Morning sports fans! 🎉
Happy New Year to you all! We hope you had a fantastic festive period filled with good times and great memories. We’re excited to kick off 2026 with you and can’t wait to see what the year brings for the team here’s hoping for plenty more winners along the way! 🏆✨
The Only One I Refused to Ride
This popped up on my social media this morning and brought back a memory. There was a horse called Babytaggle that I used to ride for Dai Williams. I remember riding him for the very first time at Ascot. As I went to get on, I held the reins with my left arm and he bolted forward. I hung on as tightly as I could but he pulled my shoulder clean out and dislocated it.
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I was lying on the ground when the doctor popped it back in within a few minutes and somehow I was able to ride again the next day. The next time I rode him was the 27th December 2017 at Exeter. We knew he was going to be awkward to get on so we mounted him out on the track. When we got down to the start, thinking the worst was over, he just took off with me bucking and kicking to the amusement of everyone watching.
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After that and given that he didn’t run very well, I decided I was never going to ride that horse again. It’s the only time in my life I’ve ever turned down a ride but I’m sure plenty of you will find the story quite amusing!
Play Video
Play video to watch Babytaggle try to get me off!
Ski Lodge
On Tuesday, I headed up to Haydock where Ski Lodge was having his second start over fences. He had made a lovely debut at Uttoxeter, jumping very well bar two small novicey mistakes and ran a strong race to finish second.
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This time around with just five runners in the field and on quicker ground than would have been ideal for him, we decided to make the running and try to take the sting out of the race. He was a fantastic sight out in front, jumping brilliantly throughout. Tom pressed on halfway down the back and continued to do so all the way up the straight.
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Unfortunately, Paddy O’Mahler got on top of us late. We led over the last, but he was just outstayed on the run-in and went down fighting, leaving absolutely nothing behind.
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Ski Lodge has been very consistent so far this season and while it’s a shame he’s been knocking on the door with three second-place finishes, hopefully that door will soon swing open over the coming months. Even in defeat, we love a horse that gives you 200%, and that’s exactly what he did.
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The owners were just as proud of him as we were and rightly so.
SKI LODGE's Owners
A Promising New Year’s Eve for Millstatt Abbey
On New Year’s Eve, Millstatt Abbey went to Uttoxeter and we were quietly confident she would run a big race. We felt the track would suit her well and we know she is a genuine staying mare with plenty to look forward to.
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We made good use of her stamina and she took Johnny along nicely throughout. Her attitude when asked to quicken from two out was very, very impressive. She lowered her head, pinned her ears back and really went to work. It was a very taking performance.
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Hopefully, we’ve unearthed a very smart mare for another bumper later in the season and particularly one to look forward to when she gets an obstacle in front of her next season. It was a great start for her.
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We still had four shares available before the race which we couldn’t believe hadn’t been sold, but they were all snapped up within 45 minutes afterwards. She came out of the race absolutely fine the next day.
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Looking ahead, she will either head to a Listed race at Sandown in March, or return to Uttoxeter for the ÂŁ20,000 bumper on Midlands Grand National Day.
Play Video
MILLSTATT ABBEY's Winners video!
From Coaching Lessons to Record Breaker
This week I received a lovely message from Billy Loughnane, who recently set a remarkable record of 222 wins in a single calendar year. I sent him a text to congratulate him on this incredible achievement and he replied by sending me a video from when he used to come to me for coaching lessons at just the age of twelve.
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He is one of the nicest young people you could meet and one of the most improving young riders around. It’s hard to believe what he has already achieved in his career, especially considering he is only 19 years old. I hope all our kids can grow up to be as polite and respectful as this young man and there is no doubt he has a massive future ahead of him.
Play Video
Play Video to see young Billy Loughnane!
Handicap debut for Delta Blues Belle
On New Year’s Day, I headed to Windsor with Delta Blues Belle who was making her handicap debut. Going into the race we knew that two miles wouldn’t really be a stiff enough test for her, but we wanted to give her some valuable experience.
