It has been a while since the least blog post so quite a lot has happened since then! We have been delighted with Double W’s hat trick of wins since coming back from a rare and unusual injury. Requiring surgery on a large joint the vets were understandably quite cautious with their prognosis particularly since the injury involved both the bone and ligaments which reduced the chance of him returning successfully to racing. Due to the caution, we implemented a slow and steady build up back into full fitness and monitored his soundness very closely. We were very grateful to John Quinn for allowing us use of his indoor ride which, unlike the gallops we use, is flat allowing us to work the joint and strengthen it before adding additional pressure by incorporating hill work. The rest is history! He has thrilled us all by winning the three races he has contested and has struck up a lovely partnership with Leighton Aspell who rides him so well.
The majority of the horses are on holiday either with us or with their owners. We have three young horses in light work learning the ropes and will school in the coming few days before having a break. Double W’s, Kick On Dottie and Karapiro Boy will continue to run through the summer. Last spring we purchased two lovely Telescope fillies for Cliff Stud (who foal our mares and do an excellent job) who are now in to be broken. Out of Shirocco and Accordian mares they have lovely pedigrees and should do the job before going on to be broodmares.
On the subject of broodmares, Oleohneh had a lovely big Blue Bresil filly this year who will be put on the MOPS bonus scheme for British bred mares who then qualify for a bonus if winning a qualified race. Oleohneh was recently covered by Yeats and will hopefully be in foal! Her first born, a Fame And Glory colt was sold as a foal and resold this week as a three year old store at the Goffs Landrover Sale. He sold for 68,000 Euros to Henry de Bromhead to whom we send lots of good luck wishes! Our Ethel has scanned in foal to Passing Glance and we have ordered a full brother to Attaglance. Her daughter Ethelwyn, a winner herself, has scanned in foal to Norse Dancer.
On the subject of sales we were active at both the Goffs Uk Horses In Training sales where with the help of Bobby O’Ryan we purchased two point to pointers for existing owners and at the Goffs Landrover store sales. Blossoming Forth won her only start earlier this year for Phil Rowley who thinks very highly of her. A daughter of Flemensfirth she looks to have a bit of speed which will help early in her career though you would expect her to stay in time. She won over 2m 4f without coming off the bridle. Clondaw Caitlin came from Michael Goff and is named after his daughter. She pulled up on her first start and returned sick. After falling early on her second start she was turned out two days later and beaten less then a length by a Blue Bresil Filly that made 70,000 at the Tattersalls May Sales a week later. Both are nice types and are enjoying a break before the coming season. One of the first things I do when getting a store sales catalogue is look at the dams to see if there are any siblings to one we train. There were quite a few this time and I was pleased to see them sell well. I purchased a full sister to Blossoming Forth as I like Flemensfirth as a stallion and she looks a very nice individual. A slightly smaller type then her older sister she has a great step to her and I think I like her even more since she arrived back at Newstead.