday where he should have a good chance.

PHOTOS OF INTEREST / SOCIAL

                                                                  Berkshire with Lucy.

Paul Cole, Oliver Cole, Barry Hills. 

The ultimate selfie caught by the Racing Post.

It has been a very good couple of weeks for Whatcombe

The horses have been running very well in the last couple of weeks.

Berkshire our stable star romped home in the Darley Stakes to win easily by a length and a half.  It is very satisfying for us as we have always had faith in him.  There was a genuine reason he did not run well in the Greenham and this was because of the Entrolith.  It is a possibility he will now head to the Pre Ganay next year.

Lyfka ran nicely under Martin Lane to win by 9 Lengths, she will now head to Wolverhampton on Tuesday in a Handicap over 7f.

Dutch Art Dealer won at Wolverhampton from an unlucky draw and is now rated 90 he will head to the sales at Newmarket on Wednesday.

Elysian Prince won a claimer at Wolverhampton and will possibly head to France in the near future

Dusty Blue is another nice filly that we like she came second at Kempton and holds an entry at Kempton over 6f, she should go well.

British Art ran nicely at Kempton and will come on from the race.  It was a long time since his last race.

Complicit The ground at Newbury was very soft for him and he didn't get home in the ground. There is a possibility he will run in France on on Friday on the all weather track at Chantilly, in a conditions race, depending on if he recovers well from his race at Newbury where he probably had quite a hard race.

Gifted Girl runs later on in the week and has been working well, we expect he to put up a better performance

Its Lady Mary has come on from her last race and she probably runs at Kempton later on in the week

Upstaging ran very disappointingly first time out at Kempton, but we think he is quite good and is entered again at Kempton where we hope he puts up at better performance

Sir Henry Raeburn is another horse we quite like, again disappointing at Windosr first time out, but should put up a better account of himself.

There could be a couple of winners around this week so look out!!!

New Horses to the Yard

Dark Angel x Xarzee (Xaar) 2013 Grey Filly

Good Looking Dark Angel Filly out of a Xaar mare who has already breed two winners and is a half-sister to Paco Boy. 

Cape Blanco x A Mind of Her Own (Danehill Dancer) 2013 Chestnut Colt

A strong colt whose damn is an own sister to Birdman from the family of Fa-Eq

Invincible Spirit x Waveband (Exceed and Excel) 2013 Bay Colt

Good bodied colt whose dam is an own sister to Bungle in the Jungle from the family of Crime of Passion.

High Chaparral x Seren Devious (Dr Devious) 2013 Bay Filly

Own sister to 92 rated Tioga Pass and half-sister to Group 3 winner Circumvent

France

After yet another winning trip to France with Silverheels at Chantilly we have plans for more over there in the near future.  Having had 17 runners out there this year with a win strike rate of just over 33% only two have finished out of the prize money.

Runners

Upstaging – runs tonight 8^th October, good looking 2 year old who has shown ability at home.

Secret Success – runs tonight 8^th October, frustratingly has a high draw which we hope he can overcome

Complicit – Ran very well last time in a Windsor Listed race to finish 3^rd, if handling Wolverhampton he should run very close

Kubeba – Is working well at home and we hope the step back up in trip to a mile ½ furlong should benefit him

Results

Silverheels – Was given a great ride in France from his customary wide draw to get in to a handy position to kick on up the straight and win cosily by ¾ length

Rock Around the Clock – Ran on gamely for 4^th place though not quite showing the pace to stay with the first three

Silverheels – Always seems to get a high draw and ran well to finish 2^nd

Dutch Portrait – After a tardy start ran a great race to be beaten frustratingly by a short head

Dark Days – Ran a very game race, but was unlucky to meet a good thing

Londonia – Ran well for a long way, before being done for a bit of speed on his 3^rd run, he will have a break now to be ready for handicap next season

Elysian Prince – Ran well to keep on for 3rd after not getting enough cover earlier on in the race

Imperial Link – A little bit to free in her first try at a mile, but still kept on well for 3^rd place

Foxy Boris – A much improved run on his second outing

Kubeba – Ran a game race finding the 7f around Wolverhampton a little too sharp will step back upto a mile

Candy Kitten – On her first run since May found the 7f a little bit to sharp and will come on from the run

Gifted Girl – Ran to freely in first time blinkers and faded towards the end of the race

Rock Around The Clock – Got squeezed up from his inside draw, and lost his place ran on well up the straight without being able to get involved in the finish

The horses have generally been in great form lately with a few hitting the cross bar and generally been unlucky.

