Yorkshire Racing & Breeding News
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Date  
27/12/2008 Noel Wilson wins the last at Southwell whilst there are winners at Wetherby for Ferdy Murphy and John Norton. Yawn.
26/12/2008 A fairly poor Boxing Day effort from the Yorkshire runners with minor winners for Sue Smith, Philip Kirby and Ferdy Murphy at Sedgefield, for Mike Sowersby and Ferdy Murphy at Market Rasen and for Sue Smith at Wetherby.
20/12/2008 A quiet week in the run up to Christmas but Alan Brown pulls off good result today when his Malko de Beaumont landed the £22,768 Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase at Haydock where Malcolm Jefferson also has a winner. At Lingfield Tom Tate's Suits Me (bred by Bob Urquhart of Hunsley House Stud, and consigned by Evelyn Stud) fails to make it five wins in a row but still puts up a good performance to the second in the Quebec Stakes L. At Newcastle there are wins for Tim Easterby, Richard Fahey, Malcolm Jefferson and George Moore. Evening racing at Wolverhampton sees a winner for Garry Woodward.
13/12/2008 Tom Tate's Charlie Crab thwarts Scoop6 bonus hopes by landing Doncaster's closing £19,515 Betdaq In Running At One Per Cent Handicap Hurdle, with Patrick Haslam's Duke of Touraine back in second. Noel Wilson wins the opener at Southwell. David Barron has a winner at Wolverhampton's evening meeting.
11/12/2008 Sue Smith's stable stalwart Mister McGoldrick is a decent third in the Peterborough Chase Gd3 at Huntingdon this afternoon whilst there are wins for John Quinn and Garry Woodward at Great Leigh's evening meeting.
06/12/2008 Local winners at Wetherby for Tim Easterby (a double), Micky Hammond, Kate Walton and Malcolm Jefferson.
03/12/2008 At the Tattersalls December Sales Burton Agnes Stud sells their mare Final Approach for 58,000gns but this is rather overshadowed by the 650,000gns that Richard Fahey's former charge Anna Pavlova fetches. Wins at Catterick for Mick Easterby, Ferdy Murphy and Sue Smith.
02/12/2008 At the Tattersalls December Sales Oaks Farm Stables sells Meetyouthere a three year old filly by Sadler's Wells for 170,000gns. Wins at Southwell for Geoff Oldroyd and Paul Midgley.
29/11/2008 No Yorkshire winners today until Tom Tate's Suits Me wins the last at Kempton (Newcastle's abandonment not helping the cause) and it is at Kempton that Kevin Ryan's Les Fazzani puts up another sound performance to be second in the Wild Flower Stakes L . At the December Foal Sales Providence Stud obtain 14,000gns for a son of Verglas. A further Yorkshire winner comes on Wolverhampton's evening card courtesy of Brian Ellison.
27/11/2008 After a couple of bad days at Tattersall's December Foal Sales today Theakston Stud managed to obtain 19,000gns for a son of Motivator. Wins at Uttoxeter for Tom Walford and Ferdy Murphy.
24/11/2008 Not for the first time it is Oaks Farm leading the Yorkshire stud at Tattersalls with their son of Kyllachy selling for 31,000gns today. Winners at Lingfield for Mark Johnston and Karl Burke.
23/11/2008 There are winners at Aintree today for John Quinn and Sue Smith but the best Yorkshire performance comes in defeat when Malcolm Jefferson's Brooklyn Brownie was second in the £50,096 Grand Sefton Handicap Chase.
22/11/2008 A good day for certain scoop6 players (but not me!) and for the Tyke raiders over at Haydock with Alan Swinbank's Alfie Flits landing the opening Betfair Newton Novices' Hurdle L and Malcolm Jefferson's According To Pete landing the following race, the £62,620 Betfair 'Fixed Brush' Handicap Hurdle. On the all-weather at Lingfield Kevin Ryan lands the opener whilst Mick Easterby's Atlantic Story got the scoop6 off to a good start when landing the £11,527 seven furlong handicap as favourite. Evening racing at Wolverhampton sees winners for Mark Johnston (a double) and Philip Kirby.
16/11/2008 The last races of the European Pattern were run today, with no Yorkshire involvement, however as proof the international nature of racing these days the Hedgeholme Stud bred Hawkes Bay was a good second in the Cathay Pacific International Cup Trial G2. Malcom Jefferson's Calatagan is third in the £31,310 paddypower.com Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.
15/11/2008 Dull, dull, dull.
08/11/2008 The flat season fizzles out at Doncaster where the sole local winner was provided by Kevin Ryan's new recruit who landed the EBF Gillies Fillies Stakes L nicely and looks a good prospect. No National Hunt winners (get used to this phrase, oh for the glory days of Dickinson and Easterby........).
04/11/2008 Possibly Yorkshire's last Group winner of the season (although Nahoodh runs in Italy on Sunday) when Richard Fahey's Utmost Respect lands the Prix de Seine-et-Oise G3 in good style at Maisons-Laffitte this afternoon. On the home front there are wins for Ann Duffield, Richard Fahey, Karl Burke and Bill Ratcliffe at Southwell and for Richard Fahey (again!), Mark Johnston, Nevile Bycrof and Geoff Harker at Catterick.
01/11/2008 Not much joy on the big stages today, but the Yorkshire trainers will all but one of the races up at Ayr with doubles for Tom Tate and Richard Fahey as well as wins for Mark Johnston and Alan Swinbank.
31/10/2008 An indication of the changing seasons when Richard Fahey's Resounding Glory lands the Wensleydale Juvenile Novices' Hurdle L at Wetherby this afternoon, with Tim Easterby also providing a local winner. John Quinn had a winner at Uttoxeter whilst evening racing at Wolverhampton saw wins for Bryan Smart and John Weymes.
25/10/2008 Yorkshire's (indeed Britain's) last Group One day of the flat season at Doncaster and in the feature race, the Racing Post Trophy G1, Mark Johnston's Jukebox Jury, the hot favourite, is perhaps slightly unlucky in a rough race finishing second behind the impressive (if erratic) Crowded House. Earlier John Quinn's Fantasy Explorer was second in the big handicap whilst Bryan Smart's Enderby Spirit is a good second in the Doncaster Stakes L and Richard Fahey wins the last. Meanwhile at Newbury Karl Burkes's Aahaykid is third in the Horris Hill Stakes G3 and Bryan Smart caps a good day when Summer Fete wins the Radley Stakes L. However the best Yorkshire performance in Berkshire comes from the Burton Agnes Stud bred Buccellati who wins the St Simon Stakes G3 in good style, Hong Kong potentially beckons. Some nice placings for the Malton runners of John Quinn and Richard Fahey at Aintree but Ferdy Murphy's Middleham resident The Duke's Speech puts up the best performance on Merseyside to be second in the Molyneux Novices' Chase L. Evening racing at Wolverhampton sees a winner for Mick Easterby. Well done the Brits at the Breeders Cup !
24/10/2008 A strong Yorkshire raiding party is sent over to Dundalk's all-weather track for the Mercury Stakes L and the Tyke invaders land three of the first four places with Robin Bastiman's standard bearer Borderlescott winning by a neck and the David Nicholls pair of Masta Plasta and Peace Offering taking third and fourth places respectively. Closer to home there are winners at Doncaster for Mark Johnston, David Barron (Skhilling Spirit in the £16,190 Rectangle Group Handicap), and Bryan Smart whilst evening racing at Wolverhampton sees winners for Brian Ellison, Kevin Ryan, Karl Burke and Mark Johnston.
22/10/2008 Mark Johnston's Drill Sergeant is third in the Prix Vulcain L at Deauville today. No Yorkshire winners domestically.
20/10/2008 Minor yearling sale at Doncaster that I just can't be bothered to comment on. Meanwhile on the track there are winners at Pontefract for Tom Tate, Micky Hammond and John Quinn, whilst an in-form Bryan Smart has a double at Windsor.
18/10/2008 Again no winners at Newmarket or Cheltenham although this time there were at least some decent performances from the Yorkshire horses at Newmarket starting when Mark Johnston's Laa Rayb was third in the Challenge Stakes G2. The following race was the unofficial two-year-old championship, the Dewhurst Stakes G1, and in a three way photo for first Karl Burke's Lord Shanakill came out second, picking up £61,923, with Mark Johnston's Shaweel back in fourth. At Catterick there were winners for Richard Whitaker, Tim Easterby, Bryan Smart, Richard Fahey and Karl Burke, whilst Ferdy Murphy's Kalahari King won up at Kelso. Evening racing at Wolverhampton sees winners for David Nicholls and Richard Fahey.
17/10/2008 Oaks Farm Stables, having had lots of withdrawals earlier in the week, obtain the top lot from a Yorkshire stud at the October Sales today with a daughter of Sulamani fetching 34,000gns. On track there is no luck at Newmarket or Cheltenham but Bryan Smart (a treble), Tim Easterby (a double), Richard Whitaker and Mark Johnston all have winners at Redcar.
16/10/2008 Burton Agnes Stud sell the top lot from a Yorkshire stud at the October Sales today with their daughter of Avonbridge fetching 14,000gns. Wins at Nottingham for Richard Fahey and Mark Johnston, with the later doubling up at Great Leighs' evening meeting.
15/10/2008 Garrowby Stud claim top Yorkshire honours at the October Sales yet again when their son of Marju fetches 25,000gns. Kevin Ryan lands the opener at Lingfield, whilst John Quinn does the same at Wetherby (where they have chases, finally!). Evening racing at Kempton sees winners for Richard Fahey and Karl Burke.
14/10/2008 It was a deadheat at the October Sales as far as the Yorkshire studs were concerned with Garrowby Stud's son of Tiger Hill (consigned by Highclere Stud) and Manor House Stud's son of Kyllachy both fetching 26,000gns. There is a win at Leicester for Mark Johnston and at Huntingdon for Malcolm Jefferson whilst Newcastle sees victories for Bryan Smart, Richard Fahey and Ann Duffield.
13/10/2008 Linda Stubbs' Saxford puts up a strong display at Chantilly to be second in the Prix Eclipse G3. On home soil there is a winner for Richard Fahey at Kempton and for Bryan Smart at Wolverhampton. At the October Sales (yes, it's still going on) there were numerous withdrawals from the Yorkshire studs leaving Bishop Wilton to claim the honours with a 21,000gns bid for their son of Refuse To Bend. The bad news to start the week is that the former Mark Johnston star Bandari was put down at stud in Ireland last week.
