Yorkshire Racing & Breeding News
2024 ~ 2023 ~ 2022 ~ 2021 ~ 2020 ~ 2019 ~ 2018 ~ 2017 ~ 2016 ~ 2015 ~ 2014 ~ 2013 ~ 2012
2011 ~ 2010 ~ 2009 ~ 2008 ~ 2007 ~ 2006 ~ 2005 ~ 2004 ~ 2003 ~ 2002 ~ 2001 ~ 2000 ~ 1999

Date  
26/12/2014 Boxing Day sees Malcolm Jefferson's Cape Tribulation bounce back to form when second in the Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase Gd3 at Wetherby, a race he won two years ago, and was third in last year. Also at Wetherby Sue Smith has a double and Philip Kirby also has a winner, but that situation was reversed at Sedgefield where it's Kirby who has the double and Smith the solitary winner, as does Brian Ellison.
13/12/2014 It might be nearly Christmas but our best results are still coming on the flat with David O'Meara's Earth Drummer landing the £28,012 Coral Handicap at Wolverhampton this evening by half a length from David Barron's Spes Nostra. Other winners at Wolves were provided by Richard Whitaker, John Balding and Peter Niven. Earlier at Southwell there were winners for Philip Kirby, Bryan Smart and Robin Bastiman whilst John Quinn's Kashmir Peak took the £12,346 bet365.com Handicap Hurdle at Doncaster.
08/12/2014 Trainer Philip Kirby announced today that he would be leaving Middleham, where he occupies Kate Walton's yard, and relocating to Cleveland, specifically part of Keith Reveley's yard. Whilst he'll still retain his old base on the North York Moors this will be mainly for resting horses, so I'll be no longer qualifying him as a 'Yorkshire' trainer. Pity, bye Philip. Joe Fanning has been nominated for Jockey Of The Year at the 'Lesters', but don't hold your breath.
06/12/2014 Potentially a big day, but the best Yorkshire performance was just Karl Burke's Intense Tango, second in the Betfred TV Fillies' Juvenile Hurdle L at Aintree. Mick Easterby had a double at Wetherby, where Sue Smith and Noel Wilson had a winner apiece. Alan Swinbank and Mel Brittain scored on the all-weather at Wolverhampton.
02/12/2014 One of my favourite equine events of the year this week ; the Tattersalls December Mare Sales. Normally there isn't much Yorkshire interest but today the former Richard Fahey trained Lady's First, in foal to Galileo, achieved the second highest price of the sale when the hammer falls at 1.8m gns to the bid of Hugo Lascelles Bloodstock. In addition Yorkshire agent James Delahooke was under bidder on many of the pricier lots (including Lady's First and the sale topper Just The Judge at 4.5m gns) but in the end only actually signed for one, a relatively cheap Sir Percy filly from the Juddmonte draft for 82,000 gns. On the track today Malcolm Jefferson had a winner at Sedgefield whilst Sue Smith scored at Southwell and Kristin Stubbs at Wolverhampton. David O'Meara's G Force is out of the Hong Kong Sprint.
29/11/2014 Not a bad day at all at Newcastle for the Yorkshire raiders with John Quinn's Aurore d'Estruval taking pride of place when second in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle Gd1 . The following race was the Rehearsal Chase L in which Sue Smith's Vintage Star, second last term, was third, Smith having taken the opening race. Brian Ellison had a winner at Bangor, and David Barron scores on Wolverhampton's evening card.
22/11/2014 Some nice placings at Haydock for Sue Smith's De Boitron and Tim Easterby's Run Runctions Run are pretty much the highlights of a poor day for Yorkshire. Tony Coyle had a winner at Huntingdon and Kevin Ryan likewise at Lingfield. Wake me up for Cheltenham.
20/11/2014 A nice result for Micky Hammond at Market Rasen today when Master Of The Hall lands the £16,245 PHS Besafe Bright-Gear Workwear Solutions Really Long Name Handicap Hurdle, Brian Ellison having won the opener.
15/11/2014 No joy at Cheltenham today, or in the (relatively) big all-weather races at Lingfield. Still, Edwin Tuer, Tony Coyle and John Quinn enabled the locals to hold their heads high at Wetherby with a winner apiece whilst Quinn and Richard Fahey take the last two on Wolverhampton's evening card.
08/11/2014 And so the end is here. The last day of the turf flat season at Doncaster goes off with a (damp) bang with the locals grabbing four of the races. First up was the John Quinn stalwart Levitate, who loves this track and took the £12,938 Betfred Supporting Jack Berry House Handicap. In the next Mick Easterby's Aetna ploughed through the quagmire to take the Wentworth Stakes L whilst David O'Meara landed the feature race of the day, and the traditional seasonal finale, the £43,575 November Handicap with Open Eagle who won by 12 lengths from Alan Swinbank's Aramist. Flat turf action was brought to a close in the £16,172 Betfred Bingo Apprentice Handicap which fell to David Nicholls' Mujazif. Under the other rules we had just the one winner courtest of Mark Walford at Kelso.
05/11/2014 Mark Johnston's progressive Fire Fighting made his first step into black type company this evening at Kempton and acquited himself well finishing second, only beaten a neck, in the snappily named Betdaq 50% Commission Refund Floolit Stakes L. Earlier in the day there were winners for Kevin Ryan and Richard Fahey on turf at Nottingham.
04/11/2014 Tim Easterby's Mattmu today cruised to victory in the Criterium de Maisons-Laffiitte G2 at, well you know where it's at, to take his career earnings to a staggering £233,602 ! A very interesting prospect for next term. Rather closer to home Richard Fahey had a double at Redcar where David O'Meara and Philip Kirby also scored. Fahey also had a winner at Southwell where he was joined in that respect by Marjorie Fife and Karl Burke.
01/10/2014 Charlie Hall Chase day at Wetherby and whilst there were no local runners in the big race they did manage to score a decent victory when John Quinn's Aurore d'Estruval landed the OLBG.com Mares' Hurdle L whilst Malcolm Jefferson took the penultimate race. Quinn also had a winner at Ayr whilst Brian Ellison and Richard Fahey both struck at Newmarket.
31/10/2014 A good show by the locals on the first day of Wetherby's meeting with the appropriately named Shadows Lengthen, trained by Mick Easterby (who also landed the preceeding race) taking the bet365 Handicap Chase L with Brian Ellison's Viva Colonia back in third. The next was the Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle L and this time Ellison is the victor courtesy of Full Day, with stablemate Come On Sunshine back in third, our other winner on the card came courtesy of Micky Hammond who won the opener. Brian Smart had a winner down at Newmarket and Ollie Pears did likewise at Wolverhampton, we also won three races on the opening night of the Breeders' Cup ...... OK, maybe not.
26/10/2014 Special Meaning's hunt for an elusive Group win was again fruitless today when Mark Johnston's game filly was a decent second in the Grosser Preis der Mehl-Mulhens-Stiftung Gestut Rottgen G3 at Hanover.
25/10/2014 There may still be a couple of weeks left to the flat season, but it doesn't feel like it with the clock's changing, the last domestic Group One and everyone talking about Santa Anita, winter is certainly on it's way. Unfortunately we had no runners in the Racing Post Trophy G1 at Doncaster today, and no joy in the £31,125 Betdaq Betting Exchange £30 Free Bet Handicap ; although the winner of the later, Dungannon, is by Norton Grove stallion Monsieur Bond. It was however a good day for Richard Fahey with a four timer headed by Latenaterequest's victory in the £12,938 Bet Through The Racing Post App Handicap. At Newbury Tim Easterby did best of the Yorkshire raiders with Lilac Lace winning the seven furlong handicap and Silvery Moon finishing second in the £12,450 Bathwick Tyres Handicap, and it was the Great Habton trainer who also provided the joy over hurdles with Hawk High landing the £25,024 Betfred TV Handicap Hurdle at Aintree. Evening racing at Wolverhampton saw winners for Geoff Harker and David O'Meara.
19/10/2014 Always the bridesmaid Karl Burke's Odeliz put up another excellent performance this evening when finishing second in the E.P.Taylor Stakes G1 at Woodbine. Regardless of what level she runs at she nearly always gets placed, but hasn't actually got her neck in front for over a year !
18/10/2014 Not a good Champions Day at Ascot for Team Yorkshire with only John Quinn's Levitate, fourth in the £155,625 Balmoral Handicap, getting on the podium, so to speak. At a rather more mundane level there were winners at Catterick for David Nicholls, David Barron, Richard Fahey, Alan Swinbank, Kevin Ryan and Edwin Tuer however, in keeping with our current luck, we couldn't land the feature £16,172 Totepool Catterick Dash Handicap, despite local horses occupying all the places, led home by Tim Easterby's Confessional in second.
17/10/2014 Future Champions Day at Newmarket and proceedings started well with Karl Burke's Little Lady Katie taking the £37,350 Dubai EBF Fillies' Nursery Handicap, an excellent result ; but a future champion ? I don't think so. After that it was a bit of a flop from a Yorkshire perspective. At Haydock there were winners for Kevin Ryan and Richard Guest with the same duo also scoring at Redcar where Richard Fahey, Alan Swinbank and Tim Easterby provided the other local winners. Kristin Stubbs had a winner on Wolverhampton's evening card.
12/10/2014 A fairly busy day, but a little bit subdued from a Yorkshire perspective with no joy at all on the Cesarewitch card at Newmarket. Things went a trifle better at York with Tim Easterby's admirable Mattmu staying on strongly to win the Rockingham Stakes L with Richard Fahey's Bond's Girl back in second. Earlier Richard Fahey's Imshivalla had taken the opening £16,172 sportingbet.com Handicap whilst David O'Meara took the concluding race, in between times David O'Meara's Fattsota was second in the £19,407 Download The Coral App Hcap and Yorkshire landed a 2-3-4 in the feature £46,688 Coral Sprint Trophy with David O'Meara's Highland Acclaim leading home the local brigade in second. At Musselburgh Richard Fahey had a double and Ruth Carr took the last whilst Robin Bastiman's Borderlescott added to his already sizeable career winnings when second in the £12,938 Graphic Impressions 21st Anniversay Conditions Stakes. Under NH rules John Quinn won the last at Hexham whilst Brian Ellison's Manhatten Swing was placed third in one of Chepstow's feature races.
04/10/2014 Arc day couldn't have started much better with David O'Meara's Move In Time (bred at Yapham Mill Stud, and by Norton Grove stallion Monsieur Bond) providing the young trainer with his second career Group One win less than a month after the first. Bryan Smart's Moviesta ran well to be third, although that may only be small consolation to the former trainer of the winner. The Wow Signal finished last, Garswood and Custom Cut were non runners in the Foret, in which O'Meara's That Is The Spirit proved to be a poor substitute for the two Yorkshire stars. The Wow Signal's trainer John Quinn had a winner at Kelso, as did Mark Walford.
04/10/2014 Super-weekend, part one. Certainly a money-spinning day at Newmarket where Mark Johnston's Secret Brief added to his already bulging winnings, taking £280,331 for first place in the £500,000 Tattersalls Millions Two Year Old Trophy, which makes him just shy of £350,000, not bad for a two-year-old ! In the same race Richard Fahey's Ballymore Castle was fifth (£12,712), to add to stablemate Lacing's winnings (£68,821) when second in the opening £300,000 Tattersalls Millions Two Year Old Fillies' Trophy. At Ascot the Ayr Gold Cup winner, David O'Meara's Louis The Pious, was third in the Bengough Stakes G3 whilst the Ayr Gold Cup fourth, Richard Fahey's Heaven's Guest was third in the following race, the £93,375 Totepool Challenge Cup Heritage Handicap. Kevin Ryan's Online Alexander and David O'Meara's Dutch Rose were each fourth in their respective listed contests, whilst Mark Johnston's Fire Fighting was a neck second in the closing £32,345 Qipco Future Stars Apprentice Handicap. At Redcar Richard Fahey and John Quinn won the opening two before Tim Easterby's Mattmu picked up £44,440 for second in the Totepool Two-Year-Old Trophy L whilst Mark Johnston's game Muteela stayed on strongly to land the EBF Guisborough Stakes L, Johnston and Paul Midgley won the closing two races on the card. Whilst we had no runners at Longchamp today most of Yorkshire top sprinters, plus The Wow Signal, Garswood and Custom Cut are running at Longchamp tomorrow. Beechwood Grange stallion Haafhd had his first Group One winner in the early hours when Junoob took Randwick's Metropolitan Handicap G1.