BRITAIN
(Runners/Results)

Lyfka - was unlucky at Kempton having come 2^nd, she broke a bit slowly from the stalls costing her the race. She has done a lot of stalls work since then and she should be capable of winning.

Kubeba - came 4th at Kempton after a bad draw of 14.  He is now rated 70 and will run on Thursday, sadly he has another bad draw.  He will probably run in a claimer over 1m at Maison Laffite on the 7th October.

Meritocracy - has run twice in the last couple of weeks, we thought he would win at Kempton, but he just tied up before the line over 6 furlongs, so we ran him at Salisbury over 5 furlongs, the ground was too firm.  He may take his chances again over 5 furlongs at Kempton.

St Paul De Vence - ran in a tongue tie at Brighton, which seems to have made a difference as he came second.  He may run at Newbury on Friday with Luke Morris aboard.

Dutch Portrait -  ran well at Salisbury, he could of probably been a couple of lengths closer, but he was to out of touch during the race and had too much ground to make up.  There is a 0-70 at Kempton on the 2nd October that should suit him.

Stormbound - ran a nice race to finish second at Kempton he will now cross the Channel for a claimer over one mile on the 6th October at Chantilly.

Londonia - runs again at Newbury on Thursday over 7 furlongs, his first run was over a mile at Kempton where he seemed to show some speed.

Russian Reward - ran a nice race at Kempton to come third. We have always liked him, but think he is slightly immature so will not run for a while now.

Silverheels - ran a good race in the London Mile final, but the draw 15 of 16 cost him the race.  Ashley Morgan reported the he would have been “bang there”.

Dutch Art Dealer - ran a very nice race to win by 3 lengths under Silvestre De Souza.  The handicapper took no prisoners and has put him up 7 pounds to 87.

Ssafa - won nicely at Kempton under Martin Lane, the handicapper decided to put her up 9 to 79.  She then ran at York and came fourth under Loius Steward. We may have to wait some time before she can win again.

Pendo - ran really well again after his win at Salisbury under an enterprising ride from Miss A Mills. He then ran again at Kempton where he was just touched off in the final stages. He has really come on since being with us and we hope he gets stronger and better as he gets older.

Blue Grass Blues - won nicely on the grass at Lingfield, someone backed him in from 11-1. He seems to be in better form after his break and should improve.

Rotherwick – won nicely at Yarmouth today under Luke Morris, after being 3^rd in a competitive nursery at Doncaster where he was unlucky to find himself a bit too far off the pace and had a little too much ground to make up only 3 days ago.

Ardingly  - had her first run for us at Bath she has recently come from America and the 1m2f was probably too far for her. She has talent and should win off her current mark.

Imperial Link – ran a tough race at Yarmouth today, to finish 4^th beaten by just over a length.

RUNNERS

Gifted Girl – is running at Yarmouth tomorrow 17^th September 2014



FRANCE
We have had some success in France with Skaters Waltz winning a claimer and getting claimed for 32,000 euros with the prize money the owner came back with 43,500 euros. Although Skaters is quite a good horse he had some soundness problems.

France

Skaters Waltz - is running on Friday in a 40,000 Euro claimer over 7 ½ furlongs.  He won a 26,000 Euro claimer last time in France and we claimed him back.  This time he is running at Clairefontaine and goes in there with a great chance.

