RESULTS AND NEWS FROM DECEMBER 2007 - ANOTHER GREAT MONTH FOR THE YARD WITH 10 WINNERS!

DECEMBER 1ST 2007

NOVEMBER GOT OFF TO A FLYING START BY HAVING A WIN ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH SO THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO CHANCE THAT WOULD HAPPEN ON THE FIRST DAY OF DECEMBER WAS THERE.....?

Sir Bathwick - Photo courtesy of Steve Cargill

With Brendan having 9 runners on the first day of the month, including 6 horses going to the very prestigious Hennessy meeting at Newbury and 3 horses off to Towcester.

It was a glorious, sunny day although the wind was cold and there was a threat of rain which appeared later in the aftermoon.

I was lucky enough to be at Newbury and was thrilled to see so many of the owners in attendance. It is one of the highlights of the National Hunt calender and with Denman favourite of the big race of the day it was clearly going to be a sell out.

ATACAMA STAR, INCHLOCH, SADLERS STAR AND GARAFENA all lined up for the first race. The ground appeared to be testing so it was no surprise to seeing two of the the horses being pulled up, Sadlers Star and Garafena. Inchloch finished a respectable 5th and Atacama Star finished 7th.

In the next race, The Allied Irish Bank (GB) Novices' Handicap Steeple Chase (Class 3), the very brave SIR BATHWICK, owned by Wayne and Sarah Clifford ran the race of his life and won by an amazing 15 lengths. Originally due to be ridden by Denis O Regan, Graham Lee had a non runner and so took the ride. Fondly known as "Oscar" to Wayne and Sarah, SIR BATHWICK outjumped his rivals for most of the race, although he appeared to be idling over the last two. Graham Lee kept up the momentum with a great ride and Sir Bathwick finished with a flurry to the line with his ears pricked.

Sarah Clifford was screaming and jumping up and down and hugging nearby spectators who probably hadn't actually realised that the commotion was not due to a winning tote ticket, but that she actually owned the horse who had just won by an impressive 15 lengths. As many of us know in horse racing there are occasional ups and there are sometimes many downs. With Sarah and Wayne both clearly elated that Sir Bathwick had won in good style, the downside was that he had a nasty looking gash on his near fore. There was not much time for Sir Bathwick to be patted and fussed over as he was quickly whisked away to the racecourse stables for the on course vet to assess the extent of the injury to his leg.

Sir Bathwick, although 8 years old has not had many appearances on the racetrack as he suffers from a form of cancer which leaves massive lumps and warts all over his body, especially his face. There was a 50/50 chance Sir Bathwick would survive a few years ago, but after many attempts to rid him of the warts and his clear enthusiasm for racing, Sarah left the choice of his future to Sir Bathwick himself. He clearly wanted to race. No stone was therefore left unturned by his owners to find a remedy for his condition to allow him to do what he clearly wanted to. He wanted to be a racehorse.

Today was clearly a very emotional time for the owners for such a brave, gutsy and very talented horse to win in such testing conditions on one of the biggest days in the NH calander. Fingers crossed he graces our racecourses again soon.

Sir Bathwick at Newbury - Photo courtesy of Steve Cargill

BJ, Vicky, Graham Lee, Wayne and Sarah being presented with the winning trophy

Up at Towcester, another eventful afternoon. Moshahed was a respectable 4th in the European Breeders' Fund "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle (Qualifier) (Class 3)and Madame Vouvray ridden by Gerald Tumelty owned by Mrs Fairburn finishing a very respectable 3rd in the Hinton Groundworks Ltd Mares Only Novices' Hurdle (Class 4).

Unfortunately, Sam Jones took a nasty fall in the first race (not on one of Brendan's horses) in an awful pile up of horses and jockeys and has suffrered a suspected broken collar bone. Get well soon, Sam.

2nd DECEMBER 2007

THE SUCCESS CONTINUES WITH A DOUBLE AT LEICESTER TODAY!

