Forum Horse Connections

[Attaglance]

will certainly learn from debut run. Exciting times ahead. I wish you all the best with him.

Do you mind me asking where you are sending him training?

[Spectre]

Thanks AAG. Undecided at the moment. He’s gone to a livery yard to be assessed and for a thorough check first. I’ll send him somewhere early in the new year. He’s fit enough but the initial view is he couldn’t have been hard fit for his point, which is a bonus.

Hopefully he’ll have a couple of runs before the season is out, and then see what his potential is moving forward.

[Dandrew99]

I acquired a nicely bred son of Flemensfirth out of an Overbury mare called ‘Jeff’ on Friday evening.

There’s some interesting names in his breeding. 88 rated when finishing second in his Irish Point, he was ridden to win too soon, but interestingly showed a smart turn of foot for a horse with a staying pedigree. The first two came a long way ahead of the rest of the field.

I’d be hopeful he’s decent.

Lot 57 https://www.tattersallscheltenham.co...-december-sale

Annoying, I watched a lot of the auction but left shortly before the one you bought! Were you there in person? Best of luck with him

[Spectre]

Yes, I bid on my own behalf.

You should have said you were there we could have met up for a drink over the two days.

I can't make New Years Day, but I'll be there for trials meeting.

[archie]

Best of luck with him.

[Joleg]

I acquired a nicely bred son of Flemensfirth out of an Overbury mare called ‘Jeff’ on Friday evening.

There’s some interesting names in his breeding. 88 rated when finishing second in his Irish Point, he was ridden to win too soon, but interestingly showed a smart turn of foot for a horse with a staying pedigree. The first two came a long way ahead of the rest of the field.

I’d be hopeful he’s decent.

Lot 57 https://www.tattersallscheltenham.co...-december-sale

Best of luck with him Paul

[Istabraq]

Spectre

Exciting time for you, I wish you well.
I assume you'll be providing updates in here ?

[Spectre]

Thankyou gentlemen. Yes of course I'll keep everyone informed.

He's a full brother to Knockgraffon who was more than decent when with Dan Skelton. Bigger than him though and every inch a future chaser.

The good news is he's better than half fit and we should see him on a racecourse two or three times this season.

He's had his first gallop this morning which went well, so it's worth letting you know that I'm still confident that he's the 2024 Gold Cup winner.

[archie]

He's had his first gallop this morning which went well, so it's worth letting you know that I'm still confident that he's the 2014 Gold Cup winner.

Bloody Hell!. Bought a time machine as well?

[Benjy23]

Good luck with him! Will follow closely. Watched the P2P replay and looks a nice type.

I'm new and not read every page to be honest but do you know own any others? And what's your basis on choosing a trainer, if you don't mind me asking?

[Spectre]

Bloody Hell!. Bought a time machine as well?

Corrected now Archie!

[Spectre]

Good luck with him! Will follow closely. Watched the P2P replay and looks a nice type.

I'm new and not read every page to be honest but do you know own any others? And what's your basis on choosing a trainer, if you don't mind me asking?

Hi Benjy. No I've owned horses in the past, but spent a few years living in Australia, and I haven't had any since I moved there.

So this is the first one for a while, and I've been pretty patient waiting for what I think is the right one.

He's nicely bred, and is a full brother to Knockgraffon, who was a useful horse for Dan Skelton, and was later moved to Olly Murphy. That one had a peak hurdle rating of 143, and a peak chase rating of 145, so if he has anything like the ability of his brother he will win some nice races.

He didn't get the best of rides in his Point, and was set out to win his race too early I thought, and he was reeled in before the line by a horse he had to give 10lbs to.

There are a couple more things that make me hopeful he's decent:

• He showed speed to pull away from the field, which is a good sign for a horse with a staying pedigree, and him and the winner beat the rest upwards of 12 lengths in a good time on the day.
• He's been assessed now, and he's probably no more than 80% fit. His Point was only a couple of weeks ago, so in the words of the person I have him with at the moment, 'He's clearly got plenty of ability and he's shown it in his Point despite them not gunning him in his training'.

There are a few trainers I'd consider putting him with, but I haven't made a final decision yet. I also haven't decided to keep him or whether to syndicate a small number of shares. It might be fun to do the latter and make it more of a social thing, but I'm used to having horses by myself. We'll see. He'll go to one of the top UK Trainers though. He needs the best chance to be the best horse he can be.

I'm not going to send him anywhere until after Christmas though, so I'll think about it over the next couple of weeks. He's in a livery and Point to Point yard for the moment, and they will get his fitness back up over the next couple of weeks, and hopefully he can be moved and he'll have his first race before the end of January. Then there will be a plan from there for the rest of the season. Most likely novice hurdles, and with an initial intention to run at one of the big meetings before the end of the season, unless what he does says otherwise.

[Benjy23]

Thanks for the reply. Aye, his brother looks like he was competing at a decent level over both hurdles and fences.

Yea, he looked to kick in before the bend in the point didn't he before being outrun by the winner. And as you say they pulled nicely clear of the rest. Looks like he was quite well fancied that day as well.

Nice to know he's got good scope for improvement as well. Hopefully right trainer can unlock that.

Look forward to the next update.

[Spectre]

A quick update on Jeff. He’s heading to a new home with Dan Skelton early next week, and I expect to see him debut somewhere in January.

[Sprinter Sacre]

A quick update on Jeff. He’s heading to a new home with Dan Skelton early next week, and I expect to see him debut somewhere in January.

Looking at the prospects of UK trainers, I think that’s the best choice you could have made Spectre. Best wishes with him!