South Midlands Area Preview 2023/2024 – Part 2

South Midlands pointing again showed its strength-in-depth in 2022/2023 – Tom & Gina Ellis (G & T Racing) were champion trainers for the fifth year in a row, with a second consecutive all-time record of 71 wins, Alan Hill, Fran & Charlie Poste (Station Yard Racing) and Sara Bradstock all got into double-figures and Max Comley and Amber Jackson-Fennell enjoyed best ever seasons. Amber, of course, was also National Champion Novice Rider and runner-up to Gina in the Ladies Championship.

With the new season starting last weekend, South Midlands Area Press Officer Jake Exelby spoke to a number of yards in the area about their hopes for the coming campaign.

AMBER JACKSON-FENNELL

Cooldine Bog

A horse I missed out on at the Goffs May sale last year, but who we managed to purchase privately this summer in the hope of reigniting his previous form. He will go bloodhounding and team chasing before we make a definitive plan, but Revesby Park is an option.

Grenadine Save

Champion Novice Mare last season, ultra-consistent and instrumental to me winning the novice rider title. She may run in another Restricted or go straight down the Intermediate route before potentially Hunter Chasing. Revesby Park or Brocklesby Park may be her starting point.

Get Bye

Has shown plenty of potential despite being a little hit and miss last season. He will be aimed at a Restricted towards the end of January, but this is ground dependent. He much prefers top of the ground so may go to Cocklebarrow or Larkhill.

Hoodlum

Was bought at Goffs May sale this year from Tom George, like Get Bye the previous year. He is a tall, athletic, and sharp horse who looks a true chasing type. He may go for a suitable young horse Maiden in January.

Unnamed 3yo filly by Soldier of Fortune out of Windmillsfirst

Bought from Tattersalls online. She arrived from Ireland and was broken-in during September. She’s been very straightforward and loves her work and, so far, looks like an early type. May run in a bumper before heading to a Mares Maiden.

Amber winning the Mares Maiden Final on Grenadine Save at Woodford (Michael Walton)

MYLES OSBORNE

Chief Black Robe

Won four races under rules for Fergal O’Brien in the summer and fourth in the Market Rasen Summer Plate but eligible for points and the plan is to start in the Heythrop Members. We’ll then go for Opens, with me claiming the 5lb allowance and the plan is to qualify for Aintree but – if not – he’ll go summer jumping again. He may find it difficult with his penalties but could win an Open if he runs to his rules mark of 120-125.

Cooler Than Me
Second on his debut for me, when only just beaten, then was second in the Exeter point-to-point bumper – which looked a good race – and won his next start before picking up a niggle, so won’t be out until after Christmas. We’ve always liked him and are targeting the Restricted Final at Stratford.

Current Vibes

Like Cooler Than Me, owned by some friends from Cornwall. Finished mid-division in two Irish Maidens, doing everything well at home and is a nice horse. My maidens this season will be ridden by either Tom Broughton or Martin McIntyre, depending on where they run.

Get Cracking

Going best of our maidens and was third at Dunsmore in the first race of the season. He’s nothing flash but has shown a lot at home and schools well. Was fourth in an Irish Maiden.

St Patricks Bridge

Second in a novice hurdle for Fergal and still owned by his FoB Racing Partnership. We’ll start early and try to win a Maiden and Restricted before going Novice Hunter Chasing.

Team Osborne at the yard (Caroline Exelby)

FRAN & CHARLIE POSTE

Alpbach

By Snow Sky out of Will She Smile. Went very well at home but flopped twice in the spring at Maisemore Park and Chaddesley Corbett. Has had a wind operation and will stay pointing. It might take a couple of runs to get him doing things the right way, but if he can reproduce on the track what he shows at home he could be a talented performer. Entered at Badbury Rings.

Diese Aba

Sent to us by the Hemmings family. He ran in the Grand National and was second in a cross-country race at Cheltenham in January. He’s quirky but talented and could start at Ffos Las. If he works out, we might aim him for Cheltenham if the ground is slow.

Kaproyale

The yard’s leading performer for the past couple of years. Progressed again to win an Open then two Hunter Chases in the spring. Qualified for Aintree and that could be a possibility if he can step up again. Likely to start in a point in January before returning to Hunter Chasing. It’s lovely for the team to have two potential horses for the top Hunter Chases, as it’s not something we’ve had before.

Kneel Diamond

By Diamond Boy out of Snoopy Milan. Showed up well in the spring but we ran out of time to run him. Has strengthened up as you’d expect and is a lovely athletic horse by a sire we’ve always liked. Will be schooled before possibly heading to Chaddesley Corbett.

