It was the turn of Fiddlers Bow to head cross-border this week for the second of Perth Racecourse’s two day Glorious Finale Festival which concluded their racing for 2018.
Dropping back in trip from his last outing at Cartmel, he was running in the 2m4f, 0-120 handicap chase with Henry (Brooke) once again doing the steering.
Henry had Fiddlers held up in the early stages and the pair then made headway to move smoothly through the field of nine runners from three fences out.
Perth is always well supported by the top Irish trainer, Gordon Elliott, and this meeting was no exception. We were therefore, if not surprised, perhaps misfortunate to run into one of his horses in our race as it made all under Richard Johnson to win by 3 lengths from Fiddlers, who in turn held on for 2nd place from the favourite.
Although Fiddlers Bow’s owners, Mervyn Buckley & the Brough Farm Racing Partnership, were denied their first win it was hard to be disappointed given that the rest of the field were some 18+ lengths behind the first three at the line. Not to mention the fact that Fiddlers had lost a shoe somewhere en route round the 15 fences…
Nor were they alone in finishing runner up to the incomparable Elliott/Johnson partnership seeing as a total of five of the seven races on the day went that way!
Two of the connections had also made the long trip northwards to support their horse and it was lovely that Fiddlers has now taken them into the winners enclosure, albeit with a place, on both occasions of his two runs for them. Hopefully with the changing of the seasons and the advent of some autumnal weather, his next outing will be on ground to which is he is more suited and that deserved first win will soon come…..
End
28/09/18
Globetrotter stayed slightly closer to home this week when he headed to Hexham for a Maiden Hurdle over two miles.
Therein the similarity to his debut at Perth last month ended as, instead of facing four rivals as he did on that occasion, this time he lined up in a field of 15 which made it a quite different proposition on just his second start over hurdles.
He did however have the benefit of Henry (Brooke) doing the steering once again and he had him quietly held up in the early stages.
Always travelling strongly throughout the race, the pair then made smooth progress before what would have been the second last (omitted due to damage) to lead well before the last.
Henry just then had to push Globetrotter out hands & heels on the run-in to win comfortably by three lengths.
This was the Sowray Brothers first ever winner and we are absolutely delighted for them! He’s a lovely horse and has (we hope) an exciting future to look forward to.
End
19/09/18
Barely Black
Blackie sadly suffered a career ending injury at Uttoxeter in June when running a tremendous race to finish a close second (see News story 18/06/18) despite, as subsequently became apparent, suffering a fractured Sesamoid bone at some stage in the race.
We hadn’t want to report on it until now as we weren’t sure which way she was going to go….but showing her typical fighting spirit she has reached the stage of being well enough to travel and thus be able to continue her recovery with Sarah Turner, where hopefully she will make a lovely brood mare.
For all her quirks when in work, Blackie is a mare we have always thought highly of and she will undoubtedly make a fantastic mum in time. More news to follow in due course hopefully!
Tomorrow’s Legend
Legend is a beautiful 8 year old gelding who came to us with another horse in the same ownership when Patrick Holmes handed in his licence. He unfortunately arrived with a career ending tendon injury and has been in rehabilitation ever since.
He is now desperate to find somebody to continue this process and give him a long term home.
He will be limited in what he will be able to do (light hacking) but would also make a lovely field companion as he’s a very kind & gentle horse.
He can only go to an approved home so if anyone is interested please contact us – Julia 07776 186581 / jb@juliabrookeracing.com
06/09/18
Hazy Manor and Stags Leap had a night out last Wednesday at Sedgefield, with Henry taking the ride on both horses at the Teeside course’s evening meeting.
Hazy ran for the Brough Farm Racing Partnership in the 0-100, 2m1f handicap hurdle, with three of the members (Phil, Caroline & Angela) there to support her.
Off almost top weight, and the youngest in the field, she ran a pleasingly solid race to finish 6th of the 11, beaten just 7 lengths. It was good to see her hurdle fluently throughout and but for almost jumping into the back of another horse when turning in, she may well have maintained her consistent record of finishing in the frame as she was staying on well at the finish.
Stags Leap then ran in the 0-120, 2m4f handicap hurdle and the five runners finished in the exact order that the betting implied with Staggy a clear 3rd. The oldest in the field this time, the 11 year old was in touch throughout until a small blunder at the second last just saw him outpaced. It was typically gutsy run from the yard stalwart and it was lovely that connections were there to see him run & enjoy Sedgefield’s hospitality.
05/09/18