NIGHT LILY DEADHEATS FOR 3RD IN DEAUVILLE
Owners Ken and Debbie Snell sampled the delights of Deauville on 6th when their mare NIGHT LILY contested the Listed race over 7 and a half furlongs on the polytrack. Lily was drawn wide and jockey Ioritz Mendizabal could not get her covered up as she usually likes and was more prominent than usual turning into the straight. She still looked like winning a furlong out but the field came at her and she deadheated for third with the distances being a short head and a short neck! This was the third time Lily has been involved in tight finishes in Listed races and she more than deserves to win one. Lily will continue to run on the all-weather this winter.
Fairly quiet in terms of runners at the moment. Most of the stalwarts have just returned from breaks including EDINBURGH KNIGHT and NELSON'S BOUNTY.
The new two year olds are now cantering nicely and some to note are Jim Kinnear's GLOBAL LEADER, who replaces CALEDONIAN SPRING, sold to Hong Kong. Stapleford Racing's lovely filly KROSSKINA and their homebred SPIRIT MAN and Ken Snell's TRUE SPIRIT.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!
We have had a great 2011 and look forward to 2012 and more good winners. NIGHT LILY will run in a Listed race in Deauville on the all-weather on Friday 6th January and we hope that she can have her head slightly in front on the line! She has been beaten into second in two Listed races this year by the narrowest of margins and really deserves to win one.
EDINBURGH KNIGHT is enjoying a well-deserved holiday at Pantile Stud. When he returns to training, he will be prepared for the Lincoln at Doncaster at the beginning of the turf season.
EDINBURGH KNIGHT WINS LISTED RACE
EDINBURGH KNIGHT followed up his win at Ascot on Champions Day with a win in the Listed Hyde Stakes at Kempton on 23rd. Eddie has now won three good races this year over 6, 7 and 8 furlongs and this is a great tribute to the horse's versatility. This was his first run over a mile since early last season, but we were confident it would suit him. Jim Crowley, who won on him at Newcastle in June, rode a patient, confident race to bring him from the back of the field to cut through them and show an impressive turn of foot. Anyone who follows our yard knows that we have always held the horse in very high regard and he is still strengthening up to his enormous frame. He will now have a well-earned winter break. Looking forward to next year with him.
Owner Ron Delnevo had a private box full of friends for the evening and a good time was had by all! Other owners Martin Hyson and Peter Lupson were also on hand to celebrate until Kempton turned off the lights! See photo of presentation.
FAIRYINTHEWIND FLIES IN AT KEMPTON
FAIRYINTHEWIND followed up her second last week with a clearcut win on 10th. She is owned by the Spittinginthewind Partnership, which comprises Martin Hyson, Ron Delnevo and Debbie Smyth. FAIRYINTHEWIND is the first winner we have trained who is by INDIAN HAVEN, who won the Irish 2000 Guineas for us in 2003.
FAIRY was our first runner of the new season and first winner. We were pleased with our results last season. From a nucleus of 20 horses, we had 20 winners, 21 seconds and 21 thirds to put us into 89th place out of 498 trainers in the UK. Prize money of £143,690 and a good 12% strike rate put us ahead of a great number of trainers who would have many more horses than we have access to. Last week's second in a Listed race at Dundalk in Ireland yielded a nice 9,500 euro prize for Ken and Debbie Snell with their NIGHT LILY, who goes for the Listed Churchill Stakes at Lingfield on 12th.
NIGHT LILY JUST DENIED AT DUNDALK
NIGHT LILY came perilously close to winning the Listed Cooley Stakes at Dundalk on Friday 4th. She was beaten a nose by Clinical, already a winner of two Listed races, in a thrilling finish. LILY, very well ridden by Wayne Lordan, gave her supporters plenty to shout about! She was second beaten a head in a Listed race at Kempton in March and surely deserves to win one of these! LILY came to us in February 2010 after her three year old career, which had yielded one win. In 2010 she won 4 races and has won 2 this year. She seems to be improving with age and is a much better filly on the all-weather, although she has won on grass. When the time comes for her to go to the paddocks, she will make a cracking broodmare.
EDINBURGH KNIGHT is on target for the Listed Hyde Stakes at Kempton on 23rd. He came out of his win at Ascot on Champions Day in great form.
CHAMPIONS DAY - WHAT A DAY TO HAVE A WINNER!
We were so thrilled to have a winner on the inuagural CHAMPIONS DAY at Ascot on Saturday! EDINBURGH KNIGHT rose to the challenge in the last race, which was a class 2 handicap for apprentices, the future stars of the racecourse. We had originally booked Joseph O'Brien to ride Eddie, but he was required to ride for Ballydoyle at Cork, so super-sub Matthew Davies, who has recently ridden out his claim stepped in. Matthew has previously had a couple of rides for us and is an able young man, and gave Eddie a peach of a ride to take it up a furlong our and hold on to win by 3/4 of a length. Eddie and Matthew paraded in front of the stands then entered the great winner's enclosure flanked by the troopers and to a fanfare just the same as all the other winners on the day. It was a very exciting time for Eddie's owners Knights Racing, who comprise Ron Delnevo, Martin Hyson, Peter and John Lupson. The occasion was not lost on any of his thrilled connections! It will live long in the memory!
COME ON BLUE CHIP WINS AGAIN
COME ON BLUE CHIP follows up again at Wolverhampton on 7th under champion jockey Paul Hanagan. He was running with a 6lb penalty and in theory was 6lb well in, as the handicapper had raised him 12lb for his win the previous week. Paul Hanagan always looked to have the situation under control and the horse won comfortably by five lengths. Owner Clare Blaskey of Blue Chip Feeds had come on from the Horse Of The Year Show at the nearby NEC, where Blue Chip sponsor a junior show jumping class and various top riders at the event. Clare very much enjoyed seeing the horse she bought as a foal win again.
Paul bought a gorgeous yearling by DARK ANGEL at the Goffs Orby Sale in Ireland to replace Jim Kinnear's CALEDONIAN SPRING. Ken Snell has bought a sharp SHAMARDAL colt and Roy Searle a much-admired CAPE CROSS filly from the Tattersalls Book 1 yearling sales this week.
COME ON BLUE CHIP!
COME ON BLUE CHIP finally fulfilled the promise of his first run at Newmarket in May at Wolverhampton on 29th winning under champion jockey Paul Hanagan. Paul showed why he is champion by giving the horse a confident ride to win going away. This horse has not had much go right for him in his last few runs and deserved to get his head in front. This should do his confidence the world of good and hopefully he can go on from this. His owner Clare Blaskey of Blue Chip Feeds, was on hand with husband Ian to see the horse she bought as a foal come good.
Blue Chip Feeds have sponsored our yard since we started with two horses in 1998 and their Blue Chip Pro is responsible for the wonderful bloom on our horses' coats, as borne out by COME ON BLUE CHIP, who looked magnificent in the paddock. He was napped by Racing Post Newmarket correspondant David Milnes, who had his card marked at last Sunday's owners day, along with all owners present!
CHARLIE AND RACHEL WILSON ADD TO THEIR STRING
Their POLLY HOLDER, who gave Rachel a great first ride finishing second at Southwell, has sustained an injury that will put her out of action for a few months. They have replaced her with GRANNY ANNE, again bought from Alan Bailey and the new partnership will be in action in amateur races over the coming months.
We are having an Owners' Open Day today and the weather is great and our lovely owners definitely know how to enjoy themselves!
CALEDONIAN SPRING SOLD TO HONG KONG
CALEDONIAN SPRING has been sold to continue his racing career in Hong Kong. This talented young horse will do very well out there and we wish his new owners well with him.