A WEEK FULL OF WINNERS!
SHILLANAVOGY WINS AT FONTWELL
The last week has been a brilliant one for the team, with all the horses running with great credit and bringing home a fantastic 4 winners!
Shillanavogy kicked things off on Tuesday with a very convincing WIN at Fontwell in the BetGoodwin Handicap Chase over 2m 5f under a confident ride from James Bowen.
Shillanavogy travelled strongly and jumped really well, coming to lead 2 fences from home and keeping his advantage to come home 1 and three-quarter lengths in front of the rest of the field. It was great to see Shillanavogy get off the mark over fences, having previously won over Hurdles and running really well on Chasing debut back in May. His seasonal reappearance was slightly underwhelming last month, but he has put this well and truly behind him now with this return to form.
Congratulations to Ray and Mary & Jim and Claire of the Both Ways Partnership, of which Ray and Mary were present to shout Shillanavogy home and collect their prize!
QUANTOCK HILLS DEAD-HEATS AT CHELTENHAM
Saturday saw Quantock Hills head to Cheltenham to run in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle over 2m 1f.
Having won his previous race at Fontwell just 4 weeks ago, Quantock Hills has been in great form at home- he is a horse who loves his work, and the most difficult part of training him is keeping a lid on his enthusiasm! Our Conditional Jockey Daire Davis rides Quantock Hills every day and has done a really good job of keeping him sweet.
Quantock Hills settled much better during Saturday’s race and jumped and travelled comfortably throughout the race, looming up to lead just before the last and looked the clear winner for a long way up the run in, but showed a little greenness, getting lonely in front and just starting to drift left- handed, giving the Jack Jones trained Teriferma a chance to get back on terms with Quantock Hills, chasing him down all the way to the line and just getting level with him in the shadows of the post!
It was a nerve- wracking few minutes waiting for the photo finish to be called, and a relief when a Dead-Heat was declared- both horses had run brilliantly, and to see either of them denied would have seemed very unfair! To make the Dead-Heat even more fun, it was James Bowen’s brother Sean who was riding Teriferma, and so the brothers were happy to share the prize!
What is clear after the race, is that owners Jim and Claire Ltd have a very smart prospect on their hands in Quantock Hills, and the season ahead could be very exciting!
A DOUBLE AT SOUTHWELL- MARGARET’S LEGACY
We had a very busy Monday on our hands today, with 5 runners across 2 meetings, the first of which was Margaret’s Legacy at Southwell.
Margaret is new to us this season, having been sent to us in July by his owners The Old Romantics. His work at home has been very solid, he is a lovely model who there is much to like about, and we thought we would learn a lot more about him after today’s run.
Ridden by Harry Bannister in the Southwell Golf Club Handicap Chase over 2m 4f, Harry and Margaret watched on whilst the front few horses seemed to go hard early on in the race. Harry and Margaret got themselves into a lovely rhythm, jumping slickly and travelling well within themselves, making headway from 3 out and leading approaching the last, Margaret and Harry positively bounded clear up the run in, staying on really strongly and coming home in front cosily by 6 lengths!
It is great to get a win under the belt so early on for owners The Old Romantics, and there is sure to be plenty more to come from Margaret’s Legacy!
A DOUBLE AT SOUTHWELL- LAND OF MOON
We only had to wait an hour before our next winner- this time Land Of Moon in the planetsportbet.com Maiden Hurdle over 2 miles.
Land Of Moon was cruelly denied the win by a short-head in his previous run at Uttoxeter, but he righted that wrong today! Harry Bannister made the running today, and the pair made all throughout the race, travelling strongly and jumping enthusiastically throughout. The rest of the field came under pressure one-by-one behind them, and Land Of Moon came to the second-last hurdle 3 lengths clear, was a little untidy over the last hurdle but kept going further and further clear on the run in to win comfortably by 6 lengths!
Congratulations to owners Andrew and Jean Merriam, who bought Land Of Moon as a foal from the Arqana Sales and are now reaping their rewards!
A huge well done and thank you to all the team at home, who work really hard and it is great to see the hard work pay off. Onwards and upwards!
