How our runners have fared in the last couple of weeks

We've been a bit lax in writing up summaries of our runners over the last few days, but we put that right here with a round-up of any results we've omitted.

Starting with Newcastle on 9th March, Big Bad Dream ran in the 2½ mile Class 5 handicap hurdle. On his best form - or even his second best form - Big Bad Dream would have gone close but he's not been dropping down the handicap with no good reason.
Despite Blair Campbell's best efforts, Big Bad Dream seemed to lose interest halfway round and trailed in well beaten in 11th.

A couple of days on at Carlisle and Bonny Houxty ran a nice pipe opener for her season when keeping on into 4th place in the 2 mile handicap hurdle. She has raced prominently until approaching 2 out and couldn't quicken when the leaders pushed on for home. Her jumping was always her Achilles Heel last season but she was fluent throughout here.
Lack of a previous run this season then told but she kept on again beaten about 20 lengths at the line.
She will improve, and may be better over middle distances in handicap hurdles.

On Saturday 13th March, we headed to Ayr with a couple of nice horses. Stable star and veteran hurdler Baby Ticker ran in the feature event a 2½ mile Class 3 handicap hurdle. With young Theo Gillard again in the saddle, Baby Ticker ran another race of great credit finishing in 3rd place although no match for the first two - Grand Morning and Corrieben Reiver.
She was qualified for the Northern Lights Series Mares Handicap Hurdle at Musselburgh on Friday just past. With drying ground, and a sharp track, this would not have been playing to our mare's strengths so we gave it a miss. Shame as it's a smashing series with a nice prize.
Enemy At The Gate was our other runner that day and he also finished 3rd beaten about 9 lengths. Up against 2 previous winners and a Crawford Bros' raider with promising Irish Point form, we were delighted with the run. Conor O'Farrell gave the gelding a nice introduction and he wasn't unduly knocked about in the very testing ground but kept on nicely to the finish.

Last Thursday, Hexham Racecourse held their opening fixture of the Spring Season and we sent 3 runners across the border.
Lady Villanelle was quite well fancied to make an impression in the opening handicap hurdle but ran as if something was amiss, dropping away off the pace in the back straight and being pulled up after a mistake 2 out.
Our two runners in the novice hurdle over 2 miles were both hurdling debutants for new owners to the yard. Simon Gillie's Kalanisi gelding Kinerton Hill is a strong sort but he may have been a bit backward in condition as he raced in rear and was behind when pulled up before 2 out.
Kenny Lynn's Our Percy ran well for a long way, racing prominently and jumping well until tiring after 2 out into 6th.

On Saturday at Newcastle, Undecided made his follow-up run in a bumper after showing promise over course and distance in December. The ground however was drying fast and he didn't seem to enjoy this quicker surface. He kept on to the line but was beaten about 18 lengths in 7th of the 10 runners.