FEHILY's WEEKLY

28th December 2025

MORNING SPORTSFANS!!!

It’s been a very busy time with all  the festivities! That hasn’t stopped the NFR Team.. this season we have had 18 winners, 34 placed and at the minute we are operating at a 22% strike rate and all of this can only be done because of all of your support, which is very much appreciated! We are only half way through the season and we have plenty more darts to throw so if we haven’t had you in the winners enclosure yet hopefully we will between now and then end of the season!
In other news after his Christmas dinner and pudding 🍽️🎄 our new Havana Grey Colt is settling in for a few 💤💤💤💤😴🐴
Play Video

Plan b for Rock SENSATION 

Some great plans don’t always go to plan and that’s certainly been the case with Rock Sensation this season. From the very start our intention was clear. Plan A was to begin in a Listed bumper at Cheltenham, where she ran a huge race and was unlucky to miss out on black type finishing a close fourth.

The next step was to send her hurdling, as we’ve always felt this mare had the potential to be good enough for the Mares’ race at Cheltenham. If that didn’t work out the fallback was the EBF Final at Cheltenham.

However, when we went to Hereford Kielan Woods was unseated at the second hurdle and our plans were slightly derailed. Ten days later we ran her at Lingfield having not had a hard race beforehand. From the moment she set off, it was clear she was struggling with the ground and she eventually finished third. In the long run, that run should still prove helpful as we move firmly to Plan B.

Our focus now is on getting her into a qualifier for the EBF Mares’ Final, a Grade 2 at Newbury in the second half of the year. Unfortunately  things don’t always go exactly as planned but, we’re always prepared to adapt. We’re now fully committed to Plan B and hopeful of reaching Newbury with a workable mark and better ground in the spring. We’ll keep her fresh and well for what we hope will be a strong spring campaign.

ROCK SENSATIONS's Owners'

tahmuras at lingfield

We also ran Tahmuras in the handicap chase. Unfortunately he pulled up again as he had done on his previous three starts. His attitude has been questioned before and on this occasion it was evident.
From the moment Harry Cobden asked him to GO, Tahmuras simply said NO! Sadly it appears his best days are behind him now. At this stage I’d imagine we’ll give him one more run. We may try riding him more forcefully as we did in the past and potentially add some headgear to see if that helps. We’ll discuss the plan with Paul, Noel and the owners over the coming weeks. I suspect he’ll have one final run and after that we may look to find him a suitable retirement home for life. He has been a monster for us giving us our first Grade 1 Winner.

TAHMURAS' Owners

NOEL HIT THE BIG 5-Nil !!🎂🎁🎉🕺

Noel hit the big 50 on Christmas Eve— though he’ll tell anyone who asks that age is just a number and experience counts for everything! From being in the jockeys’ room to now running the syndicate not much has changed apart from a few extra grey hairs. Still as competitive as ever we hope he had a cracking birthday ! Here’s to plenty more winners, laughs and days at the track where he can still show the youngsters how it’s done!

🎄a special christmas message for our owners!🎄

Last week our trainers and jockeys sent in videos wishing our team and owners a very Merry Christmas. It was a lovely way to say thank you for all your support this year. We hope it brought a smile and got you into the festive spirit and that you all had a wonderful Christmas!

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Merry Christmas from our Trainers and Jockeys!

L.C’s HURDLING DEBUT

Boxing Day wasn’t too early a start for me despite heading to Wetherby as I was staying with my in-laws in Easingwold just north of York for Christmas. That made it a short trip across to the track.
We ran Laffer Curve who was making her hurdling debut. On her first start for us in a bumper she finished 5th. This time we were stepping her up in trip on her hurdling debut. The plan was to get her settled (she had been a little keen in the bumper)—get her jumping and have her finishing well especially as she had no previous point-to-point experience.
Charlie Todd held her up towards the rear of the field. She settled well and jumped nicely throughout. She was perhaps a little bit out of her ground leaving the back straight but as a result she stayed on strongly up the home straight to finish fourth beaten just eight lengths.
She’s left us with plenty to work on and should hopefully be winning a maiden in due course. It was a brilliant day with great owners and a lovely way to spend Boxing Day.

LAFFER CURVES' Owners'

AN EXEMPLARY  JUMPING DEBUT FROM JASMINE BLISS

Next up was Jasmine Bliss at Kempton making her chasing debut. She was a little late getting started, having undergone a three-in-one wind operation in the autumn. We weren’t expecting to see her back until January. However she came to hand quicker than anticipated.
This was her first run for us against the boys and she acquitted herself extremely well. She travelled strongly at the head of affairs jumped spectacularly and was only beaten a length and a half into third place—arguably a career-best performance from that mark & against the males.
 