10/10/2008 A good day up at Musselburgh for the Yorkshire raiders starts in the best possible way when Noel Wilson's Hotham lands the opening £12,462 National Express Reserve Handicap (consolation race for the third race). The next is the £15,578 playscotbetpoker.com Handicap and this is taken by Alan Swinbank's Merchant Of Dubai. The main race of the day in Scotland is the third, the £37,386 National Express York Sprint Cup Handicap and this goes to Tim Easterby's Hamish McGonagall by a neck and a head with stablemate Captain Dunne back in third. Yorkshire had no joy in the fourth, but there was a Bryan Smart double in the subsequent two races. No joy for the Yorkshire trained runners at Ascot, although John Quinn's Pevensey is second in the ladbrokes.com Heritage Handicap, with Mark Johnston's Drill Sergeant back in third. Jumps action sees a double for Sue Smith at Hexham, where Richard Fahey also has a winner, whilst Kevin Ryan wins the last at Wolverhampton's evening meeting.
09/10/2008 Day three at Tattersalls and the highest price from a Yorkshire stud is the 85,000gns Bishop Wilton Stud get for a Nayef own brother to Top Lock. On the track Ollie Pears provides the sole Yorkshire winner of the day, at Great Leighs.
08/10/2008 A Tattersalls today the highest price achieved from a Yorkshire stud is 110,000gns for a son of Kyllachy consigned by Battlefield Stud for Bolton Grange Stud. On the track Mark Johnston has a double at Nottingham, where Malcolm Jefferson also has a winner, whilst Karl Burke strikes at Kempton's evening meet.
07/10/2008 A listed winner over at Chantilly for Dandy Nicholls with Masta Plasta landing the Prix de Bonneval L this afternoon. Mark Johnston has winners at Leicester and Folkestone (where Stuart Parr also had a winner) and also lands a double at Catterick where there are also winners for Alan Dickman, Kevin Ryan, Ruth Carr and Tim Pitt. The never ending Tattersalls October Yearling Sale kicks off, and the top price from a Yorkshire stud is the 220,000gns Oaks Farm Stables receive for a son of Galileo.
05/10/2008 Longchamp kicks off in a "I thought only the Brits could mess it up this badly" style when one of the stalls doesn't open in the Prix de l'Abbaye G1, and some of the runners fail to see the recall flag with different runners completing varying proportions of the trip. Yorkshire's Strike Up The Band and Desert Lord 'finish' second and third in this false race. The race is re-run at the end of the card, with Desert Lord (and the original 'winner' Overdose) pulled out, and in this iteration the remaining Yorkshire winners do everything bar win with Bryan Smart's Moorhouse Lad coming second, Robin Basitman's Bordlescott third and David Nicholls' Strike Up The Band, incredibly, fourth. Over at Dortmund Mark Johnston's Peppertree Lane is a well beaten second in the Deutsches St Leger G3. On the domestic front Malcolm Jefferson lands the bumper at Kelso.
04/10/2008 No luck at Longchamp today and just the one winner at Newmarket with Mark Johnston's Feeling Fab landing the £18,693 EBF Jersey Lily Fillies' Nursery Handicap. Earlier stablemate Liberation was fourth in the Tattersalls Timeform Million, picking up £59,100 for his efforts, whilst Nahoodh appeared not to like the going in the Sun Chariot Stakes G1. At Kempton Richard Fahey's Knot In Wood put up his usual good performance to win the £24,924 oddschecker.com Heritage Handicap. No luck in the principle races at Redcar although it was quite a good afternoon for Tim Easterby who's Charlie Tipple landed the £18,693 Boddingtons Redcar Straight Mile Championship Final before stablemate Favourite Girl picked up £43,040 for second place in the Totescoop6 Two-Year-Old Trophy L. There were also winners up on Teeside for Alan Swinbank and Stuart Parr. Mark Johnston's Lovelace runs to form at Keeneland, unfortunately.
03/10/2008 No luck at Newmarket today for the Yorkshire trained horses, but the Burton Agnes Stud bred Buccellati put up a career performance to land the Godolphin Stakes L. Malcolm Jefferson had a winner at Hexham and Stuart Parr won the last at Wolverhampton.
02/10/2008 Start of the Newmarket meeting and David Nicholls' Peace Offering lands the Rous Stakes L by half a length and will head for Dundalk. Kevin Ryan's Red Kyte is fourth in the £250,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes, picking up £17,650. Mark Johnston has a winner at Goodwood, whilst there are winners for Mick Easterby, Bryan Smart, Tom Tate, Mick Easterby, Declan Carroll and Ruth Carr up at Ayr.
28/09/2008 Mark Johnston's Laa Rayb showed a return to form to be second in the Grosse Europa Meile G2 at Cologne this afternoon, whilst stablemate Liberation won at Acot and Debonnaire at Musselburgh where there were also winners for Paul Midgley, Ruth Carr, Bryan Smart and David Nicholls.
27/09/2008 Mark Johnston's Jukebox Jury put up a greatly improved display to land the Royal Lodge Stakes G2 at Ascot today under a powerful ride from Royston Ffrench, his next target is currently uncertain but he certainly seems a more than useful prospect. Richard Fahey won the £21,185 Betdaq The Betting Exchange Handicap at Chester with Albaqaa before doubling up with Wyatt Earp two races later. There were no Yorkshire winners at Haydock or Market Rasen although Patrick Haslam's Riquez Dancer was a good second in the £25,048 32red Online Casino Handicap Hurdle down in Lincolnshire. Richard Whitaker lands the claimer on Great Leighs' evening card.
24/09/2008 Finish of the day sees Mark Johnston's Hearthstead Maison deadheat for the Foundation Stakes L at Goodwood. Johnston also has a winner at Kempton's evening meeting whilst locals winners at Redcar come from Tom Tate, Ann Duffield, David Barker and David Barron.
20/09/2008 A fantastic day for the Yorkshire horses today, at both Newbury and Ayr. Down at Newbury Karl Burke's ultra consistent Lord Shanakill gets the ball rolling when taking the Mill Reef Stakes G2 in grand style. Two races later down in Berkshire it is the turn of Bryan Smart's Moorhouse Lad who lands the Dubai Duty Free 25th Anniversary World Trophy G3 by a neck from Kevin Ryan's Wi Dud. And so to Ayr where George Moore's Rising Prospect (homebred by the Turnbull's at their Burghwallis Grange Stud) won the opening £16,574 Nursery Handicap, and Richard Fahey's Bolodenka won third race, the £26,170 Ayrshire Handicap. The next was the £93,465 Ayr Gold Cup Handicap and the Yorkshire raiders were totally dominant with David Nicholls' Regal Parade coming home strongly ahead of stablemate Tajneed with Karl Burke's Confuchias in third and Richard Fahey's Knot In Wood in fourth. Later on the card there are winners for Tim Easterby and Alan Swinbank. Elsewhere John Quinn wins the opener at Newmarket whilst there are local winners at Catterick for Richard Fahey, James Bethell (with the Manor House Stud bred Hartley), Declan Carroll and David Nicholls. Evening racing at Wolverhampton yields wins for David Barron and Stuart Parr.
19/09/2008 The second day of the Ayr meeting sees Karl Burke's Magic Cat land the Harry Rosebery Stakes L, with Richard Fahey's Salsa Star back in third. There are also winners for Noel Wilson, Kevin Ryan, Tim Easterby and Edwin Tuer whilst Richard Fahey's Harrison George is second in the £31,155 Ayr Silver Cup from Dandy Nicholls' Joseph Henry and Bill Ratcliffe's Bel Cantor. Elsewhere Karl Burke won the nursery at Newmarket and Mark Johnston landed a less valuable equivalent at Wolverhampton's evening meeting, appropriately with Atabaas Allure who is owned by Mrs.Jacobs of Newsells Park Stud, who's husband sadly died earlier this week.
14/09/2008 Mark Johnston's Shaweel, sent off at a ridiculous 12-1, is beaten only a short head to be second in the National Stakes G1 at The Curragh this afternoon, presumably the Dewhurst beckons. Shaweel's stablemate Detonator lands the £11,216 Madeira Handicap at Great Leighs and Drumfire is third in the Select Stakes G3. At Stratford there are winners for John Quinn and Mick Easterby.
13/09/2008 Not much joy for the locals at Doncaster today, although the Richard Fahey trained Utmost Respect runs a good race to be third in the re-arranged Ladbrokes Sprint Cup G1. At Goodwood Karl Burke's Lesson In Humility put up a good performance to land the Starlit Stakes L by two lengths. Chester sees black-type performance for David Nicholls (Manzila third in the Gee Fillies' Stakes L) and Brian Ellison (Carte Diamond second in the Carlsberg Stand Cup L) whilst there were winners for Richard Fahey and John Quinn. Richard Whitaker and Kevin Ryan had winners at Great Leighs.
12/09/2008 Better, much better in fact, relatively speaking. The Tykes fight out the finish of the opening race, the Flying Childers Stakes G2, with Kevin Ryan's Madame Trop Vite coming home a neck in front of Tim Easterby's Anglezarke, herself only a head in front of the third. The winner could well go for the Cheveley Park, whilst the runner-up might go for that Tim Easterby favourite - the Redcar Two Year Old Trophy. Tim Easterby also has the runner-up in the next when Bollin Felix is third in the £32,380 Ladbrokes Mallard Handicap, whilst later on Mel Brittain's Polish Pride is third in the £25,904 EBF Carrie Red Fillies' Nursery Handicap.
11/09/2008 Things can only get better (wonder if they'll be playing that at the next Labour Party Conference?!?), nothing of particular significance from the perspective of the local trainers, although Richard Fahey's trio each picked up £7,380 for finishing 6th, 8th and 9th in Europes richest two year old race - the Weatherbys Insurance £300,000 Two Year Old Stakes. At Brighton the Mark Johnston/Royston Ffrench coupling landed a treble.
10/09/2008 I'm sorry, I love Donnie as much as the next (Yorkshire) man, but one listed race and a few moderately valuable (circa £12,000) supporting races do not the start of a 'festival' make. Not much to to report today with Bryan Smart's Moorhouse Lad finishing third in the Scarbrough Stakes L the only result vaguely worthy of mention.