Fort Berkeley - won a 26,000 Euro claimer in France, 11,500 Euro to the winner, he was claimed for a bit more than asked and we came back with 42,000 Euro.

Speed Machine - the ground turned to soft for SM and he didn’t move or run well at all.

Meritocracy - ran really well to come 4^th in a 40,000 Euro claimer over 6 ½ furlongs, he did not quite get the last ½ furlong.  He went out front running but the other horses would not let him take a breather to get the last ½ furlong.

Britain

Gifted Girl - ran very well at Salisbury finishing 2^nd beaten by 2 lengths, she had too much ground to make up from last to first, got stopped a couple of times, then had to pull out and got beaten by a couple of lengths.  The winner made all from the front and ½ furlong spread the field.

Rotherwick - ran very well at Kempton, the plan was to go out in front, he did not have enough early speed to get to the front, which could have cost him the race.

Blue Grass Blue - ran a great race at Newmarket coming 4^th but the ground was too soft.

Dutch Art Dealer - ran very well finishing 2^nd, he just hung slightly which cost him the race.

Kubeba - ran really well, he will come on from this race and hopefully improve again.  He looks like there is a race in him.

Runners

Ssafa – is running in a fillies handicap, she works well at home, this is her first time out for us and she looks in good form.

Dutch Portrait – is going to run at Goodwood, he has come on from his last race at Kempton where greenness probably beat him and he should run really well - all being well with the draw down there.

Secret Success - also runs at Goodwood on the same day and is in great form.

Russian Reward - is a 2 year old we have always liked and may run at Windsor.  He is quick from the stalls and all being well should run a good race.

Gifted Girl - is entered in The Winter Hill Stakes taking on some very good horses but she might just be back to her best so could be competitive.

Complicit - takes his chances but we think he likes the soft ground.  He ran very well last time in France and we also think he is back to his best - he might be out of his depth.

Tioga Pass – is entered in the Fillies handicap at Goodwood, she is in great form and we hope the ground has no firm in the description.

Our horses have been running very well, we could have been a bit luckier with our draw's which have cost us a handful of races, but they look like winners in the making, if everythig falls right.  Expensive Date ran a huge race at Lingfield, coming third, the winner was 1,600ths of a second outside of the course record, so it was a very hot race.  She is entered in the St Hughes Stakes at Newbury next Friday.  Gipsy Doll and  Arthurs Way both came third at Brighton, they will both now go the handicapping route, we just hope that the handicapper is fair in his judgment of third at Brighton.  Dutch Portrait was very green going into the race at Kempton and behaved like he had never run before, he ran very encouragingly to come second and we have always thought highly of the horse and think that by the end of the season he could win a nice contest. 

The next couple of weeks we are going over to France with several horses, kicking off with Silverheels today in a claimer.  The ground has gone soft, so this will not be in his favour.  He is in good form but we think he prefers the faster ground.  

Fort Berkeley is running on Friday in Deauville in the Prix de Petit Cotil which is a 26,000 euro claimer and 11,500 euros to the winner, which is on the sand.  He is in great form and we expect him to run a huge race.

Meritocracy runs next Sunday in a 40,000 euro claimer, 13,500 euros to the winner, called the Prix de Bonnet Bosq.  We think that the draw beat him at Kempton last time out.  He is in great form, the only question mark is the that the race is 6.5 furlongs, not 6 - the extra half furlong might catch him out.

Speed Machine has been entered in the Prix Etalon Muhtathir which is a conditions race over 6.5 furlongs, with a value of 17,000 euros to the winner.  He has also been entered in the Prix Francois Boutin, which is a listed race.  These races are both at Deauville.  He won a maiden in France first time out this year and went over again but Mendizabel reported that he was not the same horse on the soft ground.

Complicit has been entered in the Prix Pelleas which is a listed over 9 furlongs at Clairefontaine.  He ran very well last time out at Deauville over a mile in a listed event, coming third.  We think the step up in trip to 9 furlongs will be to his liking.  

