Much colder today and an autumnal week in prospect.  Not a bad thing with good to firm ground prevailing at the Northern jumps tracks, a decent amount of rain would be most welcome.  It looks like being quite damp at Hexham over the next 24 hours which will hopefully be just enough to put the ground right, we have two declared runners and Bruce rides them both.

Lester Mail

First up is Lester Mail taking a small step up in class in the 15.07; he ran well to be 4th in his first two handicaps late on last season shaping as if he would be better over further.  2m 4f tomorrow may actually be on the sharp side for him but it’s a good place to start and it is quite a stiff 2m 4f, I’ve probably always thought he would be best on a flat track so the Hexham topography is very much an unknown but the race ticks every other box so worth finding out.  9 run.

Burning it Up

Our other runner is Burning it Up in the 3m handicap chase at 16.50; he unseated after a circuit on seasonal and chase debut last month at Perth so we didn’t learn much that day.  With that in mind the priority tomorrow will be a clear round, he’s done plenty of schooling since Perth and does seem in very good form so if his jumping comes together and he stays the 3m then he could be competitive. 9 run.

Ned Tanner heading to post at Perth last week

A good day at Perth last week with Ned Tanner and Le Coup d’Envoi both finishing 3rd, Dubai Days also ran well though tired a little in the closing stages.  I was greatly encouraged by Shooting’s effort for a circuit but he tired very quickly turning for home; he’s been off a long time so I’d give him the benefit of the doubt for now and put it down to fitness / lack of match practice.  After Hexham tomorrow we hope to be at Carlisle on Thursday and Kelso on Saturday.

Fresh and breezy this morning, some heavy showers this week and a good few of them have landed on Perth where I expect the ground to be mostly soft for the very welcome extra fixture they are staging tomorrow. We have five declared runners on a card that has attracted horses from all corners of the British Isles.

Le Coup d’Envoi

We start off with stable debutant Le Coup d’Envoi in the 2m 4f Maiden Hurdle at 12.55; he is a recruit from the battlefields of Auteuil and Pau and on paper he ought to have a good chance reverting to hurdles having been running over fences in France.  He certainly works like a horse with loads of ability but what is always uncertain is how long they will take to acclimatise to the British way of training and racing; another unknown is whether they are flattered by their French handicap mark.  Will be interesting, either way he’s a lovely horse to have in the yard – 8 run and Bruce rides.

Oor Wish

Oor Wish is declared for the 2m Maiden Hurdle at 13.55, she is just finding her feet over obstacles and will be better over further in due course but she can hopefully run a nice race and learn a bit more.  She did give herself a little over-reach schooling yesterday so it is touch and go as to whether she will make it there – 10 run and Bruce rides.

Dubai Days

Our veteran chaser and stable stalwart Dubai Days runs in the 3m Chase at 14.30.  He’s getting on but there are no signs at home that his ability is waning, unfortunately that continues to be reflected in his handicap mark which remains within 3lb of it’s all time high despite him being 12yo.  Will be tough and the weight will probably stop him against a bunch of younger progressive horses but I would still expect him to acquit himself well – 6 run and Bruce rides.

Shooting

Shooting runs in the 2m Handicap Hurdle at 15.05.  We had high hopes for him when he arrived from France to go juvenile hurdling last summer and we pitched him straight into a Listed Race at Wetherby, I think a tough regime in France had left his mark as he wasn’t really interested and didn’t run a race at all.  This was followed by a series of setbacks that were not of his own making and I am hoping that the enforced rest will have revived him, some days at home I’d say it definitely has but other days can sow seeds of doubt.  He’s fresh and well so let’s hope we see something tomorrow – 9 run and Dom rides claiming a valuable 7lb.

Ned Tanner

Finally Ned Tanner makes his seasonal debut in the 2m 4f Handicap Chase at 16.15.  Although he was placed in four of his eight starts last season he did seem to have lost his way a little, as a result the handicapper has relented very gradually and he is now 11lb lower than he was this time last year.  That should be a big help though he has tended to improve for his first run each season – 9 run and Sean rides.  With the exception of the small setback to Oor Wish the horses we are running tomorrow have been fortunate to have a perfect preparation for their races since they came in at the beginning of July.  This is down to the hard work and focus of our dedicated Team and the patience of their Owners, it takes a long time to condition a horse for racing so thank you to everyone.  These photographs were mostly taken by the talented Carenza Pinn at our Owners Day last month – one of my favourite days of the year.

