What a fabulous winner at Warwick last night. Windy Cove was breaking her maiden tag on the 5th attempt and she did it in spectacular style! She’s always been keen and therefore she runs in a hood and we generally try to drop her out and settle her so that she will get home in her races, at Uttoxeter last time nothing went right. However, with the expected front runner withdrawn at the Start, Sean Bowen decided to make the running and see how that went, something the owners and I have discussed with him during the week. That he did and after the second hurdle she’d put 10 lengths between herself and the rest of the field which quickly became 12/15 lengths clear and she continued to jump for fun.
The rest could never get to her – they thought she’d come back to them and she didn’t, eventually winning by 4 1/2 lengths much to the delight of her owners, The Morgan Family and Nicky Clifford, who, along with friends, were all understandably thrilled and emotional in the Winners’ Enclosure. An onlooker commented on social media later “Congratulations team! We were at Warwick and fantastic to see the sheer delight of her excited owners cheering her home! Mad a lot of people smile in shared joy. Well done Sean and Windy and his cheering lass galloping about herself urging her home too! #GetYourHeartRacing #TeamworkDreamwork”
Isn’t that what racing is all about? The Morgan Family purchased her themselves, did the pre-training themselves and have known Sean since he was very young and Nicky Clifford has known Belinda for many years as Belinda rode ponies for her and she was Freddie’s 1st ever Instructor at Pony Club Camp when he was only 4 years old. It’s things like these that make winners even more special.
Superb to have 6 winners on the board already before the end of May and be in the top 20 Trainers’ too with a strike rate of 20% and 50% of our runners entering the Winners’ Enclosure. Sean Bowen has ridden all of those winners, with James Best still on the sidelines but due back shortly, and we have so far provided him with more winners than any other Trainer. The hard work continues to keep all of these stats looking so healthy!
A belated Happy Birthday to our superb Yardman, and fixer of everything, Lucjan for yesterday and a Well Done to Harry Atkins for passing his driving test earlier in the week too – drive carefully!