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Horse racing is such an emotive sport, and we’ve witnessed that in spades last week, and I’m sure that it will be the same in this coming week.
Unfortunately, we have some devastating news about Surrey Fortune, who has damaged a tendon in one of his front legs. As a minimum, this is a season ending injury and in the worst case, career ending.
After work over a week ago, Fortune was slightly lame, and this got worse over last weekend. He was scanned last Sunday, and the vet confirmed damage to the top of the tendon and recommended a rehabilitation period of at least 12 months. The reality is that even if all went well, he wouldn’t be ready to run until the end of the 2025/26 season. In the circumstances, we do not feel that waiting in the hope of a full recovery is a viable option. We had two other horses (Surrey Knight and Surrey Mist) with a similar injury and despite giving them the requisite time off and incurring substantial veterinary bills, neither horse fully recovered, the injury returned, and both had to be retired. Rather than waiting, we will “retire” Surrey Fortune and allow Toby to look after his rehabilitation until he is fully recovered and then we will make sure that he finds a good, loving home.
Although serious injuries are an integral part of racing and all owners have to share that risk, we recognise that the Fortune owners have been denied the opportunity to see him on the track. As a result, we have decided, at our own expense, to work with Toby and purchase a new horse (for a similar price) and transfer the existing shares in Fortune at no cost. As the largest shareholder in the horse, we obviously share the frustration and disappointment, but as always, try to do the right thing for our owners. When we set up Surrey Racing nine years’ ago we did so with the aim of doing things differently, in particular treating owners as long term members of the “Surrey Racing family” rather than short term financial participants in a specific horse. Although this is an expensive option for Surrey Racing, we are proud of the fact that not many, if any, of the other syndicates would have done the same.
On Friday we had the last race for Surrey Charm for Surrey Racing, and although she hasn’t hit too many heights, the owners involved have become very attached with her and there were a few long faces at Newbury as she bowed out having given her all in a 2 mile contest on really boggy ground in an apprentice hands and heels race (no whip allowed). Taryn Langley who we know from her days with Joe Tuite gave her a peach of a ride, but she didn’t enjoy the ground and Taryn brought her home safely without too much excursion. She heads off to the sales on Thursday and will probably go through the ring around 11.30. Her win at Chepstow will live long in the memory.
The first to sell next week is Surrey Belle, but that hasn’t been plain sailing either. Unfortunately, she has a small cut on her leg that got infected a few days ago which is being treated, but there wasn’t enough of an improvement for her to travel until today, missing out on valuable viewing time. We will have to declare she’s on antibiotics and we will probably have to ‘stand over’ her for a month, which means any buyer can return her to the seller within that month period. Her form was franked with Givemefive winning at Cheltenham yesterday so hopefully she will have a few bidders interested to push the price up. She is lot 232 which will be at approximately 16.30.
The other horse to go through the ring this week is Surrey Force who is scheduled for around 20.30 on Tuesday. Fingers crossed for all the owners of the three horses that we get a decent enough return, and the horses go on to caring homes wherever that may be. We’ve sold horses before who have gone racing in Germany, Greece, and Australia, and for breeding in Argentina, there’s a truly global intertest at these sales.
Surrey Fire was gelded on Monday, and all is well with him. The new horse (who hasn’t moved into Hughie’s yet) Surrey King has been the subject to a few share enquiries and we would expect him to be sold out after the sales. We will organise a breakfast and a visit to see him at Ben de Haan’s (where he is being broken in) on Saturday November 16th, we’ll reach out for numbers early November.
There’s no new news with Surrey Moon and Surrey Shadow.
Surrey Quest looked a picture at Toby’s when we visited this week, he’s only 3 weeks before his seasonal return.
Finally, this week we have an owners visit to Chantilly to see Surrey Etoile in training at Tim’s yard, followed by racing at Chantilly, with Surrey Noir declared in the 4.15 (French time) 1600 metre handicap on the all-weather track. There are 7 of us going over which should be a great trip, even better if Noir can win another trophy! Noir has been drawn stall 7 of the 17-runner race with Guillaume Trolley de Prevaux again on board.
Then on Friday, finally, after 2 years of waiting, we get to see Surrey Lord hopefully make his debut at Uttoxeter. The owners have been very patient, and they have longed for this day to come for months, so it’s going to be an apprehensive and exciting first day at school for a horse who certainly looks the part, can he deliver under the super talented Kevin Brogan?
Good luck with the sales and the races, another emotional week to look forward to, and as we always say, celebrate the good times with gusto as racing does have that ability to kick you where it hurts at times.
Onwards and Upwards
Possible races and events.
October
Monday 28th – Surrey Belle – Lot 232 at Tattersalls HIT Sale (approx. time 4.30)
Tuesday 29th – Surrey Noir – Chantilly – 3.15 (UK time)
- Surrey Force – Lot 780 at Tattersalls HIT Sale (approx. time 20.30)
Thursday 31st – Surrey Charm – Lot 1256 at Tattersalls HIT Sale (approx. time 11.30)
November
Friday 1st – Surrey Lord - Uttoxeter
Saturday 16th - Breakfast and visit to see Surrey King
Sunday 17th – Surrey Quest - Cheltenham
December
Saturday 28th – Surrey Quest - Newbury