The yard going from strength to strength with two wins at Leicester this afternoon.

In the 1.10pm saw BIG AL win for JP McManus ridden by Tony Dobbin.

Courtesy of The Racing Post
Despite the heavy rain that hit much of Britain, the going on the chase course remained good to firm.
BIG AL, who has the highest BHA rating of these, had leading claims if reproducing his Fontwell win last month, but he needed to put behind him adisappointing run at Newcastle next time. He bounced back here, travelling and jumping well, mostly kept wide, before taking over midway down the back. Two lengths up on the apparently strong-travelling Jaoka Du Gord three out, he looked a sitting duck for the well-backed Paul Webber gelding, but he kept pulling out more and was drawing away after the last, while the runner-up found little when push came to shove. The form is only modest, but the winner is a strong stayer at this trip and the handicappercan't put him up too much for this.

Then later in the afternoon in the 2.50 Mares Only Novice Chase, the talented mare, METHODICAL again ridden by Tony Dobbin won for The Woodhaven Racing syndicate.

Courtesy of The Racing Post
A simple task on paper for METHODICAL, who was miles clear of these on ratings and only really needed to stand up to collect in a very weak race. She did just that, jumping well in the main and holding nearest pursuer Symbiosis when that runner crashed out at the second-last. The winner will be seen to better effect upped in trip and on softer ground.

Also, courtesy of The Racing Post:
Brendan Powell has made an exceptional start to the national hunt season and he took his tally of winners to 30 when teaming up with Tony Dobbin to complete a double with Big Al and Methodical.

Powell's previous best total of winners in a season is 45 so he's well on target fora career best this campaign.

The JP McManus-owned Big Al showed a determined attitude to draw away from his seven rivals in the classified chase before Methodical justified very short odds in an uncompetitive mares only novices' hurdle.

Powell saidafterwards: “I haven't got any real targets for the year but it would be great to pass the 45 winner mar. Fortunately we're well on target.”
Of his two winners, Powell said: “Big Al is what he is, he's decent on his day but he's a bit inand out. Methodical used to race in five furlong sellers on the Flat! Adam Kirby said to me he'd like to ride her over hurdles even then so he's a good judge. She wants a stiffer test than this two miles ideally and softer ground but she's proving progressive.”


Quote of the day “Mister McManus couldn't make it today!” Brendan Powell's tongue-in-cheek retort when asked if the owners of Big Al were present.

Please spare a thought for Sam Jones who could have ridden two winners today but has suffered an injury from yesterdays fall at Towcester. Well done though to his "deputy" Tony Dobbin who made sure both horses got their head in front in Sam's absence. Well done, Tony!

WEDNESDAY 5TH DECEMBER 2007

Not another win to announce but a great performance by COUNT KRISTO at Plumpton today where he was beaten a neck ridden by Mick Fitzgerald in heavy conditions proving that his win at Fontwell on the 18th November was no fluke result.

Courtesy of The Racing Post:
Count Kristo had won only a claimer at Fontwell, and he had a penalty to overcome, but he had trotted up and he very nearly followed up; coping well with the conditions; sneaking up the inside of the leader turning out of the back straight and only just getting caught after edging left into the winner on the run-in.

10th DECEMBER 2007

LAURA GRAY

Racing has a strange way of grounding you especially when things seem to be going to well.

Our thoughts are with Laura Gray who took a crashing fall from Thyolo today at Wolverhampton where Thyolo broke a shoulder and had to be humanely destroyed. Laura and her father Robin are both familiar faces at the yard as they both ride out for Brendan. A very sad day for Laura and David Turner who owned Thyolo.

Courtesy of The Racing Post:
Drama as opener is voided after horse takes fatal fall
by Andrew King

WOLVERHAMPTON officials were forced to void the first race on the card on Monday when Thyolo took a fatal fall a furlong after the start and jettisoned his amateur rider, Laura Gray, into the Polytrack surface.