Unnamed 4yo gelding by Affinisea out of Gaybrook

A lovely horse by a leading young sire, bought at last year’s Arkle Sale. Did plenty in the spring but was always going to need a little more time. Going very nicely and will also be schooled before we commit to running him, but Larkhill could be a possibility.

Kaproyale and Zac Baker winning at Stratford (Neale Blackburn)

TIM UNDERWOOD

Ask Nile

Ran some reasonable races last season but I don’t think he quite sees out a true three miles, especially on easy going, so I’ll target him at two-and-a-half mile races, as his best form in Ireland was over that trip.

Cusp Of Carabelli

Has some form in Ireland having run 46 times under rules, winning five and being placed a dozen times, while never falling or unseating. Hasn’t won since early 2021, so will be handy for Conditions races. This could be one for me if I decide to have another go in the saddle!

Oh Nelson

A maiden, who I ran at Umberleigh just two weeks after he last ran in Ireland thinking he was fit – he fell at the last when exhausted and with no chance! He hung like a barn door that day, so hopefully I can remedy that. I’m not sure if he stays but will help him by making sure he is fit and running him over two-and-a-half miles might help. He does have a little Irish form that may stack up, as a horse that fell behind him when beaten, was second next time out in quite a competitive Maiden.

Tempelpirate

16 years young, but he doesn’t know that and owes me nothing. I rode him on a 12-mile sponsored ride recently, jumped 30-odd fences and he pulled like a train, acting like a four-year-old. He’s back in work after that, so watch this space for the ‘Knight of Kingston Blount’ (where he has won a remarkable 12 times). I think he still loves it but – if he doesn’t – he can’t tell me otherwise!

Wind Gap Hill

A maiden I bought towards the end of last season. Having been told that he was still in work after his last run in Ireland, I wasn’t too hard on him and – despite him not being fit, he ran a reasonable second, then blew for 45 minutes. I had intended to run him again but unfortunately – or fortunately – he got cast and injured his hock. If I can keep him in one piece, I think he could be quite a good prospect. We will see.

Youngsters Tim Underwood and Tempelpirate with rider Katy Lyons (Carl Evans)

JULIE WADLAND

Andy Du Pierres

By Malinas, Andy won first time out for us at Hexham last season in testing conditions. It was a slowly run race, but he was very resolute, especially for such a young horse. All went wrong at Garthorpe next time out, but he then ran very encouragingly at Brafield-on-the-Green and then Kimble, finishing third and second respectively in decent Restricteds. He’s had a wind operation since and we are very hopeful that – if it has helped – he can progress. He is a character and is owned by me, Cynnie Clifford and Peter Neal, both of whom are long-standing supporters of mine and pointing, so it would be good if he could score again for them. He will run early in December.

Glenmount

Boney Tony as we call him is our new boy. He has run in Ireland but wasn’t massively impressive, but he was very weak when he arrived, hence the name. He’s a big rangy five-year-old by Court Cave, who we thought would need a lot of time, but he’s come to hand really well. He works very nicely but lacks a bit of confidence jumping, so we just need to channel everything in the right direction and keep him enjoying life. He will hopefully run before Christmas.

Golden Tobouggan

Needs no introduction. To say that he has been tricky over the years would be an understatement, but he has been the most amazing horse for us. Has always run for the Gorbit Racing Partnership winning nine and never out of the frame when completing since his debut. His shocking wind issues were the reason I was able to get him – without them, he would’ve been good enough to run under rules. He’s been partnered by some of the best jockeys in his pointing career and has given us some great days including a trip to Aintree. To me, his biggest achievement was winning at Maisemore Park first time back after breaking his shoulder at home and a long rehab. At 12 years old, retirement is supposed to be looming – last season I said if he couldn’t get in the first four, he’d be retired (and so would I!) but he managed it, including another great win at Bangor – if every race was a two-and-a-half miles Ladies Conditions in the soft there he would love it! So he will be back (and so will I) for another early run before the years clock up.

Lagan Valley (pictured above – left – finishing second at Horseheath)

A nice find from Richard Curran. Ran encouragingly a few times in Ireland before we got him and improved massively throughout last season. He is very genuine and straightforward and – once he got his act together – found it all quite easy, and it will be interesting to see how he gets on in better company this season. He has had a couple of issues this summer but hopefully we have sorted them. Will run shortly after Christmas for his owner – and sometimes rider at home – Charlie Wadland!

Nickolson

Niko is very talented, and I love him – he is the trainer’s hack… He won two for Olly Murphy before losing his way, we got him last year and he won easily on his only start last season. He then picked up an injury and sadly missed the rest of the season. He’s a lovely horse who is back with a vengeance now and we are looking forward to seeing him back in action, probably shortly after Christmas. Has always been quite burly and does everything so easily at home that it takes time to get him properly fit.