Yard visitor's !

Tuesday, 22 June 2021

Over the last two Saturday's we have held our popular Owners Mornings. These were very well attended on both days and several of our owners came to both.

The first one held on the 12th June was blessed with glorious sunshine and everybody was in shirtsleeves. The following one was a cloudy day but at least the rain held off ! Our guests arrive at 9.30 and are greeted with coffee and breakfast. We serve hot sausage rolls and quiche's, followed by a variety of delicious cakes. The catering is provided by Jo at Newmarket Secret Kitchen and her homemade sausage rolls are quickly gaining legendary status ! Shortly after, we all head out to the trotting ring to watch the horse's warming up before driving out to the Heath to see them canter.

It is wonderful from our perspective to see our owners again, they are the life blood of our industry and here at Chestnut Tree Stables we make sure they and any guests they bring along are made to feel welcome and at ease. The staff are a large part of these open mornings and our owners enjoy chatting to them about how their horses are doing.

So thank you to all who came along and hopefully those of you who could not make it will be able to come next time.

We are on a roll !

Thursday, 17 June 2021

The winning streak continued last night when Aramis Grey won the 6f Handicap at Chelmsford for her second win of the season.

Congratulations to The Musketeers syndicate who boast an impressive strike rate of 32%. Their ultra consistent filly is a real gutsy lady who tries her best every time and is rarely out of the placings. In her last race just over a fortnight ago she finished second over seven furlongs at the same track. Last night Rae dropped her back to six furlongs and she showed her versatility. She sat last for most of the race and three furlongs out she made progress around the outside of the field. She joined the leaders at the two furlong pole and battled on gamely to win by a neck.

Thank you to Callum Shepherd for the ride and well done to Ali who looks after her at home. Not forgetting Dan, our pupil assistant who saddled his first winner for us !

Melodramatica wins first time out !

Tuesday, 15 June 2021

The first two year old runner of the year is always something we look forward to and Melodramatica's first run yesterday did not disappoint.

This Kirsten Rausing owned filly was bred at the owners Lanwades Stud and is by the Lanwades stallion Bobby's Kitten out of the With Approval mare, Memory Lane. The dam Memory Lane is aptly named as there is a back story to this filly which is really interesting.

Melodramatica's fourth dam was a Swedish bred filly called Highlight who was the Champion Two Year Old filly in Scandinavia in 1973. Her jockey at the time was non other than our very own Rae Guest ! Little did he know at the time that nearly fifty years later he would be training a winner who was a descendant of Highlight in the famous green and white colours !

So fast forward to 2021 and Melodramatica headed to Lingfield yesterday to make her debut under David Probert in a Novice Stakes just over seven furlongs. She sat mid division in the early part of the race and then moved up to fourth. As she was pushed along she made steady progress to catch the leader and win cosily by three quarters of a length. We are absolutely over the moon with this first run and we know that Kirsten is thrilled to bits.

So congratulations to her and the team at Lanwades and thank you to David Probert for the ride. She will have learnt a lot from this experience and we look forward to seeing her out next time.

Photo Credit: Hoycubed Photography

Capla Berry gets off the mark

Monday, 14 June 2021

Capla Berry got her first win of the season under her belt yesterday at Doncaster.

This Gary Robinson owned filly was bred and raised at his Strawberry Fields Stud. She is by Roderic O'Connor (Irish 2000 Guineas winner) out of Salsa Brava who finished second in both the Lowther Stakes and Cherry Hinton Stakes as a two year old.

She won two races last year, one of which was also at Doncaster. This was her third start this season and she had ran well in her previous two races, both of which were at Yarmouth. All of her races last year were over seven furlongs but on her first two starts this year Rae stepped her up to a mile. However, for this Handicap Rae dropped her back to seven furlongs and she duly obliged. With a rating of 71 she went off the 11/4 favourite. She raced towards the rear of the field and three furlongs out she started to make progress on the outside. Under a positive ride from William Buick she rallied well to go on and win by a length.

Congratulations to Gary and all connections of Strawberry Fields Stud.

Two in a row for Jewel In My Crown !

Friday, 11 June 2021

Mr Eamonn Duggan's homebred Jewel In My Crown followed up last months win at Brighton with another win yesterday at Nottingham. This was a Fillies Handicap over an extended mile and a quarter and this was her first time over this distance and she relished the step up in trip.

She broke smartly from the stalls but was a little outpaced early on, and for most of the race she sat last of the eight runners under a patient ride from Callum Shepherd. At the three furlong pole she travelled strongly to pass the rest of the field and a furlong out she hit the front. She was doing her best work at the end and justified going off as the 6/4 favourite as she went on to win by a length and three quarters.

She is an improving filly who is obviously enjoying her racing and is giving her owner Eamonn Duggan a lot of fun. Let's see what the handicapper thinks !