A good looking mare who won an Irish point-to-point in November before being bought at the Goffs December Point-to-Point Sale. Kenny Alexander kindly sent her to us and we gave her a run over hurdles at Perth in the spring. She ran well in second and Brian (Hughes) was complimentary about her. We started her off over two miles because she can be buzzy but we were pleased with the run and she was nicely clear of the third. Given a break since, she has done well during the summer and is a big strong mare who could be running over fences later this season. In the meantime, we will give her more experience over hurdles.
Aubis Walk
After notching up a few wins early in his career, he wasn’t quite at his best in 2021 despite running some nice races. He bounced back in the spring and won twice in Handicap Hurdles. He doesn’t like the soft ground and has been given a short break since finishing third at Hexham in June (the winner and runner up have both won 4 consecutive races this summer) and he shouldn’t take long to get back to full fitness.
Big Bad Bear
Although he’s eleven, he’s showing no signs of slowing down and after stepping up to three miles for the first time in his career, he notched up his 13th win at Perth in July. This will likely be his last season before enjoying a well earned retirement.
“King Of The Castle” Caius Marcius
Half-brother to Marown who has won five times for us, he is back having missed last season due to injury. A progressive novice hurdler, he improved throughout winning twice at Ayr before running well in Graded company at Kelso and finishing second over three miles in a Listed event at Perth. He looks well and is crying out for fences and a trip. We will probably start him off over two and a half miles and, while he hasn’t been schooled over fences, he jumps hurdles very well and I don’t envisage any problems. He is one to look forward to over fences.
A lovely six year old by Cloudings, he ran a nice race to finish second in a bumper at Carlisle in March, beaten by a horse with experience. We considered giving him another run but he didn’t quite come out of the race as well as we hoped mentally so left him off. He’s done well over the summer and we’re looking forward to getting more racing into him this season, starting off in two mile National Hunt Novice Hurdles before stepping him up in trip.
Purchased from Tattersalls in August last year, he was broken in then given a winter break before coming back into work earlier this year. He did some nice work and is a very well proportioned horse who has done very well through the summer. He looks a tough horse and I like him. All being well, he will be running in a bumper before Christmas.
A lovely horse who won both his Irish points before joining us last season. We have always liked him and he progressed throughout his novice hurdle campaign. A dual winner at Hexham and Newcastle, he ran two very good races in Graded company during the second half of the season. He was the only horse to give Hillcrest a race when runner-up in a Grade 2 event at Haydock in February on testing ground. Then, he didn’t let any one down when finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in the spring. He is versatile in terms of ground because it was good to soft that day. We schooled him over fences before he went for his summer break and he was good. He will start over two and a half miles and is one to look forward to in novice chases.
CRYSTAL GLORY Ridden by Brian Hughes wins at Hexham 5/11/21
Half-brother to Cheltenham Festival winner Telmesomethinggirl, he is another grand horse who is ready to go novice chasing. Progressive last term, he won over hurdles at Ayr and Kelso and was unlucky not to win again at the latter track when falling at the second last. Brian (Hughes) is adamant he would have won that day. We took him to Perth in the spring but he pulled up in the home straight because Brian thought he had lost his action. We have put a line through that and he has schooled well over fences. He could run in a novices’ handicap chase off his mark of 128. Typical of one of Mr Hemmings’, he is a lovely staying chaser in the making.
Famous Bridge
Ran in an Irish point-to-point before we bought him, he was quite fractious when he first arrived and wasn’t easy getting to the start on his first couple of runs. However, we worked him out and he progressed all the way through last season. Having won over hurdles at Sedgefield and Catterick, he then produced a very good performance to win nicely at Wetherby. Unfortunately, he had a problem afterwards and missed the rest of the season. We have given him plenty of time and won’t be rushing him. All being well, he will go chasing because he jumps fences very well.
FINDTHETIME Ridden by Brian Hughes wins at Sedgefield 23/11/21
Acquired as a three year old at the Goffs Landrover Sale, he is another nice youngster who showed ability in his work last spring. Given time after a few of the bumper horses got ringworm, he has pleased me and is a grand horse. He will run in a bumper in the Autumn.
Florida Dreams, One Step Up & The Kalooki Kid
A nice big horse who won on his debut in a bumper at Ayr. The intention was to give him another run but then the ground dried up so we put him away. Brian (Hughes) schooled him over hurdles and was delighted with him. Ready to go novice hurdling, he will probably start off over two miles but will be running over three miles one day. He wants at least good to soft ground though. He is a proper chasing type for the future though. His owner, Mrs Starkie, formerly had horses with my father.
