In my last blog, I reflected on the highs and lows of last season. Now, with a new season on the horizon, it’s time to shift focus and look ahead at what’s in store.
In this post, I’ll be sharing what I’m excited about, some of the challenges we’re preparing for, and everything in between as we gear up for what promises to be another thrilling season.
Since my last update, we’ve been working tirelessly to get the horses in top shape for the months ahead. Early mornings, long days, and plenty of dedication. The team knows that success on the track starts long before race day. From fitness routines to fine tuning their diets, every aspect is carefully planned to get the best out of our horses. We’ve dedicated a lot of time to schooling, especially with the novices, honing their jumping technique and teaching them to perform at their best both when fresh and when tired, as they would experience towards the end of a race. The horses are in great form, having done plenty of work, and they’re brimming with energy, ready for the season to get underway.
With Chepstow and the core jump season fast approaching, I thought this would be the perfect time to highlight a few horses I’m particularly excited about for the season ahead. With over 150 horses in training, there’s plenty to look forward to at all levels, but I’ll focus on a select few that have caught my eye.
Of the older horses, I’m looking forward to seeing Bravemansgame back in action. While last season was slightly frustrating, he still performed consistently, and we’re hopeful he’ll return to his very best form this year. Stage Star, in my opinion, delivered the performance of our season when winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup, and Pic D’Orhy once again proved what a top-class horse he is by winning the Grade 1 chase at Ascot. We’re also excited about Ginny’s Destiny, a top-class novice last season who’s ready to take the step into open Grade 1 company. And, of course, I couldn’t leave out our Cheltenham hero Monmiral, who’s come back looking as well as he ever has. And I have every hope that they can do just as well if not better this year.
This year, we’re fortunate to have a particularly strong team of novice chasers. Leading the charge is Caldwell Potter, an expensive purchase who’s bound to catch the eye. Captain Teague, a Grade 1-winning novice hurdler, looks promising as he transitions to fences, and Rubaud, who excelled as a hurdler, won’t miss taking on Constitution Hill now that he’s headed for a career over fences. We also have several unexposed horses making the switch to chasing, and I’m confident they’ll improve dramatically with the switch to fences. Keep an eye on horses like Inthewaterside, Isaac des Obeaux, and Largy Poet all of whom I expect to step up this season.
On the novice hurdle front, Regent’s Stroll is emerging as a star at this early stage. After his win in the Goffs bumper, Harry couldn’t stop praising him. I’ve never heard him speak so highly of a bumper horse. Our Champion Bumper contenders, Teeshan and Quebecois, are also showing tremendous potential, and I continue to have the utmost faith in them. Other novice hurdlers worth noting include Kap Boy, The Bluesman, Jackpot des Bordes, Roman Roy, and Jakar du Moulin – all of whom have shown enough to warrant keeping an eye on this season. As for our juvenile team, Nardaran, Miss Altea Blue, and Sauvignon are catching the eye and are looking exciting.
Beyond the horses, we’ve also welcomed some fresh faces to various roles in Team Ditcheat. Jay Tidball has joined us as a conditional jockey and has impressed everyone with his natural horsemanship. Holly Shineton has re-joined the team after a spell away, and her bubbly personality has brought a lot of laughter to the yard. Simon Morgan, another recruit, has quickly become a dependable and experienced member of the team, while Merryn Jordan, who initially came to visit her brother, Lawrence one of our pupil assistants, has been so taken by the yard that she hasn’t left! Charlotte Willmott and Xanthe Rucker have also integrated seamlessly and are already valuable assets to the team.
With new beginnings come goodbyes, and this summer, we had to bid farewell to some long-standing members of the Ditcheat family. Bryony Frost took the brave step of moving to France for an incredible opportunity with the Double Green team. She’s already proving to be the asset we always knew she was, and we’ll never forget the fantastic days she gave us, particularly with her partner in crime, Frodon, who is now loving his well-deserved retirement with the Frost family. Angus Cheleda has decided to hang up his boots to focus on his young family and growing marquee business. We’ll miss his cheeky personality around the yard, but we wish him all the best in his new ventures. Scott Marshall, who played a huge part in the careers of horses like Clan des Obeaux, Cyrname, and Bravemansgame, also made the difficult decision to step away after many years as an integral part of the team.
As the season kicks off, I’m confident we’ll experience plenty of thrilling moments and, as always, a few tough ones too. We’ve already had a successful summer and are ahead of where we were at this time last year. With such a strong team of horses, staff, and owners, we’re all itching to get going and show what we’re capable of. I’m convinced that we’ve barely scratched the surface of what our talented young horses can achieve.
Team Ditcheat will be giving everything we’ve got to reclaim the Trainers’ Championship this year. No doubt Willie, Dan, and Nicky will all be just as determined and all have strong teams, but we’re ready for the challenge.
Bring it on!
