Pant Wilkin Blog

A winner at Hexham in maiden company in May, Eva’s Oskar returned from a break yesterday with a career-best effort to score at Warwick under a tremendous ride from Alan Johns.

The five year old son of Shirocco is very much a three-mile chaser in the making and he was caught for a bit of speed on a couple of occasions, but Alan managed to tag on to the leading group as they turned for home and the pair finished with a flourish to pass three rivals between the last and the line, getting up close home to win narrowly.

He is unlikely to receive much of a raise for the win and looks an improving sort who should make a very bold bid for a hat-trick next time.  He still has a bit to learn and we will keep our sights lowered for the time being, but he looks to have a very bright future for his owners Sally and Richard Prince and I can’t wait to get him started over fences in due course.

The horses continue in fine form and we were delighted to record an across-the-card double yesterday, bringing us to 25 winners for the season so far.

Third on his hurdling debut at the end of last season, Jembug Drummer took a step forward on his reappearance to score in great style at Bangor under Alan Johns. The son of Jeremy still looked a little green through the race and was under pressure leaving the back straight, but he stayed on strongly to join the eventual runner-up over the second-last and drew clear to win by 12 lengths for owners Paul and Louise Bowtell.  He shouldn’t be unduly punished by the handicapper and we will get an opening mark next week before deciding where he goes next.

Owners The Bill & Ben Partnership had to wait a while for Akkapenko to get his head in front over hurdles, but the five year old followed that first success over timber last month at Sedgefield with a very pleasing win at Huntingdon under Richard Johnson.  He travelled and jumped well, picked up nicely to challenge before the second-last and kept on resolutely, showing a likeable attitude.  He shouldn’t go up much for that and I am very hopeful that he can go on to record the hat-trick next time!

French recruit Le Milos gave his owners a day to remember when winning at Sandown Park last season and he got his 2019/20 campaign off to the perfect start when winning at Kelso yesterday under a fine ride from Charlie Price.

The four year old son of Shirocco was stepping up in trip for his seasonal return but, having travelled well through the race, he was outpaced on the home bend and looked to have a stiff task to reel in the two leaders.  However, he picked up very strongly from the second-last and, brought through to challenge at the last, he kept on very well to get the upper hand close home.

It was an excellent effort, particularly as he should come on plenty for the run.  We will most likely look to win another similar race with him before his novice status goes at the end of next month, but he looks to have the ability to make up into an exciting handicapper this term.  Congratulations to his owners Bovian Racing!

It has been a long time between drinks for Royale Django, so I couldn’t have been more pleased to see him return to winning ways with a front-running success at Newton Abbot yesterday under Charlie Price, on his second start back from ten months off.

Jumping very well, he shared the lead from the third fence, took up the running with over a circuit to go and never looked in any danger from there, galloping on strongly to win very comfortably.

He looked like he was enjoying himself and hopefully the win will give him plenty of confidence.  We’ll have a look to see if there is anything for him next week, as he could run again without a penalty before he is re-assessed.  I am delighted for his owners John Durston and Nigel Harris, who have been very patient and really deserved to cheer one home!

Lauberhorn Rocket had placed on his previous two starts earlier in the summer and, back from a short break, he finished strongest of all to get off the mark at Kempton Park yesterday evening under David Probert.

The four year old son of Maxios, an inexpensive purchase at the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale last autumn, is a late-maturing type and we have kept him to the flat to give him time to develop.  That approach is certainly paying off, as he is very much going the right way and produced a tremendous finish to come from a long way back and snatch victory on the line yesterday.

He is likely to go up four or five in the handicap and he could go to Southwell on the 26th for a 1m4f handicap, or perhaps return to Kempton Park on 3rd September for another 1m4f contest.  Longer-term, I am looking forward to starting him off over hurdles.  Congratulations to his owners John and Kim Bolton!

Following a double with our only two runners at Cartmel last week, we took five to Perth yesterday and were rewarded with another two winners, courtesy of Danboru and Cape Hideaway.

Danboru had recorded a career-best effort when winning over hurdles at Newton Abbot nine days earlier and, running without a penalty back over the larger obstacles, he looked to have an excellent chance.  The 2m4f trip was the concern though and, having travelled well, he was slightly outpaced by the strong-travelling winner after the third-last.  However, he kept on very gamely, jumped the final two well and Charlie Price was then seen to great effect in galvanising one final effort to reel in the eventual runner-up in the dying strides.

He should continue to be competitive over fences, but we will also have him entered up in novice hurdles again, as he could well prove capable of winning another under a penalty.  Congratulations to his owner Lycett Racing Ltd!

Cape Hideaway has taken time to find his form, but he was dropped in grade yesterday, with just one horse rated above his mark of 98, and with a visor on for the first time, he travelled well off a strong pace, which was a help for him over the minimum trip.  Taking up the running entering the home straight, he kept on resolutely under an accomplished ride from Mark Galligan, who has only just started with us at Pant Wilkin.  Hopefully that win will give Cape Hideaway plenty of confidence and, given he shouldn’t get too much of a hike in the weights, he should be very competitive again next time.  Well done to his owners in the Kings Head Duffield Racing Partnership!

It was a shame to see Spectator just touched off in the 3m handicap hurdle, having been finessed into the race by Alan Johns.  He needs things to drop just right, but the ability is there to win more races and hopefully he will land on one soon.

A close second on his latest outing at Ffos Las, Champagne Chaser went one better at Cartmel yesterday, returning to winning ways under a typically strong ride from Richard Johnson.

Travelling notably well throughout on the wide outside, he was in front some way from home, but the odds-on favourite produced a strong challenge on the long run from the last and looked likely to get past halfway up the straight.  However, Champagne Chaser kept on very gamely to hold on by half a length.  At his best on soft ground, he can certainly find another race this summer when he gets his preferred surface.  Congratulations to his owner Monica O’Sullivan.

Half an hour later, Canton Prince returned to winning ways with an impressive chasing debut, jumping very well in the main and coming clear on the run-in to win very comfortably.

The eight year old has always had a lot of ability and, but he has also had more than his fair share of little niggles along the way.  It was therefore very pleasing to see him back in the winners’ enclosure, all the more so given how much he looked to be enjoying his first experience of the larger obstacles.  There are a few options for him next month, including a novice at Worcester, a track where he has finished first and second on his only two outings.  Well done to his owners Tertia Racing!

Following a string of good performances in defeat, Danboru gained a deserved first success at Newton Abbot yesterday, making all the running to land the 2m5f novice contest on just his second outing over hurdles.

The son of Brian Boru had finished runner-up over fences on his first two starts for us and, with the favourite looming up on the home bend, it looked as if he might have to settle for second once again.  However, despite mistakes at the last two hurdles, he showed plenty of grit and resolution to hold on to his lead, winning by just over two lengths under an excellent ride from Alan Johns.

His handicap mark is likely to go up as a result, so we might look to give him a couple of options next week, either under a penalty over hurdles, or back over fences.  Congratulations to his owner Dave Lycett!

Our summer team has made a very bright start to the season and Take Em Out became our 15th winner of the 2019/20 campaign when winning at Stratford yesterday under a fine ride from Alan Johns.

Racing prominently, he was outpaced down the back straight and looked in trouble as the leaders quickened after the second-last.  However, Alan was at his strongest to bring him through to challenge at the last and Take Em Out kept on strongly to score by three and a half lengths on just his second outing over fences.  A relatively lightly-raced seven year old, he is open to further improvement and hopefully he can go in again next time for his owners the Bill & Ben Partnership.