Eden Mill

Eden Mill (IRE) : 2017 chestnut gelding
Owner : TD9 Racing

Pedigree

                                                                      Montjeu
                                        Leading Light
                                                                      Dance Parade
Eden Mill (IRE)
2017 chestnut gelding
                                                                      Catcher In The Rye
                                        Mistress Pope
                                                                      Hot Curry

The family

This chestnut gelding is the second produce of the unraced Mistress Pope. As well as this lad, there is a year older gelding by Ocovango named Pinkerton, a winner of the 2024 Grade 3 Galway Plate with Noel Meade.
There's also a 2018 filly by Soldier of Fortune, a 2019 colt by Sans Frontieres (Potter's Voyage), a 2020 colt by Soldier of Fortune, a 2022 filly by Order of St. George. She visited Santiago in 2022.
There's a fair amount of black type in the family. The second dam Hot Curry was also unraced but she is the dam of Frascati Park, an 8-time winner of bumpers, hurdles and chases, being placed several times in Grade 2 contests. Fix The Rib won 5 races and was pattern placed twice over fences.
The 3rd dam Takeaway Curry - an own sister to the Grade 2 placed Corymandel - has bred 5 individual winners including the pattern placed chasers Curfew Tolls and Nosuch Thing.

A fine National Hunt family

About the sire

Leading Light (bay h born 2010) was purchased by the Coolmore 'Lads' as a yearling and trained throughout his career by Aidan O'Brien.
He won over 9 furlongs as a 2yr old but really blossomed in his next season when tackling middle distances and staying trips. He won the 2013 St. Leger (Champion 3yr old Stayer in Europe) and followed that the next season when winning the Ascot Gold Cup as part of a hat-trick of victories.
A strong, rangy horse he was rated at 125 by Timeform in his prime.
Retired to stud in 2015 to stand at one of Collmore's NH studs (Grange), he enjoyed a full book of mares in his initial years. From a start fee €4,500, this dropped after a couple of years to €3,000, then moved to Dunraven Stud in Wales for 2022 at a fee of £2,500, then Longford House in Ireland in 2024.

His oldest progeny are now 6yr olds in 2022, but he has made a very fine start already with numerous jumps winners in Ireland and Britain, headed by Grade 1 winning hurdler Three Stripe Life and Listed bumper winner Top Dog.

Form Summary

Season 2024-25 outlook

After an excellent 7 length win at Kelso in November in a 2m 5f handicap hurdle, Eden Mill's form did tail off culminating in a poor effort at Ayr in March.
We probably had been postponing the inevitable though, for we sent Eden Mill to have a minor wind operation during the summer.
Fully recovered after a spell at grass, Eden Mill came back into the yard to be readied for an Autumn campaign.

As last season, depending on his progress, a tilt at the (slightly) larger obstacles may be on his agenda later on.

Profile....
Eden Mill was originally a Rob Bewley purchase at the delayed Tattersalls 2020 May Store Sale and came into our yard for the 2021-22 season.

He did impress the staff with his early work on the gallops at that stage, and in a racing partnership with Jimmy Fyfe, Eden Mill ran in a couple of bumpers. He actually finished 4th on debut at Musselburgh but proved an awkward ride that day - he would surely have gone close to winning but for some wayward mannerisms.
That debut run 2021-22 season was full of promise and he followed that with another three outings, the latter two - under TD9 Racing Partnership ownership - both over hurdles at Hexham with the first of these being the better.
Onto his sophomore season and after an initial run to gain a handicap mark, Eden Mill provided several thrills for TD9 Racing on the racecourse, albeit at a modest level.
He reached the frame twice, and indeed at Carlisle on his penultimate race of the season, he looked the likely winner. Leading over the last with Craig Nichol driving hard, Eden Mill was just headed in the final 100 yds. agonisingly losing out by less than ½ length in 3rd.
He probably had enough for the season when pulled up at Perth in Spring 2023.

In 2023-24, Eden Mill's start of the season handicap mark of OR77 gave him every chance to pick up a small race.
And he did just that at his local track (Kelso) to the delight of his faithful owners, TD9 Racing. But this was not totally unexpected, as Eden Mill had opened his campaign with an excellent 2nd over 2m 5f before following up with that victory over c&d a couple of weeks later.

Season		win	2nd	3rd	4th	other
2021-22	NH Flat				1	1
	Hurdles					1
2022-23	Hurdles		1	1		4
2023-24	Hurdles	1	1			3
2024-25	Hurdles					1

Current Season Form

11 February 25 Ayr 2m 4½f Cond'l Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (Class 5 0-100) OR82 soft 8 ran (Murray Dodd(7)) - 7th (beaten 39½l)

Tracked leaders, ridden after 4 out, weakened quickly from 3 out

First run of the season after a long lay off but we still hoped for better.

Previous Season Form

8 March 24 Ayr 2m 4½f Handicap Hurdle (Class 5 0-100) OR85 good to soft 12 ran (Craig Nichol) - pulled up

Prominent, lost ground quickly after 4 out, detached after 3 out, pulled up before 2 out

Something amiss, and could be in line for a minor wind op during the summer.

