Morning Sports fans…
There’s been plenty of runners out this week, let’s catch up on what the NFR Team have been up tošš
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Sunday 17th november
Helnwein takes on the Greatwood Hurdle!
On Family Fun Day at Cheltenham, Noel and I headed up where we were very lucky to have a runner in the prestigious Greatwood Hurdleā¦ HELNWEIN. Helnwein had run a mighty race on his final start last season, finishing second in the Swinton Hurdle at Haydock. He continued that fine form here running an almighty race once again.
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He travelled strongly throughout, jumped beautifully and just as we always say he needs a fast-run race it suited him perfectly. Coming down the hill he was going so well and he picked up going to the last hurdle. Unfortunately, the horse Alexei, trained by Joe Tizzard, came past late on. Still, the pair pulled well clear and it was by far the best performance of Helnweinās career so far.
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Heās been an absolute stalwart of a horse, winning over 125k in prize money throughout his career. The plan now is to head to Ascot just before Christmas for the Ladbrokes Hurdle, which is worth Ā£150,000 in prize money.
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Cheltenham Racecourse gave us an unbelievable day out. They really look after their owners when it comes to badges and if you finish in the first four you even get to watch a replay and enjoy a glass of champagne as if youād won, such a brilliant touch. We all had a fantastic day.
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It was a shame one or two owners couldnāt make it, particularly DJ McAllen, but fair play his son won a big football match in Ireland. A special mention also to Rod Willcocks, who wasnāt able to be there but received a lovely personal message from trainer Alan King.
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All in all, it was a brilliant day and we do love all love Funday Sundays.
HELNWEIN's Owners
Tuesday 18th
A Spectacular Morning at the Newbury Coral Gallops
On Tuesday morning, I headed to Newbury Racecourse for the Coral Gallops morning. It was great to see our Grade One winner, Tahmuras, have a good leg stretch under Freddie Gingell. He went out with a few horses who will be running at Newbury next weekend. They had a steady gallop over a mile and five furlongsānothing too demanding, just a nice morning out.
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All being well and provided the ground is safe, Tahmuras will return to Newbury next Saturday for the Sir Peter OāSullevan Chase to get his season underway. It was fantastic to see so many of his owners there, it was a spectacular morning to be among top-class horses, owners and trainersānone more so than Constitution Hill.
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I hope all our owners enjoyed the morning as much as I did. Iām already looking forward to heading back there, hopefully with a few more runners next season!
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Play Video
TAHMURAS galloping at Newbury!
Metkayina
Metkayina on the Road to Recovery After Fracture
On Tuesday, 11th November, while doing a piece of work in preparation for her race at Cheltenham last weekend, Metkayina fractured her pelvis. Noel Williams informed us immediately and the vets were on site straight away. Despite the fracture, she initially appeared to remain weight-bearing, which was a positive early sign.
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Two days later, on Thursday evening Metkayina took a bad turn. She became quite uncomfortable, so Noel called the vets back out. They administered pain relief and medication and she settled again, continuing to bear weight, which was encouraging.
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The vets scanned her again on Friday and discovered she had suffered a bleed, explaining the sudden discomfort. The fracture had shifted slightly, causing the internal bleeding. Thankfully, by 7 a.m. the next morning she was like a different mare. Noel reported that she was bright, happy and even calling out for her feed on Saturday morning. She seemed much more comfortable once the vets had attended to her. However they advised us that the next week would be crucial and we did not want another bleed.
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As of this Friday, we appear to be getting a step closer to being out of the woods. She is doing very well. She is staying very still, though understandably a bit uncomfortable as she has to remain standing, which has caused some swelling in her hind legs. She probably feels that more than the fracture itself simply due to standing for such an extended period. The most important thing is that she is standing still and allowing the pelvis to heal.
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Hopefully this positive progress continues throughout her recovery. Pelvic fractures generally heal well because bone repairs effectively, but she will still need around three months of rest. Sadly, this means her season is over.
Play Video
Noel Williams video explaining her injury in incredible detail
Play Video
Noel Williams update video on Metkayina
Tuesday 18th
Giantsgrave and ski lodge at lingfield
On Tuesday afternoon myself and Noel headed to Lingfield, where we had two big, proper national-hunt type horses running: Giants Grave and Ski lodge.
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Giantsgrave was up first up in the maiden hurdle. The main thing we wanted from the race was to teach him to race as it was only the third run of his life. Rather than jumping out and making the running, we decided to take a lead with him. He sat in third the whole way, jumped well and travelled comfortably for the most part.
