Pedigree

                                                                      Montjeu
                                        Scorpion
                                                                      Ardmelody
The Boo Box (IRE)
2013 bay gelding
                                                                      Witness Box
                                        High Court Action
                                                                      Knockaday

The family

The unraced High Court Action has produced 6 foals thus far (autumn 2017) with her only runners being Hannah's Gold - placed in handicap hurdles - and Canuwest - an Irish Point winner . Canuwest was actually sold to join Henderson's yard for £75k, but sadly died as a 5yr old before running under Rules.
She also has a gelding by Scorpion (b 2012), a colt by Mountain High (b 2015), a filly (b 2016) by Imperial Monarch and another filly (b 2017) by Ask.

The second dam Knockaday was unraced but has bred a couple of horses placed in Irish bumpers. Eye-catchingly, she is a full sister to top class hurdler Large Action, who Oliver Sherwood trained to win a Cleeve Hurdle & a Hatton's Grace, as well as being placed a couple of times in the Champion Hurdle. Knockaday is also a half sister to One More Knight who included a Listed Chase amongst his 8 wins over jumps.
Most recently, the family also includes 7-time winning chaser Wood Yer, trained by Nigel T-D, who is out of a half-sister to High Court Action.

About the sire

As a half brother to several at least smart 12f winners, it was unlikely that Scorpion (bay horse, born 2002) would see a racecourse as a 2yr old. And so it proved. However, under the handling of Aiden O'Brien, Scorpion won an English Classic at 3 (St. Leger) and Epsom's Coronation Stakes as a 5yr old. A top class racehorse.
Retired to Coolmore's NH Castle Hyde Stud in 2008, he was given every chance of success by covering books of mares approaching 300 in number in his early years. He has re-located to Shade Oak Stud in Shropshire for 2017.
And that may have been a hasty move, as Scorpion had a fantastic 2016-17 season as a sire. In April 2016, Jessica Harrington trained Don't Touch It to provide Scorpion with his first Grade 1 success, and Scorpiancer has followed up a Grade 1 chase success at Belmont Park in September '16 with another in the USA in May '17. Might Bite's Grade 1 successes in 2017 & 2018 have followed and with the likes of Mullins, Nicholls and Henderson training his stock, more success seems assured.

Form Summary

The hammer had not long fallen on Lot 101 at the 2016 edition of the Tattersalls (Ireland) August NH Store Sale, when self-appointed bloodstock agent Al Duncan found himself gazing over the paddocks as a recent €52,000 sale (Lot 110) was the focus of attention of photographers. Standing alongside, also admiring the Gerry Griffin buy was Irish horseman David Crimmons and conversation soon turned to this Scorpion gelding. 'He was a bit of a snip at €3.2k', says David 'and I've noted him in my catalogue - and I don't note down that many!'
Such unsolicited praise from unconnected experts round the sales ring is not an every day occurrence, and Callum could well have bought wisely. The whole team are delighted that this nice, good sized gelding is coming over to Dodlands Steading, although he wasn't the finished article by any means at that stage, needing a wee bit time to furnish into his frame.

'Sting' was sent down the road to Hexham to Tim Reed's yard to complete his education. Tim has done an excellent job with our young NH Stores over the last couple of years, and is particularly patient with the backward sorts. (Incidentally, the term 'backward' is not a criticism, but merely used to describe the mental nature and physically developed condition of a horse at a point in time. Most NH trainers in the UK & Eire acquire this type of horse from the sales, where, quite normally, the vendor has not done much work on the horse pre-sales.)

Things were taken quite steadily with The Boo Box in 2016-17, with care taken not to push too much work into the gelding until his development could withstand it. During 2017-18, he was still maturing and strengthening so it wasn't until early May '18 that he made his debut in a bumper at Kelso finishing 9th.

In season 2018-19, he started off with a pipeopener in a bumper at Kelso, before gaining valuable experience in 3 novice hurdles in February through March.

Sadly, at the start of October '19, The Boo Box collapsed and died after a routine piece of exercise on the gallops.

Season		win	2nd	3rd	4th	other
2018-19	NH Flat					2
	Hurdles					3
2019-20	Hurdles

Current Season Form

Previous Season Form

6 April 19 Newcastle 2m 4½f Novices Hurdle (Class 4) Good to Soft 11 ran (C Whillans (3)) - 6th (beaten 44l)

In rear, effort 4 out, no progress from 3 out

The Boo Box gained more valuable experience here, jumping was much more slick and can build on this when sent handicapping, possibly over a shorter distance.

9 March 19 Ayr 2m 4½f Novices Hurdle (Class 4) Soft 11 ran (C Whillans (3)) - 6th (beaten 47l)

Mid div, in touch behind leading group 5, chased along 4 out but never able to reach leaders

A much improved performance from The Boo Box and a line can be put through his previous run at Carlisle. Although running on and off the bridle initially, he jumped and travelled better as the race went on and kept on to see his race out. A promising performance.

18 February 19 Carlisle (inner) : 2m 3½f novices' hurdle (Class 4) good to soft (soft places) 11 ran (C Whillans(3)) - 11th

In rear, weakened over 2 out, tailed off

Quite a competitive novice hurdle for debutant The Boo Box but he struggled to keep in touch from the bottom of the hill in the home straight. He ran green and jumped a wee bit awkwardly. Probably be dropped back in trip next time.

13 December 18 Newcastle : 2m ½f NH Flat (Class 5) good to soft 14 ran (C Whillans(3)) - 7th (beaten 23l)

Prominent, ridden 3f out, weakened over 1f out

This was a fairly competitive bumper and The Boo Box was ridden prominently from the start. He weakened somewhat over a furlong out having held every chance, but this run promised more for the rest of the season. He'll probably be schooled over hurdles now.

9 May 18 Kelso : 2m ½f NH Flat (Class 5) good 12 ran (C Whillans(3)) - 9th (beaten 25l)

Keen, held up in rear, progress to chase leading group 3f out, ridden and weakened over 1f out.

Whilst to expect a winning debut from The Boo Box was probably aiming a bit high, but we did think he might finish a wee bit closer. He held every chance 2f out but weakened out of contention. A fair enough debut all the same.