Pant Wilkin Blog

Multiple winning pointer Galros Lady made a winning debut for us with an authoritative display for owners Oceans Racing at Lingfield Park yesterday, winning by six lengths under Alan Johns.

Jumping fluently throughout, she was travelling noticeably strongly on the home bend and came clear with the minimum of fuss to win in great style.  We will now look to bring her out under a penalty, as the handicapper is likely to have his say, but she looked to beat very little and hopefully a sensible rise awaits!

Theligny is a lovely, progressive young novice and he recorded his third consecutive win of the campaign with a hard-fought success from the front under a well-judged ride from Alan.  He jumped beautifully in front until challenged at the fourth-last, and once under pressure he just made a couple of novicey mistakes.  However, he once again showed a tremendously willing attitude, battling up the straight and, having been headed between the last two, he ralllied to get back to the front after the last and kept on strongly to score.

We’ll keep him to the same grade for the time being, but longer-term he is a real chaser in the making and he has the potential to be a very useful performer in that sphere.

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Following a hard-fought victory at Fontwell Park last week, Looksnowtlikebrian took another step forwards at Chepstow yesterday, travelling strongly throughout and drawing clear from the second last to win by 14 lengths in the hands of Richard Johnson.

The five year old son of Brian Boru has made great strides of late and he looked very much at home on Chepstow’s galloping track, hurdling fluently and looking a young novice on the up.

The handicapper will now have his say after those two wins, but whatever happens he looks a bright prospect and I’m sure there is more to come when he steps up further in trip, and when he is sent over a fence next year.

Congratulations to his owner Steve Botham!

Having had more than his fair share of problems over the years, the seven year old Wistari Rocks had thoroughly deserved his win at Uttoxeter in September, and it was a pleasure to see him follow up over the same course and distance yesterday in the hands of Alan Johns.

Dropped in off a strong early gallop, he was travelling noticeably well throughout and, brought with a well-timed challenge by Alan, he took the lead approaching the last and quickened clear to win in good style.

I am delighted for his owners the Four Leaf Clover Partnership, who have been incredibly patient, and hopefully he can make a very bold bid to record the hat-trick next time!

It has been a pleasure to see so many of our horses coming back from their summer breaks bigger and stronger, and Bassarabad became our 15th winner of the season to have been purchased as a store horse when successful at Kelso yesterday under George Blackwell for owners Dave and Jodie Pearn.

Close up throughout in first-time visors, he took up the lead entering the final mile and kept on galloping resolutely, jumping well but for a mistake at the last, and keeping on strongly to hold off a couple of challengers up the straight.

A beautifully-bred son of Astarabad out of the top-class French racemare Grivette, he has run plenty for his age, but still looks very much a work in progress and the best of him will be seen once he is sent over fences next year.  In the meantime, I hope he can continue to improve and register further wins over hurdles this term.  Incidentally, his win brought Dave and Jodie’s record at the track this season to three winners from five runners, following recent successes for exciting novices Spectator and Theligny!

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The horses continue in fine form, and we recorded our 9th and 10th winners of October with an across-the-card double at Worcester and Fontwell Park yesterday, courtesy of Fayette County and Looksnowtlikebrian.

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Fayette County was stepping up beyond 2m4f for the first time, having run very well over that trip at Uttoxeter on his previous start.  He travelled strongly off a slow gallop, jumped well throughout and was brought to challenge between the last two fences.  However, having hit the front at the last, he was headed inside the final furlong and Alan Johns, who is riding out of his skin at present and represents outstanding value for his 3lbs claim, had to be at his strongest to get the game Fayette County back up in the final strides.

He shouldn’t go up much for that win, but I am hopeful that it will do plenty for his confidence and, now that he has proven he stays further and with softer ground expected to help, hopefully he can go on to land a nice prize in the coming months for owner JP McManus.

