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Hmm, interesting stuff!
Never mind DJ’s retained jockey, I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing him down Pond House way!
I think there is a similar scenario developing down there, if you look at all the talented conditionals such as Danny Cook and now Conor O’Farrell and to a lesser extent Farrelly and Frost. All of these jockeys have booted home Cheltenham winners in the last 2 years (the same of which cannot be said for Tom Scu, who is predominately riding the more fancied stable runners!).
It seems to be blinded loyalty that is keeping him in the job and probably the misty eyedness of the old Scu/ Pipe senior combo.
I noticed even on the Pipes website that E Street Boys win a couple of days ago "gave Tom Scudamore a much needed winner", so wondering if the pressure is building already!
Brennan’s arrival at NTD’s yard resulted in a massive upsurge of fortunes in the stable and I think that is what is needed at Pipe’s. Winning Festival handicaps is ok but the stable should be aiming for the Championship Races.
At the moment I’d be choosing O’Farrell and Cook if I was an owner!!
I have only seen the video RP stable tour and would like to get a hold of the text version of the tour, but am inclined to agree. After a promising start he doesn’t seem to have much firepower.
He is my favourite trainer and would like to see him do really well. In my opinion, he has done well to get some new high-profile owners in but hasn’t been able to sustain them.
First Sean Mulryan sent him a horse Or Noir de Somoza, who finished 4th in a chase at Ascot then returned to a French trainer. A big breakthrough for the yard I thought was when he trained one for JP McManus, but the horse couldn’t even win a seller and was retired, other high profile owners such as Thomas Barr (Osana), Dai Walters, Simon Munir and John Webb have sent horses to Pond House only to have them taken out again. Now it seems Roger Brookhouse….
It seems a loyal band of owners is sustaining the yard, but looks like there are less than 100 horses in training and the remainder of the yard boxes have been leased to another trainer in Neil Mulholland.
Added to this David Johnson’s investment in the yard seems to have all but ceased, there is a reliance on the older horses such as Our Vic, Lough Derg, Madison du Berlais etc.
I think the yard made an error of judgement with the appointment of a stable jockey that I don’t consider is in the top 5 in the country and believe some of the understudies such as Farrelly, Cook and Frost would do a better job.
As I say, I hope I am proved wrong this season and it’s not all doom and gloom, with apparently some horses being sent to the yard by owners such as Sir Robert Ogden, Bill and Angela Tincknall and Alan Peterson (Massini’s Maguire).
Hopefully Great Endeavour can do the business in the Paddy Power in a few weeks time and kick start a good season!
