When Breizh Alko won the last at Southwell yesterday I could then say ‘what a great day’ it was as, despite running well, we’d not quite managed a winner until then! What a tough horse he is and 12 years young too. Ernesta Verburg, who does everything with him at home, does such a great job with him as he’s quite grumpy! He just wouldn’t lie down yesterday despite looking beat at the 2nd last and approaching the last… the ground played into his favour and he broke the heart of the well backed Skelton horse up the run-in. He’s been a very fragile horse to train and, following 3 ‘pulled ups’ we really wondered whether we should retire him however his 2nd place last time out when he was at ‘last chance saloon’ was a decent effort and showed, as he did yesterday, that the fire in his belly still burns strongly!
Across at Taunton Miladygrace was frustratingly 2nd but ran another solid race and will be winning again soon. She’s such a game mare and is giving her owners so much fun. Brianna Rose jumped for fun under Harry Atkins and was so unlucky to be passed two out and to finish 4th beaten just 1 3/4 lengths. She’s another lovely mare and will be a super chaser in time.
Back at Southwell and the ground had gone against Miss Antipova and Just A Deal would prefer better ground too. However, Pinnacle Peak ran a much improved race back over hurdles to finish 3rd and Another Day Out thrilled us with her 2nd place (not often I’m thrilled with 2nd place!) on her debut for the yard. We purchased her at the January Cheltenham Sale following Back On The Lash’s win in the Cross Country – we were heading home up Cleeve Hill and Gerry Hogan called to say he thought she may slip through relatively inexpensively. That she did and, although Gerry’s phone cut off at £16k – when he called back she was ours! Her new owners are as pleased with her as we are and we’ll have lots more fun with her too I’m sure.
