Only one was lost completely, and that was dear Alcalde, during a hurdle race at Warwick in March. He
didn’t fall – he was too good a jumper for that – but he broke a hind leg on the
flat and Will Kennedy pulled him up immediately, enabling the vet to take the
only option left to him after such a devastating injury. Having lost Kadouchski
the previous August in a similar way it was particularly hard to bear for us and for the members of the Alhambra Partnership who owned him and are passionate racing folk.
Both horses were real old friends who meant an awful lot to the team here and it’s
impossible, even now, to think of either of them without shedding a tear.
Anthony and Ex Con, left, with John and Alcalde |
One of my favourite photos accompanies this passage, of John
on Alcalde alongside Anthony on another old favourite Ex Con. The latter
retired in May with five wins to his credit and joined the British Racing
School, where he has quickly become a much-loved member of the team there. Also
on the BRS team is Brief Goodbye, a former seven-time winner for this yard, who
turns 14 tomorrow and retains every ounce of enthusiasm. I’m told he regularly
bucks students off at the school – bucking was a particular favourite pastime
of his – but he too is loved and valued by the team at BRS who do a fantastic
job, along with the apprentices, of looking after the 50-odd horses in their
care.
Brief ran 50 times for his seven wins and eight places, remained
in training until he was eight and has been active ever since his ‘retirement’.
The fact that he is still sound and loving life speaks volumes for the
care given to him by his trainer during his many seasons here and subsequently by his
first rider in retirement, Clare Malcolm, then the BRS.
Jack Dawson with Steve Smith Eccles |
There was news recently of another grand old servant of
Beverley House Stables, Jack Dawson, who was awarded the RoR/SEIB Elite Endurance
Performance Award for having completed 1500km since his retirement from racing.
Jack, a nine-time winner on the Flat and dual scorer and black-type performer over
hurdles, left here as a 10-year-old having run 71 times. His part-owners
Margaret Donnelly and Paul Wright teamed him up with the excellent endurance
rider Lorna Kidson, who also now has his younger sister Jenny Dawson, and they
have formed a very successful partnership. Jack celebrates his 17th
birthday tomorrow and we couldn’t be more delighted to hear that he’s still
thriving.
Jack’s
other small claim to fame is that he was one of AP McCoy’s 4,000 winners (and
counting), that victory coming at Southwell on 13 September 2002 when he won a
novice hurdle by 22 lengths. Other jockeys to have partnered Jack to glory are
Stevie Donohoe, Franny Norton (x2), Graham Lee, Ted Durcan (x3), Steve Drowne,
Richard Hills and George Baker.
It’s
fair to say that I am John’s staunchest supporter but I know from the nice
emails we receive through this website, along with messages on Twitter and
Facebook, that there are plenty of people who follow this yard and for that we
are ever grateful. John’s way of training is perhaps no longer so
fashionable
in that he’s always been one to bring horses on steadily, letting them tell him when
they are ready, mentally and physically. Some owners are less prepared to take
a long-term view these days and that is understandable considering the cost of having a horse in training when prize-money, despite some recent advances, remains too low. However, horses
like Jack Dawson, Brief Goodbye, Extreme Conviction and Kadouchski – all but
one chuck-outs from bigger yards who went on to win 30 races between them –
show what John can do with the right horse who is given a bit of time to come
to himself.
Brief Goodbye leads Our Vic at the British Racing School |
It happens to plenty of trainers, and we've benefited at times from other people's losses, but it’s
been pretty gut-wrenching to lose some horses to other stables this
year, particularly recently a three-time winner for this yard. As she’s a mare we had here from her yearling days we’re
naturally very fond of her and hope that she continues to show the good form she did when
racing for this stable. She’s game and straightforward and deserves plenty more
success for her owners. I guess the best way to look at these situations is to consider ourselves fortunate to have had the horses here in the first place and to continue to hope that in time they will be replaced by some new recruits, as some of them have been already.
In
racing, as in life, it’s never wise to look back too often, even though it’s
hard to avoid doing so on the final day of the year. So we’ll look ahead, to
tomorrow, and to 2014.
Prospective young hurdler Wasabi |
I’m
particularly looking forward to seeing Indira back in action for the Severn
Crossing Partnership in the coming week after her promising runner-up finish on
debut a few weeks ago. Wasabi has been schooling away and will do more of that
over the next month ahead of her first hurdles outing
for Tony and Rebecca Fordham. The Vicarage family’s much-loved Zarosa will return
from her holiday at Colton Farm in a week or so, bringing with her my
soon-to-be two-year-old Delatite. They will be replaced at the farm by
Delatite’s brother Oscar, who is on an enforced three-month break following a
minor injury (if ever a horse has taught me about patience it is Oscar), and Russian Link, who will be aimed at hurdles next year and will
need to show an attitude to match the ability we know she possesses.
Roy
Rocket, owned by John with long-time supporters Larry and Iris McCarthy, is
back in work, and his little sister So Much Water has recently been broken in.
We’ll also be welcoming the three sales yearlings back as two-year-olds in the spring. They have all been broken in and ridden for a short time and are now enjoying a deserved break at the respective owners' farms.
Ethics Girl, the complete all-rounder, with Will Kennedy |
Happy New Year from Gus and from us |
The
biggest hope when working with animals is that they all remain safe, well and
sound throughout the season. I hope that not just for our own horses, but for them all.
I’d like to say a special thank you to everyone who has supported this yard in myriad
ways over the last twelve months, and to wish you all a happy and peaceful new
year.
And most importantly, happy birthday to all northern hemisphere thoroughbreds, and thank you for the unending joy you bring all fans of racing.
And most importantly, happy birthday to all northern hemisphere thoroughbreds, and thank you for the unending joy you bring all fans of racing.
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