FLATTENING OUT AND JUMPING FORWARD

October is here and with thoughts turning to jump racing, despite some of the jewels of the Flat season still to come (Arc, Champions Day, Breeders Cup), I've finally found time to review the last few weeks and look forward to what could be a very exciting jumps season for my horses.

Flattening Out

It would be fair to say that it's been a disappointing Flat season with my horses with MPR. Sweet Lightning was retired after sustaining an injury, which at the age of 9 and a glittering career behind him, we felt it kindest to give him to his devoted lass at David o'Meara's, rather than send him to the sales to scrabble round the gaffs for another yard. Stand my Ground has struggled since his great opening run at Doncaster in the Spring Mile, never getting his ground until landing a claimer in the fog and mud of Musselburgh. Hopefully he can pick up a handicap in the Autumn mud before the end of the season.

Lexington Place was sold to Ruth Carr after failing to sparkle in his early season work after a brilliant 2013, hopefully Ruth can rekindle some form with him as she does with so many horses switched to her very gentle training regime.

My two stars have been the Richard Fahey trained pair Tatlisu and Latenightrequest.

Tatlisu has has had a superb season contesting many top sprints but has been incredibly unlucky with the draw on a number of occasions. Drawn on the wrong side at Goodwood (Stewards Sprint), Ripon (Great St Wilfred), Curragh & Ayr (Ayr Silver Cup), he has risen to a mark of 92 and surely has one of these big prizes in his grasp either this year or next. That said, he has won over £27000 in win & place prize money and been a real star taking me to many big meetings this year.

Latenightrequest has just come back after a mid-season break as she is a filly who relishes give in the ground. In winning two competitive handicaps she has risen from a mark of 79 to 89 and ran a great race on ground that didn't suit in the Group 3 Musidora at York. 1m 4f on Soft ground should bring out the best in her and there are 1 or 2 targets still left this season at Newmarket and Doncaster, where I hope that she will continue her impressive progression.

The three 2 year olds that I got involved with this year have been slow to come to hand and are still awaiting their first victories. Signoret has just qualified for a handicap mark of 70, which should allow her to be competitive in back end nurseries. 5f and softish ground looks like suiting and she is a very fast filly. Codgers Gift, also with Richard Fahey, has run two very nice maidens, looking like a trip of 7f plus will suit, she has always looked like a 3 year old , so hopefully a lot more to come from this very well bred filly. Finally Eagle Empire made his debut at Chepstow for Richard Hannon, running far too free to last home. He may have one or two more runs this year but again looks a handicapper at this stage.

Jumping Ahead

Whilst away at Ayr I missed the seasonal debut of my own syndicate horse Mission to Mars (Marty) trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies. He had made his chasing debut back in May, in a hot novice chase where he battled for 3rd place but unfortunately collapsed at the end of his race and was found to have been suffering from a virus. The stable had reported him in superb form at home but with nothing coming to light over the summer, I wasn't confident that he would even finish, let alone win at Newton Abbot. But win he did!!, backed in from 6/1 to 11/4 in the morning (not by me!!), he jumped beautifully and travelled behind the long time leader before taking it up 2 out and then battling on bravely when lack of fitness started to tell, to hang on for a fantastic handicap chase victory on only his second run over fences. Unfortunately Marty again collapsed at the end if the race and had to have oxygen in order to bring him around. Once up he was right as rain, but the cause of the problem remains a mystery and we will allow Nigel's vets to give him a thorough overhaul before looking at his next race. Masses of potential if we can sort the medical problem. A first ever win for Staplegrove Racing!!!

I've shares in 3 over jumps with Middleham Park Racing this year. The enigmatic Mad Moose goes back before the BHA in November to see whether he will be allowed to race again, assuming he wants to. I would love to see him run and prove his ability just one more time, so that people's memories of him are of him racing rather than not!!

John Quinn has wrapped Distime in cotton wool for the second time in 3 years after getting a leg again back in January. He has masses of untapped potential as a novice chaser and has an entry at Uttoxeter on a Sunday, should the going turn at least good to soft. Fingers and everything else crossed.