07/09/2008 Mark Johnston's Nahoodh looked marginally unlucky at Leopardstown this afternoon when finishing second by a neck in the Matron Stakes G1 having had some trouble in running, having said that she never quite looked like she was going to be able to power past the winner Lush Lashes anyway. There was another overseas group placing for Johnston with his Jukebox Jury third in the Prix la Rochette G3 at Longchamp, but stablemate Lovelace finished down the field in the Prix du Moulin, and Love Galore was only fourth in Turkey (but still picked up over £20,000). Meanwhile on home turf, but still soaked, the locals win all the races at Thirsk thanks to Alan Swinbank, David Nicholls (a double), Mark Johnston, Tim Easterby and Mick Easterby.
06/09/2008 Wet wet wet. Haydock, Leopardstown, Stratford and Thirsk are all abandoned. Worcester has been abandoned tomorrow, whilst Thirsk and Leopardstown also look marginal at best. Today's betfred Sprint Cup is going to be on the St Leger card at Doncaster next Saturday ..... assuming the St Leger isn't itself bumped to Ayr Gold Cup day (not for the first time) ! If nothing is abandoned Mark Johnston will have two Group One runners tomorrow, today he had to be content with the third place of the appropriately named Weatherstaff who was a decent third, beaten two heads, in the Sirenia Stakes G3 on Kempton's All-Weather.
02/09/2008 A wet Tuesday in early September? Oddly a good day for Yorkshire racing with Mark Johnston's Lovelace landing the Oettingen-Rennen G2 at Baden-Baden in good style this afternoon. The son of Royal Applause is still entered in Sunday's Prix du Moulin, and could well run. At Goodwood Tom Tate's Welsh Emperor put up a good effort to be second in the Supreme Stakes G3, whilst Brian Ellison won the opener, having also won the opener at Sedgefield where Malcolm Jefferson also had a winner.
31/08/2008 A good day overseas for the Tykes with Mark Johnston's Laa Rayb a very impressive five lengths winner of the Prix Quincey G3 over at Deauville this afternoon, which no doubt would have secured him a berth at stud in the near future (he is a Mr Prospector 1/2 brother to Kheleyf from the family of Holy Roman Emperor) were it not for the fact that he has been gelded ! The next race is the Prix de Meautry G3 in which David Nicholls' Inxile is second. Over at the Curragh David Barron's Zero Tolerance is third in the Irish Cambridgeshire, whilst English trained horses dominate the Flying Five Stakes G3, with the Thirsk area of Yorkshire providing second, third and fourth places thanks to David Nicholls' Masta Plasta, Kevin Ryan's Wi Dud and Bryan Smart's Fathom Five. Domestically there are winners at Musselburgh for Alan Swinbank (a double), Chris Thornton, Alan Dickman and Alan Brown, obviously a good day to be called Alan.
30/08/2008 There's a fairly poor showing from the Tykes away fixtures today, with just Richard Fahey's win at Chester worthy of comment. Luckily the home matches at Ripon provide better results with winners for Richard Whitaker, Ann Duffield, Mel Brittain, George Moore and Bill Ratcliffe with the last named landing the biggest result so far of his nascent training careeer when winning the £12,462 Ripon Cathedral City Of The Dales Handicap with the durable Bel Cantor, running off a career high rating. Evening racing sees a winner for Tim Walford at Market Rasen.
28/08/2008 A good result over at Tipperary for Kevin Ryan with his Senor Mirasol landing the Tipperary Stakes L very easily indeed. Otherwise a quiet day with wins at Ayr for Karl Burke and Alan Swinbank.
25/08/2008 Bank Holiday fayre at Ripon today with a double for Karl Burke and a winner for Tim Walford although the Yorkshire performance of the day comes from Tim Easterby's Favourite Girl who is second in the Ripon Champion Two Year Old Trophy L, beaten only a neck. The only other Yorkshire winners come at Cartmel thanks to Mike Sowersby, Kate Walton and Richard Fahey.
24/08/2008 Karl Burke's Lord Shanakill puts up another sound effort to be third in the Prix Morny G1 at Deauville this afternoon, surely he's one the more consistent juvenilles this season, and must be worthy of a group win sometime this year. Just the two local winners at Beverley, courtesy of Neville Bycroft and Richard Whitaker.
23/08/2008 Not quite the same level of glory at Newmarket this afternoon, although David Barron's Dark Lane put up a strong performance to land the £21,666 DBS St Leger Yearling Stakes. At Beverley Mark Johnston's Drill Sergeant landed the £25,904 totescoop6 Heritage Handicap from Richard Fahey's Albaqaa whilst local horses filled all the placings in the Beverley Bullet Sprint Stakes L with Kevin Ryan's Advanced in second and Tim Etherington's Fullandby in third. Other local winners at Beverley were provided by Tim Easterby, David Nicholls, Paul Midgley and Richard Fahey. At Goodwood the Bishop Wilton Stud bred Top Lock was a good second in the Great Voltigeur Stakes G2. At Cartmel's busy Bank Holiday fixture there were winners for Edwin Tuer and Alan Swinbank.
22/08/2008 You can take the race out of Yorkshire, but you can't take Yorkshire out of the race. Robin Bastiman had the result of his career when Borderlescott landed the rescheduled Nunthorpe Stakes G1 at Newmarket this afternoon. Incredibly this was the former Stewards' Cup winners first 'black type' win, there can't be many six year olds who have scored their first such win in a Group One race, even Les Arcs didn't manage that ! Across at Newbury the Yorkshire raiders were appropriately dominant in the Gimcrack Stakes G2 filling the first five places with Mark Johnston's Shaweel (no doubt Godolphin bound) coming home in front of Richard Fahey's Master Noverre with Kevin Ryan's Jobe back in third. Unfortunately the best we could manage in the rescheduled 'Ebor' (actually the Newburgh Handicap) was John Quinn's Pevensey back in fourth. The Lowther Stakes has now been 'rescued' and will be run as part of a bumper Newmarket card tomorrow. Karl Burke has a double on Hamilton's evening card where there is also a winner for Richard Fahey.
20/08/2008 It's not the same though is it ...... York is off, all days. Newmarket will stage the Juddmonte on Saturday and the Yorkshire Oaks and Nunthorpe on Friday as well as the DBS Sales Race at some point. The Ebor will become the 'Newburgh Handicap' and will be run at Newbury on Friday whilst the Great Voltigeur will be run at Goodwood on Saturday. The P.A. are also reporting that Newbury will be hosting the Gimcrack on Friday whilst it is looking increasingly likely that the Lonsdale Cup and Lowther Stakes (both 'related' by the Lowther family who are Lords Lonsdale) will not be run this year.
19/08/2008 No York !! Tuesday or Wednesday. There's talk of racing on Saturday, can't I see the police or the broadcasters liking that, never mind Beverley, Redcar, Goodwood, Newmarket etc.. 12pm inspection on Wednesday to assess Thursday's chances.
16/08/2008 Dandy Nicholls' 'Sprint King' crown has been slipping a little recently but the maestro was on target today with Tajneed and Valery Borzov coming home first and second ahead of Kevin Ryan's Tamagin in the £37,386 Great St Wilfrid Heritage Handicap at Ripon. Richard Fahey and Mel Brittain provided the only other local winners at Ripon but it was a good day for Mark Johnston at Newbury with Cry Of Freedom landing the Washington Singer Stakes L and Underworld the £11,216 CGA Ladies Day Handicap whilst their stable companion Thebes won the £18,693 Lloyds TSB Commercial Banking Handicap at Newmarket. There are two Middleham raiders at glamorous Deauville today with Mark Johnston's Eradicate third in the Prix Gontaut-Biron G3 and Patrick Haslam's Ares Choix occupying the same place place in the Prix de la Vallee d'Auge L. Evening racing sees a double for Kate Walton at Market Rasen.
15/08/2008 Kevin Ryan's Madame Trop Vite, who could only manage fourth in a Haydock novice race last time, improves considerably to land the St Hugh's Stakes L at Newbury today. John Quinn has a winner at Nottingham whilst evening racing at Kempton sees another win for the in-form Ryan who also has a double at Catterick where David Nicholls also has two winners and Alan Swinbank and Alan Brown have one apiece. Mark Johnston's Drumfire wins at Newmarket's evening meeting and Newcastle is abandoned.
14/08/2008 Mark Johnston's Laa Rayb is a good second in the Sovereign Stakes G3 at Salisbury today and the Middleham trainer then has a winner at Sandown whilst at Beverley there are winners for Kevin Ryan, John Quinn, David Barron and Mick Easterby.
10/08/2008 Richard Fahey's Utmost Respect was a 'respectable' fourth in the Prix Maurice de Gheest G1 at Deauville today whilst stablemate Anna Pavlova could only manage fifth in the Prix de Pomone G2. At Redcar Brawby trainer Alan Lockwood had his first winner of the season whilst the only other local winner came from Tim Easterby.
09/08/2008 Yorkshire did well at Ascot in the Shergar Cup with a 1-2-3 in the opening race, the £17,230 Shergar Cup Dash Handicap, where David Nicholls' Strike Up The Band came home in front of Bryan Smart's Fathom Five and Kevin Ryan's Evens And Odds. Later on the card Richard Fahey's Kaldoun Kingdom was third in the Shergar Cup Sprint Handicap, George Moore's Bogside Theatre was second in the Shergar Cup Stayers Handicap and Mark Johnston's Record Breaker was also a runner up in the Shergar Cup Challenge Handicap. Closer to home there were valuable wins at Haydock for David Barron's Zero Tolerance, David Nicholls' Valery Borzov and Tim Easterby's Favourite Girl whilst Richard Fahey's Flying Clarets was fourth in the Rose of Lancaster Stakes G3 and Mark Johnston's Drill Sergeant was second in the £49,848 totescoop6 Heritage Handicap. On home soil there were winners at Redcar for David Barron, Tim Easterby, Neville Bycroft, Ollie Pears and Richard Fahey. Over at Deauville Dandy Nicholls' Inxile landed the Prix MTPA 'Office de Tourisme de l'Ile Maurice' L whilst evening racing at Ayr saw winners for Kevin Ryan, Richard Fahey and David Barron.
