STARTING AS WE MEAN TO GO ON

BILL BAXTER WINS AT PUNCHESTOWN

Last Saturday saw BILL BAXTER line up in the Palmerstown House Estate Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase (Listed Race) over 3 miles at Punchestown Festival.

Many of you will remember Bill Baxter’s scintillating performance to win the Topham Handicap Chase over the Grand National Fences at Aintree in 2023, but since then Bill has struggled to get his head back in front. A horse who always tries his best, it may have looked to an outsider as though Bill’s best days were behind him, but he never lost his enthusiasm for racing or training at home, and Warren and Bill’s owners Adie and Marie never lost his faith in that he would bounce back to his best given the correct conditions.

The stars aligned at Punchestown, where Bill’s handicap mark meant he was off a nice light weight and there was just enough moisture in the ground for Bill to show himself at his best. Jockey Harry Bannister knows Bill  really well, having ridden and schooled Bill plenty of times at home over the years, and so it was the natural choice for Harry to do the steering.

The pair chartered a wide course throughout the race to make use of the slightly softer ground, and Bill raced and jumped with huge enthusiasm being given plenty of confidence from Harry. The pair romped home by an impressive 12 lengths ahead of their closest rival, giving the whole team, Warren, Adie and Marie a huge buzz to see this yard favourite back to his best!

Bill will now have a well-earned summer holiday, and will be back for more next season!

LAND OF MOON WINS ON CHASING DEBUT

LAND OF MOON made the journey to Warwick on Monday to make his debut over fences in the racingtv.com Novices’ Handicap Chase over 2 miles. Having run really consistently over hurdles all season and with a win under his belt already, Land Of Moon was always going to improve for a fence, and given that he enjoys good ground, now seemed the time to give it a go!

Partnered by James Bowen, the pair made the running and jumped boldly throughout the race whilst travelling really enthusiastically. Two fences from home, the gauntlet was thrown down to them by the challenging Ballywilliam Boy, and when Land Of Moon made a slight mistake at the last, it looked as though his chance of winning might be gone. However, he showed great grit and determination to battle all the way to the line and get back up in front to WIN by half a length!

This big, strong son of Spanish Moon was bought by his owners Andrew and Jean Merriam as a foal, and it is great to see them having so much success with him- long may it continue!

ORCHARD WINS AT KEMPTON

ORCHARD was also in action on Monday, where he lined up in the Unibet Handicap over 1 mile at Kempton Park.

Orchard is relatively light-raced for a 3-year-old and is still learning with each run, his seasonal debut also at Kempton just 3 weeks ago showed plenty of potential and he was unlucky to be beaten by just a head on that occasion. Partnered again this time by Charlie Bishop, the pair went off as favourites and did everything right throughout the race. Turning in to the home straight they had to be patient and wait for a gap to appear, but when it did, Orchard positively flew home and got up on the line to win by a neck!

Well done to owners Jim and Claire, who were unable to attend on Monday, but luckily Richard Chugg was there to collect their prize for them!

It is great to get our first Flat winner of the season, with all of them running well so far, it is lovely to see our first bunch of 2-year-olds train on into their 3-year-old career- and there is plenty more to come from them!

GOLAN LOOP WINS AT FFOS LAS

GOLAN LOOP is a lovely stamp of a horse who Warren has always thought a lot of at home, and who was perhaps unlucky not to win at Ascot earlier in the season where he was staying on really strongly only to be brought down at the second last hurdle. His confidence may have been knocked a little bit that day, and so with a couple of quiet runs and a wind op under his belt, Golan Loop headed to Ffos Las on Tuesday to run in the DragonBet Novices’ Hurdle over 2m 6f.

Partnered by Champion Jockey Sean Bowen, Golan Loop showed his class by travelling strongly and jumping fluently throughout the race- indeed, his jumping was so good he found himself in front very early on in the race and going clear 2 hurdles from home! The pair ultimately came home in front 12 lengths ahead of their nearest rival, despite Golan Loop getting a little bit lonely in front and idling a little up the home straight. Golan Loop is still a very raw horse, who will benefit from his summer break now and come back even better next season. Plenty for owners Alan and Andrew Turner and Adie and Marie Gibbons of Glassex & Turner to look forward to in the coming years!

A huge THANK YOU to all the team at home, who not only ensured we had our best season since 2019 this year, but have started this season with a BANG- starting as we mean to go on!