An eventful race for Snapping Turtle ends in victory....

Quite remarkable!

There we were at the finish of today's staying handicap hurdle at Catterick, really very pleased with the way Snapping Turtle had battled on through the race, staying on well to get with 1/2 length of Brian Boranha at the finish.
Not since early November had any of our runners got within 7lb of their best form, and whilst it is a long season, a little brightness here and there raises our spirits. And our spirits were certainly raised a short time later when the winner was deemed to have weighted in 2lb too light, disqualified after an objection by the clerk of the scales and the amended result read.....1st Snapping Turtle!

It's hard not to feel a little sympathy for Peter Niven and his owners, as during the race two 1 lb pieces of lead had slipped through a gap in the weight satchel carried by the horse after stitching had become undone.

This was actually our first winner of the season (2016-17) although we have had several placed efforts during the summer and early autumn.

Anyway, back to the start of the race.
With several jockeys under instruction to make the running, Callum dropped our usual front running gelding in, and he seemed to enjoy passing off the field one by one from about the 3rd flight onwards. Turning for home, Callum was still 6 lengths adrift in 3rd place, but stayed on well from the last, quickly securing 2nd spot and running the race leader very close at the line.

Lets hope this is a signal that the racing form of the string is starting to match just how well the horses are looking and performing in morning gallops. We hope to run a couple at Ayr on Monday.