03/08/2008 Mark Johnston's Nahoodh could only manage fourth in the Prix Rothschild G1 at Deauville this afternoon, although at least she was the first of the British challengers. At Chester there was a Yorkshire 1-2 in main race, the Queensferry Stakes L, with Kevin Ryan's Green Manalishi (who also won this last year) coming home ahead of Richard Whitaker's Damika. Earlier at Chester Mark Johnston had won the opener whilst Alan Swinbank had a winner at Market Rasen and Richard Fahey's Halla San was third over hurdles at Galway.
02/08/2008 No luck in any of the major races at Goodwood today although Robin Bastiman's Borderlescott was third in the Stewards' Cup Heritage Handicap with David Nicholls' Machinist back in fourth (not to mention that the trainer of the first and second, Willie Haggas, is a Yorkshireman!). However there were at least some Yorkshire winners down in Sussex today with Mark Johnston's Jukebox Jury landing the £12,952 Blue Square EBF Maiden Stakes and David Nicholls' Parisian Pyramid winning the next race, the £12,952 Bluesquare.com Nursery Handicap, from Johnston's Taazur. As often seems to be the case the locals do poorly at Doncaster with just a winner for Tim Easterby in the opener. A former Easterby star is Somnus who ran in the third race, now for John Quinn, and ran creditably (considering he'd been off the track for 280 days) to finish fourth. The locals did better at Thirsk with Tim Easterby and Paul Midgley both landing a double whilst Kevin Ryan also has a winner.
01/08/2008 No joy at Goodwood today where the most notable performances were David Nicholls' Joseph Henry (third in the Stewards' Sprint Handicap), Mark Johnston's Dubai's Touch (third in the £93,465 Totesport Mile Heritage Handicap), Lynda Stubbs' Saxford (fourth in the Richmond Stakes G2) and Mark Johnston's Northumberland (second in the RSA Nursery Handicap). Not much better at Thirsk where the only local winners were provided by Declan Carroll amd Richard Whitaker whilst Patrick Haslam and John Quinn both had winners over hurdles at Bangor. Evening racing at Haydock saw a winner for Mel Brittain (his twenty first of the year) and Mick Easterby.
31/07/2008 Slightly quieter today at Goodwood where David Nicholls' Masta Plasta was a good second in the Audi Stakes G3 early on the card. Richard Fahey won the closing £12,952 De Boer Handicap with the improving Total Impact, with Nicholls' Mandurah back in third, whilst Mark Johnston had minor placings in the Marjorie & Bernard Benham Emerald Anniversary Heritage Handicap. No joy at Galway again, although our sole representative today, Richard Fahey's Billy Dane, was second in his race. Evening racing sees winners for Kevin Ryan, Bryan Smart and David Nicholls at Musselburgh, and for Mark Johnston at Sandown. The Mark Johnston/Godolphin rumour (see 27th) can now be traced back to John McCririck, quel suprise.
30/07/2008 Another good day at Goodwood today with two winners courtesy of the Mark Johnston trained Love Galore in the £52,964 Sir Peter O'Sullevan Voice of Racing Heritage Handicap and the Dandy Nicholls trained Gower Valentine in the £12,952 Winston's Wish Maiden Fillies Stakes. Earlier Karl Burke's Lord Shanakill had put up another excellent performance to be second in the Vevue Clicquot Vintage Stakes G2, with Johnston's Shaweel only a neck, a nose and a short head further back in fifth, whilst the East Layton Stud bred Winker Watson was a slightly more promising fourth in the feature race, the Sussex Stakes G1. Peter Beaumont had a winner at Perth whilst there were locals winners at Redcar for John Quinn, Ronnie Barr and David Nicholls. Evening racing at Leicester saw winners for Kevin Ryan, Julie Camacho and James Bethell. Another Panorama tonight on corruption in racing, oh joy. It's a bit like speeding tickets - why don't they go and catch proper criminals ?
29/07/2008 Oh so Glorious Goodwood, Day One, and Yorkshire has to wait until the penultimate race of the day for it's first 2008 Goodwood Festival winner when Mark Johnston's Yamal landed the £12,952 Tatler Summer Season Handicap by a mere head, the Tyke raiders having achieved three fourth places in the preceeding five races, the best being Kevin Ryan's Rievaulx World, fourth in the Molecomb Stakes G3. At Beverley there were local winners for Bryan Smart, Nigel Tinkler, Richard Whitaker and Richard Fahey (whose raid on Galway this evening yielded a second and a fourth).
27/07/2008 Another busy day today with the local action happening at Pontefract where Patrick Haslam's Choose Your Moment lands the feature Pomfret Stakes L with Bryan Smart's Easy Target back in third. The two races before saw a double for John Quinn whilst the two races following saw a double for Bill Ratcliffe who, with six wins thus far, is already ahead of last years tally. At Ascot Mark Johnston's Luberon was third in the Casino At Empire Heritage Handicap whilst David Nicholls' Strike Up The Band and Richard Fahey's Total Impact were second and third respectively in the Hong Kong Sprint Heritage Handicap. There were wins at Carlisle for Richard Fahey (a double), Ollie Pears and Mark Johnston, with the later forced to deny rumours that he was potentially in line to take over from Saeed bin Suroor at Godolphin. Thank god, although a certain L.Dettori does seem to be getting the leg up on more and more Kingsley House runners recently. Overseas Kevin Ryan's Senor Mirasal is an excellent third in the Prix Robert Papin G2 at Maisons-Laffitte.
26/07/2008 After a quiet week in the run up to Goodwood it was the typical mid-summer Saturday rush today, and collectively Yorkshire certainly more than held their own. At Ascot there may not have been any Yorkshire interest in the 'King George' but Kevin Ryan got the afternoon off to the best possible start when African Sky, a maiden (albeit one placed fourth at Royal Ascot last time out) landed the Princess Margaret Stakes G3 in good style, earning quotes around 33-1 for next years Guineas. The winner was bred by a partnership at the Providence Stud and is still owned by that partnership. As they only have a small number of mares and still have the admirable Kandidate running for them this is certainly shaping into a good year for Providence, not to mention that in African Skies and Please Sing Yorkshire studs have produced two of the best juvenille fillies seen out thus far this season. Two races later it was the £93,465 Totesport International Heritage Handicap and Mark Johnston soon got over the disappointment of top weight and favourite Lovelace being withdrawn at the start when stablemate Laa Rayb came from almost the back of the pack in the last furlong to record an excellent victory. At York there was no joy for the locals in the main race, but Karl Burke's Lesson In Humility lived up to her name when landing the £31,155 Sky Bet Dash Heritage Handicap, whilst Tim Easterby won the opener. At Newcastle there were winners for David Brown, Bryan Smart (Sir Xaar in the Beeswing Handicap) and Richard Fahey whilst Mark Johnston provided the sole Yorkshire winner at Newmarket.
19/07/2008 The Yorkshire Summer Racing Festival (I don't know, don't ask) kicked off this afternoon at Ripon with only two local winners thanks to Bryan Smart and Tom Tate, although at least the later managed to take the main race on the card, the £11,216 Ripon Bell-Ringer Handicap with the useful looking Laterly, Mark Johnston's Detonator was back in second. At Newbury Kevin Ryan's Senor Mirasol picked up £14,490 by finishing third in the Weatherbys Super Sprint, whilst Mark Johnston's Hunting Country was a winner off bottom weight in the following race and stablemate Hearthstead Maison was third in the Steventon Stakes L, a creditable performance after exactly 300 days off the track, not to mention a 6lb penalty. At Newmarket Johnston's Always A Rock landed the £12,462 Adnams East Green Handicap and Tom Tate's Daylami Dreams put up a good performance to take the penultimate race. Jumping action was confined to Market Rasen where Malcolm Jefferson's Brooklyn Brownie was second in the Summer Plate Handicap Chase L and Alan Swinbank landed the following race with Little Lu. Evening racing at Haydock yields winners for Tim Easterby and Ruth Carr.
18/07/2008 Afternoon winners at Nottingham for Mark Johnston and at Southwell for Malcolm Jefferson. Evening racing at Hamilton sees Richard Fahey's Knot In Wood take the £21,808 Scottish Steward's Cup whilst further Hamilton winners come from Kevin Ryan, David Nicholls and Mark Johnston whilst at Pontefract runners from the stables of Richard Fahey, Tim Easterby (a double) and Ian McInnes find their way to the winners circle.
16/07/2008 Winners for Richard Fahey, John Quinn, Nevile Bycroft and Karl Burke at Catterick. Evening racing at Leopardstown sees Mark Johnston's Peppertree Lane put up his usual consistent performance when finishing third (only a head out of second) in the Challenge Stakes L.
15/07/2008 Yorkshire racing legend Monica Dickinson sadly passed away this morning at the age of 83. A renowned point to point rider (62 wins) and showjumper she really sprang to racing prominence in tandem with her husband the late Tony Dickinson who started his training career at Gisburn and then moved to Dunkeswick near Harewood. The couple trained (in Tony's name) a number of top class horses including Broncho, Gay Spartan and Silver Buck before handing over to their son Michael in1980. Tony and Monica remained central components of Michael's team during those heady days of 1980-1984 (in his four seasons as a trainer at Poplar House Michael was champion three times) and whilst Michael's ill-fated move to Manton did come as a shock it was no surprise that Monica should take over the reins at Dunkeswick in the Autumn of 1984. Between 1984 and 1989 (when Poplar House was sold, Tony died two years later) Monica trained a number of top class horses including Wayward Lad, Badsworth Boy, Browne's Gazette, Righthand Man, Brunton Park, By The Way, Dan The Millar, Hand Over, Planetman, Raise An Argument and The Mighty Mac. Michael of course ultimately found flat success stateside as trainer of Breeders Cup winner Da Hoss as well as Grade One winners Cetewayo and Fleet Renee, whilst his sister Hazel is an integral part of her husband Tom Tate's team at Hazelwood. I can safely say that Monica Dickinson was one of the nicest people in racing I have ever been fortunate to meet.
Local winners at Beverley today for Kevin Ryan, Ollie Pears, Richard Fahey (Chocolate Caramel in the £12,952 Watt Memorial Handicap), Tim Walford and Jedd O'Keeffe.
13/07/2008 Another good day for the Yorkshire trainers with Dandy Nicholls' Masta Plasta taking the £53,029 Rockingham Handicap at The Curragh with David Barron's How's She Cuttin' back in third. Domestically the only winners come at Haydock courtesy of Alan Swinbank and Declan Carroll.
