Julie wins at Sedgefield yesterday

It is always just that little bit extra special when we train a winner for new owners to the stable. The lads of Denholm Park Racing have been patient this season when they leased Bollin Julie, for she has taken a few races to become race fit. She's a medium sized, athletic mare who has been in training since August, but we've felt that her conformation has betrayed just how (un)fit she has been. But in each of her three races this season, Callum has returned to say that she needed a bit more strengthening, so we were not that disheartened by her placings so far.
Returning to 2m 4f, on heavy ground, Bollin Julie travelled and jumped well for Callum who was content to track her 4 opponents. Making the move at the top of the hill for the second time, Julie and The Dandy Don's Heaven Scent soon pulled away from the remainder, and battled hammer and tong to the line, where our combination prevailed by a neck (with fresh air in third).

Brilliant, exciting racing and huge congratulations to Squeak and the boys!

And our hopes were fairly high that Snapping Turtle could complete a double for the yard in the next. But, our fate was known quite quickly as the gelding clipped the top of the 6th flight and came down in this 3m 3f race.

Incidentally, it was a very good day for the 'Bollin' family, as earlier in the card Tim Easterby's Bollin Ace won the novice hurdle. Bollin's Julie & Ace are close relatives being by Bollin Eric out of a daughter of Bollin Magdalene.

 
Bollin Julie (Callum)

Night Comes In debuts in the Ayr bumper tomorrow

Night Comes In makes his racecourse debut tomorrow in the last race on the card at Ayr, the bumper. He's an athletic sort, a bit lean in conformation but he could do with a run to continue his progression in terms of condition and maturity, as he has a tendency to just go through the motions each morning.
A lovely natured horse, but he'll be one of the stable who will do better in future.

There are 8 runners declared overnight for this race, headed by Nicky Richards' unbeaten Uncle Alastair, who looks the one to beat. The son of Midnight Legend won at Wetherby last month, and looks one who will be suited by testing conditions.
James Ewart saddles three horses, and on jockey bookings (Brian Hughes) Dunly looks his selected. Runner up in his one race to date, the form doesn't look as good as that of Uncle Alastair, but that one run was a couple of months ago, and you would expect that James will have brought along improvement the gelding since then.
Trevor Hemmings invariably buys a nice type of National Hunt horse and is represented here by Rose's Witness Time, on whom Graham Lee is an eye-catching jockey booking. He's another who will come on for his first run when 5th here at the start of December.
The same can be said for Bruce's Sophie Fatale, a daughter of Robin des Champs, whilst local trainer Mike Smith's newcomer Rooster Spirit looks the type on breeding who may be better in time.

Night Comes In (Garry) pictured on a recent gallop