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She ran okay up to a point although it was perhaps a little disappointing that she didn’t quite gallop through the line as strongly as we would have liked. That said, once she gets some softer ground and a step up in trip, we’re confident you’ll see her in a much better light and that will be the plan for her next start.
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It was great to see a lovely group of owners there on the day and hopefully it won’t be too long before she’s winning.
DELTA BLUES BELLE's Owners
The Return Of INSURRECTION
Insurrection made the long trip north to Musselburgh on New Year’s Eve for his seasonal debut on New Year’s Day. The early pace was quite strong, and Freddie Gingell felt like he was in top gear but with a circuit to go he was able to get into a nice position.
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Unfortunately, he made a mistake three out and was ultimately beaten just 2Âľ lengths. It was still a mighty run on his first start of the season. Whether he would have won without the mistake is open to question, but he certainly would have been a length or so closer.
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Taking on board Freddie’s feedback after the race, he may well step up slightly in trip going forward.
INSURRECTION
Kamsinas Relkeel Cheltenham
Kamsinas was certainly thrown in at the deep end on ratings in the Relkeel Grade 2 Hurdle. However, having run two solid races over fences we always felt that jumping fences took quite a bit out of him, so it was lovely to see him back over hurdles.
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He looked much more comfortable and it really felt like we were seeing a bit of the old Kamsinas again. He ran a mighty race to be beaten just nine lengths, especially considering he wasn’t particularly well treated at the weights.
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Going forward, we will probably step him up in trip next time, keep him at this level and do a bit of “pot hunting” similar to what we’re doing with Hansard. If he can land one during the season that would be fantastic.
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All the owners had a brilliant day out and it was great to see him back enjoying his racing again after a nice performance.
KAMSINAS' Owners
Another Big Step Forward for Ace of Spades at Cheltenham
Ace of Spades headed to Cheltenham as the favourite for the three-mile handicap hurdle. He had already been a lovely winner at Aintree and had run a mighty race to finish 4th in a ÂŁ100,000 handicap at Haydock and once again he took another step forward with a huge performance.
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He was always beautifully positioned by Harry, who tracked the horse we felt we had to beat throughout the race and produced Ace of Spades at exactly the right time. Unfortunately, he just found Ma Shantou too good on the day but he left absolutely nothing in defeat.
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He is a horse that gives you 200% every time. We don’t like finishing second, but when your horse gives you absolutely everything you simply can’t ask for anymore. From the very first day he stepped onto a racecourse he has done nothing but progress and he is a horse we are incredibly proud of.
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The owners had a fantastic day at Cheltenham and the hospitality, as always, was top-notch. Everyone enjoyed a glass of champagne and got to watch the replay of the race afterwards rounding off a brilliant day.
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ACE OF SPADE's Owners
Joe Prendergast
Blame the champagne… 🤣
We’re delighted to welcome some new owners on board with Millstatt Abbey. She was hugely impressive when winning at Uttoxeter in the final race of 2025 and we’re very excited about her future.
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One of her owners, Joe Prendergast, kindly sent in this lovely poem to mark the occasion:
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Joe Prendergast
Blame the champagne… 🤣
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It was New Years Eve, babe
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me
“She could be the one”
And then he sang a song
“The Rare Old Mountain Dew”
I turned my face away
And dreamed about Uttoxeter
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Got on a lucky one
Came in fifteen to two
I’ve got a feeling
This year’s for me and you
So happy New Year
I love you, baby
I can see a better time
When all our dreams come true
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Hopefully, we have a very exciting mare to look forward to going forward.
Next week…
Today BARON NOIR is heading to Chepstow for the EBF National Hunt Novices’ Hurdle. If the Race does not go ahead due to the weather we have coming in over the weekend, we have also put an entry in for Taunton on Thursday and Huntingdon on Friday.
On Wednesday MALFOY MANOR and GIANTSGRAVE could head to Leicester.
On Friday NO FLIES ON HER could be heading to Huntingdon for the Maiden Hurdle.
It looks set to be a quieter week, with potentially just one more runner over the weekend.
Diary Dates
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