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TRF member Rob North joined me for a visit to Lucinda Russell’s Arlary stable last weekend. Rob, whose knowledge of northern jumps form is second to none (IMO!), talked to Lucinda in detail about some of the stable’s brightest hopes for the season ahead. Many thanks Rob.
<u><b>LUCINDA RUSSELL – STABLE TOUR</b></u>
Lucinda Russell kindly provided background and prospects for a number of her charges during a stable visit last Saturday (29th Sept). My own added thoughts are given in italics. <i>Rob North.</i>
BALLYBEN was entered on a couple of occasions last year but didn’t get to the course, suffering sore shins. Considered very mature for a four-year-old and may appear in an introductory bumper in the near future, he will then progress to hurdle races. His 6yo full-brother Benefit Cut was a bumper winner for Mark Rimell on debut in June.
BLAZIN WHITE FACE is a mare that has improved since going chasing. She shows a very good attitude and is a real trier. She needs good ground, a right-handed track with Musselburgh likely to be ideal, and will be aimed at races between 2m 4f and 3m.
BLENHEIM BROOK, a staying chaser rated 134, will be aimed at handicaps at the likes of Wetherby, Ayr and Carlisle. Hexham would be ideal but there are few opportunities for a horse rated in the 130s. He was a shade disappointing in the National Hunt Chase, but stays very well.
BOLD SIR BRIAN is an edgy sort typical of Brian Boru progeny. He is considered better than ever and has strengthened up into ‘a tank’. Ignore this one’s slightly below par run at Haydock last backend, this race having been a late change of plan when the Cheltenham ground came up too fast. A Newbury handicap chase is on the agenda for the autumn.
DEGAS ART was one I’d left off my list, but Lucinda made sure he was considered. His trainer says that he loves his jumping and she has a big opinion of him. Considered on a reasonable enough mark in handicaps, he is expected to win a race or two in the coming months.
DEVOTION TO DUTY won a decent little novice chase at Carlisle in March. A good effort considering he needs more than that two mile trip. Expected to make a mark in chases over longer trips.
DO IT FOR DALKEY progressed well over fences last year. He is best when fresh, so needs a break between races.
DOTTIES DILEMA was very green when winning his point in Ireland, and much the same when winning a 5-runner bumper at Hexham in May. He has shown good speed on the gallops and will go a 2m maiden hurdle at Hexham. Expected to prove best around 2m 4f in time.
LADY OF VERONA caught my eye last season in running three decent races in bumpers. She then suffered a stress fracture, but is back in training at will be aimed at mares’ hurdles at Hexham and/or Musselburgh. She will be ridden by Craig Nicol.
LORD REDSGIRTH was a cracking claim out of Gordon Elliott’s yard for £6,000 from a Perth selling hurdle. He’s rated 129 over fences and expected to be in the mix off that mark.
LUCKY SUNNY won on his chasing debut at Perth and is considered very well handicapped. He needs two miles in the soft and is expected to win more handicaps.
KNOCKANDO will go novice chasing this season. He won a couple of hurdles last winter and is expected to improve going fencing.
KRIS CROSS has had a wind operation. He’s two from three under Rules and rated a decent novice hurdling prospect.
NO DEAL was second in a point-to-pointers’ bumper at Tipperary for Donal Coffey having won his debut point. He has impressed with his attitude at home and will be seen out in November.
NUTS N BOLTS looked a sharp novice hurdler last season before getting struck into at home. He will go chasing and has schooled well but he needs plenty of work to get fit. Staying is his forte but he likely to start out in a 2m 4f novice chase at Carlisle. (From my point he’s an animal I really like and I reckon he will turn into a decent chaser.)
ON BROADWAY is one that Lucinda is particularly keen on. He won a novice hurdle at Hexham in June and goes there for a novice hurdle this coming Friday October 5th. He may go novice chasing this season and his profile suggests he could turn out to be decent.
QUITO DU TRESOR is at his best when going right-handed. He impressed in winning at Ascot last season and is likely to make the trip to Berkshire again this season. (He was stepped up in trip at Market Rasen in a competitive Class 2 contest, making headway when stopped in his tracks as Kauto Relko blundered into him. Quito Du Tresor was hampered again at the last when staying on and in the event eighth place was a fair effort.)
RHYMERS HA’ ran some decent races in novice hurdles last season without winning, though he notched three seconds in four hurdles. He’s expected to win novices’ hurdles this season at 2m 2f-2m 4f before going chasing next year.
