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Monday 6th November

It was frustrating to see Bravemansgame narrowly beaten by Gentlemansgame in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on Saturday but there were plenty of positives to be taken from his first start of the season.

He was giving 6lbs to the winner who had the benefit of a recent race and travelled and jumped beautifully before a mistake at the last fence put him in the back foot. I’m thrilled with Bravemansgame. It was a proper first run until he just got a bit tired on testing ground after the last fence. He just needed a little blow and if it had been good ground like last year I feel he would have held on.
One thing’s for sure, the race will have done him a power of good and he will improve massively for it.
As for his next race nothing is set in stone with the Betfair Chase at Haydock in three weeks time a possibility before he heads to Kempton for the King George V1 Chase on Boxing Day.
I’m not ruling anything in or out at this stage and will see how he is over the next couple of weeks before making a decision.
I was very pleased with the display of Red Risk who probably put up a career best by finishing a close second in the bet365 Hurdle. He continues to progress.
Cap Du Mathan ran very well at Ascot where Quel Destin needed the run while Rare Middleton wants better ground and a flat track.
Earlier in the week I was impressed with the manner of Captain Bellamy’s victory on his debut for us in a bumper at Chepstow. He is smart, was always in control and readily pulled clear in the closing stages despite drifting left handed.
We ended the weekend on an upbeat note with the triumph of Mofasa at Huntingdon on Sunday on his second start for us. Hopefully there is more to come.
Soft or heavy going at just about every racecourse at the moment is far from ideal. It’s unprecedented at this time of year and traditionally doesn’t suit a number of our horses. But we can’t wrap them all up in cotton wool and I’m doing my best to cover all options.
We will have plenty of runners at the end of the week with Stay Away Fay likely to make his debut over fences on Friday at Exeter where Solo is on course for the Haldon Gold Cup.
The following day Knappers Hill is an intended runner in the Rising Stars Chase at Wincanton where Rubaud runs in the Elite Hurdle.
Frodon and Threeunderthrufive will have entries in the Badger Ales Chase and they could be joined by Complete Unknown if we get more rain.
For the latest news on all my weekend runners please do check out my Betfair column which goes live early on Friday afternoon.

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Monday 30th October

We enjoyed another fruitful weekend with a treble on Sunday twenty four hours after Blueking d’Oroux gained a very professional victory in the Class 2 Masterson Holdings Hurdle at Cheltenham.

He had me pulling my hair out early last season with two baffling runs but turned a corner after wind surgery with a shock win at Ascot at 50-1 before a fine run into second place in a competitive handicap at Aintree. I felt he had improved no end for a summer at grass and he showed he is totally different now with a lovely performance at Cheltenham where he travelled and jumped well before drawing clear on the turn for home to give Harry Cobden his 50th success of the season.
Blueking d’Oroux will be staying over hurdles this season and could be one for the Betfair Hurdle at Ascot before Christmas but does have an entry in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham next month.
On Sunday Harry did well to win on the giant Inthewaterside on his debut over hurdles at Aintree because the horse was fiercely keen for most of the race. There is improvement to come from his jumping and I loved the way he buckled down in the closing stages to beat Jagwar in a tight finish. He is really talented, unbeaten in all three starts, and has an exciting future.
A big disappointment at Aintree was Hitman who dropped out quickly in the finishing straight in the Old Roan Chase after travelling handily behind the leaders. We will check him out but he has had one or two issues in the past and we will investigate today .
At Wincanton I was delighted to see Liari give Neil and Alfie Smith their first win since they sent me some nice prospects this season.
Formerly owned by the Aga Khan, Liari is a striking individual who won once on the flat from three starts in France and has the scope to become a decent juvenile hurdler. He jumped neatly for Lorcan William on his way to beating Inside Man by three-quarters of a length with the rest of the field some way adrift.
The day at Wincanton had begun with a first triumph for Chloe Humphries on her debut as a jockey in the charity race on Rare Middleton. Chloe rides very well, has been with us for quite a few years and delivered Rare Middleton with a timely challenge to beat Tidal Storm partnered by my niece Amy Derham. A big well done to Chloe for raising over £2,500 for the Bob Champion Cancer Trust.
Oscars Moonshine and my daughter Olive then concluded a fine afternoon for the team by completing a hat trick together in the Class 4 two mile handicap hurdle. Horse and rider are both progressing quickly.
We should have some interesting runners on Saturday at Ascot and Wetherby where Pic D’Orhy or Bravemansgame could return to action in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase.
For news of all my runners at the weekend please be sure to check out my Betfair column which goes live the previous afternoon.

