June 2012 - Manor House Stables

FRENCH
TRIP
DESTINATION DEAUVILLE
H JOIN US ACROSS THE CHANNEL FOR SOME GREAT
RACING AND A WHOLE LOT MORE BESIDES - PAGE 2
TEE TIME
FOR MHS
H DON’T MISS OUR GOLF DAY
AT THE CARDEN PARK - PAGE 3
Manor HouseMonthly
Issue No.15
June 2012
Julius just
the Geezer
WE had eight victories last
month and, while the twoyear-olds were sweeping all
before them, it was great to
see a few old favourites back
in the winner’s enclosure.
Decision By One, Julius
Geezer and Ballista all won
during the course of May
with the latter two breaking
long losing runs.
Julius Geezer’s victory
in a 6f seller at Leicester
on May 28 was his first in
more than two years, while
Ballista had gone a similar
length of time before sluicing home in a 7f Catterick
seller three days earlier.
It’s always difficult for
horses that are decent at two
but don’t improve a great
Ceiling Kitty storming to
victory on the Knavesmire
Kitty shows way as
youngsters flourish
M
AY was a magnificent month
for the two-year-olds at Manor
House with the stable’s youngsters bagging five victories, including the
season’s first listed contest for juveniles.
Ceiling Kitty set the ball rolling with
victory on the all-weather at Kempton on
May 7 and doubled up when defying odds
of 20-1 in the listed EBF Marygate Fillies’
Stakes on the Knavesmire at York 11 days
later.
The filly, who is owned by Andrew
Black and the Master Bettors, now heads
to Royal Ascot for the 5f Queen Mary
where she will be joined by Upward Spiral, who overcame a bad draw to win on
her debut, at Sandown, last week.
Tom considers Upward Spiral – who
is owned by Trinity Hammers, a partnership comprising of Ian Flanagan and
David Golding of yard sponsors Trinity
Elite, Laurence Bellman, Michael Owen
and Andrew Black – to be the yard’s best
hope of a two-year-old winner at the Royal meeting.
Another two-year-old, Premier Steps,
heads to Ascot for the Albany Stakes over
6f. The filly, who is owned in partnership
by Nick Attenborough, Laurence Bellman, Caroline Ingram and David Lowe,
has already tasted victory at the Berkshire venue having won there on May
11.
Fat Gary was the stable’s other twoyear-old winner when inching home
under a great ride from James Doyle in
a valuable maiden at the Chester May
Festival. Richard Kingscote partnered
stablemate Trinityelitedotcom who also
ran a race full of promise in third.
Better still, both Premier Steps’ and
Fat Gary’s win came in bonus maidens.
Julius Geezer
deal as three-year-olds and
we felt it would be good to
give them an opportunity
to boost their confidence
in a lower grade. Both were
popular in the auctions
afterwards but we were
pleased with the manner in
which they won their races
and bought them back in.
Conversely, Decision By
One was tasting success for
the second time in his last
three outings when scoring
at Haydock last Friday. The
Bahamian Bounty colt had
got stuck in the mud at
Chester on his previous outing but was seen to much
better effect on a sounder
surface.
CHECK OUT WWW.MANORHOUSESTABLES.COM FOR MORE FROM THE YARD
Manor House Monthly
Bear ready to dash
for Derby Day prize
Page 2
Deauville date is
not to be missed
Bear Behind at Ascot last year
WE’RE looking
forward to having a
fancied runner in a
televised race at Epsom on Derby Day.
Bear Behind goes
in the 6f Investec
Specialist Bank
‘Dash’ at 3.15pm –
45 minutes before
Camelot puts his
reputation on the
line in the season’s
premier classic.
The three-year-old
colt, who is owned
in partnership by
Messrs Bellman,
Black, Marantelli and
Owen, has been in
fine form this season
and was unlucky
to have victory
snatched away from
him by the stewards
on his seasonal debut at Musselburgh.
What’s more, he’s
landed the plum
draw in stall 20 of 20
and, this being the
case, we’re extremely
hopeful of a big run.
As regards the big
one, we’d love to see
the sole Northern
representative, Mickdaam, run well for
Richard Fahey and
Paul Hanagan.
Amy gets a great
tune out of Moody
PUPIL assistant Amy
Murphy came close
to riding her first winner at Lingfield on
May 11.
Amy, who has had
less than 30 rides
under rules, finished
a close-up second
on her father’s
Moody Tunes in a
7f handicap for lady
amateurs.
The same combination of horse and
rider again performed with credit
when finishing fifth
in another amateur
Amy Murphy
riders’ contest at
Newbury a fortnight
later.
Amy, whose father
is owner/breeder
Paul Murphy, joined
us in November 2010
and has ambitions of
becoming a trainer
herself at some point
in the future.
Stable jock Richard
lands new sponsor
STABLE jockey
Richard Kingscote is
now being sponsored
by leading hospitality
and events organisation First Serve
Promotions.
Richard rode his
first winner in his new
liveried breeches
aboard Premier
Steps at Ascot on
May 11.
The motor-bike
fanatic has ridden a
further five winners
since and is now on
29 for 2012.
Horses are off and
running in Deauville
E
NJOY a trip to Deauville for
the French racecourse’s 2012
Festival and, while you’re
there, join Tom as he searches for
future stars.
Every August the costal resort,
home to many of the country’s
major stables, become the focal
point of French racing, hosting as
it does its prestigious yearling
auctions and a series of highquality race meetings.
The Horse Racing Abroad
division of our official travel
partner ITC Classics is
running an exclusive
weekend tour to
Deauville
between August
17 and 20, when
the top-class
racing includes two Group 1s –
the Prix Morny and the Prix Jean
Romanet.
