Pant Wilkin Blog

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.

There are few things that can be written about Dovils Date that haven’t been said before, but he is a superstar in our eyes and all the team were delighted to see him win again yesterday, recording the hat-trick in fine style under Charlie Price.

Settled in midfield, he travelled strongly and made his ground up on the outside down the back straight.  In front before the home bend, he quickened clear, a little mistake at the last not stopping his momentum, and galloped on strongly to win readily.

That was his 12th win for us, and the 14th of his career, a remarkable tally from his 58 career starts.  He has provided his owners in the Itsfuninit partnership with so many memorable days and, though his new mark will now kick in, hopefully further success lies ahead!

Just five days after a wide-margin success at Ffos Las, Midnight Folie followed up in fine style at Newton Abbot yesterday, defying the penalty and scoring by four lengths under Ben Jones.

The nine year old daughter of Midnight Legend joined us in outstanding form, having won five times in a row in the pointing sphere for Amber Mathias, and I am delighted that she has continued her winning record since joining us.

She will face a hike from the handicapper now, but we will run over hurdles at Cartmel on Friday without a penalty and hopefully she can record the hat-trick.  Congratulations to her owners Trevor Nicholas and Malcolm Price.

Dovils Date is a huge favourite in the yard and the ten year old further enhanced his fine strike-rate when recording the 13th win of his career at Southwell yesterday, 11 of which have come since joining us back in 2012.

A winner at Uttoxeter on his previous start, he had been put up 11lbs for that success and, forced up in grade as well, he looked to have a very tough task.  However, he travelled very kindly for Charlie Price, whose 8lbs claim is invaluable in those conditional riders contests and, picking up the running at the second-last, he bounded clear for a 12-length success.

The handicapper will certainly have his say once again and he’ll be back on a very tricky mark, but we will hopefully get him out before he is re-assessed, as he will escape a penalty for yesterday’s win.  Congratulations to his owners in the Itsfuninit partnership!