Happy Easter
Happy Easter, I trust the Easter Bunny found his way this morning !
April is already upon us, and we have only appeared in 3 races so far this year. Hopefully, April kickstarts what has been a slow 2026. Amazingly there is still enough to write about to fill a newsletter, it’s never quiet!!
There are several reasons for the slow start, injuries, retirement and sadly a horse no longer with us. Another potential spanner in the works is that despite Surrey King being perfectly behaved at home, he unfortunately failed his stalls test Wednesday evening at Kempton, much to the surprise of Hughie and the team. The lads had given King plenty of time to get everything right and were very confident he would pass. He was extremely relaxed in the pre-parade ring, wearing a red hood and ear plugs, but once he reached the stalls, he became stubborn and refused to fully load. The BHA handlers gave him every opportunity, allowing a full five minutes to get him in. He was 90% there but simply wouldn’t take that final step.
We have been advised that repetition and continued exposure are the appropriate and effective ways to resolve this type of issue. However, under the BHA’s brutal rules he can take another test, but not for two weeks. If he were to fail again, he would then be unable to take another test for six months, so that repeat process would clearly become impossible. We have written to Robbie Supple, Chief Starter at the BHA, stating that the practical consequence of such a decision would be that Surrey King would miss the entirety of his three-year-old season, with no opportunity to demonstrate that the issue has been resolved. It is difficult to see how it can be considered reasonable for the owners, many of whom are new to racing and who have already collectively incurred over £100,000 in costs, to be denied the opportunity to get their horse to the racecourse because of a rule that prevents the trainer from undertaking the very process required to address the problem.
At a time when British racing faces significant challenges and is actively seeking to attract and retain new owners, situations such as this are deeply discouraging. With a degree of flexibility and common sense, we believe this matter could be resolved in a way that supports both the welfare of the horse and the interests of the sport. We have asked for assistance in finding a workable solution that allows Surrey King to have additional stalls tests if necessary, enabling the syndicate to enjoy the experience of ownership, and ensuring that the committed owners remain engaged in British racing.
Our next step will be to bring in Gary and Craig Witheford and their team of specialists who we have worked with successfully in the past when we have had similar issues. https://www.garywitheford.co.uk/
The Withefords are highly experienced “horse whisperers” who work with horses through every stage of the loading process, including on race day, and they have an excellent track record resolving issues like this. The immediate priority is to ensure we don’t lose the season. There are obvious concerns around the German Derby and the Newbury race later this month, although it’s worth noting that he is still able to race overseas.
In other news, Surrey Lord is back working and with Cheltenham closing their fixtures then it’s all systems go to Sandown on April 25th, in the NH Jump Finale meeting which include the Grade 1 bet365 Celebration Chase over Sandown Park's thrilling 2 mile chase course, and the historic bet365 Gold Cup, first run in 1957. It will be a great day’s racing to be involved with, and hopefully another perfect result for the Lord owners.
As you are aware we have been looking for a new NH horse and we may have some exciting news, as we have had an offer accepted in principle for a 4-year-old Irish point to point horse, but we need to conduct veterinary and other checks over the course of the week and arrange for the horse to be shipped over if those checks are successful. If everything goes to plan, we will give those who were interested the full details, a date to view the horse and first refusal on buying a share.
There’s no change with Surrey Etoile, while Surrey Bolt is back with the Clover’s. We look forward to arranging a visit next month to see him and Surrey Moon, who is slowly getting closer to his debut run, which looks likely to be at Windsor’s Monday evening meeting on May 11th.
Have a great week ahead
Possible races and events.
April
Saturday 18th – Surrey King – Newbury?
Saturday 25th – Surrey Lord – Sandown
Sunday 26th – Hughie and Mary Morrison Drinks and Eats
May
Monday 11th Surrey Moon – Windsor
Wednesday 20th – Surrey Racing Golf Day – Silvermere GC
July
Sunday 5th – Surrey King - Hamburg