It has been a pretty eventful few weeks since my last article. The Cheltenham Festival took place and, although there were no fans, the action was every bit as exciting as it always is. Within BG Racing, we had loads of fun with a tipping competition for shareholders, and daily Zoom calls where several shareholders and I got together to have a chat about the upcoming action. This meant that it was still a social Cheltenham even though that socialising was done over Zoom as opposed to chatting with people on the racecourse viewing steps!
The Festival was an Irish dominated affair. The Henry De Bromhead stable sent out the Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase winner, and then the 1-2 in the Gold Cup. I know that Rachael Blackmore rightly earned the plaudits for the success she had, but managing to train the winners of the big three races in the same season is also a fantastic achievement.
Just a few weeks later, the trainer and jockey were both in the headlines again winning the Grand National as well. I wrote a horse-by-horse preview of the big race and, whittling my shortlist down to four selections, my last sentence was “Farclas and Minella Drama have similar profiles but the former is double the price, so I will leave off Minella Drama and risk being frustrated if that one wins.” – whoops!
BG Racing On Track
Having told everyone that Dynamic Kate would improve when she got into handicap company and onto better ground, I must admit, you do really want to see a step forward when the conditions are in favour. So it was part relief and part delight when that is what we got from her at Taunton on 23rd March!
She was right there at the last, and had to jink to avoid an unseated jockey after the flight. She showed that she should really be up to winning at this level in the coming months. We are trying to get her into a suitable race, and our next option is Perth next Friday (23rd April). If we do not get in there, we will get her a race soon. Hopefully, she will have a great chance next time.
At the Stables
Our other runner for 2021, Far Too Beautiful was pretty much ready to run and then we hit some issues getting her used to the stalls. Her trainer, Michael Attwater, is continuing to work on this with her, and as soon as her confidence is where it needs to be, then we will get her entered to race. Hopefully, this time next month, I will be able to report on her debut!
Podcast
Episode 5 of my podcast “Inside The Rails” was launched. It features an interview with Dan Abraham, the chair of the Racehorse Syndicates Association. Dan’s syndicate, Foxtrot Racing, had a Grand National runner in Hogan’s Heights. You can listen to the podcast by searching for “Inside The Rails” on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify, or any other podcast app that you may use.
Any Questions?
Owners are back on the racecourses now, which is great. Hopefully, we will have some spectators soon as well, so you can see some live action!
If at any time, you have any questions about racehorse ownership, or about anything I mention in these monthly articles, please feel free to get in touch. I am not a salesman, just a racing enthusiast the same as you. I am always happy to chat about racing, without an agenda. Also, if you are considering joining another syndicate or racing club and want some advice, do ask. I know how much fun being an owner is, and whether it is with BG Racing or someone else, I am always happy to help people get involved!
See you next month!
