Good morning sportsfans,
Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate - first flat winner! Click the video above to watch his great performance!
mr tony takes the win
Gowran Park
On Monday afternoon over in Ireland at Gowran Park, MR TONY had his second run in a handicap, following a very encouraging first outing where he finished fourth at Bellewstown. We were hopeful of further improvement this time, especially with the addition of blinkers to help him travel more positively.
He’d generally been bit slow in the early part of the race, but from stall one, Dylan engaged him early and got him out the gate sharp and he was able to sit in the second row back. He tracked the pace nicely into the straight, spotted a gap on his left-hand side, he gave him a good crack of the whip and started to engage the horse. The whole way up the straight Dylan was really getting stuck into him, but never really going into overdrive. It always looked like he was going to get there and MR TONY showed a fantastic attitude. It’s clear he has plenty of ability at the right level and the blinkers definitely helped him focus and get the job done.
We are now going to try and strike while the iron is hot! MR TONY clearly loves proper soft ground and looks a stayer in the making, who we would anticipate would step up in trip next year. He has been declared to run tomorrow at Galway with Champion Jockey Dylan Browne-McMonagle on aboard again. All very positive, we’re looking forward to getting him out. He does have a sales entry on Thursday this week in Newmarket, but having discussed it with the owners, Tony Chapman and Brit Piers we have decided we are going to keep him for another year and have a bit more fun next spring to autumn with him! Fingers crossed for a big run tomorrow!
Tony Chapman celebrating the win with a nice Gin and tonic.
Owners’ Morning
Monday 20th October – a morning with Gary & Josh Moore
It was an early start on Monday morning as we headed down towards Brighton for a morning on the gallops with Gary Moore. We were delighted to welcome the owners of HURRICANE PAT, HANSARD and our newest addition DOUBLE THE DANCE. All three horses are looking in great shape at the moment.
The path we would go down with HANSARD this season was very much dependent on a key schooling session that morning. After watching him canter, his owners then saw him school over fences on the all-weather and again on the grass. To everyone’s pleasant surprise, Noel was very impressed with him, as was Gary. The plan now is to start him off over fences once we get proper soft ground – this will likely be in three to four weeks’ time.
Click the video to watch HANSARD's Owners morning
HURRICANE PAT had an unbelievable season last year, winning two bumpers and finishing third at Sandown, but he was always a little bit weak physically. He has done exceptionally well over the summer in pre-training with Noel and Tash and Gary has confirmed how pleased he’s been with him since his return. His schooling over hurdles has been very natural from day one and the owners were able to see him school up close. He is probably two to three weeks away from a run, likely starting in a novice hurdle at either Sandown, Lingfield or Fontwell.
Click the video to watch HURRICANE PAT's Owners morning
Our newest addition to the team is DOUBLE THE DANCE. Since arriving at Gary’s, he has made a very good impression, particularly last Saturday when he completed his first proper piece of work. He is expected to start off in a bumper in the next couple of weeks. He’s a horse we like a lot and we are very much looking forward to seeing him on the track.
Click the video to watch DOUBLE THE DANCE's Owners morning
All in all, it was a great morning despite the heavy rain. As I said to everyone on the day, we can’t complain about rain — we badly need it! Hopefully it continues over the next few weeks, softens the ground and allows us to get the majority of these horses out running.
Plumpton Racecourse
From Hosting guests to calling one home!
Click here to watch Crossey pre-race commentary
Owners’ Morning
Tuesday 21st October – a morning with Paul nicholls
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, we headed down to Ditcheat to see two of our highest-rated horses INSURRECTION and our Grade 1 winner TAHMURAS, at Paul Nicholls’ yard.
The weather looked a little threatening upon arrival, but it soon brightened into a beautiful morning. It was great to see all of Paul’s horses looking in excellent condition, but none more so than our own two, INSURRECTION and TAHMURAS, who both looked particularly strong and well. They’re probably three to four weeks away from getting started, but I can honestly say they look as good as I’ve ever seen them at this time of year. We’re very pleased with where they are.
INSURRECTION looked an absolute picture, we’re probably about two weeks away from deciding where he’ll make his seasonal re-appearance.
Last season, we felt he was harshly handicapped. starting off with a mark of 125 and after his win at Musselburgh, the handicapper hit him with another 7lb rise to putting him onto a mark of 142. That certainly makes life tougher, but he’ll be aimed at some top races this winter.
We’ll consider using a good claimer to take the edge off his mark if necessary. There are no firm plans set in stone yet and we’ll review his progress over the next couple of weeks before deciding his first target.
Insurrection and his owners at Paul Nicholls Racing
We’ll be finalising plans for TAHMURAS in the coming weeks, but one potential starting point could be at the Newbury Hennessy meeting on Saturday 25th November. Where there’s a 2m6f handicap chase called the Oaksey Chase.
He may have a prep gallop at Newbury around ten days prior, depending on how he’s shaping up. We’ll reassess in a fortnight before confirming anything for definite.
TAHMURAS underwent an operation during the summer, but we’re hopeful that will yield positive results through the season ahead. He’s now at the height of his handicap mark, but we’re confident he can be very competitive and we always have the option of putting a claimer on him later on if needed.