27/09/2014 Not a brilliant day really, the best result at Newmarket came in the second with Kevin Ryan's Salateen third in the Royal Lodge Stakes G2, weakening slightly in the closing stages, and we made no show in the Cambridgeshire. Slightly better at Chester with Yorkshire fielding the first six in the main race the £31,125 Golden Square Shopping Centre Handicap with victory going the way of Tom Tate's Empress Ali followed home by Mark Johnston's Master Of Finance and Richard Fahey's Ventura Quest. At Haydock Mark Johnston's Swivel took the £17,790 Download The Racinguk iPad App Handicap from John Quinn's Great Hall and Alan Swinbank's Aramist whilst Tim Easterby's See The Sun was third in the feature £28,012 Racing UK Anywhere Available Now Handicap. Even on home soil at Ripon things didn't go well with no winners until the final two races fell to David O'Meara and Bryan Smart (who's winner Medway was bred at the Yapham Mill Stud), although Richard Fahey's Supplicant was second, beaten only a head, in the feature £18,675 Ripon Cathedral City Of The Dales Handicap, with David Nicholls' Kimberella a further head back in third. Evening racing at Wolverhampton yielded a winner for Mark Johnston.
26/09/2014 Pre-Cambridgeshire Day (or whatever it is) at Newmarket today and all was quiet from a Yorkshire perspective until the fourth race, the Joel Stakes G2, in which David O'Meara's Custom Cut continued his excellent run to make it five black type victories in a row when winning nicely by two and a half lengths. A Group One next perhaps ? O'Meara also had a winner at Haydock, as did Tim Easterby whilst Brian Ellison scored on Wolverhampton's evening card.
21/09/2014 Finally a relatively sedate weekend day for the Yorkshire trainers although Karl Burke's Odeliz was third in the Denny Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Fillies Stakes G3 at Gowran Park whilst Mark Johnston's Special Meaning was fourth in the Grosser Preis von DSW21 - 130th Deutsches St.Leger G3 at Dortmund. At Hamilton there were winners for Mark Johnston (a double) and Simon West whilst Mark Walford and Ben Haslam scored at Uttoxeter.
20/09/2014 Another brilliant Saturday for the Yorkshire runners. The primary focus was at Ayr where Ann Duffield's Dark Reckoning put up a strong performance to land the Firth of Clyde Stakes G3 by a short head. Next up was the £31,125 Ayr Silver Cup in which Richard Fahey's Mehdi was second and Kevin Ryan's Bogart third. Sennockian Star was second in the Doonside Cup L for Mark Johnston before attention switched to the main feast of the day, the £99,600 (couldn't they find the extra £400?!?) Ayr Gold Cup and David O'Meara's Louis The Pious, second last year, was happy to oblige in decisive fashion with Kevin Ryan's Blaine some way back in third. There was then a Yorkshire 1-2-3 in the £15,562 Ayrshire Handicap with Karl Burke's Ticking Katie taking the honours. David O'Meara and Brian Ellison took the closing races to wrap up a good day for Yorkshire on the final day of what should still be called the Western Meeting. At Newbury meanwhile Karl Burke's Toocoolforschool, last seen out a mere eight days ago, routed the opposition to take the Mill Reef Stakes G2, with Mark Johnston's Jungle Cat finally running a poor race to be only fifth. Later on the card Richard Fahey's Ventura Quest was third in the £46,688 Dubai Duty Free Handicap and David Griffiths' Take Cover was fourth in the Dubai International Airport World Trophy G3. It was sales race day at Newmarket and Yorkshire, obviously, took both heats with Richard Fahey's Lacing landing the £56,056 £100,000 Tattersalls Millions Fillies' Median Auction Stakes (with David O'Meara's Supreme Occasion in third) and Mark Johnston's Secret Brief winning the £56,056 £100,000 Tattersalls Millions Median Auction Trophy (with Richard Fahey's Ballymore Castle back in third). Locally Mark Johnston had a double at Catterick where James Bethell, John Quinn (Poetic Verse in the £12,938 Bapp Group Of Companies Handicap), Ronnie Barr, Edwin Tuer and Ruth Carr also had winners, with the later also scoring on Wolverhampton's evening card.
14/09/2014 The Yorkshire Championship Weekend switches to the Curragh and David O'Meara's Watchable promptly delivers the goods in the opening £75,000 EBF 'Bold Lad' Sprint Premier Handicap, with Richard Fahey's Arctic Feeling in fourth. David Barron's Robot Boy is fourth in the Flying Five G3 but in the £82,291 Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale Stakes there is a Yorkshire 1-2-3 with Barron's Midterm Break coming home in front of Karl Burke's Explosive Lady and Richard Fahey's Realtra. In France meanwhile David O'Meara also had reason to celebrate with Move In Time (bred at Yapham Mill Stud) second in the Prix du Petit Couvert G3.
13/09/2014 The best that can be said about today's Doncaster action is that Kevin Ryan's Bogart was second in the £37,350 Portland Handicap. So that's all I'm going to say. It might be considered an understatement however to say that events went somewhat better over at Leopardstown for Day One of the Irish Championship weekend with Mark Johnston's Bow Creek hanging on in his usual plucky fashion to take the Clipper Boomerang Mile G2.Even better was to come in the Irish Champion Stakes G1 however with Kevin Ryan's The Grey Gatsby putting up a sublime performance to just defeat his York nemesis Australia and in the process push his lifetime earnings over the £1.5m mark. Some may argue that it was more a case of Ryan Moore defeating Joseph O'Brien, but frankly who cares. Newmarket is presumably the next target unless they aim stateside, incredibly The Grey Gatsby has five crosses of Northern Dancer!. The rumour circulating after Brian Ellison's Baraweez took the closing £75,000 EBF 'Sovereign Path' Premier Handicap (remembering that Sovereign Path was bred at the Theakston Stud) at Leopardstown, with Mark Johnston's Almargo in second, is that they're going to rename the meeting to the Yorkshire Championship Weekend next year. At Chester Ruth Carr's Marcret took the £14,232 Betfair Home Of The Price Rush Handicap and Kevin Ryan's Captain Curry the £11,342 Get Better Odds With Betfair Price Rush Handicap and there were also winners for Richard Fahey and Mark Johnston with the later also scoring at Bath. Tim Easterby took the opener on Wolverhampton's evening card where Jedd O'Keeffe also struck.
12/09/2014 Penultimate day of the Leger Festival and Peter Niven's Clever Cookie ran well enough to be fourth in the Doncaster Cup G2, only a neck and 1/2 a length off second, the same position being taken by Kevin Ryan's Fast Act in the opening Flying Childers Stakes G2. Mark Johnston's Muraaqaba started favourite for the May Hill Stakes G2 but could 'only' manage second, with David O'Meara's Supreme Occassion in fourth, and Karl Burke's Toocoolforschool also took second in the Flying Scotsman Stakes L. Richard Fahey and Mark Johnston had a winner apiece at Chester.
11/09/2014 Two Group races and a valuable sales race ; that's a little more like it. A very good day for Richard Fahey with Home Cummins landing the opening £25,204 EBF Carrie Red Fillies' Nursery (with Karl Burke's Little Lady Katie back in third) and Bond's Girl (by Norton Grove stallion Monsieur Bond) landing the £274,621 Weatherys Hamilton Insurance £300,000 2yo Stakes, Tin Easterby's Mattmu picking up £54,946 for third place. David O'Meara landed the opener at Wolverhampton's evening meet where Mark Johnston also had a winner.
10/09/2014 Quite how today constitutes any part of a so-called 'festival' remains to be seen but the Doncaster St Leger Festival started with a whimper today with a listed sprint and a handful of relatively minor races. Anyway Kevin Ryan landed the opening nursery and Les Eyre took the 'legends' race courtesy of Dale Gibson. At least the action hots up somewhat tomorrow. Elsewhere there were winners at Carlisle for Karl Burke, David Barron and Alan Swinbank whilst Ben Haslam's Ever So Much completed a four-timer at Uttoxeter.
07/09/2014 Kevin Ryan added to his group race tally for the season today when Glory Awaits landed the International Topkapi Trophy G2 at Veliefendi (that's Turkey!) under a cracking ride from Neil Callan, this pushes the colts lifetime earnings over the £375,000 barrier (although it seems like a long time since he was runner up in last season's 2,000 Guineas G1). Rather closer to home at York meanwhile Geoff Oldroyd's Ladies Are Forever (homebred by Reg Bond at his Yapham Mill Stud) was second in the Garrowby Stakes L and there was a double for Richard Fahey as well as winners for Alan Swinbank and Brian Ellison. Roll on Donnie !
06/09/2014 The Bakers Dozen ! Today David O'Meara became the thirteenth currently active Yorkshire based trainer to train a Group One winner when his G Force came through in the closing stages to land the Befred Sprint Cup G1 at Haydock, Yorkshire's fourth Group One winner of the season, albeit the first one not in France ! O'Meara's star has clearly been on the ascent for a number of seasons now but a little mention for Tim Easterby as G Force's dam, Flanders, was one of his first good winners, back in the day. Earlier at Haydock David Barron's Long Awaited was second in the valuable opening sprint handicap whilst Brian Ellison's progessive Balty Boys put up his best performance yet when second in the Superior Mile G3. The race after the Sprint Cup was the £11,321 Betfred Goals Galore Nursery which went the way of Kevin Ryan's Teruntum Star. There was no joy in the big races at Kempton or Ascot, although David O'Meara won the last at Ascot. Thirsk saw local winners for Mark Johnston, Mark Walford, David O'Meara, James Bethell (Pintrada in the Hambleton Cup) and Kevin Ryan with the later also winning the opener on Wolverhampton's evening card where Mark Johnston also had a winner.
30/08/2014 Our best result today came at Beverley with David Barron's Pearl Secret coming home in front in the Beverley Bullet Sprint Stakes L winning by a neck and a head with Paul Midgley's Line Of Reason back in third. Midgley won the following race whilst there were also winners for Julie Camacho, Karl Burke (Truancy in the £12,938 Betfred 'Racings Biggest Supporter' Handicap) and David Griffiths. Not much joy at Sandown with Karl Burke's consistent Odeliz putting up the best performance when second in the TBA Atalanta Stakes G3, surely she must win a group race one day !? Chester was worse with just minor placings in some of the supporting races. Jedd O'Keeffe won the opener on Market Rasen's evening card, with follow up wins from Philip Kirby, Mike Sowersby and Peter Niven.
29/08/2014 Mark Johnston's Mister Universe got his first bit of black type today when third in the EBF Stonehenge Stakes L at Salisbury, losing second in the dying strides by a neck. Closer to home there was a double for Les Eyre at Thirsk where Robin Bastiman, Alan Swinbank and Richard Fahey also had winners whilst Kevin Ryan scored on Wolverhampton's evening card.
25/08/2014 Another day, another Yorkshire stakes winner. Today's honours fell to Richard Fahey's Izzthatright who took the EBF Ripon Champion Two Year Old Trophy L with Karl Burke's Explosive Lady just edged out of second place by a neck. Other local winners at an increasingly damp Ripon came from the yards of Ann Duffield, David O'Meara (Bartack in the £12,602 Ripon Rowels Handicap), Brian Ellison and Ronn Barr. Newcastle meanwhile yielded winners for Karl Burke, Richard Fahey (a double) and David O'Meara. Over hurdles Philip Kirby's runner won the last at Huntingdon.
24/08/2014 Wow. Incredibly today saw Yorkshire gather it's THIRD French Group One race of the season (but still none domestically!) when John Quinn's The Wow Signal lived up to his name to take the Prix Morny G1, providing the Malton handler with his first ever victory at this level. The talk now is of the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (aka the Grand Criterium) but surely the Middle Park or Dewhurst would be a better bet ?! The May maiden at Ayr when The Wow Signal won and Jungle Cat was third is now looking 'hot' ! On the home front Mark Johnston's Muteela had a fun trip to the start, followed by a stumble out of the stalls but still managed to be second in the Supreme Stakes G3. Beverley saw wins for Brian Ellison (a double), Richard Fahey, Ann Duffield and Nigel Tinkler, with the later having now scooped more wins already this season than he did in 2012 and 2013 combined.