Finally very excited to be involved with Quiet Candid at Nicky Henderson's yard at Seven Barrows. This mare came over from Ireland and ran close up in two bumpers at the end of last season. Refusing to settle, she still showed tremendous potential and will almost certainly go straight over hurdles within the next few weeks.

Exciting Developments

I've been looking to expand my own syndicate over the summer and have been speaking to two local yards about part leasing horses for this jump season. I've had lots of initial interest but nothing concrete as yet but hopefully after Marty's success, people may feel more like joining me in my ventures.

I've agreed to lease 50% of Arrayan, a 9 year old hurdler in trainer with local (West Buckland) trainer Alexandra Dunn. Arrayan will try to achieve a lifetime ambition of mine to win a race at my local track (Taunton) in my colours. Rated 118, Arrayan will be aimed at Sellers and Claimers, with a view to picking up prize money every time he goes to the races. Alex and her husband Tom are really positive, forward thinking people with a real passion and understanding of horses and I am really looking forward to being involved with their yard this season, suspect it may be a lot of fun!!

I am also trying to set up a small partnership in a promising Novice Chaser, Chance Encounter, an 8 year old gelding in training with Linda Blackford nr Tiverton in Devon. Linda and her partner Mike are real enthusiasts and have a lovely set up in the Devon countryside, with some smashing young NH horses purchased from Ireland. Chance Encounter appears well handicapped over fences and should give any potential owners a lot of fun this season and again I am looking to find partners to join me in a lease deal for the horse to stay in Linda's yard.

I intend to advertise both horses over the next couple of weeks but if anyone fancies joining me, either DM me on twitter @flutter61 or email dave@flutter61.co.uk.

Once again Many Thanks for reading my blog and I hope you found it interesting and mildly entertaining. Thanks for your support.

DAVE

THE BLOG IS BACK IN TOWN (CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR!!)

Well it's taken me until my summer holiday in Tunisia and a free wifi that just stretches to the lawn outside reception, for me to get the Blog back on track.

Firstly, thanks to everybody who has read, followed and retweeted my blog over the last couple of years, including such luminaries as Jim McGrath, Richard Hoiles, Paul Nicholls and Richard Fahey to name but a few. I really appreciate every single retweet as if anyone is entertained, informed or enthused about this great sport, then it's worth sharing my experiences with you.

2014 started with me carrying quite a bit of overweight at 14st 4lb, with High Blood Pressure and just seen my 53rd Christmas. Ready for retirement and retraining for another discipline (more of this later). Now I like a pint, pasty and a Bacon Roll as much as the next man (if the next man is Giant Haystacks) so the thought of diet and exercise wasn't filling me with enthusiasm. However with the support of my colleagues at work (and a whiteboard countdown to my target of 13st by end of April - titled The Fat Controller) I started counting the calories and doing some gentle exercise. 

Now, I hear you say, what the **** has this got to do with Racing, you buffoon? Well, my motivation was to try and improve the odds of extending my Racing career well past retirement, most importantly to see my sons grow up into adulthood but also to do the Year!! You know the one, Cheltenham, Doncaster, Aintree, Newmarket, Punchestown, York, Chester, Epsom, Ascot, Goodwood/Galway, York, Doncaster, Ayr etc etc on until Kempton on Boxing Day (Lots missed but you get the drift!!)

Anyway, I sit on this lawn in Tunisia at 12st 9lb and despite the All Inclusive buffet available, spending 45 mins in the gym each day desperately trying not to put all the weight back on. So hopefully it's still on and I've had a damn good go at as much as poss in 2014. 

The full Cheltenham experience (no Moosie this year!!) was followed by 3 days in Punchestown both as punter. My horses have taken me to Doncaster for the Lincoln/Spring Mile, York May Meeting, Newmarket Guineas weekend, Sat as owner, Sunday as Racemaker (more to follow), Hamilton Park, Newbury, Ffos Las, Huntingdon, Stratford, missed Goodwood Sat as on holiday. Trips booked to York Ebor and Ayr Gold Cup weekend with possible runners.

So as you can see I've had a damn good go whilst working, 10 more years and I can start the full year adventure!!! 