ROWDY ROCHER ‘did a leg’ last December but will be back in training in November. Staying hurdles are a possibility though he’s likely to go chasing in 2013. (I liked this one last season, his novice hurdle efforts read well and I look forward to seeing him appear over fences.)
SAMSTOWN is an improving horse that Lucinda really likes. Twice a novice hurdle winner, he will be aimed at an Aintree contest this autumn. (Samstown looks potentially well handicapped off 112)
SAPHIR RIVER is rated an exciting prospect for the coming season. He was placed in a Grade 1 three mile hurdle at Auteuil last November before joining Michael Scudamore for whom he unseated early at Cheltenahm before recording a decent fourth in a Listed handicap hurdle at Haydock. Since bought by Sandy Seymour, owner of the ill-fated Brindisi Breeze, Saphir River is showing up well at home and should win novice chases. He is rated as a genuine Cheltenham prospect.
SHE WILL ROCK YOU showed promise in bumpers before finding the Aintree Mares’ race a bit beyond her capabilities. She’s a nice filly who will stay well and will be seen out over hurdles this season. (She’s a half-sister to two chasers that have rated 140+ and won 8 races between them.)
SHISHA THREESIXTY is the Milnathort Racing Club’s horse for this season. He was below his best at Sedgefield over hurdles and Musselburgh on the flat. The latter was disappointing but he may well have needed a rest having had 5 races in little over six weeks. Having had a break, he returns to action in a 2m 2f novice handicap hurdle at Kelso on October 7th.
SILVER BY NATURE missed last season through injury but is now back in training in the Kilduff yard. His target will be the Welsh National, a race in which he was second in 2009. I understand he has been dropped a little by the handicapper but as Lucinda observes “trainers never think it’s enough!”
TAP NIGHT was a decent middle distance novice hurdler last season and rates 140. He will stay hurdling this year, a pre-Christmas handicap hurdle at Ascot being the first target.
TITO BUSTILLO rated in the high 130s at his best over hurdles. He enjoys his jumping and “when the penny drops” he should progress. Currently rated 125 over fences, he is likely to run in handicap chases.
VENITZIA is considered a nice horse with a decent future, having shown promise in novice hurdles last season. He won’t be seen out until after Christmas.
WILD GEESE is back in training after “doing a leg”. He ran creditably in maiden and novice events in 2011. Musselburgh should suit him, he needs good ground and may go novice chasing.
Staying chaser BADGER FOOT will now go point-to-pointing.
The horse some of us TRF’ers have a small share in through the Milnathort Racing Club, OUTLAW TOM, miss sadly the season due to injury.TCHICO POLOS has been retired and has been re-homed, hopefully with a long and happy retirement ahead.
<i><b>The stable has seen an influx of new recruits over the summer, many from the Irish pointing field:</b></i>
CLONDAW FLICKA is a tall horse that will go to Carlisle for his debut, as he’s a “Carlisle type”. He will not be over-raced at this early stage.
CLONDAW KNIGHT was the top rated Irish four-year-old point-to-pointer last season with The Irish Field commenting that ”This fellow has it all, and the class to make it a long way to the top.” He may run in bumpers but won’t be hurried.
PRESENT LODGER will be given an early career programme similar to that of Brindisi Breeze, starting in a bumper and then progressing to staying novice hurdles. He was “unextended” in winning his maiden point at Lismore in March. Lucinda is clearly keen on this one who’s worth keeping an eye on.
BALLYCOOL, HAPPY RIVER and IMJOEKING will be campaigned in bumpers then a future programme will be assessed. All three won maiden Irish points and have shown enough to suggest they can make up into chasers in time.
GREEN FLAG has won his bumper and will now go over hurdes. An Irish pointing winner he is expected to make a mark over obstacles.
LORD OF DRUMS has shown promise in bumpers though he has proved a bit keen. He has the stamp of a chaser and will go hurdling at first before graduating to the bigger obstacles.
©Robert North 2012Excellent article, really enjoyed reading it.
I spent a couple of days up at the yard when I used to live in Fife, it is a wonderful set up and the staff genuinly enjoy working there.
The Scudamore effect is really starting to shine through and added to Lucinda’s already brilliant training skills I can only see them growing in strength.
Brindisi was a huge loss for them as he could have been even better over fences, hopefully there is another star lurking in the novice ranks again this season.
Great article again, well done.
Ben Aitken (NTF)
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