23/08/2014 The final day of the Ebor meeting and things went notably better from the start with David O'Meara's Custom Cut coming home in front by a neck in the Strensall Stakes G3 to make it four black type wins in a row. In the Gimcrack Stakes G2 Mark Johnston's Jungle Cat was yet again narrowly beaten when second by a nose, he's surely one of the best two year old's in training not to have won a group race thus far. No joy in the Ebor itself but Richard Fahey's Spirit Of The Law was second in the penultimate £24,900 Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Handicap whilst Kevin Ryan's Online Alexander landed the closing £24,900 Qipco Future Stars Apprentice Handicap from stablemate Lexington Abbey. As is so often the case Mark Johnston's luck as Goodwood was noticeably better than at York with Almargo taking the £62,250 32red Handicap from Richard Fahey's Rene Mathis and stablemate Bow Creek finally bagged a big one when dominating in the Celebration Mile G2, although almost blowing his chances by veering right across the track in the closing stages. Johnston's Leger entered Alex My Bow also ran well on the downs just edged out of first by a short head in the March Stakes L. No winners at Newmarket, but four seconds with the most notable being Brian Ellison's Buthelezi in the £25,876 Fly Easyjet From London Southend Airport Handicap from Mark Johnston's Special Meaning and Richard Fahey's progressive Alben Star also runner up in the Hopeful Stakes L. Overseas runs saw Kevin Ryan's admirably consistent Calypso Beat (homebred by a partnership including Providence Stud's Pam Cockerill) finish second in the Prix du Calvados G3 at Deauville whilst at the Curragh stablemate Hamza was third in the Renaissance Stakes G3. Finally for afternoon racing Jo Foster had a winner at Cartmel. Evening racing saw Bryan Smart and David O'Meara garner winners at Redcar whilst Mark Johnston's Sennockian Star was fourth in the August Stakes L at Windsor.
22/08/2014 Another poor day for the locals at Yorkshire primary meeting of the year, although again there were some reasonable placings starting in the opening £31,125 Sky Bet Transfer Fund Handicap in which Mark Johnston's Salutation was between into second by a neck with Richard Fahey's Dolphin Village further back in third. Kevin Ryan's Glory Awaits continued his road to recovery when second in the City Of York Stakes L (at £56,710 one of the richest listed races of the year, surely time for an upgrade to Group class?!?). In the Nunthorpe Stakes G1 Bryan Smart's Moviesta was best placed of the locals in fourth, a head in front of Kevin Ryan's Hot Steak. Mark Johnston's Secret Brief was second in the richly endowed maiden and Brian Ellison's Almuheet was third in the last. Still there were winners in less exulted company with Karl Burke striking at Newmarket and evening racing winners for Ann Duffield, Bryan Smart and Mark Johnston (Swivel in the £16,185 Lanark Silver Bell) at Hamilton and Richard Fahey, Kevin Ryan, Alan Brown and Ben Haslam all striking at Newcastle.
21/08/2014 Not much joy for the locals at the Ebor Meeting today. Kevin Ryan's Gaudy was best placed of the locals when fourth in the opening £125,000 DBS Premier Yearling Stakes, and Richard Fahey's Realtra occupied the same position in the Lowther Stakes G2. Next was the £49,800 Clipper Logistics Handicap which at least saw Brian Ellison's Top Notch Tonto return to some sort of form with second place, only beaten a head, with David O'Meara's Balducci in third. The last was the £24,900 eventmasters.co.uk EBF Fillies' Handicap which saw Yorkshire horses fill the first six places ..... apart from the most important one with Mark Johnston's Little Shambles coming second and Karl Burke's Ticking Katie third.
20/08/2014 Day one of the Ebor Meeting and things went very well for the locals, with only Mark Johnston's Hartnell really failing to deliver when only 6th in the Great Voltigeur, hanging and weakening in the closing stages. In the opening £31,125 Symphony Group Handicap there was a Yorkshire 1-2 with Kevin Ryan's fast-finishing Blaine coming home just in front of David O'Meara's Move In Time (bred at Yapham Mill Stud). Next was the Acomb Stakes G3 in which Karl Burke's Toocoolforschool was an odds-defying second, beaten only a head ; the Champagne Stakes would seem the obvious next target. After the Great Voltigeur it was the main race of the day, the Juddmonte International Stakes G1 in which Kevin Ryan's The Grey Gatsby bounced back to form over his preferred distance to be second to the mighty Australia, definitely no shame in defeat in that scenario. Presumably he will now be kept at ten furlongs and the two main targets would seem glaringly obvious. Brian Ellison's Edge Of Sanity took the penultimate £24,900 Fine Equinity Handicap whilst Karl Burke's Felix Leiter (by Norton Grove stallion Monsieur Bond) won the closing £24,900 stanjames.com Nursery Handicap by a head, incredibly this was yet another good result for the breeders Tibthorpe Stud. At Musselburgh there was a double for Alan Swinbank and a winner for Ollie Pears whilst evening racing saw Karl Burke (who also had two winners yesterday) cap a good day when taking the second race at Southwell where John Wainwright also had a winner, whilst James Bethell won the opener at Kempton.
The Grey Gatsby's additional prize money leap frogs him over the three Mark Johnston horse who were above him and into second place on the Yorkshire Trained All Time Winningmost List!
Horse Trainer Amount Best Performances
Collier Hill Alan Swinbank £2,317,161 Irish St Leger G1, Hong Kong Vase G1, Candian International G1, Gerling-Preis G2, Stockholm Cup International G3 (twice), Elnadim H, Old Newton Cup H., 2nd.Dubai Sheema Classic G1, Deutschlandpreis Preis G1, 3rd.Dubai Sheema Classic G1, Rheinland-Pokal der Sparkasse KolnBonn G1 etc.
The Grey Gatsby Kevin Ryan £1,024,807 Prix du Jockey Club G1, Dante Stakes G2, 2nd.Juddmonte International Stakes G1, Champagne Stakes G2, Craven Stakes G3, Acomb Stakes G3
Shakespearean Mark Johnston £1,001,241 Goffs Million Mile, Solario Stakes G3, 3rd.Superlative Stakes G3
Attraction Mark Johnston £899,597 1,000 Guineas G1, Irish 1,000 Guineas G1, Coronation S G1, Sun Chariot S G1, Matron S G1, Cherry Hinton S G2, Queen Mary S G3, 2nd.Matron Stakes G1, Falmouth S G1 etc.
Jukebox Jury Mark Johnston £857,187 Preis von Europa G1, Irish St Leger G1, Jockey Club Stakes G2, Grand Prix de Deauville G2, Royal Lodge Stakes G2, Prix Kergorlay G2, Rose of Lancaster Stakes G3, 2nd.Canadian International Stakes G1, Racing Post Trophy G1, 3rd.Prix la Rochette G3
Borderlescott Robin Bastiman £786,243 Nunthorpe Stakes G1(x2), King George Stakes G2, City Wall Stakes L, Mercury Stakes L, Beverley Bullet Sprint Stakes L, Steward's Cup Handicap, 2nd.Temple Stakes G2(x2), Palace House Stakes G3, Bentinck Stakes G3, Ayr Gold Cup, 3rd.Prix de l'Abbaye G1, King's Stand Stakes G1, Temple Stakes G2, Palace House Stakes G3 etc.
Teleprompter Bill Watts £760,881 Arlington Million G1, Queen Elizabeth II S G2, Prix Quincey G3, Desmond S G3, Pacemaker International S. G3 (x2), 2nd.Queen Elizabeth II S. G2 (x2), Lockinge S G2, THF Mile G2, 3rd.Eclipse S. G1, Queen Anne Stakes G2 etc.
Somnus Tim Easterby £743,966 Stanley Leisure Sprint Cup G1, Prix Maurice de Gheest G1, Prix de la Foret G1, betabet Two Year Old Trophy, £200,000 St Leger Yearling Sales Stakes, 2nd.Sprint Cup G1, Park Stakes G2, Chipchase Stakes G3, 3rd.Duke Of York Stakes G2
Auroras Encore Sue Smith £725,737 John Smith's Grand National Gd3, totepool Handicap Chase L, John Smith's Handicap Hurdle L, Betfair For Better Odds Levy Board Handicap Chase, Dawn Group Novices' Handicap Chase, 2nd.Scottish Grand National Gd3
Yavana's Pace Mark Johnston £722,656 (plus more when trained in Ireland) Credit Suisse Private Banking Pokal G1, Prix du Conseil de Paris G2, Prix Gladiateur G3, 2nd.WGZ Bank-Deutschlandpreis G1, Preis von Europa G1, Irish St Leger G1, Princess of Wales's Stakes G2, Hardwicke Stakes G2, 3rd.Canadian International G1, Deutsche Post Euro Express-Pries von Europa G1, WGZ Bank-Deutschland Preis G1, Princess of Wales's Stakes G2, Gerling-Preis G2 etc.
16/08/2014 Best placed of the Yorkshire runners in today's EBF Highfield Farm Flying Fillies' Stakes L at Pontefract was Paul Midgley's Mu'ajiza who finished a creditable third, however the winner was the Henry Candy trained Valonia, bred by the Tibthorpe Stud. Other winners at Ponty came courtesy of Richard Fahey (a double) and Alan Swinbank.
16/08/2014 A very busy day ...... where to start? Ripon ; David O'Meara grabs another big race when his Out Do wins the £43,575 Great St Wilfrid Handicap, with Richard Fahey's Tatlisu dead-heating with Tim Easterby's Confessional for third. The race before saw David Barron's Duke Cosimo land the £12,450 'Consolation' Race whilst Ann Duffield took the opening maiden. Both Duffield and O'Meara followed up with further winners later on the card. The Yorkshire raiders were rampant at Newmarket where Richard Fahey's Eastern Impact landed the £31,125 Thames Materials Handicap from Tim Easterby's unlucky Ventura Mist and David Barron's progressive looking Boy In The Bar. Two races later David O'Meara's Fattsota won the £16,172 Betfair Supports Racing Welfare Handicap whilst David Barron and Richard Fahey took the last two. We were even more prolific at Chester with only one race not heading back to Yorkshire, the feature race on the card was the £48,518 Stella Artois Handicap which went to Brian Ellison's Top Of The Glas, with Julie Camacho's Wilde Inspiration in third. The other winners on the Roodeye were supplied by Mark Johnston, Mick Easterby, Richard Fahey (a double) and Kevin Ryan. The principle meeting of the day was at Newbury and unfortunately we fared less well here with only Mark Johnston's Diaz finishing third in a four runner renewal of the Washington Singer Stakes L worth remarking on. There was no joy for the locals at Doncaster until the last which fell to Karl Burke whilst Brian Ellison took the opener at Market Rasen's evening meeting.
14/08/2014 David O'Meara's Custom Cut continued his excellent run of form today when taking the Desmond Stakes G3 over at Leopardstown ; his third black type victory in six weeks ! On the domestic front there was a double for Tim Easterby at Beverley where Ben Haslam, Richard Fahey and John Quinn also had winners whilst Nigel Tinkler won the penultimate race at Newmarket.
10/08/2014 Yorkshire's second Group One of the season, and they've both been in France ! This time it's Richard Fahey's admirably tough seven furlong specialist Garswood who strikes when landing the (not quite seven furlongs) Prix Maurice de Gheest G1 at Deauville, his first win in over a year, although with lots of excellent placings inbetween. No doubt Garswood is destined for the Cheveley Park Stud eventually, but lets hope he can grab the Park Stakes and Prix de la Foret before then. Over at the Curragh meanwhile Kevin Ryan's Hamza was a decent third in the Phoenix Sprint Stakes G3, only beaten a head out of second. On the domestic front David Nicholls has our only winner at Leicester, and Karl Burke does likewise at Windsor.