We have four runners at Deauville on Friday, 22 August; Skaters Waltz (who won a claimer at Deauville by 7.5 lengths) is entered in a 40,000 euro claimer and 13,500 to the winner, called the Prix Des Fuschias over one mile, we expect him to run very well.  Speed Machine and Rotherwick are entered in the Criterium Du Fondes European De L'elvage which is a two year old listed over one mile.  Rockaroundtheclock is entered in a 40,000 euro claimer, 13,500 to the winner, called the Prix De Valmont over 6.5 furlongs - the ground was too soft for him at Deauville when he came thrid earlier on this week.

The French trainers have been complaining about the all-weather track in Deauville because it is too soft and the kickback is horrendous, so they have moved a lot of the races on to the grass, including Silverheels today.  

The above entries are not set in stone, they are a rough plan of the up and coming two weeks.

Our next runners in England are on Wednesday at Kempton and at Salisbury.  Rotherwick runs in a maiden over 7 furlongs and goes there in great form.  He came second at Goodwood, beaten by a very smart looking Dutch Connection, he seems to be a slow learner and improving with every run.  Secret Success also runs at Kempton, he really likes the track and goes there in good form, he was just caught up last time out at Newmarket, but is game and consistent and turning into a real professional.  Dutch Art Dealer will probably run at Salisbury over a mile, the ground should be perfect for him.  Blue Grass Blues may run on Thursday at Newmarket in the 7 furlong race in which he is one of the highest rated, we believe that he didn't come down the hill at Goodwood and is in good from at home.

Dark horse: Russian Reward

The horses are running well, but keep on hitting the cross bar.

We had a pleasing Goodwood.  Fast Romance was unlucky not to have come fourth, she got wiped out by Fallon within the last furlong and Crowley had to stop riding - momentum stopped so she had to settle with fifth. Rotherwick ran a very good race in coming second to a very nice horse of Charlie Hills called Dutch Connection. We will try and win an ordinary maiden now.

We have been out to France a fair bit in the last month and Skaters Waltz won a claimer by seven and a half lengths. Speed Machine has been over there twice and on his first appearance he won a Maiden over 6 1/2 beating a nice horse of John Claude-Rouget. We took him over for a second time but the ground went soft and his Jockey Loritz Mendizabel reported that he was not the same horse on the ground especially over a furlong further.

Complicit came third in the Prix de Tougeville which is a listed over one mile, he ran nicely but was a bit free in the early part of the race which may have then blunted his speed. He will head out their again in a couple of weeks. We always thought a lot of him and we feel he has just come right. He may also be suited by a smaller field.


Dutch Portrait is a nice horse in the making, he has a bad draw tonight but we feel since his gelding he has come together nicely he may need further in time but has a lot of speed.

Meritocracy is back on a surface he likes - we will probably try and make the running. He did not like the ground at Ascot last time because it was too much on the soft side for him.

Its Lady Mary has been running well and was unlucky to bump into a good filly of Jaimie Osbournes on her last outing. She will run at Brighton tomorrow and should give a good account of herself.

Expensive Date may head to Lingfield on Friday but she may also head to the St Hughes Stakes (it is in the air at the moment). She has really grown and worked very well this morning over five furlongs.

Fort Berkeley is in great form at home and heads to Lingfield either on Friday or Saturday all being well. He may go to France the weekend after and run in Deauville - we feel he could be a nice stayer next year.

Blue Grass Blues and Silverheels are entered in a 32,000 Euro claimer on Sunday in Deauville. At the moment Blue Grass Blues is going and Silverheels is running on Monday at Windsor, they are both in great form. Blue Grass Blues was not suited by the down hill at Goodwood. He has come out of the race bouncing.

Berkshire is in great form and is taking his work very nicely. We are forced to step up his work as he gets very fresh, so he is doing easy routines for 4 furlongs and then routine for 4 furlongs on our 1 mile 2 furlong woodchip gallop.  His work rider is very happy with him.


Dark Horse: Russian Reward