Eclat Des Mottes and James Best were so unlucky yesterday at Catterick having travelled well and jumped for fun throughout his first chasing start for us. It seemed to set him alight and the visors probably helped too but he’d hardly missed a beat and was booked for at least 2nd place jumping the last but just met it a bit tight and knuckled on landing. Such a shame as the combination didn’t deserve that. He’s a bit sore this morning but the vet has checked him out and so has our physio and he will be given plenty of TLC. He’s shown us that fences are much more to his liking than hurdles and that he can handle the soft ground too.
Ben Buie jumped well too on his chasing debut under a usual positive ride from James Best but he was never enjoying the softer ground and eventually James pulled him up sensibly before the last. He showed us enough though for us to realise that he too is better over fences and he’ll be a fun horse for the summer back on his favoured good ground. He’s by Presenting whose offspring usually appreciate better ground so we’ll give him a winter break now and he’ll be surely winning over fences in the summer.
A long way to go and disappointing to drive past my parents’ home in Yorkshire and not be able to call in and see them. In fact they often go to Catterick when we have runners. Strange times but they will pass and we’ll hopefully be back to ‘normal’ soon.
It was busy here yesterday morning with a few extras in to ride out. Charlie Dee was in and enjoyed riding Reve, who won last time out at Southwell and who Charlie sourced from France for Ollie and Irene Ryan. Harry Stock, who rode lots of winners for me as a Conditional Jockey here a couple of seasons ago, was back in to ride a few lots out. Harry’s recently set himself as a chimney sweep and does a brilliant job so do contact him HERE if you are reasonably local and need yours cleaned.
This morning Kai Lenihan was in to ride out and will ride Enforcement either tomorrow at Hereford if it is on or at Uttoxeter. Warren Marston was in and worked Big Nasty who I’m really pleased with.