The visit to the picturesque
Norman town will also provide a unique opportunity
to experience its worldrenowned yearling sales in
the company of a trainer
whose reputation as an astute judge of yearlings is
rising by the minute.
Tom told Manor
House News: “I
would love to meet
up with any owners who might
make the trip whether it be to
share a bottle of wine or, better
still, my thoughts on any yearlings they might be contemplating bidding for!”
The Horse Racing abroad package includes: return luxury coach
travel from London Victoria via
Eurotunnel [with all on-board
meals and refreshments, including
champagne]; three nights accommodation at the four-star Hotel
Normandy; transfers throughout;
and, of course, racecourse admissions at Deauville.
Prices for the trip start from
just £1,095 per person. Anyone
who would like to book a place
or receive more details should call
ITC’s dedicated MHS Travel Line
on 01244 355 515.
Marco’s barn set scorching pace
MARCO’S team continue to set a
scorching pace in this year’s barn
competition.
With 133 points the Italian’s
string have a healthy 45-point advantage over Theo’s team, which
has at least made some inroads
into the deficit over the last few
weeks – thanks in no small part
to the successes of Ceiling Kitty
at Kempton and York and Premier
Steps at Ascot.
Of course, it’s still relatively
early days in the competition and
it’s not inconceivable that things
could change very quickly as the
season steps up a gear over the
summer months.
Certainly, that’s what Andy and
Amy, whose barns are bringing up
the rear, will be hoping!
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Manor House Monthly
Page 3
All change after Ballista victory
BALLISTA’S victory at Catterick last Friday propelled Lucinda
Strudwick and Alona Johnstone to
the top of the five-to-follow leaderboard.
Both Lucinda and Alona have
65 points, just ahead of Lizzie Lea
on 64, Andrew Lobo on 62 and
early leader Bill Dascombe who
lies fifth on 61.
While the leading entries have
little between them, Ceiling Kitty’s
two victories have seen her open
up a commanding lead over the
pursuing pack in the battle to be
the highest-scoring horse.
The two-year-old filly, winner
of a listed race at York last month,
has amassed 38 points for her followers – 22 more than nearest
pursuer Out Of The Blocks.
Swap the horses
for a few birdies
Hopes are high for
brother of Panther
Treble Heights with her Shirocco foal
BROWN Panther’s
full-brother has made
excellent progress
since being foaled on
April 11.
The as yet unnamed son of Shirocco, out of Treble
Heights, is now at
grass with his mother
at Mickley Stud in
North Shropshire.
While it’s asking a lot for him to
be as good as his
older brother, he’s
certainly bred to be
half-decent.
John Gosden
trained Treble
Heights to win twice
for Michael – at
Chester, when she
was ridden by the
now-retired John
Carroll, and at Newmarket under Jimmy
Fortune.
Shirocco, who
stands at Dalham
Hall Stud in Newmarket, won seven of his
13 starts, including the 2004 BMW
Deutsches Derby, the
2004 Gran Premio
Del Jockey Club, the
2005 Breeders’ Cup
Turf and the 2006
Coronation Cup.
Ross keen to ride
out his 3lb claim
The idyllic Nicklaus course
at the Carden Park Hotel
M
ANOR House Stables
is staging a golf day at
Chester’s Carden Park
Hotel later this month – and you
are invited to come along and join
in the fun!
The event is scheduled
for Thursday, June 28 –
24 hours before a twoday Chester race meeting – and will be hosted
by Michael Owen and
Ian Flanagan, of yard
sponsors
Trinity
Elite.
A keen golfer,
with a single-figure
handicap, Michael
told Manor House
News that he’s looking forward to putting his golfing
prowess to the test against some of
the yard’s owners.
The action will take place on
the Nicklaus Course, which was
designed by the 18-times Major
winner and his son Steve. According to head pro Steve
Priest: “The course offers a
scenic yet strategic test of
golf where position more
than length is crucial.
“As Jack himself said,
‘It’s certainly a thinking
man’s golf course’.”
The cost is £440
per team of four and
includes: brunch
on arrival; 18
holes on The
Championship Nicklaus Course
including buggies; and a threecourse set dinner in the Carden
Suit.
There will also be nearest-thepin, longest-drive, beat-the-pro
and hit-the-green competitions
and a guest comedian at the Carden Park in the evening.
We have negotiated a special
rate of just £110 bed & breakfast
for a double/twin room, including
full use of the leisure facilities, for
anyone wishing to stay over for the
racing on the Roodeye the following day.
If any owners are interested in
entering a team of four, please
email alex@manorhousestables.
com or, alternatively, call the office
on 01948 820485.
STABLE apprentice
Ross Atkinson was
the subject of a
recent feature in the
Liverpool Evening
Post.
Liverpuddlian
Ross, who’s ridden
43 winners, has been
with Tom since 2008
and moved with him
to Cheshire in 2009.
The 20-year-old
told his hometown
paper: “I want to
make it as a jockey.
My big target for this
season is to get to
50 winners and lose
my 3lb claim; I’d also
like to build a few
new contacts.
“Manor House is
an exciting place and
it’s an exciting time
to be there. They
have got all the facilities and you couldn’t
ask for more.”
Three quarters of
Ross’ winners have
come on the allweather, with 16 at
Wolverhampton.
Stable star misses
the Royal meeting
NO reason has yet
come to light for
Brown Panther’s disappointing run in the
Ormonde at Chester
last month.
The stable
star finished
a distant third
of three and according to jockey
Kieren Fallon was
never travelling.
Tests failed to find
any explanation for
the below-par performance and Michael
Owen and Andrew
Black’s four-yearold will now have a
break and miss Royal
Ascot.
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