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From half a mile out, you could see Harry starting to try to press the pace up front. That was his way of showing that the horse probably felt like he was already in top gear. The pace really lifted turning in and down to the second last he was just getting a bit outpaced, but he kept tabs on the front two, who both had plenty more experience than he did.
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After jumping the second last you could tell our lad was just lacking that little bit of pace and maybe taking a blow, as he ducked in behind the eventual winner. But he jumped the last well and galloped all the way to the line.
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One thing we definitely learned is that he wants proper soft ground, he probably lacks a gear on nicer going. As we already suspected heāll also want to go up in trip. Still it was great to get this run under his belt. We were disappointed to be beaten, we canāt shy away from that, but thereās plenty to look forward to with him. As Dan said, heās a winner without a penalty.
GIANTSGRAVE's Owners
Next up was Ski Lodge who we had hoped to start off over fences this year. However, the handicapper said he needed one more run over hurdles. In the early part of the race the pace was fairly sedate and then turned into a bit of a sprint down the straight. We were up against Olly Murphyās odds-on favourite, but to be fair to Ski Lodge, he jumped well and kept galloping all the way to the line on ground that would have been on the quick side for him.
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Heās a horse who will definitely appreciate a fence. Weāre been waiting to send him chasing since the day we bought him and heāll go over fences next time. This was a nice starting point and hopefully heās in for a very productive season ahead.
SKI LODGE's Owners
Thursday 20th
Baron noir and no flies on her at Warwick
On Thursday afternoon we headed off to a brisk Warwick, where we had two runners: Baron Noir and No Flies On Her.
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Baron Noir was up first, making his hurdling debut. Thereās was no need for him to go to the Cheltenham Festival, as this was probably as strong a race as the Supreme Novicesā would be in March. He was taking on some very impressive types- a bumper winner from Dan Skeltonās yard and a Ā£400,000 purchase from Harry Derhamās, to name just two.
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We were very happy with our horse going into the race and even happier afterwards. Despite finishing second, he travelled powerfully throughout and jumped well- perhaps a shade on the exuberant side, but heāll only get slicker with more racing. Turning for home he looked like he was going to pickup the leader as he moved up to take the lead two out, but as he hit the front he got in tight to the 2nd last hurdle and on landing he took a blow. From there, Tom Bellamy looked after him under hands and heels.
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It was a very satisfactory debut. Yes you always want to win of course but we couldnāt be more pleased with him going forward. Heās an absolute beast and weāre really excited to see where he takes us for the rest of the season.
BARON NOIR's Owners
In the bumper we ran No Flies On Her, who had made her debut at Uttoxeter on 17th October. In her homework since that run she looked to be coming along nicely and going to the races we felt she had a fighting chance of finishing in the first three. Johnny Burke was riding her, this was his first ride for us this season.
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Johnny had her in a lovely position just behind the leaders. They went a good, even gallop and began to quicken going down the back straight. Johnny then got a bit of bump which probably didnāt help her momentum leaving the back straight but she battled strongly down the straight and Johnny felt she was always staying on for a place.
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Afterwards he reported that she showed a very good attitude and will likely appreciate stepping up in trip, as well as softer ground and a hurdle in front of her. Considering everything, it really felt like a win with this filly. As Fergal OāBrien said, youāve got to remember where sheās come from as she was sick all last season and never got the chance to run. For her to come back and show such determination after that last year shows what a tough cookie she is.
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Sheāll definitely be winning races before to long. All in all, it was a great day and brilliant to share it with some of our fantastic owners.
NO FLIES ON HER Owners
friday 21st
double the dance ran at Ascot
On a crisp Friday afternoon, Noel and I headed to one of the most impressive tracks in the country, Ascot, where we were running the exciting Double The Dance in the bumper. He had done particularly well over the summer months and since going into training with Gary Moore heās been doing everything quite nicely. So, despite it being what looked a very hot bumper, we travelled to Ascot quite confident he would run a very big race.
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When Caoilin came into the paddock, we quickly realised – though weād suspected it beforehand- that there wasnāt going to be much pace in the race. So we ended up taking the bull by the horns and making the running, which is never ideal with a young horse, but he coped with it extremely well.
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When the field closed in on him two out, it looked as though they might swallow him up. However he showed a tremendous attitude, put his head down and battled all the way to the line for a very impressive first run of the season. On paper it looked a pretty strong bumper and Iād say youāll be hearing plenty more about the winner in the coming years. Our lad definitely looks like heāll win a bumper & weāre very much looking forward to getting him out again.
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Ascot Racecourse do a brilliant job looking after all the owners, and I think everyone left the course that day feeling very satisfied.
