Dance Bids For National Hunt Success

Our only hurdler in training Dance goes to Newton Abbot, her fifth consecutive run at one of our local tracks and she has her usual solid each-way chance in the 2m6f handicap hurdle. Unfortunately the handicapper gave her a rather harsh opening mark of 90 and although she ran a cracker to finish third on handicap debut, it was a very weak ladies race and she then got put up 3lbs to 93. She always tries hard, placed on eight of her sixteen starts under both codes but the handicapper has her stuck. Hopefully the step up to 2m6f will suit and it does not look the strongest of races, perhaps today is the day she gets off the mark.

We also have a couple of runners at Kempton (Dylan Centenary is a non-runner). Triple Chief paid for running above himself when second at Warwick on his second run which meant he got a very high handicap mark and has not found life easy. A good effort when third stepped up to ten furlongs last time suggests he is going in the right direction. Hopefully he settles in this small field today and he should not be too far away if he does.

Galatian was very disappointing back on turf last time, but it is likely that he just will not let himself down on the turf anymore. He is back at Kempton, a repeat of his second over a mile there a month ago should see him go close, if he is on a going day!

Three Easter Saturday Runners

It's three runners at three different meetings on Easter Saturday and with all three in sixteen runner fields, some luck will be needed. At Bath Gladiatrix goes in the Listed race as she aims to get some black-type for her owner-breeders. She has come back from her winter break in great shape and should prove much better than her current mark of 86. However, that mark leaves her with a lot to find and having drawn stall fifteen, it is a near impossible task unfortunately.

At Nottingham, Pat takes the ride on Cotton Club and he should prove another well handicapped three-year-old for the stable this season. He did not get much luck in running when fourth on his handicap debut and should have been second at least. The step up to ten furlongs should suit but this handicap looks pretty competitive with lots of unexposed types that could be anything it won't be an easy task.

Finally, it is a rare jumps runner for the yard as Dance goes to Newton Abbot for the Mare's Maiden. The Erhaab mare is a full sister to Shy, won three for the yard and Money Money Money, who won five in one season, so she should know how to win. However, although proved consistent in both bumpers and AW handicaps, she hasn't quite got her head in front so we revert to hurdles. She jumped big when unseating on her debut back in November and needs decent ground, hence the AW campaign when everywhere was waterlogged this winter. She has done plenty of schooling in recent weeks and although a clear round is the main aim, she is definitely capable of being placed in this kind of grade.

More Places!

Well we are now into March and we are still awaiting that elusive first winner of 2014 but the horses are running well with a 50% place strike rate. We are generally quiet during the winter months with a reduced string just ticking over but prize money wise, this looks set to be our best ever AW season, with over £28,000 in the bag. So far we have had twenty runners in 2014, racked up six seconds, two thirds and two fourths and £8,298, although it is certainly frustrating that one of those six seconds was not a winner!

Dance continues in good form on the AW this winter, making the running at Kempton on Thursday evening before being overcome by a 66/1 shot that had shown no worthwhile form in three months! However, she is certainly running well and the family improve with age so she should be winning soon. The waterlogged gallop, due to the never ending rain so far in 2014, meant that Wyndham Wave probably needed the run more than we thought on the same evening. The night before a slow pace was unsuitable for Ivors Princess but she ran a creditable race in fourth. The most important thing is that was three consistent efforts in a row on the polytrack at Kempton and she remains well handicapped.

More 2014 Places

We are already into February and the horses continue in good form but that first winner is proving elusive. Modem ran an improved race stepped up into Class 5 Handicap company when third at Kempton on Sunday. He was a little bit keen in the early stages which may not have helped but he still fared best of those that raced prominently and the winner Asia Minor is proving extremely progressive in recent months. Modem will only improve with time and he's an exciting horse to look forward to as remains unexposed.

The following day Dance stepped up to two miles and ran a solid race, also finishing third. She probably did not see out the trip in a strongly run race, despite finishing placed in three of her bumpers. She is proving consistent and certainly deserves to win a race soon. She may revert to hurdles when the ground eventually dries out.

Icebuster was disappointing when only fifth at Southwell and probably failed to handle the surface. Although he was a tad keen and was getting a lot of kickback stuck on the inside which did not help. He has been very busy in recent months so will have a short break.

Four Seconds In 2014 Already

The horses have generally started 2014 in good form but we have not had much luck so far with four seconds from nine runners! Hopefully it will not be long before we are off the mark.

Ice Tres has resumed from a summer break in good form and has been second on two occasions at Wolverhampton, both times she has probably hit the front too soon and been nabbed near the line. She was slightly disappointing at Lingfield on Friday but the drop back to ten furlongs may not have suited and the race could have come too soon.

Although she did not like Southwell, Ivor's Princess showed that her 20/1 Kempton success in December was no fluke when runner-up returned to the Sunbury venue under a strong ride from Luke Morris.