12/07/2008 The annual booze fest that is John Smith's Cup day at York got off to an excellent start when Mick Easterby's Blue Spinnaker landed the opening £10,362 John's Smith's Fence Gate Inn Handicap from John Quinn's Violent Velocity. The next was the £10,362 John Smith'sExtra Cold Handicap and this time it was John Quinn's turn as his Zomerlust came home ahead of Richard Fahey's Kaldoun Kingdom. However it was Fahey who took the 'big one' (for the second year in a row) when his Flying Clarets put up a gritty performance to take the £93,465 John Smith's Cup Heritage Handicap, with Mark Johnston's Eradicate picking up a mere £27,990 for second place. Brian Ellison and Tim Easterby also won races later on the card. Minutes before Zomerlust's win his stablemate, the John Quinn trained Blythe Knight, had landed the totescoop6 City Plate L at Chester, and two races later Kevin Ryan's Green Manalishi won the City Wall Stakes L by a nose from the unfortunate Borderlescott, trained by Robin Bastiman, who has come down with a severe dose of seconditis in black type company. No wins at Ascot, although George Moore's Bogside Theatre was third in the Heritage Handicap whilst Ann Duffield provided the sole Yorkshire winner down at Nottingham. Evening racing at Hamilton sees winners for Richard Fahey, Nigel Tinkler, Kevin Ryasn, Stuart Parr and Ruth Carr.
11/07/2008 After a poor day yesterday the Yorkshire runners at Newmarket are almost back on target with some nice placings. First up is Mark Johnston's Shaweel who is a decent third in the Superlative Stakes G2, whilst in the following race, the £62,310 Bunbury Cup, Johnston's Lovelace is second with David Nicholls' Regal Parade in third and John Quinn's Mastership in fourth. Utmost Respect and Les Arcs duck the July Cup. At York George Moore lands the opener whilst there are also wins for Richard Fahey, Alan Swinbank (Ella in the £11,657 Cadbury Cup Handicap) and David Barron. Evening racing at Chester sees wins for Mark Johnston and Tim Easterby.
09/07/2008 Hurrah! Nearly 18 months to the day since Collier Hill landed the Hong Kong Vase G1 Yorkshire finally has another Group One winner to celebrate when the Mark Johnston trained Nahoodh (a winner of the Lowther Stakes G2 last season when trained by Mick Channon) landed this afternoon's Falmouth Stakes G1 at Newmarket's July course, her second run for Johnston and her fourth in a row in Group One company . In her previous Group One outings this season she has usually finished midfield with her fifth in the 1,000 Guineas for Channon arguably her best previous run, but it was a different story today with perhaps the Good to Soft going a deciding factor, the driving rain was no doubt familiar to her from Middleham High Moor. Nahoodh is entered in the Sussex Stakes, Celebration Mile and Matron Stakes, with the later seeming the most likely destination at the moment. It has to be said that, an off-form Finsceal Beo apart, the quality of the field was well below her last three runs, but a Group One win is a Group one win, regardless of the opposition. The previous race, the Cherry Hinton Stakes G2 had also seen a major Yorkshire (specifically Middleham!) coup with the Manor House Stud bred Please Sing coming home in front in very impressive style. Please Sing is from Lennie Peacock's very successful family that has also yielded Bold Arrangement amongst numerous others. Closer to home there were local winners at Catterick for Brian Ellison, Noel Wilson and Tim Walford. The season has finally really taken off from the Yorkshire perspective in the last couple of weeks !
06/07/2008 Almost a classic success today when the Bishop Wilton Stud bred Top Lock was a very good third in the Deutsches Derby G1 at Hamburg. This small stud certain churns out some excellent horses, they must be doing something right ! Domestically there were winners at Ayr for David Barron, Bryan Smart, George Moore and Robin Bastiman, whilst John Wainwright scored down at Market Rasen. Alan Swinbank's 'Rags To Riches' mare Turbo Linn has run her last race and will be retired to her owner's stud.
05/07/2008 A good day for the Yorkshire trainers today with Richard Fahey's Anna Pavlova leading the way by landing the Lancashire Oaks G2 in very good style, only a week after her Group One placing in Ireland, connections are looking towards the Irish St Leger as an autumn target. Alan Swinbank's Turbo Linn was only fifth, although the going wasn't really in her favour. Later on the same card Richard Whitaker had a very nice win when his Damika landed the £15,578 bet365.com Conditions Stakes. At Sandown it was the Scot Mark Johnston flying the flag for Yorkshire when former group winner Lovelace landed the £62,310 Toteswinger Heritage Handicap nicely, a trip to Goodwood, probably at group level seems on the cards next for Lovelace, who on recent evidence seems to prefer a mile to the somewhat specialist seven furlongs, although it was over the later distance that he was previously a group winner. Johnston also had a winner at Leicester whilst the local winners at Beverley came from Kevin Ryan and Richard Fahey. Evening racing sees victories for Brian Ellison, Mark Johnston and Kevin Ryan at Carlisle and for Ian McInnes, Mark Johnston and Stuart Parr at Nottingham.
04/07/2008 A Sandown this afternoon Kandidate, jointly bred by the Providence and Foston Studs is a decent enough third in the Gala Stakes L whilst there were winners at Haydock for Dandy Nicholls (a double) and Richard Fahey and at Warwick for Mark Johnston. Evening racing at Beverley saw another winner for Dandy Nicholls as well as for Richard Fahey, Bryan Smart and James Bethell.
03/07/2008 A nice result for Linda Stubbs when her Saxford lands the Rose Bowl Stakes L at Newbury's evening meeting, the third win of her short career, and the trainers first black type win since moving from Newmarket. Earlier there were Yorkshire winners at Haydock courtesy of Tim Easterby and Kevin Ryan (a double) whilst the evening card at Redcar yielded yet another double for Kevin Ryan as well as wins for Alan Swinbank, James Bethell and Dandy Nicholls.
29/06/2008 Yet another good day over at the Curragh for the Yorkshire raiders. In the opening two races David Barron's Zero Tolerance and Dandy Nicholls' Northern Dare each pick up £14,044 for finishing second in, respectively, the ladbrokes.com Premier Handicap and the Netjets Scurry Premier Handicap. The third race is the Sapphire Stakes G3 and here Nicholls' Tax Free puts up an excellent performance to win nicely, having been second in the same event last year, Kevin Ryan's Desert Lord is third in the same race. Domestically Declan Carroll and Sue Smith have winners at Uttoxeter.
28/06/2008 From the Yorkshire perspective today belonged to Richard Fahey. It wasn't a bad day at the Curragh for the Yorkshire raiders with Fahey's Anna Pavlova putting up a much better display to be third in the Pretty Polly Stakes G1 and Mark Johnston's Peppertree Lane finishing a reasonable third in the Curragh Cup G3. Meanwhile at Newcastle Fahey's Utmost Respect landed the opening Chipchase Stakes G3 , not bad for a horse who finished fourth in a Beverley conditions race on his last start, although the soft going certainly played its part. Two races later it was the Northumberland Plate and here Fahey's Halla San narrowly lost out at the line, but still picked up £37,120 for second, whilst George Moore's Bogside Theatre was third and Karl Burke's Akarem fourth. Fahey's next touch on Tyneside was to land the maiden before allowing Alan Swinbank to land the last two. Not many White Rose representatives down at Newmarket, but John Quinn's Blythe Knight put up his usual sound performance to be third in the Criterion Stakes G3. Over at Chester that man Fahey had yet another winner, as did David Nicholls. Unfortunately Fahey withdrew Knot In Wood from the main race at Windsor, although by my calculations his haul for the day was still more than £100,000.
27/06/2008 Almost a blank card for the locals at Doncaster this afternoon before Bryan Smart wins the last, Brian Ellison lands the opener at Market Rasen. Dandy Nicholls' Buachaill Dona lands the £18,693 Gosforth Park Cup from Tim Easterby's Hamish McGonagall at Newcastle's evening meeting where there are also winners for Brian Ellison, David Barron and John Quinn whilst the evening meetings see winners for Jedd O'Keeffe at Chester and Mark Johnston at Newmarket.
26/06/2008 Mike Dawson, owner of Allerthorpe Farm Stud, announced today that his horse Mine, trained by James Bethell, will retire after this years Bunbury Cup, an event he has won a record three times On the track Karl Burke's Lesson In Humility is a very good second in the Eternal Stakes L, beaten only a neck. Up at Newcastle Brian Ellison's Kingsdale Orion lands the £15,576 Seaton Delaval Trophy Handicap from Julie Camacho's Rio Riva and David Barron's Zero Tolerance with further winners on Tyneside for Tim Easterby, Linda Stubbs and David Barron. Richard Fahey has a winner at Great Leighs and Kevin Ryan at Leicester whilst Fahey has a double at Hamilton's evening meeting where there are also winners for Tim Easterby and David Barron.
22/06/2008 Hexham off and just the one local winner at Pontefract courtesy of Karl Burke in the opener. The principal race at Ponty is the Pontefract Castle Stakes L in which Brian Ellison's Dunaskin is a good second, with Alan Swinbank's Alfie Flits back in third.
21/06/2008 The end of a fairly poor Royal Ascot from a Yorkshire perspective, although proceedings kicked off in reasonable fashion this afternoon with Karl Burke's Markyg finishing a good third in the opening Chesham Stakes L. Richard Fahey's Knot In Wood was a decent enough fourth, off bottom weight, in the Wokingham Handicap but that was pretty much it as far as the Yorkshire challenge went. Up at Ayr David Barron's How's She Cuttin' (by former Hedgeholme sire Shinko Forest) picked up some valuable black type by finishing third in the Land O'Burns Stakes L, whilst there were winners for Declan Carroll (Birkside in the £11,009 Scottish Sun Miss Scotland Handicap) and Tim Easterby. On home territory the local winners at Redcar were provided by David Nicholls and Manfield based Chris Wilson, a former amateur jockey. Evening racing at Haydock sees wins for Ann Duffield, David Barker and David Nicholls. Roll on Newmarket and Goodwood, 'we' couldn't possibly do any worse.
