Spring 2019

Beakstown began the year with a bang, taking the Grade 2 Leamington Novices’ Hurdle at Warwick for Dan Skelton.  This was only the 6yo’s third start over hurdles and the Stowaway gelding looks every inch a future chaser for owner Bryan Drew.

10yo Wakanda entered his 7th season of racing this year and earned a 9th career win when taking the Peter Marsh Chase.  His career high mark is 155 but despite not being top-class, he has won two Garde 2’s and four Listed Chases and amassed over a quarter of a million pounds in prize-money.  He’s an absolute star for Sue Smith and we bought him after winning a maiden hurdle in Sligo July 2013.

6yo Dynamite Dollars is already a Grade 1 winner over fences and he booked his place at the head of the Arkle betting by winning the Lightning Novices’ Chase at Doncaster for Paul Nicholls and Michael Geoghegan.  We bought him as an unraced 3yo after seeing him scholl in France and he has a very bright future.

Envoi Allen earned himself a Grade 2 at Leopardstown and made himself favourite for the Champion bumper in March.  That’s three bumpers in a row plus his point.  He cost £400,000 from Chaltenham Sales in Feb 18 but so far it looks justified.

The flying Kayf Tara grey, Whisperinthebreeze (pictured above) was the last horse we bought for the late Alan & Anne Potts.  The Jessica Harrington 6yo Novice Chaser showed his loving for Good ground here won a €78,000 pot in an open handicap.  He wasn’t winning out of turn, having Grade 1 winners behind him last time out.

Chris’s Dream returned to Navan, the scene of his fencing debut victory to win the Grade 2 Ten Up Novices’ Chase.  The Mahler gelding is trained by Henry DeBromhead and looks like a top staying chaser in the making.

Back in England, the Diamond Boy 5yo, Grand Sancy backed up his Grade 1 placed effort at Sandown in January by winning the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton.  In doing so he booked his ticket for the Supreme Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Third behind the aforementioned in the Kingwell was Vision Des Flos.  He then went on to win the Grade 2 National Spirit at Fontwell.  The 6yo Balko has kept good company this season with the likes of Buveur D’Air and has a big chance in the Coral Cup.