News

Miss Cato takes yard to ten winners

miss_cato_2Even before the start of the five to follow, the yard has now posted 10 winners.  Seriously, this has never happened before!  Miss Cato joined Kickingthelilly in posting her third win of the year at Yarmouth yesterday under a trailblazing Chris Catlin ride.  She pretty much led from start to finish and stayed on well off a strong pace.  She has been working with Ed de Gas and their respective good racecourse form was also confirmed by the fourth yesterday also having finished behind him.  Considering Miss Cato could have been picked up for £6,000 after her initial win first time out at Southwell on New Year's Day, she really has come on in leaps and bounds.  Well done to owner Bert Bennett, agent Jill Lamb, Julie Belton who looks after her, Farman who took her racing and me (!) pictured on her, right.

Turf runners begin to trickle through

This week is the first when our horses have been seen in racecourse action on the turf, starting with Kickingthelilly's most creditable effort at Musselburgh yesterday.  From a poor draw, she got a moderate run through the race, getting behind and having to run wide throughout, then being pushed five horses wide down the straight.  She ran on purposefully at the end to finish fourth but the winner had run round on the rail and found the gaps when he needed them.

Sushi makes her racecourse debut tomorrow at Warwick and Miss Cato returns to the track at Yarmouth on Tuesday.  Others who may run later in the week are Flynn's Boy and Shamakat at Leicester.

Enter the five to follow

  • The deadline for this year's five to follow is 5pm on 17 April 2012.  The basics are: from the horses trained by Rae Guest pick 5 horses. At least two of your selections must be two year olds. Enclose £5 per entry and return to Georgia in the office with a completed form to register your entry.
  • Points will be awarded as follows: 5 for a winner; 3 for a second; 1 for a third. Double points will be awarded for Group or Listed class races.  The stake will be divided between the top 3 point scorers: 70% first prize, 20% second, 10% third.
  • The competition will run from the start of the Craven meeting on the 18th April 2012 until 1st December 2012, including all turf, all-weather and foreign races. Georgia will confirm your selections via e-mail so you can follow them throughout the year.  You have to be in it to win it, so please email Georgia on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for a form.

Lack of rain proves a challenge at HQ

border_abby_la_confession_2_1Unfortunately, due to the particularly dry Spring, Rae has not been able to get the horses on the grass gallops as much as he would have liked.

The same applies to all the trainers in Newmarket so we have seen Henry Cecil and Michael Stoute bringing their massive strings over to the Cambridge Road to work.

Still, it is a big place and (over this side of town at least) there seems to be plenty of room for everyone.

princess_of_orange_shamakatHere are some pictures of our string working last Saturday morning.

In the first group were Miss Cato and Sushi; and Headline News and Alice Rose.  Then after a changeover the groups included Border Abby and newcomer La Confession (pictured above, Border Abby this side with the white face), Emperor's Waltz and Millika; Shamakat and Princess of Orange (pictured right); and Kickingthelilly on her own.

Gritty follow up from Ed De Gas

ed_de_gasRacing for new owner Richard Pegum (owner of Breeders' Cup Marathon winner Muhannak), Ed De Gas made it two from two at Wolverhampton on Thursday.  First time out he won so easily he hardly knew he had a race, but today was a different matter.  Wolverhampton can be a tricky track and Ed did not enjoy the clearest passage, but ran on in gritty and determined fashion to score by 3/4 length under Chris Catlin, taking the yard to 9 winners from just 14 winners in 2012 - a staggering 64% strike rate.  It can't last so we may as well enjoy it while we can. Very well done to bloodstock agent Alastair Donald who spotted Ed on behalf of Mr Pegum, Tony Whelan who rides him out at home (pictured right) and Ali who looks after him.