Pant Wilkin Blog

A good fourth on his British debut at Exeter, four year old Le Milos took a big step forwards on his second start for us yesterday, winning the juvenile handicap at Sandown Park under a patient ride from Alan Johns.

Held up in last, he was on and off the bridle for the majority of the contest, the application of a first-time hood seemingly switching him off, as he had been keen through the race at Exeter.  He had plenty of ground to make up turning in, but started passing horses three furlongs from home and kept on strongly to reel in the eventual runner-up and go on to score by four lengths.

There are two £40,000 handicap hurdles for four year olds in the coming weeks and, whilst Newbury on the 23rd will almost certainly come too quickly, I am hopeful that he could make the one at Ascot on Sunday 31st March.  Congratulations to his owners Bovian Racing!

A winner on his previous start at Newcastle in January, Debece was a warm order to supplement that success at Catterick yesterday and he duly did so with the minimum of fuss, coming home a distance clear, his closest market rival having departed at the third-last fence.

Third in the Grade 1 Sefton Hurdle at Aintree’s Grand National meeting in 2017, he finished fourth in the handicap hurdle there last year on the back of an interrupted preparation.  However, he has now had three runs over fences, winning twice, and I am very hopeful that we’ll be able to go there in tip-top shape this year, with the 3m1f Grade 3 Handicap Chase (a race we won with Saint Are back in 2012 when it was a Listed handicap) the target.  Congratulations to his owner Robert Kirkland!

A bumper winner last season for her previous connections, Oriental Cross has taken a little time to get to grips with hurdling, but took a significant step forwards yesterday when winning a big-field novice handicap hurdle at Newcastle.

She travelled powerfully through the race and looked to be going best turning in, but she just looked a little green when coming under pressure and a couple of mistakes over the last two flights meant she had a tough task to reel in the eventual runner-up.  However, she responded really willingly to Alan’s urgings to win by a neck.

She is very much a work in progress, having had just eight starts to date, and hopefully there is a good deal more to come from her.  Congratulations to her owners John Durston and Nigel Harris!

At his best over 2m on good ground, Glimpse Of Gold had his ideal conditions at Southwell yesterday and duly took full advantage of the drop to selling grade, winning very easily in the hands of Alan Johns.

Travelling noticeably well throughout, he was still on the bridle turning for home and Alan barely had to move on him as the pair drew clear up the straight.

It must be said that it was a particularly weak contest and we’ll now have to hope that the handicapper isn’t too hard on him!  Congratulations to his owners in The Craftsmen partnership!

A good third on his debut for us at Huntingdon just ten days ago, Landsman stepped up on that effort with a fine front-running performance to win impressively at Musselburgh yesterday under Alan Johns.

Sent straight into the lead, he raced enthusiastically and jumped fluently throughout.  He had most of his rivals off the bridle before the home straight and kept on strongly to record a facile success.

The six year old was a useful performer on the flat in Ireland prior to being purchased at the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale in October and looks to have a very bright future over timber.  He’ll have another run in novice company, but looking ahead looks the ideal type to run in some of the valuable handicap hurdles this summer.  Congratulations to his owner David Fox!

After a week off due to an outbreak of equine influenza, it was fantastic to be back racing and even better to return with a winner, Copper Gone West making it third time lucky with a comfortable success in the mares’ maiden hurdle at Musselburgh yesterday under Alan Johns.

The daughter of Westerner had won her sole start in an Irish point in 2017, but was held back by an injury last term.  Thankfully, she is clearly going the right way now, as she readily got the better of a mare with strong novice form yesterday, taking a lead until the second-last, at which point she was sent for home, galloping on strongly for a four-length success.

I am confident there is a good deal more to come from her and she is crying out for three miles, but we may look to give her another run in similar company next time at 2m4f-2m6f, before stepping up in trip from there.

I am delighted for her owners Paul and Louise Bowtell and hopefully she can go on to further success in the near future!

Modern Warfair is a lovely young horse that we purchased in the spring, having finished second on his sole start in an Irish point.

Having run two lovely races in novice company late last year, he got off the mark at the third time of asking with a last-gasp win at Doncaster yesterday under a fine ride from Alan Johns.

Settled in mid-division, he travelled and jumped well through the first half of the race, but was outpaced when the tempo lifted and he looked in trouble when entering the straight with just one behind him.  However, he stayed on resolutely from the second-last, responding to Alan’s urgings to reel in the eventual runner-up in the shadows of the post.

I’m sure he will appreciate a stiffer test of stamina and certainly some softer ground.  Just a five year old and out of a half-sister to a Midlands National runner-up, he is a really exciting prospect to go chasing in the future and I am delighted for his owners Brian Ead and Martin Moore, who are wonderful supporters of ours.

Weekly Round up

Please see below a round up of the past week at Pant Wilkin Stables!

A good second on his chasing debut at Chepstow in October, Debece made his second start over the larger obstacles a winning one at Newcastle yesterday, jumping well throughout under Alan Johns to take the novices’ chase in very good style.

The son of Kayf Tara hasn’t had much racing in the past 18 months, but his close third in the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in April 2017 was a clear indication of what he is capable of and I have always thought he would make up into a better chaser, as he has all the attributes to excel over fences.

In many ways it was a relief to get yesterday out of the way and, all being well, we will now look to give him one more run before a tilt at the Festival in March.  I am delighted for his owner Robert Kirkland, who is a wonderful supporter of ours.