A long drive to Fakenham for the Team today as we have three runners heading there. Huge thanks to our Farrier, Nick Partridge, who was up at the yard very early to put a shoe back on Young Phoenix after he lost it in the field yesterday afternoon. Our Team is so important to us and we are so grateful to have someone as dedicated as Nick in on our Team and we really appreciate him – even more so on days like today!
Young Phoenix is our first runner and is partnered by Paddy Brennan for the first time who has done so well for his owners who are hoping, as we do, he sparks a improvement in form and shows on the track what he shows us at home.
Primogeniture is our second runner and he’s been frustrating to say the least. Now leased to our Racing Club he is partnered by Conor Shoemark again and we all felt he’d timed his late run to perfection at Leicester recently but Primogeniture still managed to get run out of it to finish 3rd. We are hopeful he’ll put in the same performance again today however with a different result and Conor is planning on pouncing even later …!
Our final runner is Chequered View who has won over hurdles but her owner/breeder HRH The Princess Royal is keen to see her over fences. Therefore, after plenty of schooling at home, she makes her fencing debut under Conor Shoemark and we are hopeful of a big run in a competitive little race.
Yesterday we were at Wolverhampton’s twilight fixture and Amateur Paddy Berkins had his first ride for us and first ride on the flat too. Matravers dwelt coming out of the stalls which was such a shame as he was drawn well so he gave away any advantage but eventually stayed on to be beaten less than he gave away. He wants further and he needs plenty more stalls work but he should be competitive in a similar race.
Sarasota Star ran another good race but found Wolverhampton too sharp for him. He’s a lovely horse and will return to Kempton before having a break. Both horses are A1 this morning.