DOUBLE THE DANCE's Owners
SATURDAY 22ND
star walking and moviddy at ascot
What a busy day we had on Saturday! We kicked things off at Ascot, where we had Moviddy and Star walking running in the three-mile maresā hurdle race. With Moviddy, we left offher cheekpieces and tongue-tie as we just wanted to try something a bit different.
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We askedHeidi Palin to give her plenty of room and Moviddy travelled and ran a lovely race for a long way. She got a bit crowded when they came around her half way down the back and she gave in a little but she actually regained her momentum and galloped on to finish seventh. A nice run.
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Sheās a mare who will have her day in the sun again, but she probably needs to come down a few pounds in the handicap beforehand. The owners, Judy Wignall and Bill Hutchins, still had a great day at Ascot and sheāll be winning further down the line.
MOVIDDY's Owners
Also in that race we had Star Walking & we were expecting a very nice run from her. Everything was in her favour trip, ground, jockey, trainer and off the back of a wind op. So we were very hopeful of a good performance.
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The pace was quite strong which suited and Johnny Burke had her in a nice position from the off. Johnny came with a well-timed run and looked as though she was going to go and pick it up, but she just took a blow before the last hurdle. Still, she dug deep and battled all the way to the line to finish second only going down by just under 2lenghts.
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Finishing 2nd is never fun but when your stead gives you 200% you cannot ask for anymore.
STAR WALKING's Owners
mr hope street, ace of spades and major fortune at haddock
Then up at Haydock, we threw Mr Hope Street completely in at the deep end on ratings in the Graduation Chase. He had no chance on paper, but by God did he travel like a really nice horse. He jumped extremely well, used that chasing experience from his run at Carlisle and ran a mighty race to finish third to some top class horses.
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Plans might change for him this year. We were always looking towards the handicap route, but after that run we might start thinking about graded company. Weāre absolutely delighted with him, he picked up some good prize money for his owners and heās definitely in for a big season, especially in the second half of the year.
MR HOPE STREET in the paddock
Ace of Spades was a horse we had lined up for the 3mile handicap since the end of last season. After his good win last time out at Aintree, we felt there was more to come from him and by God, he delivered. He travelled very strongly, jumped nicely and although he got a little outpaced turning into the home straight, once Harry got him into full flow he stayed on well really well to get 4th.
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He definitely ran a career best race in this highly competitive Ā£100,000 handicap. Thereās definitely a big day in him.Ā
ACE OF SPADES's Owners
Our final runner of the day was Major Fortune up at Haydock. We expected him to go very, well off the back of a nice seasonal debut at Cheltenham. However Harry was never fully happy with him. He travelled away nicely to the end of the back straight, but it was always hard work to get him home from there.
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We all feel he probably needs to come down in class now. Heās likely better off carrying a bigger weight against lesser horses. When things donāt go his way, he perhaps doesnāt try quite hard enough, but when he travels well and feels like heās bossing horses he can look very good. So a drop in class is probably the right move going forward.
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It was a disappointing run, because after his Cheltenham performance we were expecting a lot more. Heāll pick up the pieces, as the Major always does and hopefully he can land a nice pot at some point this season.
MAJOR FORTUNE in the paddock
Next week…
As you’re reading this, Iām heading off to Portugal with a great bunch of our owners for our annual Golfing Trip! šµš¹ā³ļø
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Looking ahead to a busy week. On Monday HANSARD is set to make his Chasing debut at Kempton and in Ludlow KAMSINAS will do the same. With three possible runners on Wednesday up in Wetherby: GOWITDFLOW, DELTA BLUES BELLE & LAFFER CURVE ššØ. Myself and Noel will be at Newbury next weekend and look forward to Catching up with our Owners throughout the week!
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Exciting week ahead!
Diary Dates
š FESTIVE MORNING at HAGG HILLš„āØ
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Join us on Sunday 14th December for Christmas drinks and a first look at our three new flat horses for next season! šš«
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Meet the youngsters:
ā¢ š“ Filly: Kodi Bear x Angel Grace
ā¢ š“ Colt: Havana Grey x Anna Sophia
ā¢ š“ Filly: Invincible Army x Dense Star
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Youāll also be able to see some of our other syndicate horses enjoying their R&R at the farm ā the perfect pre-Christmas catch-up! š
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š Hagg Hill Farm, Semington, Trowbridge, BA14 6DD
ā° Arrive from 11am
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Champagne will be flowing š„
Crosseyās famous sausages will be sizzling šš„
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To attend or enquire, message Amelia: +44 7462 099965
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Looking forward to seeing you all for a festive morning! šš«
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