09/08/2014 A good day for the Yorkshire trainers, and the stud farms. Pride of place goes to Mark Johnston's Muraaqaba who took the Sweet Solera Stakes G3 at Newmarket from Kevin Ryan's Calypso Beat (homebred by a partnership including Providence Stud's Pam Cockerill). Earlier Richard Fahey's Rene Mathis (by Norton Grove stallion Monsieur Bond) had taken the £12,450 Buy German, Race German, Win German Handicap, which was somewhat appropriate as he carries the (GER) suffix. Shergar Cup Day at Ascot and, despite David O'Meara's Move In Time (also by Monsieur Bond) and Richard Fahey's Ballesteros picking up second and third in the opening Shergar Cup Dash, it was a fairly quiet start for the Yorkshire runners. However things picked up in the last three races with David Nicholls' Don't Call Me (by Beechwood Grange stallion Haafhd) landing the Shergar Cup Mile by a neck, Richard Fahey's Our Gabrial then took the Shergar Cup Classic by a nose, with the Mark Johnston pair of Snow Squall and Swivel in third and fourth, and David O'Meara's Highland Acclaim also won the closing Shergar Cup Sprint, again by a nose, all the races being £19,672 handicaps. On home soil there were winners for David Barron (a double), Neville Bycroft, Richard Whitaker (Avon Breeze, bred by the trainer at his Hellwood Stud) and Tim Easterby. Evening racing at Lingfield saw a winner for Mark Johnston and at Ayr at double for Richard Fahey and a winner for David O'Meara.
03/008/2014 Whilst we've been concentrating on Goodwood on the other side of the Irish Sea the Galway Festival has been going on and today Yorkshire made it's mark there when the Brian Ellison duo of Baraweez and Pacific Heights finished first and third respectively in the day's main race, the £50,000 EBF 'Ahonoora' Handicap, with the winner having also finished third in the Topaz Mile five days ago. At Chester there were winners for Kevin Ryan, Tim Easterby (Mattmu in the £12,606 MBNA EBF Stakes) and Richard Fahey. Brian Ellison, Richard Guest and Micky Hammond all had winners at Market Rasen.
02/08/2014 Goodwood wrapped up gloriously with four Yorkshire winners and Mark Johnston taking the trainers title, Joe Fanning narrowly missing out on the jockeys title. The winners started in the first, the £24,900 Stewards' Cup Consolation Handicap which went to David Nicholls' Barnet Fair, with Richard Fahey's Tatlisu two short heads back in third. Next up was the £31,125 Jaguar Handicap which went to Mark Johnston's Double Bluff, who prevailed by three lengths, only six days after his good placing at Ascot. In the £62,250 Stewards' Cup Heritage Handicap itself the best placed Yorkshire trained horse was Richard Fahey's consistent Alben Star who picked up £9,320 for third place. There was a Yorkshire 1-2-3 in the penultimate race, the £12,938 Telegraph Nursery, with Mark Johnston's maiden Grigolo coming home in front of Tim Easterby's Special Venture and Kevin Ryan's Grand Proposal, a result which was flipped over in the last which fell to Ryan's Online Alexander, with Johnston's Peterkin back in third. At Newmarket Mark Johnston's Enlace went down by a head in the £25,876 Cheveley Park Stud Supporting Alzheimer's Research UK Fillies' Nursery Handicap (another contender for longest race name of the season!), with David O'Meara providing our sole winner at HQ in the last, whilst at Thirsk Julie Camacho had the best result with Wilde Inspiration landing the £9,704 Peter Bell Memorial Handicap with David O'Meara and Mick Easterby providing the other local winners. Evening racing at Hamilton saw Richard Fahey and David Barron amongst the winners.
01/08/2014 Goodwood was very Glorious today for David Griffiths with the young Bawtry handler recording his first group winner when Take Cover landed the King George Stakes G2 with Bryan Smart's Moviesta a neck and a short head back in third. The winner will now be aimed at the Nunthorpe. Mark Johnston's team had some decent placings with the first coming when Bow Creek was third in the Thoroughbred Stakes G3, which was a pretty clear cut result. However Heavy Metal was second in the £80,925 Betfred Mile Heritage Handicap on the nod and Muteela lost the Oak Tree Stakes G3 by only a neck ; the law of averages should surely have yielded at least one win from that pair ! In the Oak Tree Stakes G3 Theakston Stud's Indignant was behind Muteela in third, whilst Johnston's runner was third in the last. At Thirsk there was a double for Mick Easterby and winners for Kevin Ryan and David O'Meara whilst evening racing saw doubles for the in form Mick Easterby and David O'Meara as well as winners for Alan Swinbank and Marjorie Fife at Musselburgh, and Kevin Ryan scoring at Bath.
31/07/2014 A better day at Goodwood and again, from a Yorkshire perspective, it's pretty much all about Mark Johnston. In the opener Team Kingsley House recorded a 1-2 when Lyn Valley came home half a length in front of stablemate Rainbow Rock in the £31,125 Fairmont Handicap, James Bethell's Braidley was fourth and another Johnston runner fifth to give Middleham four of the first five home! The next was the Richmond Stakes G2 and this saw Johnston's Jungle Cat finish third, losing second place by a neck in the dying strides, with stablemate Surewecan back in fifth, which was the same position occupied by Richard Fahey's Angel Gabrial in the Goodwood Cup G2. Johnston also scored third and fourth in the penultimate race on the card. Kevin Ryan and Ruth Carr both had winners at Nottingham.
30/07/2014 Oh dear, hopefully this was our sole less than Glorious Goodwood day ...... best result came in the second with Mark Johnston's Somewhat, impressive last time out in the Eclipse, just pipped for second place in the dying strides of the Gordon Stakes G3 to go down by a neck and a head. (Very) minor placings for the two Johnston runners in the Vintage Stakes G2 and that was about it. Elsewhere there were wins at Redcar for Marjorie Fife, Tim Easterby, Brian Ellison, Richard Fahey, Paul Midgley and Tom Tate, whilst Nigel Tinkler had a winner at Leicester's evening meeting. No flat racing at Warwick from next year.
29/07/2014 Glorious Goodwood 2014, Day One and a fantastic start for Mark Johnston with a 1-3-4 in the opening £31,125 bet365 Handicap with Sennockian Star the winner and Salutation and Busatto taking the minor placings. The next was the Molecomb Stakes G3 in which Johnston's Mukhmal could only manage fourth, but Kevin Ryan's Fast Act was a very creditable second. Richard Fahey's Garswood was a slightly disappointing fourth in the Lennox Stakes G2 whilst David Nicholls' Inxile took the closing £11,320 Casino At bet365 Handicap. On home soil Tony Coyle, David Nicholls, Mark Johnston and Mick Easterby all had winners at Beverley, whilst over at Galway Brian Ellison's Baraweez was third in the £57,500 Topaz Mile Handicap.
27/07/2014 The Yorkshire runners were dominant in the big race of the day with Brian Ellison's Racy coming home in front in the £28,012 SIS Live Handicap at Ascot ahead of David Nicholls' Barnet Fair and Mark Johnston's Peterkin. At Pontefract the locals also won the main race on the card with the admirably tough and consistent Custom Cut, trained by David O'Meara, landing the Pomfret Stakes L. There were other winners at Ponty for Ann Duffield, Tim Easterby, Les Eyre, Mark Johnston and David Nicholls. In contrast Yorkshire scored just the one winner at Carlisle with Ollie Pears taking the last.
26/07/2014 Another good day at Ascot for Mark Johnston with Heavy Metal landing the £93,375 Longines International Heritage Handicap, a race in which Yorkshire filled seven of the first eight places with David O'Meara's Watchable in third and Richard Fahey's Heaven's Guest in fourth. Johnston had two slightly disappointing fourths in the opening two juvenile races but in one of these, the Princess Margaret Stakes G3, Karl Burke's Explosive Lady was a very decent third. At Newmarket David Barron's Fast Track took the £32,345 Adnams Broadside Handicap from Richard Fahey's Eastern Impact whilst Mark Johnston landed the last. York was arguably a little disappointing for the locals but there were plenty of decent placings, the best win came from David O'Meara's Alejandro who finished ahead of Geoff Oldroyd's Alfred Hutchinson to take the £16,172 Skybest Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap whilst Mick Easterby and Mark Johnston took the last two on the card. Up at Newcastle Tim Easterby's Laffan took the prinicpal race, the £11,644 Beeswing Handicap, whilst there were also winners for Kevin Ryan, Jason Ward and David Nicholls. Evening racing at Lingfield saw a winner for James Bethell, who has now had five winners from his last seven runners, and has already in 2014 gathered more winners than he did in the whole of last season.
25/07/2014 A nice result at Ascot for Mark Johnston with Maid In Rio landing the £19,407 Brown Jack Handicap off bottom weight. Locally there were winners at Thirsk for Tim Easterby (an excellent treble), David O'Meara (a double) and Richard Fahey (just the one!). Evening racing at York saw wins for Richard Fahey, David O'Meara and Bryan Smart.
22/07/2014 Mark Johnston's Assault On Rome made the long trip to Cologne to get the all important black type when Christine Budden's homebred filly was third in the Cagliostro Zweijahrigen Trophy L. Domestically there were winners at Musselburgh for Mark Johnston, John Quinn, Bryan Smart and Geoff Harker whilst Malcolm Jefferson and Philip Kirby both scored at Southwell's jumps meeting. Evening racing at Carlisle saw another winner for Mark Johnston as well as winners for Kevin Ryan and David Barron.
19/07/2014 Another busy Saturday, although not as bonkers as last weekend. The principal meet takes place at Newbury where Yorkshire horses occupy the minor placings in the £122,925 Weatherbys Super Sprint, with Kevin Ryan's Fast Act picking up £24,600 for third ahead of the Richard Fahey pair of Bond's Girl and Realtra, earlier on the card Mark Johnston's Kosika made it three in a row when landing the £12,450 Al Basti Equiworld EBF Breeding Winners Fillies' Handicap. At Newmarket Brian Ellison's Balty Boys picks up the £28,012 32redsport.com Handicap from David Nicholls' Johnno and Ellison's Llanarmon Lad, whilst Noble Protector, by Beechwood Grange stallion Haafhd, won the Aphrodite Stakes L. At Ripon James Bethell's Penhill wins the feature £15,562 Ripon Bell-Ringer Handicap with a Mark Johnston duo in second and third and there are also winners for Mark Johnston, Micky Hammond and an in-form Ann Duffield. At Market Rasen Brian Ellison's bottom weighted Mazuri Cowboy is third in the Betfred Summer Plate Handicap Chase L with Ellison taking the opener and Malcolm Jefferson's Enchanted Garden landing the £11,261 Betfred Handicap Hurdle. There are winners over hurdles at Cartmel for Philip Kirby and John Quinn. Richard Guest provided the sole Yorkshire evening card winner at Haydock.
18/07/2014 Several Yorkshire runners made the trip up to Hamilton this evening and we were rewarded with a Tyke 1-2-3 (actually we had the first six!) in the £20,542 John Smith's Stewards' Cup Handicap courtesy of, in finishing order, Kevin Ryan's Blaine, Richard Fahey's Tatlisu and David O'Meara's Out Do. The only race we didn't win was the Glasgow Stakes L in which Mark Johnston's Double Bluff as second whilst the other Yorkshire winners came from the stables of David O'Meara, Mark Johnston, Karl Burke, Ann Duffield and Richard Fahey. At Haydock there were winners for Tim Easterby, James Bethell and Mark Johnston with Mick Hammond winning the penultimate race at Nottingham. The other evening meetings were at Newmarket where David O'Meara had a good winner with Move In Time and at Pontefract where Ann Duffield, Paul Midgley, Richard Fahey and David Barron all flew the flag.
13/07/2014 Unfortunately Kevin Ryan's The Grey Gatsby could only manage sixth in the Grand Prix de Paris G1 (only prize money to fifth!), having never really got into the race. George Moore and Mike Sowerby had winners over sticks at Southwell.