With only my iPhone for company, the horse by horse summary will have to wait until I return on the 10th but highlights have to be Sweet Lightning's brave 4th place in the Lincoln at 9 years old & Stand my Ground's even closer 2nd in the Spring Mile on the same wonderful March afternoon. Latenightrequest proved herself a classy soft ground performer with a brave 6th in the Group 3 Musidora at York after losing a shoe, watch out for her in the Autumn. Finally Tatlisu has proved himself a sprinter to follow with victory at Newcastle (from Muthmir!!) and then just missing out on two big pots with 2nd in the Scottish Stewards Cup at Hamilton & beaten 2 short heads for the Stewards Cup Consolation race at Goodwood on Saturday. Ripon & Ayr could be next in line for him. 

So as you see, very close to 4 big prizes but winning less than £4k for being beaten less than a head for a £24k first prize is a little frustrating as I'm sure the handicapper will look harshly on his brilliant effort!! 

Anyway nearly time for Tea and cakes!! (Just a diet coke with a diet vodka thrown in for good measure!!). I will update this seasons horses shortly, three new 2 year olds to look forward to, and news of good old Moosie and Marty at Nigel's with appropriately stolen photos from twitter and Facebook. Also news of my next stint with the brilliant Racemaker team at York.

Please retweet to as many people as possible. Thanks and next update as soon as I get back to blighty!!

Cheers Dave.

MOOSE MAYHEM, MAGICAL MOMENTS & A MISSION FOR 2014

2013 Review

 

 

What a year it's been. A Record 16 individual winners, all owned in Partnerships run by Middleham Park Racing. Runners (sort of!!) at Cheltenham Festival, Aintree, Chester May, Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood, York Ebor, Doncaster St Leger, Ayr Gold Cup Meetings. Trips to all the above plus Punchestown and Arc de Triomphe (first time).

 

Naturally the enigmatic and marvellous MAD MOOSE got the most publicity for good and bad reasons. His 2013 kicked off with his most remarkable jumps performance to finish 2nd at 50/1 to the superstar SPRINTER SACRE in the re-arranged Victor Chandler Chase at Cheltenham, where he beat class horses like Sanctuaire and Somersby off level weights. So that we didn't get too excited, Moosie then refused to race at both Chelteham and Aintree festivals. Just when we'd given up, Nigel decided that he'd trick Moose with stalls and he shocked us all by not only running, but winning his Maiden at 28/1 and becoming the first 9 year old to win a Flat Maiden for over 18 years. His next run was even more remarkable, again jumping sweetly from the stalls at Chester, to run a blinder to finish 2nd in the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes behind the subsequent Melbourne Cup 3rd Mount Athos.

That proved too much excitement for Moosie and he refused point blank at York and gave himself an impossible task at Royal Ascot. The summer break doesn't seem to have improved his demeanour and his behaviour at Cheltenham and Sandown has left his racing future in the hands of the BHA.

Never boring and a horse of a lifetime to be involved with, his owners and his 3000 twitter followers hope this isn't the last we see of MAD MOOSE

 

 

I remember visiting Richard Fahey's yard in February when I agreed to buy a share in a lovely Footstepsinthesand Filly, a half sister to Richard Hannon's very good 3 year old Wentworth. SANDIVA made her debut on the same day that Mad Moose placed at Chester and we watched her streak home for her maiden win. At only £18,000 purchase price, she already attracted lots of interest from potential buyers before going over to Ireland to win a Listed contest at Naas very easily. The phones never stopped ringing and eventually we agreed to sell her to Sheikh Joaan Al Thani from Qatar, prior to her Royal Ascot 2nd place. A very difficult decision but the price paid was massively over normal market price and was quite simply one the owners couldn't refuse. Most of the Middleham Park owners are normal working men and women and this enabled me to continue with my ownership and also start my own venture, more to follow later.

 

 

Most wins by one horse came from the 3 year old LEXINGTON PLACE, a half brother to Stewards Cup winner Rex Imperator. At the start of the season, Richard Fahey had dubbed him 'The Best Handicapped horse in Yorkshire' but despite a maiden win in April he looked very disappointing until Richard suggested he moved yards to the incredibly successful David O'Meara yard. 4 consecutive handicap wins followed in 25 days and he continued to progress with brilliant placed runs at York and Goodwood. A great prospect for Sprint Handicaps next year.