The way she jumped myself and Noel were thinking about coming out of retirement but after jumping on the scales that idea went out the window😩
Life should be a little easier for her moving forward as we can revert to running against the girls. The main reason for heading to Kempton was to get her started over fences on nice ground and it certainly paid off. The owners were absolutely thrilled as we’ve been keen to see her jump a fence and she certainly looks a better chaser than hurdler already, despite being a two-time hurdle winner. We can’t wait to see her out again

JASMINE BLISS' Owners'

DOUBLE THE DANCE RUNS WELL IN FONTWELL BUMPER

Noel didn’t stay long at Kempton, instead hot-footing it down  60miles to Fontwell to watch Double The Dance run in the bumper in the final race. He arrived in good time to catch up with the owners before the race.
Double The Dance was settled into a nice position just behind the leader. He travelled smoothly moved up well turning into the home straight. However, Half Hoping, ridden by James Davies, came alongside very easily and left us for dead. We finished 2nd but felt it was a step backwards rather than forwards.
While it was a little disappointing as we were quietly hopeful of a win, it’s important to remember that Double The Dance is only a four-year-old. In hindsight, he may still have been feeling the effects of his run at Ascot. He’ll now have a quiet month through January to recharge and develop further, before being aimed at another bumper in early March. If that goes well he could feature on the “Punchestown Festival” team later in the season.

DOUBLE THE DANCES' Owners'

⭐️ 🚶STAR WALKING ⭐️🚶 
Yesterday Noel and I went to Kempton with three runners in three big races — exactly where we like to be on a major day’s racing. We got off to the perfect start with Star Walking, who travelled better than she ever has before and jumped brilliantly throughout. She looked the winner almost the whole way.
Between the last two flights of hurdles she was coming through nicely, had a good look at the last and it all ended in a photo finish. We were standing in the stands and from our angle it definitely looked like she’d been beaten. Gary Brookes’ reaction seemed to confirm that as well. 
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Play Video Gary Freeman-Brookes reaction to the photo finish!

The result was announced fairly quickly and despair turned into joy. The filly certainly deserved it. She wore her heart on her sleeve last time at Ascot and just came up second best, so it was fantastic to see her get her big day in the sun in a valuable, prestigious race on a big occasion. We’re absolutely chuffed for all her owners. It was the perfect start to what looked like it was going to be a great day. 
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Play Video STAR WALKINGS' Winners' video!

After Star Walkings great run Noel was being interviewed and i pushed young Michael Fehily into the interview of which the presenter asked what Michael thought. He replied ‘”I’m absolutely delighted i had £10 on, meaning i won £35, i’m over the moon!” Unfortunately the interview never got aired as Michael is only 10 years old and the broadcasters couldn’t play it out as he is an under age gambler supported by his dad😂

HANSARD IMPRESSES IN GRADED COMPANY

There was no time for sipping champagne for Noel and myself as Hansard was straight out in the very next race. He was stepping up into graded company following his canter round at Lingfield last time.
Harry Cobden took the ride for the first time and gave him a superb ride, getting him into a lovely position down the inside. Hansard jumped very well throughout and ran an almighty race. Despite being the outsider of the five-runner field he finished second, picking up some excellent prize money in the Grade 2 Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase for all his owners.
After his last win, we decided we’d go pot-hunting with him and he certainly did that here finishing a very strong second in a competitive race. We’re absolutely delighted for his owners and we’ll aim him at these types of races for the remainder of the season and you never know in this game one might fall his way.

HANSARDS' Owners'

RYAN’S 🚀 

Last but not least was Ryan’s Rocket, who we felt was our best chance of the day as the weights of the race suited us and there was plenty of pace on. Johnny had a lovely position down the outside, tracking both the favourite and ultimately the winner.
Unfortunately, down the back straight Johnny asked him to shorten up and the horse galloped through the fence giving Johnny no chance which was a bitter disappointment especially as the day had been going very well up to that point. 
I always say you need luck in this game and I’d say we had used ours in the first two races.
The main thing is that Johnny and Ryan’s Rocket are both okay and we live to fight another day. We were absolutely gutted, as we really felt this horse had a big pot in him. We’ll sit down over the next couple of days to discuss the way forward, but we’re convinced there’s a big one in Ryan’s Rocket.

RYAN'S ROCKETS' Owners'

Next week…

Tomorrow GIANTSGRAVE is heading to Newbury for the Grade 1 Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle.
Tuesday SKI LODGE heads to Haydock Park.
New Years Eve the exciting MILLSTATT ABBEY is set to head to Uttoxeter for her debut for us.
On New Years day KAMSINAS and ACE OF SPADES  will be heading to Cheltenham. INSURRECTION goes to Mussellbrough for the handicap Chase whilst DELTA BLUES BELLE  will head to Windsor for the her handicap debut.

Diary Dates

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Have a great week.

David/Noel

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