20/06/2008 Finally a Yorkshire trained Royal Ascot winner when David Nicholls' Regal Parade triumphs in the closing £37,386 Buckingham Palace Heritage Handicap. Hurrah. Earlier Kevin Ryan's African Skies was fourth in the Albany Stakes G3 whilst the former Mark Johnston trained Campanologist (now with Godolphin) landed the King Edward VII Stakes G2, interestingly Regal Parade is also a former Johnston charge! Elsewhere at Musselburgh there are winners for David Barker, Mark Johnston, Richard Fahey, Patrick Haslam and Karl Burke, whilst the local winners at Redcar come courtesy of doubles from Alan Swinbank and Richard Whitaker and solo wins for John Quinn and Kevin Ryan. Evening racing at Ayr sees wins for Karl Burke, Kevin Ryan, Noel Wilson and Richard Fahey. Over at Chantilly David Nicholls' Masta Plasta is narrowly beaten into second place in this afternoon's Prix Hampton L.
19/06/2008 Close but no cigar at Royal Ascot today when Bryan Smart's Spin Cycle finish second by a head in the opening Norfolk Stakes G2. Mark Johnston is sounding confident ahead of tomorrow's Queen's Vase ........ A double at Ripon for John Quinn and further winners for Karl Burke and Kevin Ryan.
18/06/2008 Another fairly poor day at Royal Ascot (please can we at least win one of the remaining big handicaps?) with the best results coming from Grecian Dancer, bred by John Ellis of Bolton Grange, who was third in the Windsor Forest Stakes G3, and the David Nicholls trained Royal Power, third in the Royal Hunt Cup. Kevin Ryan landed a double up at Hamilton. Evening racing at Ripon sees another Kevin Ryan double and winners for David Barron, Declan Carroll and Paul Midgley.
17/06/2008 Royal Ascot Day One and there isn't much of a Yorkshire representation which is reflected in the results. Best of the day was Karl Burke's speedy Lord Shanakill who was a good third in the Coventry Stakes G2, whilst Mark Johnston's Effort was fourth in the closing Windsor Castle Stakes L. Only one local winner at Thirsk, for Mark Johnston.
15/06/2008 The self-styled (!?!) unluckiest horse in training, Robin Bastiman's Borderlescott, is again touched off in a black type race when second in the Cathedral Stakes L at Salisbury this afternoon. There are winners at Doncaster for Mark Johnston and Declan Carroll.
14/06/2008 The opening race at York today is the £12,492 Queen Mother's Cup for lady amateurs and this is easily won by Mark Johnston's Step This Way with the Kevin Ryan and Karl Burke runners occupying the place berths. Yorkshire are out of luck in the remaining main races at the Knavesmire, although Richard Fahey's Harrison George comes home of stablemate Trojan Flight in the penultimate race, where the first eight finishers are all Yorkshire trained. At Sandown David Nicholls' Inxile is second in the Scurry Stakes L, with Karl Burke's Philario back in third, whilst Alan Swinbank's Stevie Thunder wins the second race. Also 'down south' Linda Stubbs' Russet Reward lands the second race at Bath.
09/06/2008 Just the one Yorkshire winner today with Jedd O'Keeffe's Bid For Gold winning at Ponty's evening meeting, where earlier Richard Fahey's Flying Clarets picked up more black-type by finishing second in the Pipalong Stakes L., surely there must be a nice listed race for her to win somewhere or other?
07/06/2008 Derby day at Epsom, but no wins for the assorted Yorkshire runners on the card, although Bryan Smart's Able Master was a reasonable third in the Woodcote Stakes L. Smart also has a double at Musselburgh where Mark Johnston and Richard Fahey also have winners. Another poor show by the locals at Doncaster today although at least Alan Swinbank is joined by Tim Easterby amongst the winning trainers. Over jumps Tom Tate lands the opener at Hexham. Evening racing at Newcastle starts off poorly but the final three races are won by Mick Easterby, James Bethell and Kevin Ryan.
Now where did I put my high horse? Ah, here it is ..... who cares if Jim Bolger couldn't make his mind up about whether to run New Approach in the Derby or not? The trainers responsibility is to the owner, not the betting public. I suspect that 99% of people bet because they find it exciting and unpredictable - well anyone who backed New Approach ante post certainly had a roller coaster ride! Personally I find betting by far the single least interesting facet of horse racing, but each to his own, and well done to the person who backed the nag on betfair at wacky odds the weekend before. Thank-god he ran or the hacks would be hailing the admirable Tartan Bearer as the best thing since sliced bread, and then possibly be made to look silly at The Curragh in a couple of weeks, although that could go either way.
06/06/2008 The Epsom Derby meeting kicks off today and although there are no Yorkshire runners in the Oaks, and the two Yorkshire runners in the Coronation Cup finish midfield it is still a good day for one Tyke raider with John Quinn's Blythe Knight yet again landing the opening Diomed Stakes G3, an excellent result for the game eight year old (that's Blythe Knight, not John!). Winners at Catterick for locals Kevin Ryan, George Moore, Tim Easterby (a double), David Nicholls and Geoff Harker and at Wolverhampton for Mick Easterby. Evening racing at Goodwood sees nice win for Mark Johnston's Peppertree Lane in the Hildon Stakes L whilst Alan Swinbank is the only Yorkshire winner at Doncaster.
04/06/2008 The Irish run continues for the Yorkshire trainers when Kevin Ryan's Eastern Romance is a good second, beaten only a head, in the Ballyogan Stakes G3 at Leopardstown this evening, her second Group Three placing in a row. There's more black type for the Ryan camp at Kempton's evening meeting with Green Manalishi finishing third in the Achillies Stakes L, whilst the team also win the opener at Ripon where there are also winners for Nevile Bycroft, Paul Midgley and Grant Tuer.
02/06/2008 David Nicholls' good run continues when Tax Free lands the Naas Sprint Stakes L over the Irish sea today whilst in the next race Kevin Ryan's Undaunted Affair is third in the Cathal Ryan Memorial Swordlestown Stud Sprint Stakes G3. Rather closer to home there are winners at Carlisle for Richard Fahey, Declan Carroll, Mel Brittain, Chris Fairhurst and John Quinn, whilst Ollie Pears provides the sole Yorkshire winner at Leicester and evening racing at Thirsk results in winners for Tim Easterby, Declan Carroll, Tom Tate and Brian Ellison.
01/06/2008 Sad news today with the announcement of the death of Peter Asquith. A joint-founder of Asda and a former trainer at Wetherby, Asquith is best known as the owner and breeder (at his daughter's Burns House Stud) of Celtic Mill, winner of over £200,000 including the Temple Stakes G2. Bryan Smart's Captain Gerrard could only manage fourth in the Prix du Gros-Chene G2 today whilst there are wins for Micky Hammond and Malcolm Jefferson (Brooklyn Brownie in the £16,262 Perth Gold Cup Handicap Chase) at Perth and for Ann Duffield at Bath.
31/05/2008 Result of the day came at York in the £31,155 National Express Scottish Sprint Cup Heritage Handicap in which locals filled the first four places with Dandy Nicholls' Masta Plasta coming home in front of Kevin Ryan's Everymanforhimself. Unfortunately they were the only local winners at York and it wasn't much better at Doncaster with wins for Karl Burke (Lesson In Humility in the £11,657 Rovers Are Up! Classified Stakes) and Richard Fahey. Dandy Nicholls made it a day to remember however when his Garnica landed the Prix du Palais Royal G3 at Longchamp, with Tom Tate's Welsh Emperor back in fourth.
28/05/2008 Daytime racing today sees winners at Great Leighs for John Weymes, Kevin Ryan and Mark Johnston whilst Patrick Haslam has a winner at Cartmel. Evening racing at Beverley sees an excellent one-two for Mel Brittain in the Hilary Needler Trophy L with Knavesmire and Caranbola respectively whilst the only Yorkshire winner on the card is Ann Duffield. Brittain said last year that he intend to step things up a level this season and he is certainly living up to his word with eighteen wins already, including five with juvenilles, with Mark Lawson and Tyrone Williams the main beneficiary's amongst the jockeys.
25/05/2008 The best Yorkshire result of the day was from a breeding rather than a training perspective with Grecian Dancer, bred by John Ellis of Bolton Grange, landing the Ridgewood Pearl Stakes G3 at The Curragh, her first group win after a couple of years of strong performances for Vincent and Charles O'Brien (owner and trainer respectively). Now in foal to Galileo it seems unlikely that Grecian Pearl will run again, unless it's a quick 'bounce' run in the next couple of weeks. Meanwhile at Haydock Robin Bastiman's Borderlescott put up a strong performance to be second in the Temple Stakes G2, just ahead of Kevin Ryan's Desert Lord in third. Mark Johnston's Age Of Reason is third in the Fairway Stakes L at Newmarket whilst closer to home there are wins at Beverley for Karl Burke, Bryan Smart and Brian Ellison and at Catterick for Geoff Harker, Brian Ellison, Alan Dickman, Bryan Smart and Tim Walford.
16/05/2008 Time for my annual pilgrimage to York. Before racing the announcer was saying how badly out of form the Mark Johnston horses were. The second race was the £31,155 Reland Jorvik Heritage Handicap, and this was won with an excellent display of front running by Mark Johnston's Luberon, who obviously hadn't been listening to the announcer, John Quinn's Pevensey is second and the pair seem destined for Royal Ascot. Lambourn trained Geordieland was an extremely popular winner of the Yorkshire Cup G2, presumably a number of our Northern cousin's were in attendance. He had a ding-dong battle with Royal And Regal, coming home by a head which was also the winning distance when Tim Easterby's Hamish McGonagall landed the fifth from Karl Burke's Lesson In Humilty. Alan Swinbank's Full Speed won the last. Click on the pictures below if you would like to see larger versions.

Hayley Turner (on left) powers home on Bahamian
Babe in the opening Marygate Stakes
L

Luberon with Joe Fanning up (red and white cap) leads all the way in the
Jorvik Handicap to hold off Pevensey under Graham Gibbons on the rails.

Shane Kelly takes the popular Geordieland down to the
start of the Yorkshire Cup
G2 at a leisurely pace........

.... before heading back with somewhat more urgency
to just hold out from Neil Callan on Royal And Regal

Kerrin McEvoy (red and white) crosses the line on Raymi Coya just in front
of Alan Munro on Musical Bar in the Michael Seely Memorial Fillies' Stakes
L

Hamish McGonagall almost literally flies home under David Allan (yellow and red)
from Lesson In Humilty under Andrew Elliot (orange and white) in the fifth.