A flagman at the 5f marker alerted the other 12 runners and they immediately eased down and pulled up before the entrance to home straight as the stricken horse was still down in the centre of the course.

Gray, the daughter of former racecourse commentator Robin Gray, was taken by ambulance to nearby New Cross Hospital for further examination on a suspected thigh injury.

Acting clerk of the course Gemma Charrington said: “Laura Gray has been taken to hospital for precautionary x-rays on her left thigh but unfortunately Thyolo broke a shoulder and had to be put down.

“The decision to stop the race was taken by myself and the chairwoman of the stewards, Cherry Jones, as the racing area around the fallen horse was inadequate for the other 12 horses to bypass.”

The stewards took a look at the incident where Thyolo appeared to clipheels before coming down and banned rider Emma-Jane Jenkins for seven days (to be notified) as they considered she was guilty of careless riding.

Stipendiary steward, Rachel Tonks, said: “We held two enquiries, one into the fall of Laura Gray and one into the circumstances surrounding the awareness of the rider as to when they were aware that the race was to be stopped.

“As far as the fall was concerned we found that Lad's Law, ridden by Emma-Jane Jenkins, drifted from a wide draw towards the rail into the path of Thyolo causing the horse to come down and she was given a seven-day suspension.

FRIDAY 14TH DECEMBER 2007

WHICH POCKET RIDDEN BY SAM JONES WINS AT CHELTENHAM TODAY at 14/1!

Sam Jones suffered a nasty fall at the beginning of the month at Towcester (not from one of Brendan's horses) so it was especially rewarding to see Sam win today at CHELTENHAM on WHICH POCKET by an impressive 7 lengths. Not only is it a brilliant win for the connections but this will do Sam the world of good for his confidence after his fairly recent fall. Well done, Sam and of course to the winning owner, Alan Peachy!
Courtesy of The Racing Post:
A conditional jockeys' handicap chase and they finished quite well spread out, which suggested the ground was probably a bit more sticky than the official line of good all round.
WHICH POCKET hardly came into the race with too much to recommend him, as his last two form figures were PF. However, he made handsome amends as he ground out victory, but whether he would have collected if Kaldouas had not come down when travelling with purpose three out is open to question. The main thing as far as his connections were concerned is that he won and the hope is that he can go on from this.

A mention also to WHEELAVIT who certainly didn't disgrace himself coming a gallant 4th at 66/1 ridden by Tony Dobbin. Courtesy of The Racing Post:
Wheelavit was another to shape as though he is going the right way, although the form book suggests he wants better ground.

Which Pocket winning at Cheltenham
Photo courtesy of Getty Images

WEDNESDAY 19th DECEMBER 2007

VALDAS QUEEN BRINGS THE TOTAL OF WINS FOR DECEMBER TO 5!

With the temperature hovering around about 5-8 degrees for the last few days, meetings were cancelled due to the freezing conditions and unsafe ground which has resulted in a few of Brendan's horses unable to participate in their chosen races this week.

Newbury's meeting today survived the extremely cold conditions and they hosted another great days racing - and an especially good day for Brendan and his team!

Inchloch ridden by Mick Fitzgerald in the 1.30 The Coolmatin Maiden Hurdle Race (Class 4) ran a cracking race to finish 7th out of 18.

In the next race, the stunning looking Count Kristo also rudden by Mick Fitzgerald battled hard to finish a brave 2nd in the Powersolve Electronics Greatwood Charity Handicap Steeple Chase.

In the 8th and final race of the card, Brendan had 4 horses lined up. It was great to see all the owners of all 4 horses standing together although it did get a little confusing when the 4 jockeys came over to meet the owners to know which owners were with which horse. The dream would have been a blanket finish with all four of the yards horses being involved the reality was the well backed Valdas Queen took the winning honours under Mick Fitzgerald. A very popular winning horse for the connections, AP RACING. Valdas Queen had been working very well at home and was a dream come true to the members of the syndicate that were in attendance today.