18 February 24 Musselburgh 2m 4f Handicap Hurdle (Class 5 0-100) OR86 soft 11 ran (Craig Nichol) - 7th (beaten 26¼l)

Lost several lengths at start, always in rear, effort from 3 out but unable to make progress

The start here was unsatisfactory. Subsequent non-runner Sanusoke had dug his heels in and was not making any progress to join the other in lining up and the jockeys were told to wait. Having received the signal to go without, the starter promptly dropped his flag which left our lad losing several lengths.

23 December 23 Newcastle 2m 4½f Handicap Hurdle (Class 4 0-110) OR86 Good 8 ran (Craig Nichol) - 6th (beaten 15½l)

Close up, travelling well enough till 2 out, not quicken and weakened quickly appr (omitted) last

Eden Mill ran well here for a long way but didn't quicken with the principals upon meeting the faster ground in the straight.

29 November 23 Kelso : 2m 5f Handicap Hurdle (Class 5 0-100) OR79 soft 13 ran (Craig Nichol) - won (by 7l)

Soon disputed lead, going well 3 out and led going clear, driven out but always in command

Well ridden by Craig, Eden Mill finally got a deserved win after several good runs over the last two seasons. He'll go up in the handicap for this but is a progressive type and will jump a fence too.

11 November 23 Kelso : 2m 5f Handicap Hurdle (Class 5 0-100) OR77 soft 12 ran (Craig Nichol) - 2nd (beaten ¾l)

Prominent, going well 3 out, led between last two, headed and driven last, kept on but not quite reach winner

The tongue tie which he's been wearing in his last couple of runs was left off. This was a fine season's opener but not for the first time, Eden Mill has looked the likely winner only to be run out of it over the last.

28 April 23 Perth : 2m 4f Handicap Hurdle (Class 5 0-105) OR 79 soft 12 ran (Sean Bowen) - pulled up

In touch until 4 out, lost place quickly

Started favourite, but this just wasn't his running.

19 March 23 Carlisle : 2m 3½f handicap hurdle (Class 5 0-100) OR77 soft 8 ran (Craig Nichol) - 3rd (beaten ½l)

Prominent, led and ridden 2 out, still 1 length clear last, kept on but headed last 100 yds.

A fine effort from Eden Mill, who looked the likely winner over the last but was just beaten to the line by a couple of fast finishers. A modest level but Eden Mil has the make and shape of a chaser, so lots to look forward to next season.

11 January 23 Ayr : 2m handicap hurdle (Class 5 0-105) OR79 heavy 8 ran (Craig Nichol) - 2nd (beaten 12l)

Tracked leaders, not quicken approaching 3 out, 4th and hard driven over final 2, kept on doggedly after last into 2nd near line

Persistent rain during the afternoon turned the going to heavy and very testing conditions. Eden Mill was competitive here - albeit behind the progressive, easy winner (Fia Fuinidh) - and stayed on over the final 2 flights. He'll be suited by further and better ground.

26 December 22 Newcastle 2m 4½f Handicap Hurdle (Class 5 0-100) OR82 Good to Soft 18 ran (David England) - 6th (beaten 16½l)

Waited with in rear, some headway after halfway but never able to reach leaders

First handicap outing for Eden Mill and upped in trip to 2½ miles. This may have been a 0-100 event but on ground riding on the testing side this was a grueling contest. Our gelding made his effort to close from the bottom bend but wasn't able to make any impression

9 November 22 Ayr 2m Novices' Hurdle (Class 4) soft 7 ran (Craig Nichol) - 5th (beaten 30½l)

Held up, never placed to challenge

Not that much previous form on view in this novice event, and it was a modest pace until the winner Fortescue Wood (who looks useful) took it up passing the post first time. Eden Mill wasn't able to land a blow here but should now qualify for handicaps where he will find life less taxing.

30 April 22 Hexham 2m Novices' Hurdle (Class 4) good to soft 12 ran (Conor O'Farrell) - 11th (beaten 58l)

Always behind

This was a step backwards from his promising debut. In hindsight, the race may have been just one step too far at the end of his first season in training.

11 April 22 Hexham 2m Novices' Hurdle (Class 4) good to soft 8 ran (Craig Nichol) - 5th (beaten 28l)

In rear, some late headway but never placed to challenge

Although the two form horses at the top of the market underperformed, there was a fair pace on in this novice hurdle. On debut, Eden Mill's jumping was a bit sticky in the early stages and was using up energy to keep in touch. He will be suited by further.

3 December 21 Sedgefield 2m 1f NH Flat (Class 5) Good to Soft 11 ran (C Bewley) - 7th (btn 15½l)

In touch with leaders, ridden and outpaced over 3f out, weakened from 2f out

Eden Mill raced prominently but couldn't quicken when the leaders set sail for the finish at the top of the home straight. Possibly unsuited by the track, like many initial runners of his sire he looks a staying type who'll come into his own over a flight of hurdles. Type to improve.

30 October 21 Musselburgh 1m 7½f NH Flat 'Newcomers' (Class 6) Soft (good to soft places) 5 ran (C Bewley) - 4th (btn 6l)

Close up on outside till jinked right after 5f, rider lost iron and bolted clear, restrained 8f out and rejoined leaders, no extra final furlong.

His chance was almost gone when running green first time past the post and Callum did well to keep the partnership intact. That he still held every chance with 1 furlong to go is remarkable. He's a very nice gelding and this run (most of it) promised much for the future.