Down at Newmarket Kevin Ryan had won the opener. Evening racing at Hamilton saw a fantastic listed race double for the 'out of form' Mark Johnston with Captain Webb leading home stable mate Love Galore in the Glasgow Stakes L (formerly run at York) and Eradicate landing the Braveheart Stakes Handicap L by a neck from Alan Swinbank's Turbo Linn. Johnston had won an earlier race on the Hamilton card, whilst there were also winners for Richard Fahey and Bryan Smart, with the later also having a winner on Newcastle's evening card, as did Tim Easterby. Phew.

15/05/2008 A much better showing by the locals at York this afternoon with David Nicholls' Tournedos setting the ball rolling by winning the opening £16,514 Enter The Flat totetentofollow Handicap. The next is the Middleton Stakes G3 and clever placing sees the Richard Fahey trained Flying Clarets gain some valuable black-type by finishing third, albeit some way behind the first two. The next is the Hambleton Handicap L and here John Quinn's Blythe Knight is third whilst Fahey narrowly fails to repeat the black-type 'trick' with Annemasse back in fourth. To round the day off nicely the last two races go to Karl Burke's Lord Shanakill and Richard Fahey's Mighty Moon. Ferdy Murphy has yet another winner at Perth.
14/05/2008 After a quiet few days it's time for York's May ('Dante') meeting, unfortunately there's not much luck for the locals in the big races on the opening day, although Declan Carroll does manage to bag a winner in the fifth race with Birkside. Up at Perth there is a double for Ferdy Murphy.
09/05/2008 There's a certain amount of deja vu at Chester when Tom Tate's Celtic Sultan wins the opening £13,247 Warwick International Handicap. Two races later Brian Ellison's Carte Diamond is a fantastic third (beaten out of second by a neck) in the Ormonde Stakes G3, he now looks likely to join stablemate Tilt for a crack at the Northmberland Plate. Evening racing sees wins for Bryan Smart, Declan Carroll, John Quinn, Richard Fahey and Chris Thornton at Ripon whilst Richard Fahey, Mark Johnston and David Barker all have winners up at Hamilton.
08/05/2008 Chester Day Two and Yorkshire again win the opening race, this time it's Tom Tate's Mull Of Dubai who wins the £12,664 Bank Of Ireland Handicap, not to be kept out of the action however is Stuart Parr who's Not My Choice wins the last to make it two Chester winners in as many days. At yet another 'Hurdles Only' Wetherby meeting there are winners for Alan Swinbank (a double) and Micky Hammond.
07/05/2008 Yorkshire win the opening race of the Chester meeting when Stuart Parr's Doncaster Rover lands the £12,478 Lily Agnes Conditions Stakes. Later on the same card Brian Ellison's Tilt is third in the Chester Cup and Richard Fahey's Green Park is runner-up in the Breitling Watches & Waltons Of Chester Handicap. On home ground at Beverley there are winners for Richard Fahey, James Bethell, John Weymes and David Barker.
04/05/2008 Finally a Yorkshire trained flat black type winner when Bryan Smart's Captain Gerrard lands the Palace House Stakes G3 by a neck from Sakhee's Secret. The sprinting world is potentially at Captain Gerrard's feet and he will now be aimed for the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, via either York or Sandown. No other Yorkshire winners at Newmarket (on a day dominated by the French), but let's not get too greedy. Up at Hamilton there are winners for George Moore, Brian Ellison and Patrick Haslam.
03/05/2008 The day of the 200th 2,000 Guineas, and unfortunately there is no Yorkshire interest, indeed there are no White Rose winners at Newmarket although Richard Whitaker's Damika and Tim Etherington's Fullandby are second and third respectively in the £31,155 Stanjamesuk.com Heritage Handicap. A better showing on home territory with winners at Thirsk for Paul Midgley, Kevin Ryan, Richard Fahey (Extraterrestrial in the £11,657 Thirsk Hunt Cup) and Tim Easterby. Over jumps at Uttoxeter Tim Walford's Gypsy George puts up an excellent performance to lift the £19,515 Totepool Handicap Chase, and could have the Welsh National as his long term target. Evening racing sees winners at Hexham for Sue Smith and Ronnie Barr and at Doncaster for David Nicholls. Unfortunately no Yorkshire interest in the Kentucky Derby either, which might seem rather obvious, until you remember that it is a 'mere' 22 years since the Manor House Stud bred Bold Arrangement was a very close second in the Run For The Roses.
02/05/2008 Yet more black type, this time it is David Nicholls' Tax Free taking the 'close but no cigar' award when finishing second in the Cork Stakes L at, erm, Cork. Yorkshire trainers dominated at Musselburgh with winners for Mel Brittain, Bryan Smart, Alan Swinbank (a double), Robin Bastiman (Borderlescott in the £12,462 Pommery Champagne Bar Conditions Stakes) and David Barron, whilst Kevin Ryan had a winner at Southwell.
30/04/2008 More encouraging, if somewhat frustrating, black type placings at Ascot today where Mark Johnston's Drumfire was a decent enough third in the Paradise Stakes L and should do better next time. The next race was the Sagaro Stakes G3 and here Johnston's Peppertree Lane came home in second beaten only a short-head by Shipmaster, with better fancied stable mate Soapy Danger somewhat dissappointing back in fourth, first placed Shipmaster having being bred by Soapy Danger's owner-breeders the Jacobs! At Ponty there are local winners for David Barron and Alan Swinbank.
29/04/2008 More minor black type, this time for David Nicholls' Inxile, third in today's Prix Sigy L at Chantilly. Domestically Nicholls has a winner at Southwell, as does Ollie Pears whilst Ferdy Murphy has the winner in the opener at Sedgefield.
27/04/2008 Plenty of winners over the last couple of days, but nothing to write home about. Or write from home to you about perhaps. Either way it's a different story today with two overseas placings - specifically Kevin Ryan's Eastern Romance finishing an excellent second in the Premio Carlo Chiesa G3 at Capannelle and Alan Swinbank's Alfie Flits finishing a fairly close third behind Yeats in the Vintage Crop Stakes L at Navan. Richard Fahey's Anna Pavlova had a pleasant weekend in Paris and then came back without running at Longchamp, so much for the credit crunch hitting the tourist industry! Domestically Richard Fahey and Alan Swinbank have winners at yet another 'hurdling only' meeting at Wetherby. The end of the National Hunt season ; in 1982 who would have thought that 28 years on there would be two Yorkshire trainers in the Top Ten of the Flat Championship, and precisely zero in the National Hunt equivalent? Multiple Champions Dickinson and Easterby of course were flying the National Hunt Flag for Yorkshire in those halcyon days, whilst the Yorkshire flat trainers were headed by Mick and Peter Easterby, Bill Watts and Steve Norton, whose appearances in the Top Ten in the Flat Championship were relatively rare occurences.
24/04/2008 The first Yorkshire success of this years Punchestown Festival when Ferdy Murphy's Kalahari King lands the opening £14,360 AON Hurdle, presumably he'll be tried over fences next season. Mundane fayre closer to home with wins at Southwell for David Nicholls and Alan Swinbank at Southwell and for Patrick Haslam, Richard Fahey, Alan Brown, Richard Whitaker and Mark Johnston at Beverley, whilst over jumps Malcolm Jefferson's Brooklyn Brownie is third in the £21,917 Perth Festival Handicap Chase. Kieren Fallon has launched a website http://www.kierenfallon.co.uk no comment.
21/04/2008 "First new British racecourse in 81 years......" etc., etc., ...... I'm sure you've seen the articles, anyway it happened yesterday, but there were no Yorkshire winners. Although Tyke trainers David Nicholls (Turnkey in the £11,216 Riu Palace Meloneras Handicap) and Alan Swinbank had winners at Ponty today it was a sad day indeed for Tim Easterby with his Fayr Jag (winner of over £423,000 and a Group One winner at Royal Ascot in 2004) dying as a result of breaking a shoulder in a freak incident before being loaded for the third race. Elsewhere Swinbank also won the bumper at Sedgefield whilst Sue Smith had a winner over hurdles at Hexham.
19/04/2008 Seconditis at Newbury with Mark Johnston's Zaham edged out by a neck to occupy the runner-up berth in the Dubai Tennis Championships Stakes G3 (the John Porter Stakes to all right thinking people) and Richard Fahey's Benandonner finishing in the same position in the Spring Cup Handicap. Meanwhile over the Irish Sea at Naas David Nicholls' Tax Free is just headed to finished second in the Woodlands Stakes L. Up in Scotland Ferdy Murphy's Kalahari King, 1lb out of the handicap, puts up a decent performance to be third in the Scottish Champion Handicap Hurdle Gd2. On home soil the locals do well at Thirsk with wins for Geoff Oldroyd, Mick Easterby, Richard Fahey (Utmost Respect in the £7,477 Michael Foster Memorial Conditions Stakes) and Richard Whitaker (Mey Blossom in the £7,771 Thomas Lord Handicap). Evening racing sees Mel Brittain and Richard Fahey amongst the winners at Nottingham and Ruth Carr win the last at Wolverhampton.
18/04/2008 A brief flurry from the dying beast that is the jumps season when Ferdy Murphy's Three Mirrors wins the £18,786 Hillhouse Quarry Handicap at Ayr, a race he also won last season, John Quinn has a winner later on the same card. At Thirsk there are winners for the locals in the shape of Mark Johnston, Mick Easterby, David Barron, Noel Wilson, Bill Ratcliffe and Tim Easterby, in fact only the opener goes to a 'foreign' trained horse. Karl Burke has a winner at Yarmouth's evening meeting.
16/04/2008 A good start to the flat season proper at Newmarket for Mark Johnston today when Campanologist takes a step up from his form last season to land the Feilden Stakes L in decent style. Closer to home there are winners at Beverley for Richard Fahey, Ollie Pears, Tim Walford, Mark Johnston and Patrick Haslam, whilst Johnston makes it a treble for the day by taking the last at Wolverhampton's evening meeting.
12/04/2008 Not much happening is there? Still, the phoney war ends next week, so hopefully there will be something worth reporting. Winners at Donnie today for David Nicholls (Northern Fling in the £10,904 Urban-I Handicap) and Alan Swinbank. Evening racing at Wolverhampton sees a double for Mark Johnston and a winner for Brian Ellison.