Looksnowtlikebrian was purchased as a store at the Goffs Land Rover Sale and is a lovely type for the future, so we were delighted to see him off the mark at Fontwell Park under an excellent ride from George Blackwell, whose 10lbs claim in the conditional jockeys’ contest certainly made the difference between victory and defeat.

However, it is fair to say track, trip and ground were probably against Looksnowtlikebrian, who is a real galloper and looks sure to progress further once upped in trip on softer ground and, in due course, when sent chasing.  Congratulations to his owner Steve Botham!

Having got off the mark in great style at Kelso last time, Theligny faced a tougher task under a penalty at Huntingdon yesterday, but nevertheless ran out a ready winner of the novice hurdle under Richard Johnson.

Dropped back in trip to an extended 2m3f, he hurdled well in the main and, having raced prominently throughout, came through to lead at the third last.  A strong and prolonged challenge from the eventual runner-up lasted until the last, but by then Theligny was already a couple of lengths clear and, despite making a mistake there, he kept on really strongly to the line.

Only a five year old and having his fifth career start, he is still very much a work in progress, but is clearly improving all the time and we will look for a novice handicap for him in three weeks or so, probably stepping up to beyond 2m4f again, before making any longer-term plans.  Congratulations to his owners Dave and Jodie Pearn!

Following five winners on Sunday, we added a further success at Southwell on Monday, and I was absolutely delighted to see Ballyrock get his head in front for the first time over fences for owners Dave and Jodie Pearn.

A classy novice hurdler in his youth, finishing second in the 2011 Challow Hurdle, he has been plagued by injuries ever since, so it was tremendous to see him get back to winning ways at Southwell.  Having travelled well for the first circuit, he came under pressure and was outpaced going down the back for the last time, but he was closing down the long-time leaders from the home bend and, taking up the running before the second-last, he cleared right away from his tiring rivals to win by 14 lengths.

It is hoped the handicapper doesn’t overreact to the winning margin, but providing Ballyrock is allotted a sensible rise, I am very hopeful that he can follow up next time, as the win should do a great deal for his confidence.  There are obviously very few miles on the clock despite his age and, though it may come a bit quick, we could look next to the veterans’ chase at Aintree on the 23rd.

Our horses have continued in great form in recent weeks and after recording 11 winners in September (10 NH, one on the flat), we made the perfect start to October, with five winners across three courses yesterday!

Makethedifference was our first winner of the day, bouncing back to form with an authoritative win at Kelso under Tom O’Brien, bringing his record at the track to two from two.  A dual winner last September, he looks back to somewhere near his best and we will look to bring him out under a penalty next week, when there are lots of options for him.

Half an hour later, Spectator completed a Kelso double for us with a comfortable win in the 2m novice hurdle, with Tom O’Brien again in the saddle.  A useful handicapper on the flat for his previous connections, the win was a big step up on his hurdling debut in August and he looks the type to continue to improve as he gains experience over obstacles.

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Bucking The Trend was our third winner of the day, winning on his seasonal reappearance at Uttoxeter on what was his first start over hurdles since finishing in midfield in the Albert Bartlett in 2013.  He is a tremendously gutsy individual and, at the age of eight, could be set for his best season yet when returning to chasing, with the 3m1f handicap chase at Cheltenham’s October meeting his next target.  Alan Johns has struck up an excellent relationship with Bucking The Trend and hopefully the pair can land a good prize over fences this season.

Our fourth winner came courtesy of Bells Of Ailsworth, who put in a determined effort under a similarly determined Richard Johnson to fend off a couple of strong challenges up the home straight to win at Huntingdon.  He looks to have improved since returning from his summer break and hopefully can win again over hurdles, before reverting to fences in the new year.

The five-timer was completed by Chakisto, who was having just his second start for us, and his first since March, when winning at Uttoxeter, providing Alan Johns with a double.  He travelled well throughout and, though the winning margin was just a length, he looks the type to progress now that he has got his head in front and hopefully he can make a bold bid to follow up next time.

It was a brilliant day, and I am glad to report that all 11 runners were absolutely fine this morning!