 

 

Another Richard Fahey inmate TATLISU proved to be a most progressive sprinter who will continue to improve as he goes into his 4 year old career. 2 wins and a series of consistent performances saw him progress to a mark of 84 with a brilliant 3rd place in the Ayr Bronze Cup. Another sprinter to follow.

 

 

Richard Fahey also got a victory out of the ultra-consistent OUR BOY JACK, David O'Meara squeaked a flat win from MINELLA THEATRE and Champion trainer Richard Hannon got DOUGLAS PASHA in front at Wolverhampton back in March.

 

The brilliant Ruth Carr, finally got reward for her patience when she managed to get VICTOIRE DE LYPHAR his first win for 3 years. Possibly one of the most satisfying wins of the season and delighted that Ruth will continue to look after Vic in the future.

 

Finally a conversation with the MPR team, whilst celebrating TATLISU'S great 3rd place in the Ayr Bronze Cup, persuaded me to take up a share in the Richard Fahey trained Major Cadeaux 2 year old filly LATENIGHTREQUEST. The very next day she swept from last to first to win a valuable nursery at Ayr and followed up a few weeks later at Haydock. She's improved for the step up to a mile and could be really exciting as a 3 year old over a trip.

 

 

The next few months should be very exciting with the John Quinn trained Novice Chaser DISTIME returning after a year off and looking very exciting, the classy dual Lincoln winner SWEET LIGHTNING going over to Dubai to run in classy Handicaps at the Carnival for David O'Meara and his stablemate STAND MY GROUND being trained for the Lincoln at Doncaster in March.

 

Finally the last piece of the jigsaw is next years potential superstar 2 year old in the hands of Richard Fahey, another Footstepsinthesand filly out of the mare Moonbi Ridge and a half sister to Black Type performers Exhibition and Annaboda. Another Sandiva?, lets hope so!!

MISSION TO MARS

As I mentioned, the sale of Sandiva enabled me to purchase the very handsome MISSION TO MARS from Nigel Twiston-Davies in July. Mission to Mars had finished 3rd in a decent Irish Point to Point before being bought by Nigel at the April Cheltenham Sale. Marty is a great stamp of a horse, related to Bosun's Mate and Young Hustler and will make a lovely chaser in time.

Marty has had One Bumper run and 2 Novice Hurdles, so far, finishing just behind Paul Nicholls' very promising Facino Rustico at Newbury in his best run to date. He runs for my Partnership Staplegrove Racing and will hopefully be out again early in the New Year before he goes Novice Handicapping, where I'm confident he can pick up a race or two.

 

 

 All in all a fabulously successful and exciting year, with plenty more Dreams and Disasters to follow in 2014.

Dave Arthur 31st Dec 2013

 

 

 

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MAN ON A MISSION

Apologies for the lack of posts over the summer months but I have been busy setting up a new venture, which I will tell you about shortly.

Following Mad Moose's abortive attempt to entertain and frustrate in equal measures at Royal Ascot, it's been a busy summer with trips to Goodwood, York and Newbury although the vast majority of the runners have been at the Northern tracks, making constant travel to watch, financially prohibitive.

Star of the season has to be Lexington Place, a horse we had very high hopes for early in the season and who disappointed for Richard Fahey before getting a new lease of life at David O'Meara's and rattling up a quick 4 timer to add to his early maiden win. Very good runs at Goodwood and York have marked him down as a sprinter with a lot of potential and with his half brother Rex Imperator winning the Stewards Cup and half Sister Heavens Edge winning her 2 year old Maiden, a very good season for the Dam, Elidore.

Tatlisu came back to form with 2 wins already in his 3 year old season and looking to be improving. Ruth Carr got a win out of good old Victoire De Lyphar (his first since his 3 Year old Career) and the Ultra Consistent Our Boy Jack has been placed 5 times, without a win, his consistency and honesty meaning he gets little respite from the handicapper.