12/07/2014 You couldn't make up the fixture list with a pin. Oh hang on, they did. Lots of quality racing today, arguably too much, but pride of place from a Yorkshire perspective goes to Richard Fahey's Heaven's Guest who nicely landed the £74,700 Bunbury Cup Heritage Handicap, with Ruth Carr's Fort Bastion back in fourth, which almost made up for the poor show by our runners in the ensuing July Cup. Almost. Earlier at Newmarket Karl Burke's You're Fired was second in the opening £24,900 Spa at Bedford Lodge Hotel Mile Handicap whilst Burke's runner Natural Order was the best placed of the three Yorkshire runners when fourth in the following Superlative Stakes G2. At York there was nothing but (very) minor placings in the John Smith's Cup, but we had a 1-2-3 in the following City Wall Stakes L with David Griffiths' Take Cover coming home ahead of David O'Meara's G Force and Paul Midgley's Monsieur Joe. Earlier David O'Meara's Bartack and David Nicholls' Mujazif were second and third respectively in the opening £16,172 John Smith's Racing Handicap and John Quinn's Great Hall was a decent third in the John Smith's Silver Cup Handicap L, whilst Kevin Ryan landed the valuable maiden later on. At Chester Kevin Ryan's Glory Awaits put up his best performance since finishing second in last season's 2,000 Guineas when winning the City Plate Stakes L whilst Ryan also landed the opener and David Nicholls' Kimberella landed the £12,938 Bet On Your Mobile At Corbettsports.com Handicap. No wins at Ascot although David Barron's Robot Boy was third in the feature £62,250 Totepool Heritage Handicap and there were some nice placings for the Mark Johnston runners, most notably Maid In Rio third in the £31,125 Neptune Investment Management Handicap. Evening racing at Hamilton yields wins for Kevin Ryan, Kristin Stubbs, Micky Hammond and Brian Ellison. The Grey Gatsby runs in the Grand Prix de Paris tomorrow.
11/07/2014 No joy at Newmarket today, but things went better at York with the Geoff Oldroyd trained Ladies Are Forever (homebred by Reg Bond at his Yapham Mill Stud) landing by a head the Summer Stakes G3 for the third time with Theakston Stud's Indignant back in third. There were also winners for Richard Fahey, Brian Ellison and Karl Burke whilst Paul Midgley had a one-two in the £12,291 Acturis Handicap with Line Of Reason coming home in front of stablemate Silvanus. Chester's evening meet yielded winners for Julia Camacho, Richard Fahey, Mark Johnston and Kristin Stubbs.
10/07/2014 A red letter day for Mark Johnston today when his Hartnell landed the Bahrain Trophy G3, the opening race of Newmarket's July meeting, and Torchlighter took the £43,575 boylesports.com Download Our App Handicap (in which Richard Fahey's Ventura Quest was a distant second), in addition the team's Jungle Cat was a nice second in the July Stakes G2. Hartnell will now be heading for the St Leger, possibly via York (or Goodwood, or both) and connections will be praying for some cut in the ground at Doncaster. Richard Fahey's Parbold also ran well to be third in the Sir Henry Cecil Stakes L. At Doncaster there were winners for Kevin Ryan, Ruth Carr and Declan Carroll. Ryan also struck at Nottingham where David Nicholls also got in on the action.
08/07/2014 The all important 'black type' for the David O'Meara trained filly Dutch Rose today when she finished second in the Pipalong Stakes L at Pontefract where there were also winners for John Quinn, Richard Whitaker, Kevin Ryan and Nigel Tinkler. Mark Johnston had winners at both Lingfield and Brighton.
05/07/2014 Crikey. Mark Johnston's Somewhat, allegedly only in the race as a pacemaker (perhaps), bounced back to something like his best form when holding on strongly to be third in the Coral Eclipse Stakes G1 at odds of 100-1, earning £48,420 for connections. Earlier at Sandown Johnston's Ifwecan was second in the £46,688 Coral Challenge Handicap with Richard Fahey's Gabrial's Kaka back in third, whilst later on the card David O'Meara's Repeater was a decent second in the Esher Stakes L. No joy in the Old Newton Cup at Haydock, although Mark Johnston's Heavy Metal landed the £16,172 bet365 Handicap. Beverley meanwhile saw winners for Alan Swinbank, Bryan Smart, Tony Coyle, John Quinn and Richard Fahey. Evening racing at Nottingham yielded winners for Karl Burke (a double), Mark Johnston and Richard Guest whilst at Carlisle the victors included Tim Easterby, Karen Tutty, Mark Johnston and Michael Herrinton. The Johnston team coming into form can only mean one thing ; it must be almost time for Glorious Goodwood !
04/07/2014 Mark Johnston's Mukhmal started favourite for the Dragon Stakes L at Sandown this afternoon, but finished second, four lengths adrift, after meandering somewhat in the closing stages. Elsewhere Ben Haslam had a winner at Warwick. Evening racing sees Tim Easterby take the opener at Haydock with old favourite Captain Dunne whilst there are winners at Beverley for Declan Carroll, Bryan Smart, Tim Easterby, Richard Guest and Richard Fahey.
28/06/2014 A very busy day, and with five winners for Mark Johnston yesterday and four for Richard Fahey hopes were high for some Yorkshire success today, and so it proved. The biggest win came at Northumberland with Richard Fahey's highly fancied Angel Gabrial landing the £86,226 John Smith's Northumberland Plate Handicap, with the David O'Meara trained Repeater a decent third. Earlier Fahey had won the first two on Tyneside (including Tatlisu in the £12,450 Betfred Half Time In-Play Boosts Handicap) whilst Mark Johnston took the fourth when Almargo landed the £12,450 Betfred World Cup Double Delight Handicap and the penultimate race went to Ruth Carr. Over at the Curragh we had the farce of five runners in the Irish Derby, but not before Paul Midgley's Line Of Reason came home in front in the £50,000 Paddy Power Scurry, stablemate Monsieur Joe having been third in the preceding Sapphire Stakes G3, a good day trip to Ireland for the Westow trainer! At Newmarket our best result came in the second when Kevin Ryan's Calypso Beat (homebred by a partnership including Providence Stud's Pam Cockerill) landed the Empress Stakes L. Later on the same card David O'Meara's Chancery was third in the Fred Archer Stakes L and Richard Fahey's Garswood was a decent second in the Criterion Stakes G3, with Top Notch Tonto only sixth, and Brian Ellison (a mere three winners yesterday!) landed the £12,938 bet365.com Handicap with Llanarmon Lad. Yorkshire only had the one winner down at Windsor but it was a good one with David O'Meara's Custom Cut taking the Midsummer Stakes L by a brave neck. Finally for the daytime racing there were yet more Fahey winners at Chester where he landed a double to make it five on the day. John Quinn landed the opener on Doncaster's evening card where Richard Fahey had yet another winner and Mark Johnston and John Weymes also scored. Nice to see that the Racing Post website has increased the scope of it's criteria for 'Big Races Wins'.
21/06/2014 If it wasn't for the blip on Thursday the dream of a Yorkshire winner on every day of this years Royal Ascot would have come true as today Richard Fahey's Baccarat dominated the £108,938 Wokingham Handicap to win tidily with Karl Burke's Rivellino in third and Fahey's Alben Star in fourth. Earlier Mark Johnston's Salutation was far from disgraced when finishing second to the progressive Arab Spring in the £46,688 Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap. At Ayr Inyordreams, bred by the late John Ellis at Bolton Grange Stud was second in the Land O'Burns Fillies' Stakes L and there were winners for David O'Meara (Two For Two in the £15,562 Slaters Handicap) and Tim Etherington. The locals went through the card at Redcar with wins for Richard Fahey, Mick Easterby, Mark Johnston, David Barron, Alan Swinbank, Philip Kirby and Karl Burke whilst Mark Johnston landed the opener at Newmarket. Evening racing sees winners at Haydock for Richard Fahey (a double, four on the day!) and Kevin Ryan.
20/06/2014 Back on the winning trail at Royal Ascot today with two winners in the last two races courtesy of Mark Johnston's Hartnell in the Queen's Vase L (sadly no longer a Group Three) and David O'Meara's Louis The Pious in the £62,250 Buckingham Palace Handicap, in which stablemate Watchable was third. Earlier Richard Fahey's Sandiva has a partial return to form when fifth in the Coronation Stakes G1, only beaten a head out of fourth place. Tony Coyle and Ruth Carr provided our only winners at Redcar.
19/06/2014 Just when I was wondering if we might go through each day of this years Royal Ascot with at least one Yorkshire trained winner it all fell apart today .... that'll teach me. Still the dream was almost alive with Mark Johnston's Bow Creek second in the £74,700 Britannia Heritage Handicap. Karen Tutty, Mark Johnston, David O'Meara and Paul Midgley all had winners at Ripon this afternoon and Brian Ellison had a double at Southwell. Mark Johnston and David O'Meara had a winner apiece on Leicester's evening card and Johnston also struck at Lingfield.
18/06/2014 Royal Ascot was looking fairly bleak today for Yorkshire until Mark Johnston turned things around in the last with the victory of Muteela in the Sandringham Handicap L. The 9-2 favourite retains her unbeaten record and is entered in the Falmouth Stakes G1. Meanwhile Johnston and Ben Haslam had a winner apiece at Hamilton where Johnston's former apprentice Keith Dalgleish had a four-timer. Over sticks Mark Walford had a winner at Uttoxeter. Ripon's evening meet yields wins for Paul Midgley, Neville Bycroft, Tim Easterby and Micky Hammond.
17/06/2014 Royal Ascot Day One and the Yorkshire raiders made a good start in the second race when John Quinn's The Wow Signal came home clear in the Coventry Stakes G2, with Mark Johnston's Jungle Cat third by a short head, only losing second in the dying stages. The next was the King's Stand Stakes G1 and Kevin Ryan's Hot Streak who started favourite was not disgraced in finishing third beaten only a neck out of second. Ironically Harry Bentley who was jocked off Yorkshire's other runner in the race, Pearl Secret (who finished tenth), was fourth on his alternate booking ! That was pretty much it from Berkshire today, although from our remaining meagre runners David Barron's Sarista was fourth in the closing Windsor Castle Stakes L. Local trainers won the first six races at Thirsk this afternoon courtesy of a double for Richard Fahey and winners for Tim Easterby, George Moore, Ruth Carr and Paul Midgley, with Mick Easterby taking the last only Saeed bin Suroor prevented a clean sweep ! Evening racing at Nottingham saw yet another double for Richard Fahey and also for Karl Burke.
15/06/2014 Star of the show today was Theakston Stud's Indignant who landed the EBF Cathedral Stakes L at Salisbury by a neck. This was the first bit of black type for the daughter of Gold Away and Moiava, and only her second start of the season. Karl Burke had a winner at Doncaster.
14/06/2014 A busy day, but really the calm before the Ascot storm, today seems to have been declared sprint handicappers day (unless you have an entry in the Wokingham presumably). The joint richest race of the day was at York and it fell to Tim Easterby when his See The Sun took the £62,250 Betbright Charity Sprint Handicap by a neck. Earlier John Quinn took the £12,478 Queen Mother's Cup with Pearl Castle (under Serena Brotherton) and Richard Fahey's Spirit Of The Law finished a neck in front of Mark Johnston's Busatto in the £17,466 JCB Handicap whilst David O'Meara gathered third in the Ganton Stakes L courtesy of Custom Cut. Mark Johnston and David O'Meara took the last two at the Knavesmire to make it a good day for the locals. At Chester the best result for Yorkshire came in the principal race, the £32,345 Crabbie's Original Handicap, in which John Quinn's Tahira was second, Mark Johnston landed the fifth and Ruth Carr's Dubai Dynamo won the closing £18,903 Crabbie's Scottish Raspberry Handicap. There were no winners at Sandown although Mark Johnston had the runner up in the opening two (including Tanseeb in the £31,125 Betfred 'Double Delight' Handicap) and David O'Meara's G Force was a decent third in the Scurry Stakes L. It was actually a fairly poor show at Musselburgh with our only winner coming when David Barron's Robot Boy landed the £12,938 Wm Hill Scottish Sprint Cup Consolation Handicap ; our closest horse in the other joint richest race of the day, the £62,250 Wm Hill Scottish Sprint Cup Heritage Handicap was Tim Easterby's money-spinning Body And Soul who finished fourth. Rebecca Menzies provided the sole Yorkshire winner up at Hexham. Evening racing at Leicester yields winners for Kevin Ryan, John Norton, Julie Camancho and Nigel Tinkler.