The G Wizard

Our venture to Perth in late September went reasonably well, the highlights were undoubtedly excellent runs to be third from Beat the Retreat and The G Wizard.  Bel Amigo also ran well, Burning it Up unseated after a circuit whislt Anamanda and Maillot Blanc were both a little lacklustre.

Suspected – hopefully makes his chasing debut at Kelso next week.

Another lovely warm afternoon; rain due tonight and I hope a decent dollop lands on Perth Racecourse where we have seven declared runners for their Glorious Finale two day festival, three tomorrow and four on Thursday.  Ground currently good and likely to be on the fast side if the rain doesn’t materialise in which case we may need a rethink – a long season ahead!

We’ve been doing plenty of jumping in the school recently, here is Dom on his runaway Newcastle winner Whiskey on Ice

We haven’t had a runner since the first week of June, our longest sabbatical in many years so it is hard to know exactly where we are with the horses.  We’ve had these races in mind for a while though and have prepared the horses accordingly, time will tell whether they are fit enough to hold their own against horses that have been running all summer.  Their preparation has been very straightforward and I couldn’t be happier with where they are so we go back into battle with a sense of nervous optimism.

Bel Amigo

First up tomorrow will be Bel Amigo in the 14.47, the Lord Mansfield Memorial Hurdle.  He was 3rd in this race first time out last season off 3lb higher so can hopefully put up a bold show and banish memories of his heavy fall at Musselburgh in February – 12 run and Bruce rides.

Burning it Up

Next is Burning it Up making his chasing debut in the Thank you to Kinneston Owners Handicap Chase at 16.32.  He was 2nd over this trip at Perth over hurdles off 2lb higher and in time should improve for fences, clear round always the main priority first time but he would be a wonderfully appropriate winner. Bruce rides and 9 run.

Anamanda

Finally Anamanda runs in the Nairns Oatcakes Handicap Hurdle at 17.07.  She also ran in this race first time out last season and was a slightly disappointing 6th; beaten less than 9l though and is 9lb lower this time round so on paper she could go well if she is fit and in the form she was when signing off with a 2nd at Musselburgh last season. Bruce rides and 12 run.

The G Wizard

On to Thursday when our first runner will be The G Wizard stepping up in class and trip in the 15.59.  It is a very big ask for him but he ran well first time out last season and performed consistently well thereafter.  I’m hopeful he will stay and that he is unexposed in which case throwing our hat in the ring in a good race feels worthwhile.  12 run and Bruce rides.

Maillot Blanc

Course and distance winner Maillot Blanc runs in the 16.34; he had a good season and as a result resumes his career off the highest mark he has had for a couple of years.  Be wonderful to think he can go on higher but it may be that as a 9yo he needs to come down a bit but we will see – Dom rides and 9 run.

Beat The Retreat

We are doubly represented in the closing race at 17.10 with Beat the Retreat (Dom) and TakeyoutotheIsland (Bruce) both of whom have finished runner up over course and distance in the recent past.  A maximum field of 16 runners may not suit Beat the Retreat who likes a bit of space in his races, he’d also prefer a bit more give in the ground as would TakeyoutotheIsland.  We may get that and the latter has certainly been working like an improved horse over the last few weeks.

TakeyoutotheIsland – was a bit wetter when he was runner up here last time out

Ground will be an ongoing concern for jump racing this autumn with the long range forecast looking unusually dry at the end of the driest of summers.  Whilst it will be highly competitive it is great to see Perth having such strong fields with 128 runners declared for the 13 races.  This is in stark contrast to most of the jump racing taking place which is suffering from persistently small fields.  This is all down to one factor – the ground.  The sport needs to be ultra flexible over the next two months and adapt the racing to where conditions are suitable rather than embarrass itself with uncompetive racing.  It will be interesting to see whether the racecourses and the BHA can actually bring themselves to do the sensible thing.

Finally the Great North Run – a brilliant effort from Lucy, Kit, Johnny & Dom who all ran exceptional times (1h 20m – 1h 40m, reverse age finishing order!) and raised just shy of £10k for the Injured Jockeys Fund – a fantastic effort for a fantastic cause, sincerest of  thanks to all of you that donated.