Plenty of Fireworks
The good run continues, it started in July, since then we’ve had 14 runs and only one runner has finished outside the top 4, that’s pretty amazing by anyone’s standards but this week has capped off that period with two superb winners, two winners that in all honesty never looked in any danger from a furlong out. Fantastic for the horse owners to enjoy such thrilling wins!
The NH season started with a bang for the syndicate owners at Huntingdon on Monday as Surrey Quest returned to action for his new trainer Toby Lawes, after nearly 250 days on the sidelines and treatment for a shoulder injury which we entirely sure had been successful. Credit to Jackie du Plessis and her vet for finding the issue and successfully managing Quest through the Spring in Cornwall (she did have a small wager on him!) and to Toby who las left no stone unturned getting Quest to the racetrack including calls to the team at Seven Barrows and to every jockey who has ridden Quest in his previous 9 races. The race itself was fairly straightforward with Kevin Brogan given the plan to keep Quest near the front but with space to see the flights and he executed that really well. There was one heart stopping moment when he clattered the fence in front of the packed stands at the start of the last circuit but after that he jumped tidily, hit a bit of a flat spot and lost ground on the front two but rallied strongly to hunt them down and storm past in the last furlong to win going away.
Quest did jump a little to the left so he will favour left handed tracks, and he did breathe a little heavy after the race. Toby and his vet think that he does need a corrective soft palate op and it’s probably better to have it done now than use it as an excuse later in the season. His wind didn’t cause any issues at Huntingdon but as he (hopefully) moves through the grades and tackles harder races there is a chance that it could hinder him. The vet advises that Quest should have a general anaesthetic as this gives the op more chance of success, but it would require Quest to have three weeks recuperating before he goes back on the gallops. We agree that it should be done so he’s booked in to hospital on Monday and will have the op on Tuesday. It does mean he wont be seen on a racecourse until year end/early January. The handicapper will asses that performance and announce a new mark on Tuesday, but until he’s recovered from the op it’s hard to make plans.
On to Thursday, and on a very stormy day the wagons rolled on to Wolverhampton to watch Surrey Belle’s final run of 2023. She’s had 7 runs so far this year and drawing a line through the last race at Chester, she has improved with every run (backed up by RPR), she’s been settling better at home and Hughie was very keen for her to run in this race. With Richard Kingscote failing a medical we scrambled for the best jockey available and had Clifford Lee making his debut in the familiar yellow and blue. We would certainly have Clifford again as he got Belle into a great position from the off, taking an immediate lead and she bounded along merrily throughout the 14 furlong contest. He got the sectionals spot on and pushed through the final turn to keep the same lead from pillar to post. It was great to have the champagne flowing again and now Belle will join stablemate Surrey Charm at Culworth Grounds Farm for a well deserved 6-8 week holiday. Hughie has offered the same mantra all season, she will eventually settle, she will keep on improving and we won’t see the best of her until her 4 year old career.
Congratulations to the syndicate owners of both horses, you have been very patient and that patience has been rewarded.
Our 3rd and 4th win of the seasons were the first time Kevin Brogan and Clifford Lee have ridden in Surrey Racing colours and we hope they both are available to ride again. That was our first win at Huntingdon but the 3rd (from 5 visits) at Wolves. That was Surrey Quest’s 3rd win (the other two at Doncaster and Leicester), Toby is 1 from 1 with us, Hughie 6 wins from 28 runs. 71% of our flat horses have won, with only Surrey Fire not to win from those in training. We have now had 40 wins from 187 runs.
In other news, Surrey Noir has gone to Culworth Grounds Farm for his holiday, Belle and Charm will join him next week. Surrey Lord has his scan scheduled tomorrow so fingers crossed he can resume training, whilst Surrey Fortune is halfway through his spa sessions to ease his shin splints. We are still hopeful of at least one more flat run this year, which would be from Surrey Force as he’s the only flat horse still in training. Kevin remarked this week how much he’s strengthened recently so he could have an entry later on in the week for a race on the 15th.
Enjoy the celebrations !!
Possible races and events
2023
November
Wednesday 15th – Surrey Force - Kempton
Friday 24th – Surrey Racing participating in Ascot’s Ownership Day
Saturday 25th - Surrey Racing participating in Ascot’s Ownership Day