Pant Wilkin Blog

A recent recruit to the yard, Laugharne had run a cracking race on his debut for us at Ascot in February and went on to finish second at Ffos Las last month.  Back on better ground and with the benefit of that recent run, he made most of the running and showed a tremendous attitude to win at Southwell yesterday evening in the hands of David Noonan.

The seven year old son of Authorized was a useful performer on the level earlier in his career and, still lightly-raced for his age and after just 12 starts over hurdles, he remains open to further improvement.  He will continue over the summer and has lots of options, with the possibility of a return to Southwell for a 3m handicap hurdle on Tuesday 12th June.  Congratulations to his owners Oceans Racing!

Alan Johns on sidelines for a month 

Unfortunately, Alan broke his collarbone when Fields Of Glory fell at Kempton Park on Monday.  He is seeing a specialist today, but at this stage is likely to be off for the best part of a month.  All the team wish him a speedy recovery!

Tara Mac appears in the form of her life at present and the nine year old daughter of Kayf Tara followed up her narrow success over hurdles on heavy ground at Newcastle last month with a ready win back over fences at Fontwell Park yesterday in the hands of Alan Johns, providing us with a first winner of the 2018/19 campaign!

Having jumped to the front at the third fence, she produced an exhibition round of jumping and kept galloping resolutely to land the spoils by five lengths.  We may look to run her back over hurdles (and thereby escape a penalty) next week and hopefully she can make a very bold bid for the hat-trick.  Congratulations to her owners Brian and Wayne Jones!

Having had a break since going close at Huntingdon on Boxing Day, Bennachie made a winning return when running away with the 2m4f handicap chase at Plumpton yesterday under Charlie Deutsch.

Charlie’s only previous ride for us came on Makethedifference in the Listed Gerry Feilden at Newbury a couple of years ago, in which he finished third, but he had looked unlikely to be able to take up yesterday’s engagement after a heavy fall in the Grand National on Saturday.  However, National Hunt jockeys are made of stern stuff and, less than 24 hours after that tumble, he gave Bennachie an excellent ride yesterday, hitting the front at the last and bounding clear to win by seven lengths.

As it was a conditional jockeys’ contest, Bennachie would escape a penalty if running before a week Friday so we will probably look to have him out again next week.  Congratulations to his owners Oceans Racing.

Tara Mac came into Saturday’s race with uninspiring form figures of FUP, but had won over fences on her reappearance in October and, with cheekpieces fitted and having her third run back over hurdles, she bounced back to form with a game success at Newcastle under promising 5lbs conditional Harry Reed.

Having travelled well through the race, she was briefly a little outpaced turning in, but kept on really strongly up the home straight to get the better of a protracted duel with the runner-up.  She is unlikely to go up much for that win and we also have the option of going back over fences, so hopefully she can add another win in the coming weeks for her owners Brian and Wayne Jones.

C’est Du Gateau has needed plenty of time, so it was very pleasing to see him reward his owners’ patience with a breakthrough success at Towcester yesterday under a good ride from conditional Richard Patrick.

Held up of a sensible gallop in what were very testing conditions, he made up ground from the home turn and, hitting the front before the last, he kept on to score by four lengths, despite idling a little late on.

We will look to give him another run over hurdles next, but we won’t wait long before sending him over fences in the spring.

Looksnowtlikebrian is an exciting young staying chaser in the making and he coped with the drop back in trip when winning narrowly at Ayr yesterday, providing Richard Johnson with his 150th winner of the season!

Settled in second, Looksnowtlikebrian failed to jump with much fluency and, though he travelled well through the contest, those mistakes looked like they might prove his undoing as he duelled with the eventual runner-up from the home bend all the way to the line.  However, he definitely has a good engine and, despite losing ground over the fences, he had enough class to get the better of his main rival close home, following up his win at Ffos Las in December.

He’ll have plenty more schooling next week, but will be better suited when conditions are in his favour and he remains a progressive young chaser to follow.  Congratulations to his owners Steve and Reg Botham!

Having looked very unlucky not to win on his reappearance at Stratford in October, Normandy King atoned for his last-fence blunder that day when winning well at Southwell yesterday under Alan Johns.

He jumped really nicely in the main and was travelling best from some way out, and a slight mistake at the last wasn’t enough to stop him winning by just over three lengths.

He has always shown ability in his work at home and hopefully this win will represent the start of him fulfilling that promise on the racecourse.  I am delighted for his owners The 600 Club, who have been very patient with him.