Post Scottish National Update
Wow !!!
We started the week with Surrey Noir’s seasonal reappearance at Windsor and it was a pretty disappointing run for a horse who we thought was in great shape. He wasn’t really in the race from the word go and finished a rather tame 8th. The jockey said he didn’t like the undulations at Windsor but the course looked pretty flat to us. The ground had certainly dried out so that didn’t help, and maybe the lack of a race for 200 days meant Noir needed a pipe opener but we did expect better. We'll see what the handicapper does but it could be back to 7f at Kempton early May for his next race to get back on track.
On Thursday we met a few of the syndicate owners at Kevin's open morning and it was great to see Surrey Mist back in the yard. He will be scanned soon and hopefully get the go ahead to resume cantering.
Surrey Force was his usual boisterous self. He was given an opening mark of 64 which we are pretty happy about, he will be very competitive in his first handicap race. We did mull over trying a maiden in France for the increased prize money and French premiums but Kevin would like to stick in the UK for the next race, he feels Force will have every chance of winning on a galloping track over 1m 2f and although the prize money here isn’t anywhere near as good at least the downside is limited. He’s picked out two potentials, Yarmouth on Tuesday 30th and Doncaster (evening meeting) on May 2nd, both class 6 (0-65) handicaps over 10 furlongs.
Whilst in Newmarket we popped in to see Tom and he’s very happy with the way Surrey Shadow is improving week to week.
He is ready to run and we’d expect to see further improvement for racing although for his first introduction to a racetrack we don’t expect him to be troubling the scorers, however we are looking for signs that will show he’s a decent horse. Surrey Shadow has been entered into Doncaster this Friday, 26th April, in a class 4 novice race for 3 year olds and above over 7 furlongs with Neil Callan booked to ride.
Surrey Charm was scanned again this week and the scan “indicates a hotspot on her pelvis”. The vet now needs to review the scans properly back at the clinic. Having identified a hotspot he also wants to ultrasound the pelvic area which will be early next week and this will enable him to give a proper diagnosis. She did suffer a stress fracture of her pelvis last year so fingers crossed it’s not another, which would mean a spell on the sidelines.
Surrey Fire is back hack cantering. Hughie did say he was going to be scanned but he seems to be cantering without any issue so he won’t be scanned unless the legs show inflammation and or there is pain under (hand) palpation.
Surrey Belle is working well and may have an entry made this week for Wolves next Monday. Surrey Lord could return to Toby’s this week if the rain stays away while Surrey Fortune continues to enjoy Cornwall.
So Surrey Quest and that Scottish Grand National. There were 14 of us travelling North of the border and those staying in Glasgow enjoyed a Friday night of singing and dancing in Kitty O’Shea’s. One horse syndicate owner managed 5000 steps from midnight to 2 am just from dancing !!! We thought it best to celebrate before the race while the dream remained alive ! We got a luxury mini bus, cracked open the champagne and enjoyed the hour trip to Ayr.
It was a lovely sunny day and the course had dried out which did lead to few concerns but Toby was quietly confident that everything had gone to plan and that he would outrun his (wrong?) 40-1 odds which were widely available all day. When Quest came into the parade ring there was an audible gasp, he looked amazing, so fit, immense credit to Toby and the team.
26 talented runners, 4 miles and 27 fences to jump and off we went. Kevin Brogan gave Quest an absolute peach of a ride and coming into the final home straight with 4 left to jump we unbelievably were in the top 7 and potentially in the prize money. I’m not sure any of us expected what was to come - a titanic battle with Willie Mullin’s MacDernott that went all the way to the line. Social media called it the race of the season. Cue pandemonium - we had just won the Scottish National - there were many tears shed and then the doubt set in - did we get over the line first ? It looked like we did from the stands, Toby thought we had won, so did Kevin, It took an age for the judge to call it and alas, as Ian Smith famously said, by the barest of margins we came second.
What a pleasure to be involved in a race of that magnitude let alone to go close. It was nearly so very perfect but to get that close, it then felt so far away. The Irish raider got the plaudits and we left to wonder what if. Kevin was heartbroken despite riding the race of his life and will spend many moments thinking how could he improve by a nostril. There’s no doubting that a win at Ayr would have impacted so many people in a good way but we have to be so very proud of what Quest and everyone involved have done. He’s still a novice and will only improve next year so we will all hopefully get a chance to go one better, maybe in the biggest handicap of them all in Liverpool but that’s for another day. Quest’s season has finished now, he’ll enjoy a well deserved summer break and we will look forward to running in some big Saturday races next season. He’s sure to go up to a rating of 140 making him the all time greatest Surrey Racing NH horse, and you wouldn’t argue that there’s more to come.
Good luck to the Surrey Shadow connections who have been patiently waiting for his debut, we are looking forward to seeing those coming to Doncaster on Friday - including Sue and Haydn who’s horse The Git Maker also ran a blinder to finish 3rd on Saturday. The irony being that Willie Mullins wouldn’t even have entered Ayr if he wasn’t chasing the UK title - he’s had 5 runners there in 20 years - what a 1-2 that would have been.
Onwards and Upwards.
Possible races and events
April
Wednesday 24th - Goffs Breeze Up Sale
Friday 26th – Surrey Shadow - Doncaster
Monday 29th – Surrey Belle – Wolves
Tuesday 30th – Surrey Force - Yarmouth
May
Thursday 2nd – Surrey Force – Doncaster
Guineas Breeze Up Sale
Wednesday 8th – Surrey Noir - Kempton
Thursday 9-11th – Arqana Breeze Up Sale
Tuesday 21st – Surrey Racing Golf Day – Silvermere Golf Club