Well done to Mick Fitzgerald, to all the winning connections and of course to Valdas Queen. There is surely more to come from this talented 3 year old filly.

Valdas Queen winner at Newbury with the winning connections, AP RACING & winning jockey, Mick Fitzgerald.

Courtesy of The Racing Post:

It’s difficult to know what the form of these races are worth, and this one turned into something of a sprint up the straight after they had gone only steadily down the far side, which clearly contributed to a bunch finish in which the first nine were covered by under 10 lengths.
However, the success of VALDAS QUEEN, who pegged back the enterprisingly ridden Moulin De La Croix, under pressure approaching the furlong marker to lead home four fellow debutantes, clearly wasn’t unexpected, for she was a well backed favourite. She looks the sort to go on to better things.

BACK ON THEIR FEET AGAIN!

Just to let you know of those human's and equine that are back on their feet after their various setbacks during the month.

Sir Bathwick is back with Brendan. Connections are thrilled with his progress after an operation on his leg after his spectacular win at Newbury on Hennessy Day! It was touch and go but the early signs are definitely promising.

Laura Gray is back in the saddle after her horrendous fall at Wolverhampton a couple of weeks back and has been riding out again as usual.

Sam Jones is not only back after his fall at Towcester he came back and won on his first ride on his return!

THURSDAY 20TH DECEMBER

"AWARD WINNER" LIVES UP TO HIS NAME AT LUDLOW TODAY!

On a bitterly cold December day, Award Winner and Sam Jones gave Brendan his 33rd NH win today in a Bumper race at Ludlow.

Many congratulations to the winning owner, Mrs C Argeband.

Courtesy of The Racing Post:
AWARD WINNER looked held in the straight before battling back to win in workmanlike style. This was not a bad debut effort and he can only go on from here.

FRIDAY 21ST DECEMBER

ANOTHER DAY..... ANOTHER WINNER... WELL DONE DR. HART!

Brendan keeps on churning out the winners and long may it continue. Todays winner came in the shape of Dr. Hart ridden by Timmy Murphy. Well backed most of the morning, Dr. Hart did not disappoint and gave the winning owners a day to remember in the near freezing conditions although the sun was shining!

Courtesy of The Racing Post:
This was a maiden, rather than a novice, and so had no previous hurdles winners, but it was still quite a warm race. However, they went only steadily until starting the final circuit. DR HART had shaped well in third at Kempton on his reappearance and won convincingly, racing handily throughout, getting up the inner on the home turn, and taking charge after the second-last. He has a lot of point-to-point experience - he is a three-time winner - and Brendan Powell is eyeing the long-distance chase at the Cheltenham Festival (now 3m6f rather than 4m), even though the gelding has yet to jump regulation fences in public.

Brendan Powell, who trained 45 winners last season, is only ten short of that tally after Dr Hart built on a promising hurdling debut to capture the Landsbanki NH Maiden Hurdle.

A three time point-to-point winner before Powell bought him at the Doncaster Sales, the 3-1 favourite was toiling back in fifth when the field turned for home, yet he picked up strongly in the straight beating Pantalaimon by six lengths.

“He does the same at home, hits a bit of a flat spot then runs on again,” said Powell. “He did it at Kempton last time but the track was too sharp for him.

“When I first got him I was going to aim for the four miler at Cheltenham and he could still do that having run in eight to ten point-to-points.”

Lovely photo of Dr. Hart and not quite sure what Tom has just seen!

A much more flattering photo of Tom with Dr. Hart post race looking very pleased with himself!

The winning connections, Geoff and The Jem Racing Team with a smiling Timmy Murphy!

Dr. Hart winning at Ascot - above photo courtesy of Steve Cargill

Photo courtesy of Steve Cargill

26th DECEMBER 2007

A BOXING DAY DOUBLE.......

