13 November 2018

N another thing!

This Vinnie Roe gelding made his chasing debut win at Carlisle yesterday and made the bookies sit up and take notice for when they are quoting odds for his possible Cheltenham Festival entry next March. The Kim Bailey-trained Vinndication (Not a printing error!) maintained his unbeaten record when winning the Smarkets Novices' Chase. The five-year-old, with David Bass aboard, was sent off the even-money favourite in this thirteen-strong field on rain-softened ground that was obviously to his liking as he made all the running. There were a couple of threatening moments when first Red Rising and then Uncle Alastair loomed large at the second-last but Vinndication had enough in reserve to claim the prize by two lengths.

Taken by Storm

There was another successful debutant at Ffos Las yesterday. The Colin Tizzard-trained Kilbricken Storm, surprise winner of the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last March, made a successful start to his chasing career with a victory in testing conditions at the Welsh track. The Oscar gelding, ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies, subsequently proved that his Prestbury Park triumph was no fluke when finishing a close-up third in a Grade One Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle at Punchestown the following month. On this occasion he was the 8/11 favourite in the Walters Group Novices' Chase and went into the lead at the halfway stage. There was a moment when Kilbricken Storm looked like being denied victory when Jonjo O'Neill's Cobolobo passed him after the final fence but the five-year-old battled back bravely in the heavy ground to win by a short head.

Horseless Rider!

In yesterday's Grade Three For Auction Novice Hurdle at Navan Evan Daly narrowly avoided serious injury when he was in front of the field as the horses entered the back straight. The problem was that the seven-pound claiming jockey wasn't riding in this race. As he had two hours to go before the first of his two booked rides later in the afternoon, Evan Daly decided to go for a jog on the course and because he was listening to music on his headphones, he did not hear the horses galloping up behind him. Fortunately he was able to swerve to the right at the last minute. The stewards didn't take too kindly to these antics and issued him with a caution.

Kaylina Aramis

Breeding Shares available for 2019! 

By Kayf Tara

• full sister to Kayf Aramis 85 runs & over £153,000 prize money, Winner Cheltenham Festival; 3xWinner at York Dante Festival
• full sister to Kaylif Aramis, his career very sadly cut short at a young age: 3 wins, 4 places, over £59,000 prize money, Winner Ascot grade 2; 2nd grade 3 Aintree