Midsummer Update

Well, it is fair to say that summer has well and truly arrived and the summer jumps tracks are having to work hard to produce ground that we can race on.  The team at Conkwell Lodge certainly pulled out all the stops to take good care of the horses when the temperatures really got high, with some early starts to make sure that all the horses were exercised before the hottest part of the day hit.

There is a two-week break in jumps action at the start of August and whilst this can be a shame for owners with a horse that is ready to run, it does at least provide the clerks of the course at the racecourses with a little respite from trying to battle the summer temperatures to produce good racing ground.

The yard has still sent plenty of runners to the races since the last website news post and had plenty of success.  Alongside the UK racing, several of the horses have made trips across the channel to Jersey.  This has been something that has been going on for several years now and has resulted in numerous winners.  It has become another part of the summer routine!

In terms of winners, our striking grey Doncesar De Pretot won a novice hurdle at Worcester at the end of May with Sam Twiston-Davies on board.  It is always nice to find horses that can win open novice events as it is an indication of a nice horse.  Jaunty Soria was another winner for the yard and for Sam on the same day and he has been a really consistent type for his owners.

Our next winner came at Ffos Las at the end of May and Sam was the jockey again.  This time it was Neachells Bridge who recorded the victory with a battling handicap success.

Sam seemed to be riding all the winners at that time as he was in the saddle at the start of June when Ballymilan won.  His enthusiastic owners Heart Racing were delighted with her success at Huntingdon.

Cremant made the long journey up to Aintree worthwhile on the 10^th of June with a nice win for Kevin Brogan and the yard had an across-the-country double that day as Sam also won on Peltwell at Newton Abbott.  She bounced back from an unseat and an unplaced effort which was great to see.

Back at Ffos Las, Watergrange Jack won a handicap hurdle in the middle of June and Planned Paradise won a handicap chase a few days later.  Sam was again in the saddle for both of these victories.

Our next winner was at the end of the month when Masterdream won at Worcester.  He stayed on strongly to land a conditional jockeys handicap for one of our conditional riders, Thomas Doggrell.

This month we have seen Vis A Vis win a maiden hurdle at Worcester.  He has run in some big handicaps on the flat and it was great to see him win over hurdles as well. 

Agent Saonois provided conditional jockey Thomasina Eyston with her first winner for the yard when winning at Uttoxeter and The Turtle Said made it a double on the day at Uttoxeter when he battled gamely to win later on the card.

Our latest winner came this week when Trolley Boy won a maiden hurdle at Worcester.  This followed his December success in a national hunt flat race and hopefully, he will turn out to be a nice horse.

Enjoy the rest of the summer and maybe the team will see some of you at the yard on Saturday 17^th September when Conkwell Lodge opens the doors to National Racehorse Week visitors.