NEWS AND UPDATES FOR SEPTEMBER 2007

30th SEPTEMBER 2007

THE OPEN DAY

Today's Open Day was very well attended. It was great to see so many of the owners & guests watching all the horses parade and then enjoying the lovely hog roast afterwards. Although the weather was abit on the chilly side, the rain stayed away and all the horses looked immaculate.

Well done to all the staff for making the day go without a hitch and for everyone behind the scenes that helped with the preparation. The hog roast (as always) was excellent.

Thank you to everyone that kindly contributed to the collection made by Jenny Powell for the stable staff that raised over £300!.

Tracy Roberts from Turfpix took photos of the horses parading and these will be available to view soon.

There were a few horses that paraded today that are now available to purchase and the details of these can be found on the page "horses for sale".

28th SEPTEMBER 2007

CAPE GREKO 3RD AT ASCOT @ 16/1

Photo Courtesy of Steve Cargill

Cape Greko who came to Brendans yard from Andrew Balding's yard earlier this year, continues to flourish. Not only has he won twice over hurdles and been placed twice he came an admirable 3rd at Ascot in a flat race at 16/1.
The connections have a race at Cheltenham in mind and with his clear love of jumping he could well be one to keep an eye on.

19th September 2007

TENDER THE GREAT WINS AT KEMPTON @ 10/1

TENDER THE GREAT ran a great race under T. QUINN at the Kempton evening meeting. Winning in great style it does sound as if there will be further wins to come from this game mare. Many congratulatins to the winning connections.
Please note that the above photo is taken from Tender The Greats win at Bath.


Courtesy of The Racing Post

They went a good pace here and TENDER THE GREAT came from a fair way back. She had already won three times this year, all on turf, and she was 14lb higher than for the first of those wins. She is clearly still improving, for she quickened up well on the outside of the pack and won decisively in a fast time, looking value for further.

12th September 2007 - The latest staff photo

9th SEPTEMBER 2007

A SUCCESSFUL DAY FOR THE YARD AT FONTWELL PARK

Clare Wills and ABUTILON who refused to prick his ears for the photos!

Phil Tuffnell presenting the winning trophy to Brendan Jnr on behalf of JP McManus.

Well, where do we start? Perhaps to state that Fontwell Park is personally one of my favourite NH tracks. I have had many memorable days out racing here and today was another to add to the ever increasing list. Brendan took no less than 7 horses to the course on a very warm September afternoon.

With so many of Brendan's horses now performing finding their form at the new yard, there was a quiet air of confidence amongst the staff that were present.

In the first race, Royal Tender far from disgraced herself on her first attempt over the hurdles.

In the second race, ABUTILON won with a very competent ride by Sam Jones. He was a very popular winner owned by J.P. McManus.
Courtesy of The Racing Post:
This very modest handicap was run at a fierce gallop - or as fierce a gallop as these modest horses could go - so it was no surprise to see the winner come from off the pace. That winner, ABUTILON, had pulled very hard on his recent chasing debut, sothis contest's strong tempo definitely helped him.
He was all out to win, but he is barely out of the baby stage, while there should also be improvement to come when he is sent over further.


The winning trophy was presented to Brendan Jnr in Mr. McManus' absence by Phil Tuffnall, the world famous cricketer and best known by some for his exploits in I am A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!

In the 5th race, Brendan had no less than 3 runners. The Iron Giant owned by Kay Stone, Leonardo's Friend owned by AP Racing and Sonoma owned by Mr. D J Coles. Unfortunately, no winners or placed horses in this particular race for the yard.

Race 6 was of particular interest to me as I had been asked by Andrew Christou who runs Holistic Racing, the owners of Cape Greko to represent their horse. Brendan has always been very fond of Cape Greko who he has always felt would be very successful over the hurdles soon after he first arrived at the yard. Cape Greko set off with Salford City at a pretty breath taking pace with the two of them taking it turn to lead for most of the race. It became slightly hair raising when Eldorado appeared out of the pack and Timmy Murphy had to dig deep to get a tired Cape Greko over the line in front.

Courtesy of The Racing Post:
Although pretty ordinary stuff in terms of quality, this was a cracking race to watch with CAPE GREKO getting the best of a duel with Salford City that lasted from the start of the race. The pair went off very quickly and held a 20-length lead going out onto the final circuit. Both horses were not far off exhausted over the final two flights but Cape Greko stayed better than Salford City and had enough left to hold off the late challenge of Eldorado.
Cape Greko won this carrying a 7lb penalty picked up at Sedgefield 30 days ago, and connections are adamant that stamina is his asset. Based on this evidence, they are right.
Also an amusing observation from The Racing Post:
SHOULD the producers of This Is Your Life ever decide to give the famous red book to Salford City (unlikely, admittedly), what tales the horse will have to tell.

He could talk (through a translator) of the day he won the Greenham Stakes, of how he finished fifth in the Derby and then maybe of his unsuccessful stint in America. And, after what happened on Sunday, he could also regale the story of how he finished a legless third when odds-on favourite for a Fontwell novice hurdle.

Sad to relate, but the once fine Flat horse, now trained in Ireland by Grand National winner Gordon Elliott, was beaten fair and square in a low-key Fontwell event, in which victory went to Cape Greko, the last leg of a sparkling Timmy Murphy treble.

"He was a beaten by a better horse," admitted Elliott of Salford City, while Murphy reported to triumphant trainer Brendan Powell that he had just executed "brain-dead riding", his own harsh assessment of what looked an astute tactical display, in which Murphy ruthlessly exposed the favourite's stamina flaws.



In the last race of the afternoon it was Count Kristo who ran a very respectable race to take 2nd place. The owner Alan J. Mills was very happy with the performance.
Courtesy of The Racing Post:
Count Kristo led the field to the penultimate flight but he was brushed aside by the winner up the Fontwell hill. He ran really well on his return to hurdles, and certainly a lot better than when flopping over fences here in June.

Photo courtesy of Kay Stone

Cape Greko with Timmy Murphy on board in the lead on the first circuit.

Count Kristo - a photo especially for Mr. Alan Mills

6th September 2007

PIC UP STICKS WINS AT SALISBURY

The very talented, grey Pic Up Sticks got his head in front this afternoon in a valuable race at Salisbury. He has been unlucky in a few recent runs, but the very talented Ryan Moore got the grey's head in front despite a strong challenge from Sophie Dolye on Even Bolder. Congratulations to Mrs. P Jubert, the winning owner.

Courtesy of The Racing Post:
Quickish ground that had been quite liberally watered greeted the horses for the most valuable fixture in Salisbury's calendar, a fixture that opened with a sprint handicap in which plenty came to the race with either strong course or recent form.
PIC UP STICKS got his ideal conditions to shine here, and shine he duly did, in no small part thanks to a very powerful ride by Ryan Moore, whose strength was in marked contrast to that of the rider of the second.

Who's Winning ran a good race today at Warwick to come second under Richard Kingscote.

THE FIRST WIN OF SEPTEMBER AND THE MONKEY GETS HIS HEAD IN FRONT!

5th September 2007

Mud Monkey

Great to see Mud Monkey get his head in front again today with another cracking ride from Tom Siddall who won by a very respectable 8 lengths today at Hereford at 5/2. Many congratulations to the owners, Tony Head and Mark Wells.

Courtesy of The Racing Post:

MUD MONKEY managed to follow up his recent Bangor win under a penalty. He was ridden positively on this occasion and the tactic worked out well as he was in control off the home turn. Things are going to get more difficult now, but there could be another of these in him before the better youngsters start to appear.