With 12 runners going to post there seemed to be plenty of opportunities for a couple of winners! The horses and jockeys did not diasappoint in the shape of Charlie Studd on Owlesbury Dream at Wincanton and Sam Jones winning on Big Rob!

It was great to see Charlie Studd actually winning on a horse part owned by his father, John Studd. Unfortunately, David Gamble was not present today, but many congratulations to him too.

Big Rob's win courtesy of The Racing Post:
BIG ROB is better known as a chaser and was thrown in at the weights judged on his form over fences. It remains to be seen if he will ultimately prove able to match that form over hurdles, but he accomplished this task in game style, leading from four out until before two out, where he had a coming together with the runner-up, and battling back to regain the advantage on the run-in.
The winner will be suited by a step back up in trip and probably has another race or two in him over hurdles, but will ultimately be going back over fences and is seen as a long-term Scottish Grand National contender. He would need to improve to get in the shake-up at Ayr, but would be suited by the trip. BRENDAN POWELL played Santa Claus for Racing Post readers when Big Rob, whom he nominated as his 'Christmas banker' in the paper earlier this week, justified 5-2 favouritism in a handicap hurdle.

He now has an Easter target in mind for the eight-year-old, a fairly useful chaser who was racing off a mark 27lb lower than his current rating over fences, as he got the better of Olympian by half a length.

“I have always thought highly of him and switching between hurdles and fences has done the world of good for his confidence,” said the trainer.
“We will see what happens but one of the races I have had in mind for him is the Scottish National. He is a lovely horse.”



Owlesbury Dream's win courtesy of The Racing Post:
OWLESBURY DREAM set the standard as far as those with marks were concerned, and she turned around some recent form with Miss Midnight to collect. She looks an above average mare on this showing, and something like the mares' final at Newbury in March is a likely target.

Winning owner of Owlesbury Dream, John Studd with his winning son, the jockey, Charlie Studd.

Charlie, Owlesbury Dream, Emma and John Studd co owner of Owlesbury Dream

Photos courtesy of Kathy Anderson

SATURDAY 29TH DECEMBER 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURA!

Brendan had Methodical running at Newbury today and she came a respectable 3rd in a Novices Steeple Chase. An interesting runner today was Bosham Mill who was back on the track for the first time in 530 days and certainly did not disappoint coming 5th after running up with the leader for most of the race.

The owners of a few horses with Brendan (Sir Bathwick and Blaze Ahead to name two), Sarah and Wayne Clifford were celebrating their granddaughter's 9th Birthday today at Newbury. They had named a race after her too. It was a wonderful day with the staff at Newbury pulling out all the stops to make it a very memorable day for her.

Laura blowing out her candles looked on by her grandmother, Sarah Clifford.

Monday 31st DECEMBER 2007

MAGGIE MATHIAS TAKES THE WIN TOTAL FOR THE NH SEASON TO 37!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

As the year finally comes to a close, you would think it would be too much to ask for Brendan to be able to squeeze out one more winner... but you have to hand it to him, he did in the shape of MAGGIE MATTHIAS at Warwick. A great win for the brave mare and for the winning connections Mr. and Mrs David Gamble. This rounds up a fantastic year for Brendan and his hard working team who have produced some fantastic results this year - especially since moving to their new yard in Lambourn.

Courtesy of The Racing Post:
Maggie Mathias and Mick Fitzgerald proved the answer to the mares only novice hurdle (qualifier) when staying on well to thwart the attentions of Jim Bobs Girl.

Her trainer Brendan Powell said: “Apart from when she broke a blood vessel she has never run a bad race and we will give her a little break now and then bring her back for the final of this race at Newbury in March.”



Well done to all the staff and of course to Brendan Powell, who may is going from strength to strength this year.

Here's hoping that 2008 brings even more success to the yard and God willing that all the staff, the trainer and of course the horses remain happy and healthy in 2008!

Photo courtesy of Susan Foster