40 winners wow! So thrilled to have achieved that number with Breizh Alko winning his second race in a row for us yesterday at Sedgefield. It was Brian Hughes’ 3rd ride for us having previously won on Breizh at Uttoxeter and Spanish Present at Market Rasen. Brian once again gave Breizh a superb ride, nursing him through the ground that he wasn’t really enjoying and getting him into the race at the business end to eventually win by 1 1/2 lengths much to the delight of owner David Parry who has been so unbelievably patient with his talented yet fragile 11 year old.
As thrilled as David was Ernie who looks after Breizh and rides him out every day and there is no doubt that his success is hugely down to Ernie as he’s quite grumpy in the stable and in the wrong hands I am certain he’d not have blossomed like he has. A big shout out to his previous trainer Rebecca Menzies (as mentioned in the Racing Post too) who suggested to David, who already had shares in youngsters here, that he send us Breizh as our uphill gallops would suit him better. She was the first to come up to us and congratulate us and she also continued her amazing season with a winner later in the card.
If that wasn’t good enough news, he’s eaten up and has trotted up well this morning – brilliant. So 40 winners! Well done to all our hard working team, our owners, our extended team of amazing physios – Maggie Turner & Hannah Steedman, Farrier – Nick Partridge, Vets Jeremy Swan, Tom Campbell and the team at BVEC, our fabulous sponsor FBC Manby Bowdler headed by MD Neil Lloyd, our friends and everyone else who has helped us get to such a fabulous milestone. 40 winners from 43 individual horses running since last May – that statistic only bettered by two other trainers in the top 50 and a strike rate of 23% with 47% of our horses having won a race this season.
It really was a winning weekend – Harry kicked things off by helping his team win 4-0 with a superb header and they have a really good chance of winning their League, the boys then went to watch Cheltenham Town FC play Doncaster with Belinda & some of their mates and Alfie May scored twice to help Cheltenham also win 4-0. Yesterday morning Freddie played for his Northleach Team and helped them win 3-1 beating a top of the league and previously unbeaten Cirencester Team….and then Breizh Alko won! We’ve agreed that if Carlsberg did weekends….!
On to today and Pay The Woman heads to Southwell with a big weight so 7lb claimer Finn Lambert, who came in and rode her out yesterday morning, partners her for Foxtrot Racing. She reverts to hurdles after a couple of disappointing runs over fences and a break of 3 1/2 months too. The ground may be a little softer than is ideal but she is ready for a run and will hopefully enjoy returning to hurdles. Good luck to Finn and Foxtrot Racing.