05/04/2008 There's not even a Yorkshire runner in the big race at Aintree but there was a Yorkshire 1-2-3-4 in the closing John Smith's Champion Standard Open NH Flat Race Gd2 when Tom Tate's Honest John comes home in front of Alan Swinbank's Touch Of Irish, Malcolm Jefferson's Cape Tribulation and Sue Smith's Cloudy Times. Earlier Malcolm Jefferson's According To Pete was a decent third in the £34,206 John Smith's Extra Cold Handicap Hurdle L. Alan Swinbank has a winner in the opener at Chepstow whilst on the flat Mick Easterby, Linda Stubbs and Mark Johnston all strike at Newcastle. Evening racing at Kempton sees a winner for Ruth Carr.
04/04/2008 No wins at Aintree today for the Tykes, with the best performance coming from Ferdy Murphy's Three Mirrors who is second in the £37,572 totepool Handicap Chase. On the all-weather meanwhile there are winners for David Nicholls, Richard Fahey and Kevin Ryan at Wolverhampton and for Mick Easterby at Southwell.
03/04/2008 Day one of the National meeting at Aintree and there's a Yorkshire trained winner in the last when Sue Smith's Auroras Encore lands the £34,206 John Smith's Handicap Hurdle L . On the flat there are winners at Leicester for Kevin Ryan and Mark Johnston.
29/03/2008 Not much Yorkshire interest in Dubai today so it falls to Kandidate, jointly bred by the Providence and Foston Studs, to provide the black type interest when this grand campaigner improves on his good desert form by winning Kempton's Magnolia Stakes L by a hard fought head. Up at Doncaster it's a poor show by the locals with the only Yorkshire trained winner coming in the shape of Mark Johnston's Soapy Danger, a dual group winner two seasons ago, who leads home a Yorkshire 1-2-3 in the £16,192 Doncaster Shield Conditions Stakes.
22/03/2008 Finally the start of the Flat Season proper at Doncaster and early on Richard Fahey's Benadonner is a good second in the Spring Mile Handicap. The following race is the Cammidge Trophy L and here Karl Burke's Aahayson lands the spoils with Kevin Ryan's Wi Dud back in third. In the traditional curtain raiser for the season, the £77,900 Lincoln Handicap John Quinn's Blythe Knight, a winner of this race two years ago, is a good second with Julie Camacho's Rio Riva back in fourth. James Bethell's Granston is a further winner later on the card. At Haydock there is a double for Sue Smith and a win for Tim Easterby whilst Mark Johnston has a win at Kempton and there are also wins for Peter Beaumont and Bob Woodhouse up at Carlisle. Evening racing on the all-weather at Wolverhampton sees another winner for Mark Johnston.
15/03/2008 Sue Smith caps an excellent few days for her stable when Himalayan Trail comes home a massive 22 lengths clear in the £57,020 Midlands Grand National Handicap Chase L at Uttoxeter this afternoon under conditional Tjade Collier. Malcolm Jefferson wins the last at Uttoxeter whilst Harry Hogarth has a winner up at Newcastle. There are nearly no local winners at Wetherby until Tim Walford saves the day by landing the closing bumper. On the flat at Lingfield the Yorkshire runners in the Winter Derby are disappointing but Mick Easterby's Atlantic Story lands the £12,464 diamondracing.co.uk Handicap and Karl Burke's Geezers Colours is third in the Spring Cup L. Evening racing at Kempton sees Mark Johnston's Campanologist land the £16,192 32red.com Best Casino Since 2003 Conditions Stakes.
14/03/2008 The Final Day of the Cheltenham Festival sees two winners for Yorkshire with Ferdy Murphy's Naiad Du Misselot leading the way by taking the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle Gd3, the race was 1/2 a furlong shorter than normal (due to the 'reshuffle') and this might have been crucial as the French bred gelding held on by a nose. Later a member of the Easterby clan get's in on the act when Cherry Coward's Amicelli lands the £24,088 Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup by six lengths under Ollie Greenall, the famous Aintree equivalent now beckons. Malcolm Jefferson again collects minor honours when Calatagan is third in the Grand Annual Handicap Chase Gd3. Kevin Ryan has a winner at Lingfield.
13/03/2008 Cheltenham Day .... erm .... two? three? ....... The penultimate day of the Cheltenham Fesitval today sees a better show by the Yorkshire contingent with Sue Smith's admirable servant Mister McGoldrick leading the way by landing the Racing Post Plate Handicap Chase Gd3 by an amazing distance (for a handicap) of 13 lengths, made all the more incredible by the fact that he hasn't won anywhere apart from the rather flat Wetherby since 2004, so this really was a run against type. In the next race Malcolm Jefferson's According To Pete is a good third in the Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle L , whilst earlier Yorkshire interest of a sort was provided in the Queen Mther Champion Chase where Sir Rober Ogden's (of Sicklinghall) Voy Por Ustedes was a good second. Yafforth permit holder Peter Atkinson scored at Hexham as did Ferdy Murphy.
12/03/2008 Cheltenham Day Two is OFF due to high winds on the track. All the cancelled races will be spread amongst the remaining two days. Richard Fahey has winners under both codes at Huntingdon and Wolverhampton.
11/03/2008 Cheltenham Day One sees Ferdy Murphy's New Alco put up the best Yorkshire performance when a good second in the William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase Gd3 (which he won last season), he heads for Aintree next.Elsewhere there are wins at Sedgefield for Patrick Haslam and Alan Swinbank and at Southwell for Kevin Ryan.
08/03/2008 A dull week in the run up to Cheltenham (by complete coincidence I'll be 'working' from home on Friday!) continues today where the best result comes in the opener at Sandown where Malcolm Jefferson's Tot O'Whiskey is third in the EBF Sunderlands 'National Hunt' Novices Handicap Hurdle Final Gd3. It's a similar story at Wolverhampton with Mark Johnston's Lovelace third in the opening Lady Wulfruna Stakes L, although the Kingsley House team also have a winner later on the card with the well bred Al Samha and Ian McInnes also has a winner.Johnston's fellow Middleham resident Kate Walton has a winner at the eventually curtailed Ayr meeting.
01/03/2008 March at last, there's proper racing to look forward to this month. Today's best result comes in the totepool Premier Kelso Hurdle Gd 2 where Alan Swinbank's Ignotus comes home 3/4 of a length ahead of George Moore's Pagan Starprincess. Ferdy Murphy's Quality Control wins the last on the same card. There are three local winners closer to home at Doncaster where Sue Smith's Ela Re wins the third (her Leac An Scail having been a good second in the prior race, the £16,265 Sands Venue Entertainment Handicap Hurdle), James Bethell has a rare National Hunt winner when Little Bob lands the Novices' Hurdle and Scarcroft's Clive Mulhall's Doeslessthanme wins the bumper. Evening racing at Wolverhampton sees Ruth Carr get her first winner since taking over from grandfather David Chapman whilst there are also winners for Mel Brittain and Ian McInnes.
25/02/2008 A dream return to the saddle for Joe Fanning following six months on the sidelines when he pilots the Mark Johnston trained Yes Mr President home by seven lengths at Wolverhampton, where there are also winners for John Weymes and James Bethell.
23/02/2008 Winners at Newcastle today for Declan Carroll, Patrick Haslam and Alan Swinbank whilst Malcolm Jefferson's Elvis Returns is second in the £30,985 Totesport Eider Handicap Chase. At Lingfield meanwhile Mick Easterby's Atlantic Story won the £9,971 Diamond Racing Handicap whilst Mark Johnston's Dubai's Touch was a strong second in the Winter Derby Trial Stakes L, beaten only a head having being off the course for 125 days, not to mention hanging in the straight.
16/02/2008 Close but no cigar at Wincanton for John Quinn's Blythe Knight is second in the Kingwell Hurdle Gd2. It's a smiliar tale at Haydock with George Moore's Pagan Starprincess second in the opening Victor Ludorum Juvenile Novices Hurdle and Sue Smith's Vor third in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle Gd2. There are winners at the less prestigous Uttoxeter meeting for Richard Fahey and Geoff Harker.
08/02/2008 Yorkshire are dominant in the second race at Nad Al Sheba today, the £36,180 Meydan Stakes Handicap, with John Balding's Turn On The Style winning and the David Nicholls' pair of Buachaill Dona and Indian Trail occupying third and fourth. To cap a good day in the Gulf Nicholls' Machinist picks up £12,060 for finishing second in the last race on the card. Karl Burke has a winner at Wolverhampton whilst at Southwell Bill Ratcliffe makes it two winners in as many days, later on the card there is also a winner for Mick Easterby.
07/02/2008 It's the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 G3 at Nad Al Sheba today and Kandidate, jointly bred by the Providence and Foston Studs, is a useful second, having won the same race last year. Closer to home there are winners at Southwell for Richard Fahey and Ian McInness and at Wolverhampton for Bill Ratcliffe and Bryan Smart. Ferdy Murphy's stable jockey Graham Lee suffers a crushing fall at Huntingdon which leaves him doubtful for Cheltenham having been unconcious for several minutes and breaking his jaw in two places.
04/02/2008 Mark Johnston's Leamington wins at Southwell to mark the Middleham trainers 2,000th winner after only 21 years training, with more than 100 winners every season since 1994. Tim Pitt's Basalt wins the next, his first winner from his new location at Malton.
02/02/2008 Not much of interest this week, apart from David Chapman's last ever runners before handing over to his granddaughter. There are local winners today at Doncaster for John Quinn (Leslingtaylor in the £13,012 Watch & Bet Novices' Chase) and Ferdy Murphy. Wetherby was cancelled.
26/01/2008 A reasonably good day at the office for the locals at Doncaster with Kate Walton's Nevertika landing the second race, Tim Easterby's Edmo Yewkay taking the £13,012 Skybet.Com Handicap Chase off bottom weight and Sue Smith's Coe putting up a good performance to be second in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle Gd2.
19/01/2008 This is where I put all the exciting news from the world of horse racing and breeding in Yorkshire. When there is any. Which there isn't.
03/01/2008 Bolton Grange Stud bred Grecian Dancer, catalogued in the December Sales but withdrawn, is sent over to France by Charles O'Brien where she lands the Prix Miss Satamixa L by a hard fought nose. Somewhat closer to home John Weymes wins the opening two races at Wolverhampton.
01/01/2008 A good New Year for the locals at Catterick with wins for Tom Tate, Karl Burke, Sue Smith and Alan Swinbank, whilst David Barron's Partners In Jazz lands the £10,525 Make A Date In 2008 @ Pontin's Handicap at Southwell.

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