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wots going on with the likes of nicky richards, len lungo, peter beaumont, peter monteith howard johnson in parts, these guy were raking in the winners a few years ago now you mit see 2-3 winners a month with some! ok howard johnson sends a few to kelso, hexham win some daft maiden race.. but none of these are gonna win anythink good its a shame that these guys are no competing anymore..
Nicky Richards – 38 winners from 270 runners in the 08/09 season – that’s a very respectable 14%, and 19% with his novices. Plenty of promise for the future.
Len Lungo has noticeably cut down the size of his string in recent seasons, but he’s 12 winners from 79 runners in 08/09, that’s 15%. also worth watching with the few flat runners he keeps on the go.
Peter Beaumont was 3 from 55 and has clearly cut back his operation in recent years. It happens.
Peter Monteith had 19 from 174 (11%), certainly a dip in comparison with 34 the previous season, but it’s up with his record from seasons before that. In fact in terms of winners it was his third best season since 1997!
Howard Johnson? Are you kidding? He had his best ever season with 83 winners from 495 runners! 112 placed 2nd or 3rd as well. He ran the show at Musselburgh over the season with 16 winners from 47 runners, and that in a season which was Musselburgh’s strongest jumping-wise since they started NH racing there. Yes the stable has some expensive purchases, btu he does produce the goods.
On that basis, other than Peter Beaumont, I’d say all the trainers mentioned performed at least creditably over the last winter.
‘wots(sic) going on with the likes of……..’, quite a lot it would seem!
Since we are on the subject, to blow the trumpet for a few of my ‘locals’:
Lucinda Russell, fast rising up the scale and now making a serious mark at Cheltenham and Aintree.
James Ewart, much touted on the forum by myself and others as a trainer to watch in the coming years.
Rayson Nixon, who has been around a few yerars but had his string in excellent form over the winter. His placing of the likes of Norminster and Political Paddy has been excellent. Coaxing a race out of the distinctly moderate Just Posh was an effort in itself!
Jim Goldie, producing decent jumpers as well as decent flat horses and has been for a few years now.Rob
I agree fully Rob that Lucinda Russel is making a good name for herself and I’m a big fan of Nicky Richards and hopefully he will have one or two to come out and be useful next season, especially Noble Alan!
But, whilst Howard Johnson has had a good number of winners this season he has arugably had a very disapointing season given the fire power he has available. Dominating tracks such as Hexham, Musselburgh and Calisle is all good and well but he has not gone and done it on the big stage.
Nicholls will mop up winners at the likes of Chepstow but he also has gone on and done it on the big stages. Considering Howard Johnson is spending millions each season I think he certainly was disapointing this jumps season just gone not to have been competitive on a bigger stage.
tb
You may have a point about Howard Johnson. The problem with the money spent on horses within the Johnson stable, mainly by Graham Wylie, is that big money goes on a many average horses. I don’t know whether it’s Wylie, Johnson or a Wylie agent who spends the money, or where the instruction to buy eminates. I do think Wylie pays way over the odds for many of his horses and because of that the general expectation is perhaps higher than it should be. The stable gets to the fringes of the top level, Kalahari King was probably their main performer this season, but can’t consistently hit it in the championship races.
That is at the top level, but for Mr Swog to infer that Johnson doesn’t win ‘anythink good’ is still slightly harsh.
Rob
Didn’t Howard Johnson have a particularly torrid time of it when the weather was bad in the run up to Cheltenham, and said himself that horses were short of a few runs?
I think he had a few galloping after racing at Musselburgh at their final jumps meeting. The ground has been so good at Musselburgh over the winter that trainers would be queuing up for racecourse gallops.
Rob
I agree they likely over pay for certain horses, 2 of Johnsons biggest earners were Killyglen and Companero, I’m not sure what cost was involved with the pair but they were certainly not to do with Wylie.
Rob, Kalahari King is with Ferdy Murphy, did you mean Tidal Bay?
Moehat, your right he did have problems with weather, but then so did alot of other trainers including Henderson, King etc.
I don’t dispute Howard Johnson is a good trainer, he has just retired his stable star in Inglis Drever this season who was of course a flagship for him on the big stage and it’s not easy to replace horses of that calibre.
Hopefully he will do better next season on the big stage but whilst the big price tags are around his runners necks people will always expect more top level wins.
Peter Beaumont was 3 from 55 and has clearly cut back his operation in recent years. It happens
From recent conversations with the folk at home i heard Peter has not been too well lately and i think that is probably reflected in his results.
Apologies, I had been considering mentioning Ferdy Murphy earlier, so got Kalahari King stuck in my head! Tidal Bay was about as close as Johnson got at the top level latterly.
The fact that Johnson won three Grade 1s in 07/08 and none in 08/09 tells a story. The retirement of Inglis Drever whacked a big hole at the top level for him. Looking at his list of horses it’s noticeable there are a lot of stable runners in the 155 to 130 range, twilight horses and decent handicappers, but few above that level. Considering the money spent that has to be disappointing, and does show that investigating underneath the bear stats shows up the shortcomings.
I did have a business contact who owned the farm next door to Johnson’s at Crook. Unfortunately I haven’t caught up with him since spring 2008, so have missed out on any filtered news recently.
Rob
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