Suzy Smith Racing - News - Suzy Smith Racing

Suzy Smith Racing - News 2018 - 2019

7th May

The excellent run of form continues!

Cracker Jak bolted in at Newbury shortly after our last update. It was his first step up to three miles and he jumped beautifully throughout, it was a very good front running performance under Micheal Nolan. He followed up in good style at Exeter in April, winning on ground that was probably a little bit lively for him. This was also Gavin Sheehan's 400th winner, so a day to remember for all of us!

Strike The Flint won particularly impressively at Plumpton in a bumper against the boys. It was really the style in which she won that was so taking; making all the running at a very strong pace and kicking clear again at the end. It was a great ride from Gavin Sheehan. She is declared tomorrow for Fontwell and Ben Godfrey will take off the seven pounds that she has to carry for her penalty.

Oscarsman who arrived here at the end of March is also declared for Fontwell tomorrow and will run in the same race providing the rain arrives. He has run in five point to points in Ireland showing a good attitude to be consistently placed on varying ground. He is clearly a stayer, but has a good cruising speed and it will be nice to give him a run before his summer holiday.

Vue Cavaliere and Guy Disney teamed up to finish a creditable third in the military race at Wincanton mid April. She was prominent throughout and stayed on well to the line again probably finding the ground a little on the fast side. We are hoping to give her one more run before her summer holidays if the ground allows for it.

We have just launched a new syndicate for 'Lightning Bug' a 2 year old filly for the flat by Starspangledbanner out of a Dansili mare, that we bought from the Breeze Ups at Ascot. She has an outstanding pedigree from the family of Shirocco, September Storm, Subiaco and Storm Trooper. There are still some 10% shares available in her syndicate 'The Bright Lights', reasonably priced at £600 + VAT and £277 per month all-in fee. Due to run shortly; please contact us for further details.

We have brought over from Ireland the 2 year old gelding by Shirocco out of Material World, a full brother to Strike The Flint and Rosy World. We have just backed him this week and he will do two or three weeks educational work before being turned away to mature. He is an exceptional looking individual, very athletic and a decent size and looks a star in the making!

15th March

The last few weeks have been very successful for the yard with three very nice winners!

Little Boy Boru was the first to score at Plumpton where he was given a great ride by Ben Godfrey and showed all his old determination and enthusiasm to win in good style. We thought he was up for it in the paddock beforehand as he was very much on his toes which has always been a sign of good things to come!

This was swiftly followed the next day by Invicta Lake getting off the mark over fences under Paddy Brennan at Fontwell. He so deserved to win and did so readily pulling away by fifteen lengths. They went a really strong pace and this played into his hands perfectly.

Rosy World won most recently at Plumpton in a mares' handicap hurdle. She looked a cut above the rest of the field and with Ben Godfrey's claim won in easy fashion - congratulations to Ben on his sixth career win under rules.

It was great to see so many of our owners at the Racehorse Sanctuary fundrasing lunch at Fontwell on Sunday 24th February, it's always a great day out and raises lots of money for this very important charity. Cracker Jak was running that day and he ran a great race to finish second. He was perhaps a shade unlucky to be hampered by a horse on the bend past the stands on the final circuit. He badly lost his position because of this and did extremely well to manage to get up to be second from there. He should be winning soon.

Finally, we are delighted to say that for the second year running we have been awarded three gold stars (the highest accolade) in the Lycetts Team Champion Awards, highlighting the great team we have here and our commitment to making Suzy Smith Racing a great place to work.
Congratulations TEAM!

5th February

2019 started very well for us with plenty of good efforts from lots of the horses.

Debestyman has proved a hit over hurdles with an excellent fourth in a very competitive race, followed up by a great win in his second novice hurdle at Plumpton! This was a fantastic day for his owners The Plumpton Party who were out in force and brilliant for them to win at their local track. Debestyman looks like he is going to be a very useful staying hurdler as he was doing all his best work at the end.

Invicta Lake has been his usual consistent self, racking up the places over a variety of trips! He has run a few times in quick succession so has earned himself a little break and should be out again in the next couple of weeks.

Rosy World ran a very nice race at Fontwell a week ago staying on all the time and we would expect her to be winning a novice hurdle very soon. She has been hard to place due to the fact that she likes very soft ground, luckily the rain has certainly arrived in Lewes today and looks set to stay with us for a while!

We had a couple of good thirds at Kempton last week; Firstly, Cracker Jak, who put up a good display of jumping in his first run in a handicap and appreciated the better ground and a step up in trip. He is still only a baby and we expect him to improve with more racing experience and he would definitely stay a longer trip. Sisania had her first run back since April last year, so this was a pleasing return to action. She is entitled to come on for the run and it was good to see so many of her members from Heart of the South Racing in the winners enclosure.

We are looking forward to welcoming Chloe Cheverton back from Racing School later this week, she has really enjoyed her time there and feels she has learned a great deal.

5th October

We had an excellent Owners' Day, despite the rain, on Sunday 23rd September, everyone was very enthusiastic and really looking forward to the new season. Its a great opportunity for our owners to get to know each other, the horses we have in for the season, swap stories and chat with the staff who look after their horses on a day to day basis. About thirty of us went on to Plumpton Races for their opening meeting and had lunch in their excellent newly refurbished boxes. They have completely overhauled their Owners and Trainers bar and it's a huge improvement, this will greatly enhance our Owners' experience of having their horses race there - although it has always been our favourite track anyway!

We have three new members of staff to introduce. Megan and Chloe who are working for us part time - every morning and Libbi who has joined our weekend team. Megan is a valuable addition to the team and is just completing her Level 3 in Racehorse Managment. She holds an amateur jockey's licence and has had rides pointing, over hurdles and on the flat. This is Chloe's first job since leaving school and she has a placement booked for the end of November up at the British Racing School in Newmarket, where she will be starting out on her Level 2 apprenticeship. Chloe has her own horse, she is a hard worker and has been doing well since joining us. Libbi is still at school and is coming to work for us on Sunday mornings and every other Saturday afternoon. Libbi has her own horse and has been helping out at a local hunt yard previously, she is a very cheerful girl with a good manner around the horses and we very much like having her around.

Most of the horses are now in full swing and we are just waiting for a bit of rain before we can have our first runners out, which could be as early as next week - if we are lucky! We are very pleased with the way they are all going and we are thoroughly looking forward to getting started!

20th July

We see this month as the start of our new season, where both horses and staff come back refreshed from their holidays and dreams begin.

Our last runner was Onehelluvatouch at Uttoxeter where she put in a good performance to come fourth in a three mile hurdle. She jumped and travelled well and is ready to go again when it finally rains!

The horses out at grass summered extremely well however, for having no rain and are now starting work on their waistlines! They will be walking and trotting for several weeks and will resume cantering in August, with the majority of our runners coming out in October and November depending on the going - of course.

We've collected 'Benny' a two year old gelding by Jet Away out of Money Money Money who is owned by Jane Reece of Hook Lane Roobee fame! He has come in for four to six weeks education and light backing. He is currently being long reined and we should be on him in a week or so. He has been a model pupil so far and very quick to learn.

As part of Racing Staff Week we held a staff party and competition night - a series of games where we split into two teams "Young Uns versus Old Uns" which if I remember rightly I'm sure the "Olds" won!!

On the staff front, we are really happy to say that Chloe has turned full time with us now and has done particularly well over the last month gaining both her First Aid at Work and Fire Marshal qualifications! Our newest member of staff, Kathryn, has been accepted on to the British Racing School's nine week course commencing in August which marks the start of her Level 2 Apprenticeship with us. Congratulations to them both!