Last season she was ultra-consistent during her mares’ handicap hurdles
campaign, winning twice at Carlisle and Newcastle over two and a half miles on good ground. She
was also placed on four of her nine outings and remains on a workable rating over hurdles.
Lilly with her winning connections
Houston Texas joined our yard last winter and was progressive over fences. Having run well at Kelso and Newcastle, he won twice at Carlisle in February. He overcame a bad mistake at the second last on his most recent start and we were going to run him again at Ayr but the ground dried up. He’s a big horse who wants a trip and will stay four miles. He could be one for the Eider Chase at Newcastle in February.
HOUSTON TEXAS with his groom George Skelton (Skelly)
Under the new ownership of MS Borders Racing Club and Tarzan Bloodstock, we hope he can give them some good days out. A dual purpose horse who prefers the quicker going but has the option of running on the All-Weather at Newcastle if the ground is heavy in winter. He had a short summer break and returned to action in August.
A good looking horse, he is another we bought as a three year old at Fairyhouse. Similar to Coniston George and Florida Dreams, he was due to have a racecourse gallop last spring but a few of the babies weren’t healthy so we left them off. He is a nice young horse though who will make his debut in a bumper.
He is a grand horse from a family we know, he progressed all year in Novice Hurdles winning the Grade 2 Premier Hurdle at Kelso in March. His victory wasn’t a surprise because I thought he would run well. Prior to that, he had run well in another Grade 2 at Haydock behind Jonbon. With the ground drying up and racing on a sharp track, we decided to step him up to two and a half miles in the Grade 1 at Aintree and he wasn’t disgraced in fourth. The key to him is the ground because he wants it soft and is likely to be at his best in mid winter. His schooling over fences has been very good and he could drop back to two miles to begin with.
NELLS SON Ridden by S. F. O’Keeffe wins at Kelso
Very consistent, he ran some good races in defeat before coming good in the spring. He ran seven times over hurdles finishing second on five of those outings. A winner at Haydock and Perth, he was then second at Bangor. He has a good attitude to everything he does, and we will probably give him another couple of runs in handicaps and then change to fences later in the year. He appreciated the better ground in the spring. I think he will make a lovely chaser.
A lovely horse who won both his starts in bumpers. He won well first out at Musselburgh and Brian Hughes was very pleased with him. He then defined a penalty at Market Rasen having hit the front soon enough. He got off to a promising start to his hurdling career in November last year, finishing second and third over two miles. He sadly picked up an injury which meant he missed the rest of the season, but he will be back later this year and hopefully he can get back on track.
He ran a great race first time out at Hexham last term, but due to an abnormally dry winter, he struggled to get the heavy ground he needed. He is back on a good mark and we’ll be hoping he can give his owners the winning experience. We will be praying for a wet winter this year!
A former point-to-point winner for Brian Harding, he was disappointing over hurdles last season. Too buzzy in his races, he needs to learn to settle. A good jumper who travels well, we are going to send him chasing and hopefully he will improve as he matures. If so, he could be on a good mark.
Snowy Clouds
He is a big lad, out of a mare we trained to win twice, who had three bumper runs since making his racecourse debut at Kelso in May 2021, and he has been placed on each run. He wasn’t quite finishing his races off so we had his wind checked and he has had an operation. We now plan to send him over hurdles in the autumn and there could be plenty of improvement.
Despite being a six year old, he is still raw and babyish. This time last year, he didn’t have a summer break due to a minor setback and we were unable to give him a racecourse gallop. Runner-up in a bumper at Ayr on his debut, he was very green in the paddock beforehand and during the first half of the race before finishing strongly. It was a similar story in his two runs over hurdles. A real cruiser at home, I was pleased with the manner in which he finished off his races and I think he will improve significantly this season. He looks great at home and is as big as a bull. I haven’t lost faith in him and we may give him one more run over hurdles before going chasing. He stays well with two and a half plus being his trip.
A likeable horse who had a good year winning handicap hurdles at Carlisle and Doncaster. He is a good looking horse and we will have a discussion whether to remain over hurdles or jump a fence. I think he will make a nice chaser. Effective on most types of ground, two and a half miles is his trip.
Universal Folly
A big 4yr old by Mount Nelson. He forms part of our stable run syndicate for Greystoke Owners III and will be running in bumpers this winter. He may not be seen at his best until later in his career, as he will need the time to strengthen and mature but we are confident he will prove to be a nice horse.
See our Syndicate Opportunities page for more information.
Another dual purpose horse who has been shared between our conditional and amateur jockeys to help them gain race experience. He got his first win in a two mile hurdle race at Sedgefield last November and recently ran on the flat at Carlisle. Still a lightly raced eight year old, he will likely run in similar races again this season and has proved winning isn’t beyond him.
Wilhelm Vonvenster
