MORNING SPORTSFANS!!!
MORNING SPORTSFANS!!!
Happy Cheltenham Eve Eve!!
We hope you’ve all had a great week and have kept your Cheltenham dreams alive, as we move into one of racing’s biggest weeks of the year. This year we have by far our biggest squad heading to Cheltenham with 8 runners and all with chances. That’s 80 of our owners having there dreams come true🕺🕺🕺
No alarm clock needed for crossey!
At 0649 on Wednesday morning my phone started ringing ‘Baron Noir’ and I thought who is calling at this hour?!
I jumped on the call anyway and there were six owners on the line who couldn’t contain their excitement, knowing that Baron Noir was being declared for the ‘Supreme Novices’ Hurdle’. We all had a good chat and there was a lot of faces looking fresh and bright eyed. Jill Meadows was the protagonist of the call, she was in France so was already an hour ahead of us all anyway!
Billy Todd and John Ryan didn’t show their faces as they were still lying in bed – all good fun in anticipation for one of the biggest weeks of the year.
An early morning WhatsApp group chat from team BARON NOIR!
jockeys for the first
Now that the nicer weather has arrived my youngest, Saffie, is back in full swing riding her pony Pickle. Pickle really is part of the family and loves taking Saffie for hacks to the park and around the village – Saffie really is a future jockey in the making, look out Rachael Blackmore!
Saffie riding her pony PICKLE
bursting at the seams with cheltenham festival excitement!
ACE OF SPADES
We’re excited about running Ace Of Spades at Cheltenham in the Pertemps Final, every run he has had he just keeps improving and we hope he can continue doing that.
He was a good winner at Aintree last year and was a lovely winner last time out at Huntingdon and now the owners dreams have come true with heading to the festival.
Press PLAY to watch the video of 'Team ACE OF SPADES'!
BARON NOIR
Baron Noir is one of our most exciting horses, he was a brilliant bumper horse last year, beating El Cairos at Punchestown. He ran a lovely race when he finished second at Warwick, before going on to win at Uttoxeter and then running nicely at Kempton.
We’re now rolling to the Supreme, the opening race of the Cheltenham Festival, this will be a big step up in grade but it is very very exciting for all the owners and we can’t wait to see him at Cheltenham for the opening day.
Press PLAY to watch the video of 'Team BARON NOIR'!
HANSARD
We are looking forward to running Hansard in the Arkle, this is a race that cuts up most years.
He was a lovely winner at Lingfield this year, he then went on to finish second in a grade two at Kempton, this week he is showing us what it is all about – having runners at the big festivals!
Press PLAY to watch the video of 'Team HANSARD'!
HELNWEIN
Helnwein has been an unbelievable horse for the syndicate, having won well over £100,000 in prize money. He was second in the Greatwood this year, we missed the Betfair but are now taking the owners straight to Cheltenham for the County Hurdle.
We’re delighted to be getting all the owners to the festival.
Press PLAY to watch the video of 'Team HELNWEIN'!
HURRICANE PAT
Hurricane Pat has been an absolute star for us this season, having won at Sandown twice, where one of his wins was in a listed race of a very strong field. He then went to Haydock, finishing second behind the supreme favourite – Old Park Star.
We now feel the step up in trip, to the turners 2m 5f is going to be appropriate for Hurricane Pat, he is in great form.
Press PLAY to watch the video of 'Team HURRICANE PAT'!
INSURRECTION
We’re delighted for all the owners of Insurrection with him going back to Cheltenham this year, holding entries in both the Ultima and the Kim Muir Handicap Chase for Ameaturs . He ran a mighty race last year until he made a mistake at the top of the hill and we feel like this step up in trip will be ideal for Insurrection.
We have a big team in support and hopefully we go to Cheltenham, with a big chance.
Press PLAY to watch the video of 'Team INSURRECTION'!
JACKIE HOBBS
Jackie Hobbs is one of our best mares, she has already won two bumpers and two hurdles for the team and the dream is very much alive.
We’re heading to the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, we won this race with Love Envoi back in 2022 and we finished fifth there last year with Metkayina.
Jackie Hobbs has been an improving mare all the way along and has a great chance, she has a terrific bunch of owners in support and we’re hoping she can repeat what Love Envoi did four years ago.
Press PLAY to watch the video of 'Team JACKIE HOBBS'!
RYAN’S ROCKET
We can’t wait to get Ryan’s Rocket back at Cheltenham, he did run at Cheltenham before and has been a superstar having won a £50,000 chase already this season, we feel like we’re on a good mark and are ready to bring it on!
