Quest Winning Update
So the long awaited start for us of the NH season was well worth the wait – although the Leicester course had to pass two inspections today, the second when the syndicate owners were halfway up the M1 ! Thankfully the frost had melted away in the morning sun and the ground was perfect. The last race was even abandoned today because of the heavy snow! It was great to catch up with owners we haven’t seen for some time – I hope the horse owners all got home safely.
Surrey Quest returns to the winner’s enclosure!
What a great hurdling debut from Surrey Quest under a tactically, very good ride from James Bowen who rode his first ever winner for Surrey Racing today! We can’t believe he’s only 19 – he seems to have been around for years. We spoke to the Skelton’s before the race and they were super confident of their horse who ran very well in a decent last time out (and was also a year older) but really, we had the best horse in the paddock and the best horse on the course and for a debut performance that was pretty impressive – pulling away comfortably after a scruffy last fence jump to win by 2 lengths.
Even the Racing Post was impressed – Today’s Star performer: Surrey Quest (1.55) made a winning hurdles debut and looks a useful prospect. Despite the cold and wintry conditions it really is worth celebrating days like today – they don’t come around that often! Mind you - 29% win rate this year, if Carlsberg did syndicates .....
Nicky was pleased with the performance and thinks Quest will improve a lot for the run, and James was delighted, quoting ‘he really did win comfortably’ He would stick to the same distance with ground on the soft side – he’s not sure we want it too heavy.
The excitement continues with week with Gran Luna set to run at Haydock on Wednesday. She’s entered into the 3.20 – a class 3 handicap hurdle over 2 miles and 3 furlongs. She’s well and off a really workable mark of 119 we feel she has every chance. Remember she has form of 1-1-3-1 which isn’t bad by anyone’s standards! Good luck to the syndicate owners, let’s hope we can do the NH double up!
We were hoping to have Surrey Princess running this week as well but she has tweaked a muscle, nothing dramatic but means she won’t be ready so we are earmarking Wednesday 15th December at Lingfield for her and then we are still hoping a further run before year end. Her value will massively improve if she can win as a three year old so that’s the immediate aim.
Surrey Knight is well – still doing the same but Charlie has indicated that in about 2 weeks time his work will be stepped up as he prepares for his three year old career. Surrey Mist is in the same boat and will probably be out again even earlier next year.
Surrey Gold has about 2 more weeks of light work before he takes a break. After a gelding, a horse has to keep moving to avoid infection so that’s why Gold hasn’t taken a break yet. He’ll have a good month off before his return next year. Surrey Belle is still at the stud in Chobham, Karen remarked this week how well she is and has really settled down, she won’t join Hughie until the end of January. No new news on Charm and Noir, it will be steady and slow for those two for the next few months.
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Good Luck to the Luna owners - keep living the dream!
Entries and Other Possible Plans/Events 2021
December
Wednesday 1st – Gran Luna - Haydock
Wednesday 15th – Surrey Princess - Lingfield
2022
March
Saturday 26th – Surrey Knight – Doncaster (Maiden Stakes)
July
10th – Surrey Knight (153rd German Derby, Hamburg)