It looked as if we had found an ideal opportunity for Icebuster in a five runner two mile handicap at Kempton on Wednesday, but a concern over two miles was whether he would settle if there was no pace on. Sadly he was far too keen and took off with Pat with a circuit to go. Despite having a clear lead entering the home straight, he tired in the final two furlongs as his stamina gave out but he still did enough to hold on for second. He is certainly capable of winning off his current mark granted a strong pace, which is rare on the polytrack.

After unseating early on her hurdling debut and with the ground so soft we decided to return Dance to the AW. She struggled in some strong flat maidens in the summer but was placed in three bumpers and she ran a nice race to stay on for second, having been left short of room when the pace quickened. She is certainly capable of winning a race, whether she can emulate her half-sister Money Money Money and rack up five in one year we're not so sure but she has just as good an attitude!

Duel Returns After Gelding Op

Dovils Duel was by far our sharpest two-year-old back in March but he proved very disappointing in two runs on the track. Although the ground may have been too soft at Doncaster when fifth in the Brocklesby, he was very badly behaved in the preliminaries. At Kempton, he behaved better but produced an average effort, dropping away in the home straight. In his defence, he had the outside stall and was always stuck wide and it was a competitive maiden. However, we felt that he was clearly not performing as he should and decided to have him gelded, in the hope he will start concentrating on the job in hand. He returns to the track at Bath on Wednesday evening and we have lowered our sights by dropping him into a Class 6 Maiden Auction Stakes and it doesn't look the most competitive of events on paper. The other two-year-olds have caught him up at home but he should still be capable of going close in an ordinary race.

Dance has performed creditably in her bumpers, finishing placed on her last three starts. She makes her flat debut at Salisbury in a strong looking fillies maiden. The drop back to ten furlongs should suit but she would need to improve plenty on her bumper form to get involved. However, she should make a nice handicap prospect in time.

Hat-Trick Landed!

Poetic Verse made it three out of three since stepping up to twelve furlongs and recorded her fourth victory of the year at Windsor on Monday evening. The Link's Partnership's homebred filly couldn't be in better form at the moment and ran out an easy two length winner without being asked a serious question by Andrea Atzeni. Hopefully the handicapper won't be too harsh, as the race couldn't have worked out any better for her, with the pace up front far too strong and in such a small field, Andrea had plenty of time to switch her out wide as she made effortless progress inside the final three furlongs. Obviously things are going to get harder in future, as she will be forced into Class Four company and she can't remain in such blistering form forever. Although she has certainly exceeded our expectations so far, hopefully we can sneak in win number five at some point this summer!

Ultimately Monday was still a disappointing day for the yard as both Gladiatrix and Isis Blue ran well below expectations. Gladiatrix had won five of her last six starts but faced by far her toughest test at Windsor and only finished ninth, five lengths behind the winner. She stumbled in the early stages and didn't have a lot of room which may have affected the confidence of a filly that was very hesitant in her early races. Hopefully it won't be long before she's back on the winning trail but we might have to adjust our future plans. Isis Blue was very keen in the early stages which meant he was very awkward going round the bend and his action never really recovered up the homestraight. He was in a competitive event and may benefit from dropping in grade but he is proving quite frustrating at the moment.

Our final runner of the jumps season was Dance and she ran another solid race when third in her final bumper at Taunton on Wednesday. She was a bit keener on her fourth outing and didn't have any more to give when headed entering the final furlong. She will now revert to the flat and will enjoy dropping back in trip. Although we didn't get a win out of our bumper team this season, we did have eight places and Pat certainly gained some valuable experience which he will put into good use this flat season.

Runner Up Spot Again For Icebuster

Once again Icebuster filled the runner-up spot in a slowly run race at Kempton on Thursday evening. Unlike the previous week, he hit the front inside the final two furlongs and looked set to win before being collared yards from the line. He remains in great form but really needs a stronger pace to be seen at his best.

We were slightly worried that the rain would make the ground too soft for Dance at Ludlow but she ran a very solid race from the front, finishing third behind two useful performers. Hopefully we can find a weak mare's event for her final bumper run.

Rare Ludlow Trip

It's not often that we have a runner at Ludlow but as long as they haven't had too much rain, Dance will take her chance in the first division of the bumper. She obviously didn't handle the heavy ground when tailed off on her debut at Warwick but showed much more when runner-up on the AW at Lingfield. It probably wasn't the most competitive of events last time and she needs to improve again today but she receives plenty of weight from her rivals so you couldn't rule out more place money today.

Unfortunately there was no pace in Shavansky's race at Nottingham yesterday but he stayed on solidly for fourth place and is sure to win again at some point this season. Let's hope there is some pace in Icebuster's race tonight, more thoughts on his race in previous news.