Ryan’s Rocket has already given his owners some great days out and we really look forward to seeing everyone at Cheltenham for the Grand Annual.
Press PLAY to watch the video of 'Team RYAN'S ROCKET'!
dubai for one
Tony Chapman, owner of Amazonica, Baron Noir, Claim Du Brizais, Delta Blues Belle and Mr Tony is currently stuck in Dubai – to say he is gutted to be missing out on the Cheltenham Festival is an understatement!
We’ve had many a video call and wish Tony all the best.
Owner Tony Chapman and Crossey having regular video calls
major fortune at leicester
I hit the Northern trail on Friday afternoon where one of our favourites, Major Fortune, was turning out quickly for a three runner handicap chase at Leicester – which he finished second in last year.
He travelled and jumped throughout the race looking like the winner, when Harry asked him for some effort on approach to the last fence he put in a shorty and the winner got away from him.
We know exactly where we are with Major Fortune now, he has been around long enough and you could run your clock off him.
Once below a mark of 120 he is a bit of a bully and dominates those races. When he goes up in class, he is the one who gets bullied a little bit!
Major Fortune has been absolute star and continues paying his way, having won over £56,000 for his owners and was a relatively cheap purchase. He ‘ll have another few runs this season and we’re looking forward to seeing him back out on course again soon.
MAJOR FORTUNE's owners at Leicester
Mr Pete Jones ‘Jonesy’
Myself and my able assistant Mr Pete Jones ‘Jonesy’ got to Sandown nice and early on Saturday morning.
Whilst in the carpark, Peter Hobbs who is the brother to Philip and rode over 400 winners, was walking by. Jonesy pointed Peter Hobbs out and said that Peter had ridden a few winners for him, so I duly called Peter over to the car and we were chatting for over five minutes about a particular horse he had won on, Jonesy was reminiscing with great detail. Peter Hobbs then turned round and said… “who actually trained that?”, much to my amusement Pete Jones ‘Jonesy’ was the trainer of the horse in discussion.
I am going to dine out on this for the entire summer after poor Jonesy went red in the face with the embarrassment!
Pete Jones and Crossey parked up at Sandown
MILLSTATT ABBEY grabs blacktype
Millstatt Abbey stepped up in class at Sandown for the listed EBF Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, conditions were very much in her favour going into the race.
Gavin Sheehan decided to make the run in, as she did when she won the first time out – she is a very straightforward mare. She quickened up turning in but the Gary Moore trained Ti’mamzel, came by us going very easy and I’d imagine we were beat by a very special mare.
In spite of this, our filly beat the rest of the field well and we’ve got a very exciting mare. All she’ll do is improve when she has had another summer’s grass.
Millstatt Abbey has got an attitude to die for and I imagine we’ll end up back here at Sandown next year for the Grade 2 Jane Seymour Novices’ Hurdle. She is definitely a staying mare and has got a big, big future ahead of her.
All the owners are absolutely thrilled to bits, a win and black type – you couldn’t ask any more in your first season of bumpers.
We will see how she is in a few weeks time and if we get a wet spring we may look at a bumper at The Punchestown Festival for her.
MILLSTATT ABBEY in the parade ring at Sandown
MR HOPE STREET AT SANDOWN
Mr. Hope Street ran in the handicap chase on the same card at Sandown. He had a few issues over Christmas, so had the full month of January off.
He was only back in work for just over 4weeks so this run was very much expected to be needed and it bore out that way as he had a right blow 3 out and will come on a tonne for that run.
Going forward we have a target in mind for him, the three-mile race on Grand National Day, where hopefully we have a nice horse moving forward for that.
Noel Fehily, Harry Skelton and one of MR HOPE STREET's owners Richard Flower
Next week…
Monday 9th March
Adonedeal, Stratford
Tuesday 10th March
Baron Noir, Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Cheltenham Festival
Hansard, Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase, Cheltenham Festival
Insurrection, Ultima Handicap, Cheltenham Festival
Ryan’s Rocket, Sun Racing Plate Handicap Chase, Cheltenham Festival
Wednesday 11th March
Baron Noir, Turners Novices’ Hurdle, Cheltenham Festival
Hurricane Pat, Turners Novices’ Hurdle, Cheltenham Festival
Laffer Curve, Huntingdon
Ryan’s Rocket, Grand Annual Challenge Cup, Cheltenham Festival
Thursday 12th March
Ace Of Spades, Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle, Cheltenham Festival
Insurrection, Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Amateur Handicap Chase
Jackie Hobbs, Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, Cheltenham Festival
Friday 13th March
Helnwein, County Hurdle, Cheltenham Festival
Diary Dates
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