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Weekend 5 Timer

Five winners over the weekend maintained the smart form of the team with pride of place going to Rubaud after his impressive victory in the £50,000 Listed two mile hurdle at Kempton on Sunday.

I did consider going chasing with him this season but he was so progressive over hurdles in the spring that I felt he deserved a crack at a decent prize over hurdles. He was in charge from start to finish at Kempton with the help of nicely judged ride from the front by Harry Cobden and kept on strongly on the flat to win by two and three quarter lengths.
I was thrilled with this very professional performance by a classy horse who is bound to improve for the run. He will be staying over hurdles this season with his next outing in the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle at Wincanton on November 11.
We ended a rewarding weekend’s work with the jaunty victory of my daughter Olive on Oscars Moonshine in the two mile, five furlong handicap hurdle at Kempton. They ended last season with a clear cut triumph at Wincanton and looked just as good on Sunday as they stretched clear of Shallow River in the closing stages.
Oscars Moonshine has had his share of problems but I’ve had a clear run with him this autumn and knew he was right yesterday. He could return to Kempton for another handicap in three weeks time. Olive has had quite a bit of experience now, is improving all the time and is very good value for her 7lbs claim.
The previous day Team Ditcheat completed a treble at Newton Abbot in just over an hour with Complete Unknown, Farnoge and Take Your Time.
Complete Unknown enjoyed an ideal prep for the Coral Gold Cup in the Class 2 Intermediate Chase on testing ground that plays to his strengths. He made just about all the running, jumping well, before holding off the chasing debutante Might I who was in receipt of 10lbs.
Farnoge then made a pleasing debut from the front over hurdles in a qualifier for the EBF Final at Sandown in March which could well be his long term target.
He is a highly promising individual who was runner up in his only Point-to-Point in Ireland before a tidy success on his debut for us in a competitive bumper at Uttoxeter in March. He should have a bright future and could run next at Newbury at the start of December.
Harry Cobden completed his own treble for the yard on Take Your Time on his first start over fences in a Class 4 Novice Handicap Chase over three and a quarter miles.
This horse had questions to answer after a below par campaign last winter when he was unplaced on all three starts. He stays all day and seemed to enjoy the switch to fences as he jumped soundly on his way to a narrow defeat of Investment Manager.
The disappointment of the day was Iceo who seemed to run a bit flat in the Novice Limited Handicap Chase in finishing last of the three runners. He was giving plenty of weight to his two rivals and time could show that he was facing a tough task against the winner JPR One.
Iceo might also be best fresh so we will give him a little break before aiming him at the Henry V111 Chase at Sandown.
We are looking forward to a busy time at the weekend with runners at Cheltenham’s two day meeting on Friday and Saturday and we will also be well represented on Sunday at Wincanton and Aintree where Hitman again starts his season in the Old Roan Chase.
The card at Wincanton is in aid of the Bob Champion Cancer Trust and I’m pleased to report that Chloe Humphries will make her debut as a jockey for us on Rare Middleton in the charity flat race that opens the card. If you’d like to support her please CLICK HERE to donate.
Chloe has been a popular and talented member of Team Ditcheat for a number of years and partners Greaneteen each morning on the gallops. She has already raised £2,500 for the RCCT on her JustGiving page.
For all the latest news on all our weekend runners please be sure to turn to my Betfair column which goes live mid afternoon on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

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