Homer Run wins again plus solid runs by Headly's Bridge:

It is great news for the owners of Homer Run (EPDS Racing) that he managed to follow up with another win. This time at Uttoxeter in a 0-100 2m4f handicap hurdle on heavy ground.  It was a really game effort as he managed to beat a horse that was well in in the weights and it was 16 lengths back to 3^rd.  Unfortunately he has been clobbered by the handicapper who has put him up 10lbs – so that is 16lbs for two wins.  This includes being put up by the handicapper by 1lb for being stood in his stable because a couple of horses he beat 1^st time out have done well after.  This I think is totally wrong and something I wish to bring up at the next NTF meeting!

Homer has come out of his race well and he will be having a grid work session this week with poles higher and wider with a view to him going chasing.  His handicap mark over hurdles is now 108.

Homer Run with connections - EPDS Racing Partnership 3 - after his win at Uttoxeter

Headly’s Bridge ran well to finish 3^rd in a class 3 0-135 handicap hurdle at Exeter where he was not beaten far.  The winner was put up 8lbs, the second nothing but the lovely handicapper has put up Headly 1lb for coming 3^rd to a mark of 116 which means that we can’t run in the 0-115 that we were aiming for at Exeter in January.   I would love to know why he has done that so an email is off to the handicapper shortly!  Headly has always suffered by the handicapper and has effectively been stopped from winning since his last win at Towcester in March last year.  Since then he has run 11 times and been in the first 3, six times.  He is penalized for consistency and running well and there is no doubt that if he hadn’t finished in the first three all those times then he would have won by now!

We were therefore forced to run Headly a week after his Exeter run at Leicester last Friday in another class 3 0-125 handicap hurdle over 2m.  He finished an admirable 2^nd to a very well handicapped horse who had dropped over 10lbs so again was well in.

We are delighted that the horses have been running well and coming back for more but I don’t like it when a horse keeps going up the handicap without winning.  Hopefully Headly will have his chance soon.

We hope everyone had a great Christmas and wish everyone a successful 2014 and a Happy New Year.  Pictures below of the horses enjoying their Christmas stockings courtesy of Brian Hargie and Rosie Malley that included carrots, apples and herbal treats!

Get Back To Me & Zakatal

Red Not Blue licking his lips!

Royal Signaller

An update - Already Basking & Red Not Blue

                 

We ran Already Basking (Biscuit) at our local track, Wincanton on 5^th December in a maiden hurdle over 2m with Andrew Thornton riding.  It was his second run for us and he was quoted in the racecard at 500-1!  Things worked out very well for Biscuit and he disputed the lead for most of the way and looked like he might get a place until he got a little tired between the last few hurdles.  It was like having a winner as it proved to us that he can win races, plus he tried and enjoyed himself.  Before he came to us he had raced on the flat and he showed no willingness to race at all.  This was a much better performance and we were all very pleased with his progression.

Red Not Blue put in another cracker in the Class 2 Citipost handicap hurdle at Cheltenham over 3m on 13^th December to be beaten 8 lengths by Sunnyhillboy (who was beaten a short head in The Grand National).  They went no gallop at all, which really didn’t suit him and turned it into a sprint up the hill but he still finished to some effect.  I think if they went a good gallop he might have gone very close indeed.  It was a good day as The Plum Merchants take a box at Cheltenham so another great day out for all.

The Plum Merchants enjoying themselves in the paddock at Cheltenham with Dominic Elsworth

Winner!! Homer Run wins @ Southwell. Red Not Blue comes 3rd at Newbury

                 

I’ll start with Red Not Blue – well we did exactly what Paddy Brennan suggested after he rode Red Not Blue at Cheltenham in November which was that he should be aimed at The Festival in March possibly in the Pertemps.  So we ran him in a Pertemps Series Qualifier at Newbury over 3m last Friday.  The race was according to The Racing Post ‘the hottest qualifier yet’.  The rules have changed this year and he had to finish in the first eight to qualify for March which I felt would be a big ask considering how many runners there were and how competitive the race was.   Well, he came from the back with a storming run under Dominic Elsworth to finish 3^rd at a price of 66-1 (proving Paddy spot on!).  The Racing Post said ‘Red Not Blue ran on in dour fashion’ and when I saw Paddy at Southwell on Tuesday his words were ‘Red Not Blue is a real dude!’.   Red Not Blue runs without shoes.

And now on to even better news of Homer Run winning at Southwell on Tuesday (without shoes).  After Homer Run ran at Uttoxeter in June this year, he finished a bit jarred up; he was running and training with shoes on at that time, as we couldn’t get him to go barefoot.  I think he couldn’t go barefoot at the time because sometime before this he had stomach ulcers.  Since we have sorted the ulcers out and given him time and a break in the summer, he has taken to barefoot without any problems and his feet are now very tough.  We were really happy with Homer Run at home so I was hopeful (so long as I could persuade EPDS Racing to make the trip to Southwell).  We were very lucky that it paid off with Homer winning, being given a great ride by Paddy Brennan.  Homer’s price tumbled before the off which wasn’t our money as we are not a gambling yard, although John Powell of EPDS racing had a huge wad of cash when paying for the drinks after the race!

            I am very grateful to the owners for being patient with this horse and many thanks to everybody for your kind messages of well done and thank yous.  We are lucky to have a good little team down here but ultimately it is the horses that we have to thank.  Hopefully this bodes well for the rest of the season as we have a few new horses yet to arrive.