07/06/2014 Derby Day ! No Yorkshire runners :-( and no Yorkshire winners at Epsom today either although Richard Fahey's Ballymore Castle was a decent second in the Woodcote Stakes L and David Nicholls' Addictive Dream was only denied by a head and a neck when third in the Investec Specialist Bank 'Dash' Heritage Handicap. Up at Musselburgh however Richard Fahey's maiden Hesketh Bank won the £37,350 Totescoop6 Edinburgh Cup by a neck from Mark Johnston's Master Of Finance (has anyone asked the Scottish Nationalist's what will happen to racing if they get independence?!), indeed the first seven home were Yorkshire trained. Mark Johnston had won the previous race whilst there were winners later on the card for Tim Easterby and David O'Meara. Doncaster meanwhile saw Mark Johnston, Richard Guest and Paul Midgley land the first three, but it was blank thereafter. Brian Ellison and Malcolm Jefferson both had winners at Hexham.
06/06/2014 Day One of the Epsom Derby Festival (although personally it felt like more of a festival in the old days when it ran to four days, but still .....) and the Yorkshire raiders get off to a reasonable start when Karl Burke's Odeliz is second in the opening Princess Elizabeth Stakes G3. There is then a bit of a lull before Brian Ellison's Llanamon Lad finishes second in the fourth, the £21,788 Investec Mile Handicap. Unfortunately Tony Coyle's Lily Rules, a fast finisher in the closing stages, doesn't trouble the judges in the Epsom Oaks G1, but in the next there is a Yorkshire 1-2 with David O'Meara's That Is The Spirit just holding off Richard Fahey's Parbold by a nose in the Surrey Stakes L. Mark Johnston rounds out the card when his Almargo takes the closing £15,563 Investec Handicap. At equally glamorous Catterick meanwhile there are wins for David Barron, Marjorie Fife, Brian Ellison and James Bethell whilst Micky Hammond, Tony Coyle and Malcolm Jefferson win the last three races at Market Rasen. Mark Johnston's had a winner at Goodwood's evening meeting.
02/06/2014 Richard Fahey failed to win the Coolmore Stud EBF Fillies' Sprint Stakes L at Naas for the second year in a row this afternoon, but nevertheless his Realtra ran well to be a creditable second. Geoff Oldroyd and David O'Meara had winners at Leicester whilst evening racing at Carlisle secured victories for Philip Kirby, Paul Midgley and Karl Burke.
01/06/2014 History is made today when Kevin Ryan's The Grey Gatsby scores Yorkshire's first victory in the Prix du Jockey Club G1 at Chantilly, his trainers first classic winner, and Yorkshire's first Group One win of the season. Leading in the final furlong the son of Mastercraftsman quicked nicely to stay on for a three length victory, a performance like this would perhaps indicate that he might cope with longer distances, but this will certainly do for now ! His victory catapults The Grey Gatsby into the Yorkshire All Time Top Ten Winning Most list, throwing David Nicholl's Regal Parade out.
Horse Trainer Amount Best Performances
Collier Hill Alan Swinbank £2,317,161 Irish St Leger G1, Hong Kong Vase G1, Candian International G1, Gerling-Preis G2, Stockholm Cup International G3 (twice), Elnadim H, Old Newton Cup H., 2nd.Dubai Sheema Classic G1, Deutschlandpreis Preis G1, 3rd.Dubai Sheema Classic G1, Rheinland-Pokal der Sparkasse KolnBonn G1 etc.
Shakespearean Mark Johnston £1,001,241 Goffs Million Mile, Solario Stakes G3, 3rd.Superlative Stakes G3
Attraction Mark Johnston £899,597 1,000 Guineas G1, Irish 1,000 Guineas G1, Coronation S G1, Sun Chariot S G1, Matron S G1, Cherry Hinton S G2, Queen Mary S G3, 2nd.Matron Stakes G1, Falmouth S G1 etc.
Jukebox Jury Mark Johnston £857,187 Preis von Europa G1, Irish St Leger G1, Jockey Club Stakes G2, Grand Prix de Deauville G2, Royal Lodge Stakes G2, Prix Kergorlay G2, Rose of Lancaster Stakes G3, 2nd.Canadian International Stakes G1, Racing Post Trophy G1, 3rd.Prix la Rochette G3
The Grey Gatsby Kevin Ryan £852,807 Prix du Jockey Club G1, Dante Stakes G2, 2nd.Champagne Stakes G2, Craven Stakes G3, Acomb Stakes G3
Borderlescott Robin Bastiman £786,243 Nunthorpe Stakes G1(x2), King George Stakes G2, City Wall Stakes L, Mercury Stakes L, Beverley Bullet Sprint Stakes L, Steward's Cup Handicap, 2nd.Temple Stakes G2(x2), Palace House Stakes G3, Bentinck Stakes G3, Ayr Gold Cup, 3rd.Prix de l'Abbaye G1, King's Stand Stakes G1, Temple Stakes G2, Palace House Stakes G3 etc.
Teleprompter Bill Watts £760,881 Arlington Million G1, Queen Elizabeth II S G2, Prix Quincey G3, Desmond S G3, Pacemaker International S. G3 (x2), 2nd.Queen Elizabeth II S. G2 (x2), Lockinge S G2, THF Mile G2, 3rd.Eclipse S. G1, Queen Anne Stakes G2 etc.
Somnus Tim Easterby £743,966 Stanley Leisure Sprint Cup G1, Prix Maurice de Gheest G1, Prix de la Foret G1, betabet Two Year Old Trophy, £200,000 St Leger Yearling Sales Stakes, 2nd.Sprint Cup G1, Park Stakes G2, Chipchase Stakes G3, 3rd.Duke Of York Stakes G2
Auroras Encore Sue Smith £725,737 John Smith's Grand National Gd3, totepool Handicap Chase L, John Smith's Handicap Hurdle L, Betfair For Better Odds Levy Board Handicap Chase, Dawn Group Novices' Handicap Chase, 2nd.Scottish Grand National Gd3
Yavana's Pace Mark Johnston £722,656 (plus more when trained in Ireland) Credit Suisse Private Banking Pokal G1, Prix du Conseil de Paris G2, Prix Gladiateur G3, 2nd.WGZ Bank-Deutschlandpreis G1, Preis von Europa G1, Irish St Leger G1, Princess of Wales's Stakes G2, Hardwicke Stakes G2, 3rd.Canadian International G1, Deutsche Post Euro Express-Pries von Europa G1, WGZ Bank-Deutschland Preis G1, Princess of Wales's Stakes G2, Gerling-Preis G2 etc.
31/05/2014 A week to go till the Derby, and a very busy Saturday with top class races splashed across the country. At Haydock what turned out to be a very good day for David O'Meara started well when he won the opening race and this was franked in the third when his Penitent landed the John Of Gaunt Stakes G3 by a short head. Next was the Achilles Stakes L in which Bryan Smart's filly Da'Quonde picked up the all-important black type by finishing third, the same position occupied by Richard Fahey's Parbold in the next, the Sandy Lane Stakes L. At York meanwhile David O'Meara had also taken the opener, this time with Dutch Rose in the £16,172 One Marketing Communications Handicap whilst in the next Peter Niven scored the biggest winner on the flat of his training career to date when Clever Cookie retained his unbeaten record on the flat when dead-heating for the Stowe Family Law LLP Grand Cup L, he started in a Musselburgh bumper in 2012 ! In the big handicap, the £31,125 Betright Trophy Tim Easterby's Body And Soul was a very creditable second whilst Mark Johnston and Ruth Carr won the last two on the Knavesmire. At Chester David O'Meara didn't win the opener .... but did win the second race when Bondsire (bred at Hedgeholme Stud) took the £13,585 Appletiser Fillies' Handicap from Tim Easterby's Royal Rascal and Richard Whitaker's Love Island. Chester's big handicap of the day was next, the £29,110 Matthew Clark Handicap, and this fell to Brian Ellison's Pacific Heights, with O'Meara's Marcret in third. John Quinn's Swnymor won the £13,585 Kozel Handicap and Richard Fahey won the last. Earlier Fahey's Rene Mathis (by Norton Grove stallion Monsieur Bond) had won the £19,407 Betfair Supporting The Animal Health Trust Handicap at Newmarket, with stablemate Duke Of Clarence only failing by a neck to land the next, the £32,345 John Sunley Memorial Levy Board Handicap, Mark Johnston's Muteela made it three from three later on the card.
29/05/2014 Not a bad evening at Sandown for the Yorkshire runners with Brian Ellison's Top Notch Tonto placing for the first time this season when third, which was admittedly also last, in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes G3 and David Barron's Indy second on his seasonal debut, albeit beaten seven lengths, in the Heron Stakes L, Karl Burke won the closing Whitsun Cup with Ishikawa. At Wetherby's evening meet meanwhile Geoff Harker took the opener, but otherwise the locals drew a blank.
24/05/2014 A big day at Haydock, and it went very well indeed in the Temple Stakes G2 with Kevin Ryan's Hot Streak powering away to an impressive victory, ahead of David Barron's Pearl Secret, an almost equally impressive second. Both horses are owned by Qatar Racing, but hopefully that doesn't mean they won't meet again, their respective entries are certainly virtually identical! Richard Fahey took the last at Haydock whilst Richard Guest and David Nicholls provided the only local winners at Catterick. Beverley went rather better for the locals who went through the card with doubles for both Nevile Bycroft and Richard Fahey as well as winners for David Barron, Mark Johnston and Ruth Carr. On a sadder note the death has been announced this week of the great Yorkhire racing stalwart Brook Holliday, aged 85. The former Chairman of York Racecourse Holliday was also the one-time owner of the great Vaguely Noble as well as breeder of other notable horses such as Embla, Relkino, Highest Hopes, Tuddenham and Hard Fought.
17/05/2014 A fairly quiet day, Top Notch Tonto only managed sixth in the Lockinge Stakes G1. At Newmarket Richard Fahey's Eastern Impact took the £28,012 coral.co.uk Sprint Trophy and Mark Johnston's Blue Wave was second in the £18,675 Triconnex Handicap. Local winners at Thirsk for John Quinn, Richard Whitaker and Brian Ellison. David Barron provided the sole Yorkshire winner at Donnie.
16/05/2014 The final day of the Dante meeting sees winners in two of the supporting races for David O'Meara and Richard Fahey, whilst the later's Zuhoor Baynoonia is third in the opening EBF Marygate Stakes L, and in the big handicap, the £31,125 Jorvik Handicap, Fahey's Duke Of Clarence is second ahead of Mick Easterby's Itlaaq in third. Richard Fahey also has a nice winner at Newbury with Clouds Rest, maybe Royal Ascot bound. Evening racing sees winners at Aintree for Philip Kirby and John Quinn whilst at Hamilton there are winners for Alan Swinbank and Bryan Smart whilst David Barron's Sirvino is third in the Braveheart Handicap L.
15/05/2014 For the second year in a row a local wins the Dante Stakes G2, with honours this time around going to Kevin Ryan's The Grey Gatsby, for whom the French Derby seems the most likely next objective. The opening race at York was the £16,173 Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Handicap which fell to Paul Midgley's Monsieur Joe, whilst the second race saw a very creditable run from Karl Burke's Odeliz, third in the Middleton Stakes G2. The race after the Dante was the Hambleton Stakes L in which Ruth Carr's (admittedly lowly weighted) Fort Bastion was second, only beaten a short-head, with Tom Tate's old campaigner Prince Of Johanne back in third. Richard Fahey won the opener at Newmarket's evening meet.
14/05/2014 Day One of the Dante Meeting at York, and it goes pretty well for the locals. In the opening £16,173 StanJames.com Handicap David Barron's Tres Coronas comes in second ahead of David O'Meara's Awake My Soul in third. Next up is the £16,173 Infinity Tyres Handicap which is claimed by Mick Easterby's Aetna from Richard Fahey's Baccarat and Kevin Ryan's Blaine. The three Yorkshire runners in the Musidora Stakes G3 all started at 7-1 but only Tony Coyle's Lily Rules made any real impression, finishing an excellent second, which was the same position Kevin Ryan's Astaire grabbed in the other feature of the day, the Duke Of York Stakes G2. The last three races went to David O'Meara, David Barron and Brian Ellison. You can tell the flat season is in full swing because yesterday there were four jumps meeting and one flat, and today there were three jumps and two flat .......