2 year olds Go Jamesway and Maupiti Express have been disappointing, Strange Magic has been waiting for some soft ground (better handicapped for the Autumn) and Stand my Ground is just back following a mid-season break.

Of course I musn't forget the tremendous success of Sandiva, which led to her big money sale to Sheikh Johaan of Qatar. I couldn't have been happier to see her win easily in France and she will almost certainly go into the winter as one of the favourites for 2014 1000 Guineas.

Which Brings me to my Mission..........

Regular Readers of my blog will know that my roots are in jump racing and that I have previously run my own partnerships and kept my connections with the West Country jumping fraternity. My experiences with Mad Moose and the fantastic Twiston-Davies team, have whetted my appetite to increase my connection with the yard and when I visited Moose in the Summer, I was shown a lovely 4 year old gelding that Nigel had bought at Brightwells April sale at Cheltenham. He immediately took my eye and I decided to try and form a partnership to buy him. My sale proceeds from my share in Sandiva, enabled me to buy 50% of the horse alongside a long standing friend of the Twiston-Davies family, David (Willy) Langdon. A combination of friends, Twitter and advertising on the excellent RaceHorseTrader website, enabled me to set up a small partnership under my Staplegrove Racing name.

And here he is .....

 

 

MISSION TO MARS

 

Mission to Mars has had 1 run in an Irish Point to Point, finishing 3rd to two horses who were also sold at the same Cheltenham sale. He is closely related to both Bosun's Mate and Nigel's superb chaser Young Hustler. His sire Presenting is responsible for jumping stars Denman, War of Attrition, First Lieutenant, China Rock, Ballabriggs and of course our own Mad Moose!!! amongst many others.

 

 

Mission to Mars (Marty) is working well at home with a Bumper debut on the cards in the next 3 to 4 weeks. It is incredibly exciting to be in at the very start of what we hope will be a long career over the sticks as we follow our boy through the various learning stages of the jumps game. I also hope that Marty will be the first of many Staplegrove Racing horses over the coming years.

 

 

Just hope that he doesn't listen to advice from his illustrious stablemate!!

HAVE WE SOLD A ROYAL ASCOT WINNER OR IS THERE ONE WAITING IN THE STALLS?

It's been an extremely busy and eventful few weeks in the lead up to Ascot and today Middleham Park Racing announced that we have completed the sale of our extremely promising filly SANDIVA to Sheikh Johann Bin Ahmed Al Thani and that she will run in his colours in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot on Friday.

I'm sure a lot of people will wonder why the syndicate has chosen to sell a young horse, that is potentially on the verge of greatness, when that is surely our dream, to own a horse that can run in all the top races. A very valid question and one that all the syndicate members had to ask themselves this week.

When Middleham Park Racing but any horse, they are always looking for potential improvers or great value yearlings that have the potential to win prizemoney and hopefully increase their value. The majority of our syndicate owners are normal working men and women who love the sport and invest what they can afford in order to be involved as an owner in our wonderful sport. The pleasure we all get from watching our horses on the track, at the stables or on the gallops is immeasurable and worth every penny.

When SANDIVA was bought last August for just £18,000, her breeding value was already in place as a half sister to a Listed winner and Richard Hannon's exciting Wentworth. What she did on the track exceeded our expectations and it was inevitable that offers would come flooding in after winning so well at Naas. We turned down a number of deals before we got the 'offer we couldn't refuse'. Whilst it is a shame to lose out on a possible superstar, the money will be re-invested, no doubt in further purchases, to enable the syndicate owners to continue to enjoy their ownership experience for a while longer.

The financial reality is that we need to win prizemoney to pay the training bills and sell at a profit on occasions to offset the many that don't work out so well!!. Middleham Park Racing's fantastic placing of their horses is an enormous help - 3 More Yearling Bonuses won this year and a number of BOBIS bonuses bear testament to that.and their ability to buy well, alongside their trainers, is uncanny.

ON TO ASCOT -

When one door closes, another opens or in this case, a stall opens!! The question will be whether the mercurial MAD MOOSE chooses to wander out of it, on his way to racing in the 2m 6f Queen Alexandra Stakes on Saturday at Ascot.