Tahmuras and his owners at Paul Nicholls Racing
Both horses looked exceptional this morning and it was fantastic to see some of Paul’s stars working well within the string. There’s plenty to look forward to as we head into the winter months with these two.
Shout out to a real racing grafter!
Crossey and Debbie Mooney
It’s a busy time of year with early starts and plenty of mornings on the gallops, but I want to give a big shout-out to Debbie Mooney, who keeps us going with her legendary sausages from the butcher’s. On gallop mornings, I’m sometimes collecting them at 5:00am — which means Debbie is up and at work for 3:00am to have all the sausages ready for us.
Owners’ Morning
wEDNESDAY 22nd October – a morning with HARRY FRY
On Wednesday morning, we were back on the road to Somerset to visit Harry Fry’s yard, where a select group of STAR WALKING’s owners joined us to watch her complete some routine work.
This filly is looking really well. She has now developed a good middle to her — something she was definitely lacking during her first year with us. She’s strengthened up, looks in a great place physically and is showing all the right signs heading into the season.
There are a couple of suitable options for her, either at Warwick or Ascot in a Mares’ Handicap Hurdle towards the middle to back end of November, which is when we’d like to get her started. The current plan is to begin her journey over hurdles and then potentially look at going over fences afterwards, but we’ll take it one step at a time.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable morning. Harry’s team are in great form and we were all very pleased with how STAR WALKING is shaping up.
Click the video to watch STAR WALKING's Owners morning
Owners’ Golf afternoon
remedy- oAK GOLF COURSE
Andrew Polson, Robin Norris, Crossey and Howard Johnstone
After Harry Fry’s on Wednesday morning, Andrew Polson got us on a pretty smart golf course in Remedy – Oak Golf Course down by the New Forest. We found it quite difficult to actually get into the course, but once we did it was an absolutely picturesque place to play.
We all played reasonably well and the competition was fierce, as it always is. Myself and Robin Norris led the whole way, never got headed and we went down the last hole level. I nearly lost my ball twice and still ended up making a five!
The shot of the day went to Robin Norris, who took relief after his ball landed under a tree which was ground under repair. He then played it over the trees and dropped it within ten feet of the pin – one of the best golf shots I’ve ever seen in my entire life!
Meanwhile, Andrew Polson on his second shot has a very good look at the 18th green and duly landed 15ft from the hole. Meanwhile his partner Howard Johnstone decided to take a late swim into the pond guarding the eighteenth green!
So myself and Robin ended up taking the money and the victory! We all shook hands just before the heavens opened. It’s not often i fit golf in due to work commitments, but it was great to get out with a great bunch of owners. We’re now really looking forward to our trip to Vilamoura, where 24 of our Syndicate Owners will head across to Portugal for a four-day competition.
Owners’ Morning
thursday 23rd October – a morning with Nicky Henderson
Thursday morning brought a noticeable drop in temperature, particularly up on Nicky Henderson’s gallops, where we attended our final gallops morning of the week to see our syndicate horse, KADO DE JOIE.
We had a great group of owners with us and Nicky was incredibly generous with his time. We watched KADO canter up the gallop before schooling over a line of five fences twice, under young Dan Williams – who many of you will remember was formerly Noel’s apprentice. Dan is now an amateur jockey, a very talented one at that, he has a strong season ahead of him in the amateur ranks.
KADO was always a little bit ignorant – to put it politely – over hurdles. But his schooling this season has been a transformation. He’s showing his fences plenty of respect and he’s much more professional in his work. He’s pretty much ready to run now. We’re looking forward to getting him started over fences very soon.
We always felt a mark of 124 was on the high side for him over hurdles, but he definitely looks stronger, more mature and has grown again. After three wins last season we hope there’s further improvement to come off his current mark of 124.
It was as always a fantastic morning at 7 WheelBarrows and great to see everyone!
Click the video above to watch KADO DE JOIE Owners morning
major fortune runs at cheltenham
Saturday 26th October
MAJOR FORTUNE headed to Cheltenham on Saturday, where we had a great team of Owners. It’s always great to have runners at the home of Racing!
The plan with MAJOR FORTUNE was to drop him in and ride him so that he finished off the race nicely. He jumped particularly well apart from a little mishap at the first fence, but he manage to find his feat nicely after that. Harry got him into a great rhythm and as they had gone such a good gallop upfront he was able to pick them off one by one and ran a great race to take 4th Place, getting all the Owners into the winning enclosure! It was a lovely first run of the season over an inadequate trip, but a lovely starting point. By the time he’s ready to go again the ground will be proper soft and heavy, he’ll be back up the 3miles. A lot to look forward to with him and we think there will be a nice race in him again this season.
MAJOR FORTUNE and his Owners at Cheltenham!
Topped off with a Racing Post Shout- OUT
It was great to receive a mention on the cover of the Racing Post weekender! The feature reflected on the growing profile of the Sydicate and the continued success of the Syndicate.
Next Week…
Diary Dates
ENTRY LIST NEXT WEEK MONDAY – SUNDAY
MR TONY, GALWAY, MONDAY
MOVIDDY, FAKENHAM, WEDNESDAY
DELTA BLUES BELLE, UTTOXETER, FRIDAY
HIDDEN HISTORY, WETHERBY, FRIDAY
MR HOPE STREET, WETHERBY, FRIDAY
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Have a great week.
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