10/05/2014 Another classic trial placing for Mark Johnston today with Hartnell second in the Lingfield Derby Trial L, it seems he will probably have a strong Royal Ascot team this season, but not perhaps such a good Epsom one ..... At Haydock David O'Meara's Custom Cut was second in the Spring Trophy L whilst David Barron won the second race. Nottingham saw Tim Easterby's Body And Soul finish third in the Kilvington Filles' Stakes L, as well as a double for uncle Mick Easterby. Sue Smith provided our only winner at Hexham. At Thirsk's evening meeting there was a fantastic four times for Alan Swinbank as well as a winner for Mel Brittain, whilst Richard Fahey scored at Warwick.
09/05/2014 The final day of the Chester Spring Meeting sees Richard Fahey win the last whilst we do marginally better in the trials with the Mark Johnston pair of Bow Creek and Somewhat second and third respectively in the Dee Stakes L. Alan Swinbank has a winner at Lingfield and Mark Johnston wins the last on Nottingham's evening card. Ripon's evening card sees the very locals win the first three races courtesy of Middleham trainers Noel Wilson, George Moore and Karl Burke whilst Kevin Ryan and another Middleham resident Micky Hammond win the last two.
08/05/2014 Day two at Chester sees three Yorkshire winners with David Barron's Tres Coronas winning the opening £15,572 IG Handicap, Richard Fahey the maiden and Tim Easterby's The Hooded Claw the £10,350 Betfair Cash Out Handicap. There is no joy in the main races on the card however. Richard Fahey and Ruth Carr have winners at Southwell.
07/05/2014 And so the circus moves to Chester and it's a good start for the Yorkshire raiders with Mark Johnston's Mukhmal, surely Ascot bound, landing the opener and Richard Fahey's Angel Gabrial finishing second in the Chester Cup. Mark Johnston also had a winner down at Brighton.
04/05/2014 1,000 Guineas Day and Richard Fahey's Sandiva ran well enough but could only manage a midfield finish. In the prior race, the £28,012 Havana Gold At Tweenhills Handicap, Karl Burke's Yeeoow was a good second, but that was pretty much it in terms of good news for Yorkshire from HQ. Slightly better up at Hamilton with David Barron's old favourite Sirvino taking the £16,172 Totepool Buttonhook Handicap and also wins for Richard's Fahey and Guest.
03/05/2014 2,000 Guineas Day at Newmarket, but no joy for Kevin Ryan's The Grey Gatsby. Earlier however stablemate Hot Streak made his seasonal reappearance and was a strong third in the Palace House Stakes G3, only beaten a head out of second. At Goodwood Mark Johnston's filly Special Meaning, so progressive last term, got her black type win when landing the EBF Daisy Warwick Stakes L. At Thirsk there was a local 1-2-3 in the historic £16,172 Thirsk Hunt Cup with Ruth Carr's Fort Bastion coming home in front of David O'Meara's Ingleby Angel and Karl Burke's Bold Prediction. There were also winners at Thirsk for Kevin Ryan, Alan Swinbank, Richard Fahey and Declan Carroll whilst evening racing at Doncaster saw winners for Mick Easterby, Karl Burke, Tim Easterby and Richard Fahey.
30/04/2014 Ascot's first major meeting of the flat season sees two reasonable third places for Yorkshire horses with Richard Fahey's Rufford in the Pavilion Stakes L and Mark Johnston's Oriental Fox in the Sagaro Stakes G3, Karl Burke won the closing race. On home soil at Ponty there were winners for Kevin Ryan, Micky Hammond, Tim Easterby, Richard Fahey, Jedd O'Keeffe and Brian Ellison whilst David Nicholls, Karl Burke and David Barron has winners at Southwell. It was also Hunter Chase day at Cheltenham and Neil Mechie's Ockey de Neullliac won the closing Ladies' Open, Neil is better known as resident vet to Mark Johnston.
26/004/2014 Not much Yorkshire interest in the jumps card at Sandown, but that certainly wasn't the case elsewhere. Haydock's main race was the £32,246 £25 Free Bet at Corbettsports.com Handicap in which David O'Meara's Louis The Pious was second and David Barron's Newstead Abbey was third. Two races later was the £29,110 Best Odds Guaranteed At corbettsports.om Handicap which was a case of top-weight versus bottom-weight with Karl Burke's lowly weighted Yourartisonfire prevailing over Richard Fahey's Gabrial's Kaka in second. There were also Red Rose winners for Geoff Oldroyd, James Bethell (the eyecatching Belle Of Lawers on her debut, Bethell trained both her dam and grandam), Richard Fahey (Alquimia hombred by owner Sir Robert Ogden at his Sicklinghall Stud) and Brian Ellison. There were a lot of local winners on a valuable card at Ripon with Richard Fahey's Angel Gabrial triumphing in the feature £24,9000 At The Races Sky 415 Handicap. Tim Easterby's Fast Shot took the £15,562 Visit Attheraces.com/Punchestown Handicap by a hard fought neck, Kevin Ryan's Trail Blaze won the £10,542 Riponbet Our Profits Stay In Racing Handicap and there were also winners for David Barron and Mark Walford. Ruth Carr won the last at Leicester. Karl Burke lands the last at Doncaster's evening meet to avert a whitewash for the locals and also scores a treble at Wolverhampton to make it a fantastic five for the day, Richard Guest and Tim Easterby (Mappin Time in the main race) also have winners at Wolves.
25/04/2014 The flat day before the jumps day at Sandown (.... think I preferred it the old way ...) and whilst David O'Meara's Penitent is a solid third in the bet365 Mile G2 there is some disappointment as Brian Ellison's Top Notch Tonto (4th) and Richard Fahey's Garswood (5th), both Group One placed in their final races of last season, only obtain minor placings. David O'Meara's Eccleston lands the £12,450 bet365.com Handicap on the same card whilst up at Donnie there are wins for Kristin Stubbs and Jedd O'Keeffe and Brian Ellison has a winner at Perth.
23/04/2014 Disappointment at Epsom today for Mark Johnston when 6/4 favourite Hartnell, Group One placed last time out, is only fifth in the Derby Trial, although lesser fancied stablemate Stars Over The Sea is third. There was major compensation in the following race however as Johnston's Sennockian Star landed the £31,125 City & Suburban Handicap with Kevin Ryan's Clayton (homebred at Copgrove by the late Guy Reed) back in second, Yorkshire horses also filled fourth and fifth. Earlier Alan Swinbank's Dark Ruler was a decent third in the £14,006 Great Metropolitan Handicap. Meanwhile at Catterick there was yet another winner for the returned Les Eyre as well as for David O'Meara (a double), Philip Kirby, Mark Johnston, David Nicholls and Mick Easterby. Brian Ellison had a winner at Southwell's early evening jumps meeting.
20/04/2014 The Yorkshire trainers almost went through the card at Musselburgh today, just failing to win the last. Philip Kirby's Pass Muster landed the main race of the day, the £12,938 Musselburgh Gold Cup and there was a double for Alan Swinbank as well as winners for Brian Ellison and Mark Johnston (Alex My Boy in the maiden; probably the best bred horse in Yorkshire!), but arguably the highlight was Kevin Ryan's Desert Colours racking up his fifth consecutive win of the year, and it's not even May yet !
19/04/2014 A relatively quiet Saturday compared to yesterday but a good winner across at Haydock for Sue Smith when No Planning lands the £31,280 Levy Board Handicap Chase. Henry Hogarth has a winner at Carlisle and Karl Burke's Georgian Bay lands the £12,450 Befred 'Goals Galore Extra' Handicap at Kempton. The late afternoon/early evening meetings see Geoff Oldroyd's always game Ladies Are For Ever (homebred by Reg Bond at his Yapham Mill Stud) take the Whitsbury Manor Stud Lansdown Fillies' Stakes L at Bath, taking her career earnings over the £300,000 mark in the process, whilst there is a double at Nottingham for Richard Fahey.
18/04/2014 The first ever Good Friday All-Weather Championship thingy at Lingfield and Yorkshire has a champion when Richard Fahey's Alben Star lands the £93,375 bookmakers.co.uk All-Weather Sprint Championships Conditions Stakes by a head, with Karl Burke's Rivellino picking up a useful £13,980 in third. The next was the Ladbrokes All-Weather Mile Championships Conditions Stakes and Geoff Oldroyd's Alfred Hutchinson ( homebred by Reg Bond at his Yapham Mill Stud) also picked up £13,980 for finishing third in that. Luckily none of ours showed in the last, 'cos I really don't want to have to type out any race name with ten words in it. Up at Musselburgh David O'Meara spoiled the party when his Smoothtalkinrascal took the £16,173 Borderlescott Sprint Trophy by a nose from none other than Robin Bastiman's Borderlescott, with David Nicholls' Inxile back in third. Earlier Mark Johnston had landed the Scottish Brocklesby whilst David Barron's Sirvino was second in the stayers handicap. No joy in the Royal Mile Handicap, but Paul Midgley did have a winner later on the card.
17/04/2014 Another good day at Newmarket and this time the honours fall to Kevin Ryan who's Hamza put up a pugnacious display to land the Abernant Stakes G3 by half a length. The next was the Craven Stakes G3 and this saw stablemate The Grey Gatsby finish a decent second, he's now 25-1 for the 2,000 Guineas G1. Only a modest performance by the locals at Ripon with wins for David Nicholls and Richard Fahey. It's the inagural Good Friday All-Weather Championship (or whateverthehecktheyrecallingit) at Lingfield tomorrow, and we're well represented ...... alternatively visit the Middleham Open Day.
16/04/2014 At the start of Newmarket's Craven meeting today there were some disappointing runs from the likes of Somewhat and Parbold but the shining exception was Richard Fahey's Sandiva who has shot up the betting market for the 1,000 Guineas after handily landing the Nell Gwyn Stakes G3 having leapt clear of the pack before being eased down at the close. Meanwhile at Sedgefield there was a brilliant Malcolm Jefferson/Brian Hughes treble and also winners for Brian Ellison and Sue Smith, with the later doubling up at Southwell's evening jumps card. The home soil action saw winners at Beverley for Richard Fahey (a double), Mark Johnston (a deadheat, Frannie is back!), Noel Wilson (Lazy Days In Loule, bred at the Hedgeholme Stud), David O'Meara and Les Eyre, his first winner since his return to the White Rose County.
13/04/2014 David O'Meara's new recruit Custom Cut continued his good start to the season when just holding on for second in the Gladness Stakes G3 at the Curragh this afternoon. Somewhat closer to home there were local winners at Wetherby for John Wainwright, Philip Kirby and Micky Hammond.
12/04/2014 No joy in the classic trials at Newbury, with our best placed finisher being Kevin Ryan's Astaire, placed fifth in the Greenham Stakes G3, presumably a return to shorter distances beckons. There was valuable compensation in the £31,125 Spring Chp Handicap however which was won by Richard Fahey's Gabrial's Kaka. Up at Ayr John Quinn's resurgent Cockney Sparrow put up a sterling effort to land the Scottish Champion Hurdle Gd2 whilst Tim Easterby's Trustan Times was a gallant third in the Scottish Grand National Gd3, beaten only a neck out of second and Malcom Jefferson's King Of The Wolds was second, albeit beaten some distance, in the £19,494 Weatherbys Private Banking Novices' Handicap Chase. On home soil there were winners at Thirsk for Bryan Smart, Richard Fahey, Mark Walford and Mel Brittain. Mark Johnston had a winner on Wolverhampton's evening card.
05/04/2014 Mark Johnston's Bow Creek justified his trainers faith when staying on to land the 32red International Trial Stakes L at Lingfield this afternoon, although there were only three runners as two of the would be contestants burst out of the front of the stalls before the off. The Tykes were dominant at Newcastle going through the card courtesy of Mark Walford, Jedd O'Keeffe, Mick Easterby, David Barron, John Quinn, Kevin Ryan, Ron Barr and Karl Burke. Evening racing saw a double for Mark Johnston at Wolverhampton. There was also some racing at Aintree.