Since he got the better of us again at York, we've left it to Nigel and his team to 'Sort him Out'. He has recently enlisted the help of the brilliant and very successful Gary Witherford to help Moosie and he will be with him at the start on Saturday in order to improve Moosie's chances of getting away on terms.

MAD MOOSE is the horse who 'Dreams and Disasters' could have been invented for, but he has massively exceeded all our expectations as well as frustrated us with his antics (Trips from Somerset to both Aintree and York to see him stand still!!!)
However Moose has a very decent chance in this long distance race. Despite running over 1m 4f and 1m 6f on the Flat so far, Moose was third over a very testing 3 mile hurdle last Autumn, so no reason not to be confident he will stay the trip, something a lot of his opponents won't be able to match.

Will he start - Will he Win? Nobody will know until the last race of this years Royal Ascot on Saturday but we will all have a wonderful day, whatever happens.

ALL FOOTSTEPS LEAD TO YORK AND ASCOT

Well I did promise you that MAD MOOSE could do anything and he did in some style at Chester in finishing 2nd to the magnificent Mount Athos in the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes.

We were absolutely delighted with Moose's performance, he clearly relished the occasion and is performing to a really high level after only 2 Flat runs. The handicapper has reacted with a mark of 100, which counts him out of the Ascot Stakes, but leaves him eligible for all Top handicaps, Listed and Group Races.

He will run this weekend in the Listed Stowe Family Law Grand Cup at York. At entry stage it looks a competitive little heat but we will see at Declaration stage later this morning.

 

Mad Moose (courtesy of Darren Birdie)





Later on that Friday afternoon, we watched as our Footstepsinthesand filly SANDIVA made her debut for Richard Fahey under jockey Tom Eaves. She popped out the stalls well and sat in 3rd place, running extremely green as Tom tried to settle her. She looked like she didn't know how to go through the gap, so Tom switched her to the outside at the furlong pole. She settled matters in strides to go 6 lengths clear and earn the top Racing Post Rating for a two year old filly this year of 92.

We are all extremely excited by Sandiva and with her family, she could be a very valuable young lady. In the meantime we will look for a novice or maybe listed race prior to her most likely Royal Ascot target, the Albany Stakes over 6f.

 

 

Joining Mad Moose at York on Saturday will be another tremendously exciting filly STRANGE MAGIC. Strange Magic ventured to France late last season to be placed in 2 Listed races and has taken her time to come to hand this year, due to the harsh winter up in Malton. As a sprinting 3 year old, she will not be easy to place so we may be on our travels again as the season progresses, particularly as our girl prefers a bit of juice in the ground.

She is likely to make her debut in the big all aged 5f Sprint at York, which should put her spot on for whatever opportunity we can find for her in the next few weeks. Not sure there is anything suitable at Royal Ascot but we will hope for a good start on Saturday.

 

 

 

 

Looking forward to going to York on Saturday, great to have runners at one of my favourite Flat courses, hoping dreams continue to be realised and disasters kept to a minimum.

 

THE MOOSE IS LOOSE AT CHESTER

I never imagined that being involved as an owner with Mad Moose, would allow me to experience such a wide range of emotions and experiences. From our first meeting, the day before my 50th Birthday at Market Rasen, Moose has gained almost cult status through his exploits (and lack of them!!).

To have experienced the Highs (Leading him into the winners enclosure at Cheltenham last April and again after his fine Second to Sprinter Sacre in the Victor Chandler in Jan) and the Lows (Refusing to race at Cheltenham and Aintree festivals), I really thought the Rollercoaster ride was over, until that afternoon, only 2 weeks ago, when he pinged out of the stalls to beat 3 very well bred 3 year olds at Doncaster, becoming the first 9 year old to win on his Flat debut for 18 years!!

So it was, in fact, just oranges at half time, and we move into the second 45 minutes, where, remarkably, our gutsy chaser, takes on proper Group horses in the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes, tomorrow, at Chester.

Moose has already proven that he is capable of absolutely anything so we travel up to Chester with Dreams intact and the well wishes of his increasingly massive army of supporters, ringing in our ears.

IT'S CERTAINLY A MAD MAD WORLD WHEN MOOSE IS INVOLVED!!