…AND THEY’RE OFF!
The fabulous early spring weather has certainly encouraged us to start dreaming of sunny days at the races watching our horses winning, writes Jason Fildes, who is bringing the excitement of owning a racehorse to the Ribble Valley
The 2019 flat season starts on 30th March this year so we haven’t too long to wait before we see our Highclere Northern horses in action.
I made a whistle-stop tour of our Yorkshire trainers recently. We started in Middleham to see Showroom and Thunderous working up Mark Johnston’s all-weather gallop – both looked really well. Mark is looking at the best mile-and-a-half handicaps for Showroom, perhaps starting off in an £85k race at Newcastle on Good Friday, which is only seven weeks away.
Thunderous is also pleasing the trainer – he moves beautifully and is cantering upsides other-two-year olds. He has a super attitude and apparently always wants to be at the front of the string – an excellent trait!
We then made a dash east to Richard Fahey’s Musley Bank stables at Malton. On a warm spring morning Precocity positively shone as she was tacked up, she is a very pretty filly and Richard has high hopes she will live up to her name and be an early, precocious type.
Of our three new Northern two-year-olds, I’m amazed that there are still a few shares available in her! I advise anybody who is interested, to join our stable visit to Malton on Wednesday 10th April. As you will see she is a cracker – and looks even better in the flesh.
Precocity galloped with Camber. Like Mark, Richard thinks his string is more forward than usual and standing at the top of Musley Bank you could see why.
Camber has really come on and seems to have grown. Richard thinks that seven furlongs will be his trip and he might be on the racecourse early in the season.
We then made the run over the moors up to Kevin Ryan’s Hambleton Lodge stables. We saw Knighted standing outside his box – and what a picture he looked! He is a big horse and seems to have done well this winter. Having won four races last year for the Nick Skelton syndicate, Kevin is targeting him at the top one-mile handicaps and is already considering races at Newmarket, Haydock and Nottingham. He did mention the Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot as a target.
We also saw a gorgeous Muhaarar colt, who Kevin bought at Tattersalls Book 1. He reminds him of Blaine (from the same family) who won the Gimcrack Stakes at York and Kevin is thinking of that race for this colt. We were all taken with the agility of this lovely looking son of first season sire Muhaarar, so much so that he has been added to the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing team for 2019. Shares have just been released.
This will make seven northern trained horses in 2019, at four different stables. My visitors were struck by how different all the yards are – and the red carpet is always out for Highclere owners.
We have monthly stable visits planned to see our horses. If anybody is interested in joining us let me know and I’ll be in touch with dates.
Jason Fildes
01200 444622
07721 311778
jason@highclere.co.uk
www.highclereracing.co.uk