04/04/2014 A bit of Aintree Festival success (.... finally, in the last race of the second day ...!) when Philip Kirby's Lady Buttons is second, beaten only a head, in the Concerto Group Mares' Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race L , aka the Mares Bumper. On the level Brian Ellison won the last at Leicester whilst Micky Hammond and Alan Swinbank both scored at Sedgefield. Mark Johnston and Ruth Carr score on Wolves' evening card.
29/03/2014 The start of the turf season at Doncaster, and in the second race of the day David O'Meara's new recruit Custom Cut is a decent third in the Doncaster Mile L. The next is the Cammidge Trophy L in which Kevin Ryan's Captain Ramius is a sound second. First blood however goes to Richard Fahey's Brae Hill who held on gamely to take the £28,012 Spring Mile Handicap, with David O'Meara's Stand My Ground in second and Karl Burke's Yourartisonfire in third. No joy in the £62,250 Lincoln Handicap, although David O'Meara's Robert The Painter ran well to finish third. Kirstin Stubbs and Brian Ellison trained the winners of both divisions of the apprentice handicap. At Kempton meanwhile Mark Johnston won the main race when Salutation ran away with the £28,012 Rosebery Handicap, whilst old favourite Mick Easterby's Hoof It was third off top weight in the sprint handicap. A number of Yorkshire runners in the UAE, but only Kevin Ryan's Hamza picked up any prize money at Meydan, finishing sixth in the Al Quoz Sprint G1.
27/03/2014 After an eleven year self-imposed exile training in Spain Les Eyre is now back training in Yorskhire (Catwick) and had his first runner today at Wolverhampton. The star at Wolverhampton however was David Barron's Spes Nosta who made it four wins from his last five runs and there were also winners for Richard Guest, Julie Camacho and Kevin Ryan. Richard Guest and Karl Burke scored at Southwell whilst Mark Johnston won the last on Kempton's evening card.
26/03/2014 A nice win for David O'Meara at Southwell today when Frontier Heights wins the £13,585 Ladbrokes Handicap. Mark Johnston provided the other Yorkshire winner on the card. Kempton's evening card saw a winner apiece for Johnston and Kevin Ryan (Desert Colours making it three in a row).
23/03/2014 Flat Turf Racing in the British Isles! Hurrah. At the Curragh this afternoon Karl Burke's Odeliz put up a sterling effort to be second in the Park Express Stakes G3, beaten only a head. Richard Fahey's Lord Aeryn was fifth in the Irish Lincolnshire. Tony Coyle landed the bumper at Market Rasen.
22/03/2014 Tim Easterby's National Hunt renaissance continues when Run Runctions Run lands the EBF/TBA Novices' Hurdle Finale Handicap L at Nerwbury today. No winners at Kelso but Mark Walford's Fentara and Sue Smith's Lackamon both claim decent places in the primary races on the card. No joy on the big all-weather card at Lingfield with 'our' best placed runner being David Nicholls' Addictive Dream, fourth in the Hever Sprint Stakes L.
15/03/2014 A poor day, to add to a poor finale at Cheltenham yesterday. Jedd O'Keeffe and Henry Hogarth have winners at Newcastle whilst Tony Coyle does likewise at Uttoxeter and Mark Johnston scores on Wolverhampton's evening card.
13/03/2014 No joy at Cheltenham today although Tim Easterby's Trustan Times was only beaten a nose and two necks when fourth in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle L. Henry Hogarth and Rebecca Menzies both had winners at Hexham and John Quinn at Towcester. Evening racing at Wolverhampton yields wins for Richard Fahey, David Nicholls and David Barron.
12/03/2014 Cheltenham Day Two and Yorkshire gets one on the board when Tim Easterby's Hawk High prevails in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Gd3. Mark Johnston and Tony Coyle both strike at Southwell whilst Johnston also scored on Kempton's evening card.
11/03/2014 Cheltenham Day One and our only showing comes in the last when Malcolm Jefferson's Attaglance is second in the Rewards4Racing Novices' Handicap Chase L. Brian Ellison and Alan Swinbank won the opening two at Sedgefield and Karl Burke and Julie Camacho had winners on the all-weather at Southwell. Wolverhampton's evening card meanwhile saw wins for Mark Johnston, Kristin Stubbs and Kevin Ryan.
08/03/2014 The quiet before the Cheltenham storm and although there is the traditional pre-Cheltenham card at Sandown the Yorkshire action is centred on the flat at Wolverhampton where David Barron's admirable Bertiewhittle is third in the opening Lady Wulfruna Stakes L. The next is the £31,125 Lincoln Trial Handicap in which Mark Johnston's bottom weight Party Royal is third. David Nicholls provided our sole winner in the claimer whilst David Barron's Hitchens was third in the sprint handicap. Sue Smith had a hurdling winner at Ayr.
01/03/2014 A fairly good day at Kelso for Sue Smith, although it could have been better with Mr.Moonshine second in the Totepool.com Premier Chase L and Hit The Top third in the Scoop6 Premier Kelso Hurdle Gd3. At Lingfield David Nicholls' Addictive Dream landed the £12,938 bookmakers.co.uk Handicap.
27/02/2014 Brian Ellison's Racy was a decent second in the Swaidan Trading, Heavy Equipment Division Trophy Handicap at Meydan today, picking up a nice £18,072 for his efforts. Somewhat cooler Southwell saw winners for Alan Swinbank, Karl Burke and Kevin Ryan whilst Mick Easterby landed a double at Kempton.
22/02/2014 A good start to proceedings at Lingfield was a Yorkshire 1-2-3 in the opening Cleves Stakes L with David Barron's Tarooq leading home Karl Burke's Rivellino and Mick Easterby's Hoof It, the later having suffered a poor break from the stalls. Further highlights at Lingfield were Barron's Bertiewhittle finishing third in the £29,110 Ladbrokes Handicap and James Bethell winning the penultimate race. Up at Newcastle there was no joy in the feature Eider Chase, but there were winners for Sue Smith, Brian Ellison, Micky Hammond and Tim Easterby.
17/02/2014 It was announced today that former Yorkshire trainer David Barker died yesterday at the age of 44. Barker was diagnosed with cancer in 2009, forcing his retirement from his training career which had seen him saddle the likes of Celtic Mill and Sierra Vista. Since this enforced retirement he has had a number of horses with Yorkshire trainers including Richard Fahey, David Nicholls, Kevin Ryan, Paul Midgley and John Quinn.
15/02/2014 Two good placings today with pride of place going to Sue Smith's Cloudy Too who was second in the Betfair Ascot Chase Gd1, albeit some 19 lerngths behind the winner, and at Haydock Malcolm Jefferson's Oscar Rock was third in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle Gd2 , although again the deficit was substantial at 12 and 25 lengths.
08/02/2014 Another good run from Sue Smith's Mr Moonshire at Warwick today where he made all to land the £18,768 Call Star Sports On 08000 521 321 Handicap Chase. On the all-weather at Lingfield Karl Burke's Rivellino gets the better of Richard Fahey's Alben Star by a neck to land the feature £12,291 Compare Bookmakers at Bookmakers.co.uk Handicap. Richard Fahey took the last on Wolverhampton's all-weather card.
06/02/2014 A big day at Meydan in Dubai and Yorkshire made a small contribution with David O'Meara's Mont Ras taking the last race, the £43,373 Cepsa Mile Handicap. Locally Philip Kirby and Toy Coyle struck at Doncaster whilst O'Meara also had a winner at Wolverhampton as did Mark Johnston and David Griffiths. At the Tattersalls February Sales this afternoon David Nicholls splashed out 140,000gns on the five year old Sovereign Debt, a four time winner who was second in the Lockinge Stakes G1 last season.
01/02/2014 A fairly quiet day from the Yorkshire perspective with the highlight being Sue Smith's No Planning landing the £11,574 Bet Totequadpot Handicap Chase at Wetherby, where John Quinn took the opener. On the level Ollie Pears and David O'Meara had winners at Wolverhampton, and Mark Johnston did likewise at Lingfield.
29/01/2014 It was announced yesterday that last years Grand National winner, the Sue Smith trained Auroras Encore, has gone into enforced retirement following an injury incurred last weekend at Doncaster. Better news meanwhile is that Richard Fahey's Gabrial is potentially going to be aimed at either the Godolphin Mile or the Dubai Duty Free on Dubai World Cup night, depending on his next two runs. Kevin Ryan and James Bethell both had winners early on the card at Kempton's evening meeting, the only meeting today to escape the weather.
25/01/2014 A Yorkshire 1-2 in the River Don Novices' Hurdle Gd2 was the highlight of the day with Malcolm Jefferson's Urban Hymn just holding off Sue Smith's Blakemount by a short head. The only other result of any note was Brian Ellison's Totalize, second in the final race at Cheltenham.
24/01/2014 Today's main race, somewhat bizarrely, is the £28,012 Download The Ladbrokes App Handicap at Lingfield and the prize heads back to Yorkshire when the winner is the Geoff Oldroyd trained Alfred Hutchinson, homebred by Reg Bond at his Yapham Mill Stud. Richard Fahey also had a winner on the same card. At Doncaster there were winners for neighbours John Quinn and Malcolm Jefferson, whilst Mark Johnston struck at Wolverhampton.
23/01/2014 Richard Fahey's Gabrial goes one better at Meydan today to land the £43,373 Property Weekly Handicap on the turf course, former Mark Johnston inmate Windhoek was also amongst the winners. Closer to home Brian Ellison's Presented lands the Fakenham feature event and Richard Whitaker takes the opener at Kempton. At Southwell there are winners for David O'Meara, Kristin Stubbs and Mark Johnston and Tim Easterby lands the opener at Warwick.
18/01/2014 Two promising seconds at Haydock for Sue Smith with Coverholder occupying that position in the Altcar Novices' Chase Gd2, albeit someway behind the winner, and Vintage Star a somewhat closer runner-up in the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase Gd2.
11/01/2014 Very exciting news ; the Yorkshire Post today annouced that the prize money for York's Juddmonte International has been increased to £800m, making it by far the most valuable sporting event in the world. This is absolutely incredible news, unless it was a mishtake of course ...... At Wetherby there are winners for Brian Ellison, Philip Kirby and Alan Swinbank whilst Mark Johnston lands a double at Lingfield (although his Galician ran a rare poor race in the feature event).
09/01/2014 Good results close to home and somewhat further afield today. At Catterick (not yet all-weather ....) it is the £12,685 North Yorkshire Grand National which is won by Malcolm Jefferson's Sun Cloud and there are also winners for Brian Ellison (a treble), Tim Easterby, Micky Hammond and Sue Smith ; an appropriate clean sweep for the locals on Catterick's biggest day. International racing kicks off at Meydan and Richard Fahey's Gabrial is a decent second in the Singspiel Stakes L, with stablemate Tales Of Grimm back in fourth. David Barron's Bertiewhittle is third in the £39,759 Longines Dolce Vita Handicap and former Yorkshire residents Hototo (second) and Fulbright (a win) put up good performances.
01/01/2014 And so into the new year and it's a good start to 2014 for Sue Smith with a double at Musselburgh including Mr Moonshine in the £16,245 Scottish Premier Handicap Chase. John Quinn also has a winner and David O'Meara's Ifandbutwhynot is second in the £25,992 Hogmaneigh Hurdle Handicap. Smith also has a double closer to home at Catterick where Micky Hammond provides the other local winner. The prize for the first Yorkshire trained winner of the year however goes to Richard Fahey's Short Shrift who landed the opener at Southwell, with Karl Burke taking the second race.

2024 ~ 2023 ~ 2022 ~ 2021 ~ 2020 ~ 2019 ~ 2018 ~ 2017 ~ 2016 ~ 2015 ~ 2014 ~ 2013 ~ 2012
2011 ~ 2010 ~ 2009 ~ 2008 ~ 2007 ~ 2006 ~ 2005 ~ 2004 ~ 2003 ~ 2002 ~ 2001 ~ 2000 ~ 1999

All information provided on this site is given on a 'best endeavours' basis. No guarantee as to the accuracy of the data is implied nor should it be assumed. For clarification please contact the relevant parties.
If you have any comments, corrections, suggestions, pictures or (most importantly) information please
email me.

Copyright 2014 Stephen George-Powell

If you can't see a toolbar at the top of this page either you have an in-compatible browser of you have accessed
this site via an old link, please use
www.yorkshire-racing.co.uk instead.