Fine hurdling debut for Bonny Houxty yesterday

The exciting debut run - runner up last Monday - by our bumper mare Lady Villanelle gave a timely boost to our team spirit but we were brought back down to earth next day when Banks O'Houxty and the fast-becoming enigma that is Paper Promise ran below par at Newcastle.
So we were erring on the cautious side pre-race with our Carlisle hurdling newcomer yesterday.

Bonny Houxty (Bill Aitchison owns both her and Banks) had been going well in morning work in preparation for her hurdling debut at Carlisle yesterday but her self-belief in her jumping was a concern as she had fallen in each of her 3 local Point runs last season.
Thus, no doubt this race would be most beneficial to the Native Ruler mare and a completed round was most important to restore that confidence.

As you may have read in our preview, like most mares races these days there were several in the field with proven or promising form including a couple at the head of the market with BHA ratings of OR118.
As such, Bonny Houxty's 3rd place finish to those pair (Lily's Gem and Penny Mallow) only tells half the story.
Settled in rear, Callum soon had our mare travelling well but during the first circuit she met 3 or 4 flights on the wrong stride and lost vital momentum when subsequently not jumping fluently.
However, she made good headway from the rear from 4 out to join the leaders 2 out and coming to the last held every chance just a length down on the front pair. A scrappy leap here should have seen her fall away out of contention but Bonny Houxty kept on well to finish a close 3rd behind two far more experienced rivals.
Beaten a neck and 2 lengths in 3rd with 17 lengths back to the 4th horse, the OR109 rated Red Reminder. Not bad for a 250-1 outsider!!

Naturally having bred the mare, Bill Aitchison was naturally delighted with the performance on hurdling debut as were we all at Dodlands.

The general standard of mares races these days has risen to an almost unrecognisable level compared to the start of the previous decade.
In a forward-thinking manner 5 or 6 years ago the respective racing administrations in Ireland and Britain sought to provide an incentive for mares to be put into, and then kept in, training. This led to initiatives such as NH MOPS and the Irish equivalent which provide bonuses to home breds (i.e. GB and IRE respectively) in certain mares-only races, plus the introduction of mares only series of races each leading to a final.

All of which has led to mares-only races being far more valuable as well as far more competitive, so I guess you can't have your cake and eat it.

You know though, we do have a fine race record stretching back over a number of seasons with shrewdly bought, and inexpensively bred, fillies and mares at Dodlands.  

I mean, in this season alone there have been several fine debut performances by young mares emanating from Dodlands (although without actually hitting that winning post in front).
Stainsby Girl (3 places in novice hurdles), Lady Villanelle (2nd in a bumper), and of course a close 3rd place yesterday from Bonny Houxty.
We do think Our Elsie is a better horse than her unplaced debut in a bumper at Ayr in November, and hope she can show her best soon.
Bumper-placed Danced Every Dance was 4th on hurdling debut and shows promise as a staying handicap hurdler.

But hey! I hear you say. Don't forget your own home-bred veteran Baby Ticker 's gallant victory at Hexham in early December.

The race record with mares reflects great credit on the team here at Dodlands, one which we strive hard to maintain and even better.
And there's always room for one more......................

Bonny Houxty (Ollie)

Bushmill Boy is sold on

It's always sad to see horses leave our yard, and even more so when it's a horse so full of potential such as Bushmill Boy.

But, owner Rob Bewley makes it clear from the moment his horses start in training here at Dodlands that should any run well in a bumper, the next appearance would be somewhere tight and right-handed - the sales arena.

Couple of weeks ago Rob took his Malinas gelding, a fine second on his seasonal reappearance in a Carlisle bumper, to the Goffs UK January HIT sale. Bushmill Boy will now be trained in Davie Thomson's County Durham yard.
Well bought sir!
He's a horse of untapped potential which will be realised once sent hurdling over a staying trip. Best of luck!

We'd have loved to have kept him here, but such is life......