Friday 20th June, 2025

Fighting Poet ran a very pleasing race at Chepstow on Monday.  Delphi gave him a fine ride but the track did not play to his strengths, however he was only beaten six and half lengths by the winner.  We have entered him in another amateur rider race at Brighton on Tuesday and as he appears to have come out of the race well, we may well take up this option as he is a dual winner on the track.

Not many of the jumping string have options in the next week or two so they will targeted for July when hopefully we will have had a bit of rain.  Many of the jumpers are still enjoying their summer holidays in the sun and they are putting on plenty of condition.

I was lucky enough to have been invited to lunch at Ascot on Tuesday by owner Bunny Roberts and it was a fantastic day of racing.  Field Of Gold looked outstanding in the St James’s Palace, whilst Harry Eustace had a very popular victory in the Queen Anne with Docklands.  The cheer from the crowd as he received his trophy could be heard throughout Berkshire.  Another popular victory was Eve Johnson-Houghton with her two-year-old costing just nine thousand guineas.  Successes like this give the sport a great lift.

Local stallion Golden Horn is proving to be remarkable sire.  Trawlerman’s win in the Gold Cup follows his siring of this year’s Champion Hurdle winner and he is proving to be an inspired purchase by his owner Jayne McGivern.  British breeders are lucky to have him based at Overbury and I am sure he will continue to sire plenty of winners over both codes in the future.

I am fortunate to be going to Ascot again today and Venetian Sun in the Albany and Time For Sandals in the Commonwealth look interesting outsiders.