Dec 10th Update

We may have a runner next Wednesday, the first since November 2nd, with Surrey Force entered into the 6.30 at Kempton, a 1 mile novice race over a mile. However, Kevin has entered 5 horses, of which 2 have been balloted ahead of us, as well Force needing another 7 horses ahead not to declare. With 32 horses entered, for a race that has a field safety limit of 14 horses, we are effectively 21st in the ballot. It is slightly frustrating that we didn’t run last week when we were higher in the ballot and guaranteed a place in the (pretty competitive) race.

The next suitable race is on the 20th but we will still have to go through the same process. We were chatting with a trainer this week who said he had been balloted out of 12 races this month and that it had cost his owners money. For example he had a runners declared at Wolves, only one horse got in, so the transportation costs were solely down to one owner, whereas if more of his horses had raced those costs would have been shared.

Each type of race has it’s own balloting rules, so this is the order of appearance for novice races - priority order first.

horses that have run in or completed no more than two Flat Races and have been placed in the first four at least once in those Races;
horses that have not run in a Flat Race;
horses that have run in or completed no more than one Flat Race;
horses that have run in or completed no more than two Flat Races;
horses that have run in and completed three Flat Races and have not been placed in the first four in any of those Races;
horses that have won a Flat Race;
horses that have the highest Handicap Rating for Flat Races;
horses with the fewest unplaced runs in Flat Races.

Surrey Fortune didn’t make it to a waterlogged Towcester this week but he’s been working well on the gallops at home. Billy will try again next week and the plan will be to hold a ‘baby bumper’ which he had dealings with at Seven Barrows. Basically Billy will take 4 of his horses to Towcester and they will have a race so it replicates a racecourse experience. If Fortune takes that well (body and mind) then we can start planning for his debut.

Surrey Quest is very well, and fresh! Toby has put his most experienced rider on him but poor Gareth has been pulled from pillar to post!  His work will be stepped up and there’s a good chance we could see him race again before the year is out. Quest will have a spin on the Box Hill grass gallop this week and then we’ll have more of an idea. There are plenty of options but two races at Newbury stand out on the 30th that would be perfect for him and the racehorse owners!

Good luck to the Force connections for Wednesday, that first race is always the most eagerly anticipated by the syndicate owners, fingers crossed that he races and puts in a good performance that has us excited for the season ahead.

Possible races and events

2023 
December
Wednesday 13th – Surrey Force - Kempton 
Wednesday 20th – Surrey Force - Kempton
Saturday 30th – Surrey Quest - Newbury