EIRENE, winner of three races and rated 102 at her best was retired to the paddocks this year and she is in foal to crack miler and very exciting first season sire, Too Darn Hot! The Declaration Of War filly (pictured) who ran in the green and yellow colours of M J Yarrow cost 85,000 guineas… Read more »
FANTASTIC FLYER’S win at Chelmsford tonight over 6f under Sophie Ralston, brought up win number 500 for Dean Ivory! Earlier this month, Sophie won on Fantastic Flyer at the Essex track and this column posed the question as to which horse would achieve the 500th win and who would be the winning rider. The piece… Read more »
FIGHTING TEMERAIRE won again last night and his victory at Chelmsford brought up the 499th success for the yard since Dean Ivory became the name on the trainer’s licence at Harper Lodge Farm in 2002. The 7yo son of Invincible Spirit went off the 3/1 second favourite in the six-runner seven furlong handicap and he ran… Read more »
SOPHIE RALSTON rode another winner today, Fantastic Flyer, at Chelmsford which made it three wins from ten rides for Harper Lodge Farm this year at a very healthy 30% strike rate. For the Harbour Watch filly (pictured at home last month), it was her sixth win in 19 starts since her first victory in April last year. … Read more »
LUCYMAI, the seven times winning 7yo mare owned by Roger S Beadle, has been retired to the paddocks. She had her final race last week at Kempton and although she didn’t go out on a high and finished last of ten runners, it was the track where she made her debut and won at 50/1 over… Read more »
STABLE APPRENTICE, Sophie Ralston is currently on a working holiday in Cyprus and today rides in a Group Two. Sophie (pictured on Lancelot Du Lac) has made a good start to the year with wins on two of the yard’s horses, Nezar and Classic Star after having her best season last year with 10 winners. … Read more »
CLASSIC STAR broke his duck in emphatic style under stable apprentice, Sophie Ralston, when winning at Chelmsford this evening by three and three-quarter lengths. The 4yo son of Sea The Moon, one of 11 runners in the 0-60 seven furlong handicap for four-year-olds and upwards, broke well and was always handily placed in third place for much… Read more »
NEZAR kick-started 2020 for Harper Lodge Farm on the third day of the New Year with a win at Wolverhampton yesterday over seven furlongs under stable apprentice, Sophie Ralston by a short-head at the rewarding odds of 14/1! The nine-year-old chestnut son of Mastercraftsman was a previous three-times course winner, including once over course and… Read more »
HAPPY NEW YEAR to all owners, trainers and jockeys but Harper Lodge Farm wishes a particularly Happy New Year to the owners who have helped make 2019 a record year for the yard. The stable achieved 42 wins for the calendar year, beating the previous high of 39, achieved jointly in 2013 and 2018. The… Read more »
ADAM KIRBY rode a well judged ride on Fighting Temeraire (pictured) to land the spoils at Chelmsford yesterday after events didn’t quite go to plan last time out. Twenty-four days previously, the pair were drawn seven of fourteen at the Essex track in a 0-75 handicap over 7f for three-year-olds and upwards. Unfortunately, as soon… Read more »
