And the winner is...

We’d like to start this edition of Racing Ramblings by thanking everyone who kindly followed @PotterGracing and entered our giveaway to win two Potter Group/Canter Carpet gilets. We had a tremendous response and look forward to hosting more competitions and giveaways in the future. However, we were delighted to pick two winners so congratulations to Chloe Jones and Pete Lang whose names were chosen at random and we look forward to seeing you show off your new attire. Don’t forget to tag us on social media when you do!

It’s a very busy time of year for all studs including everyone at Yorton Farm who are doing a great job keeping a watchful eye over all our mares and foals day and night. Sting In The Gale, in particular, always gets plenty of attention and she has been such a wonderful mum to all her offspring including her latest foal, a handsome son of Scalo. He’s a confident little chap who was full of the joys of spring when let out into the Canter Carpet turn out pen yesterday afternoon. His mum is an old hand at this parenting lark so wasn’t really in the mood to do much running around but her son wasn’t having any of it and showed great tenacity and determination to push and prod his mum to play with him which after much persuasion, she finally gave in!

Sting In The Gale ex Scalo
Twiggy and her Scalo son enjoying the spring sunshine


Twiggy, as she’s more affectionately known, has a (2017) Blue Bresil filly currently being broken in at Tom Gretton’s yard and is enjoying her education in Worcestershire, as well as a daughter by Gentlewave in training with Oliver Greenall who has just been named The Wild Wild Sea and you may wonder how this name came about so grab yourself a cuppa and I’ll explain..

The Wild Wild Sea is a half sister to It’s Probably Me which was a chart hit for Sting in 1992. Her sire is Great Pretender…still with us? (Freddie Mercury 1987). The Wild Wild Sea is by Gentlewave (tentative sea link 😉) out of Sting In The Gale (another tentative weather link) which was also another hit single for Sting in 1991. It’s very simply really!

The Wild Wild Sea
The Wild Wild Sea currently riding on the crest of a wave


We digress slightly, but suffice to say the five-year-old is training very well and Oliver is looking at finding a race in a bumper within the next two to three weeks.

Speaking of youngsters, Milans Edge who you may remember was purchased by James and Jean Potter Ltd at the Goffs UK Point to Point Sale at Yorton Farm Stud in November, is ready to run and Donald McCain has given her an entry in a bumper at Wetherby on Tuesday. She won her sole Point to Point and is already schooled and ready to go over hurdles, but McCain thinks a run in a National Hunt Flat race will help bring her along before going over timber and we are really look forward to seeing what she can do on the track. Also owned by James and Jean Potter Ltd include Wheesht and Vienna Court who hold entries this week at Ludlow and Chepstow respectively.

Potter Group and Walters Plant Hire have got several other entries during the week including Patroclus who is in at Southwell and Doncaster, Mot A Mot Doncaster and Chepstow and Welsh Saint at Doncaster.

A busy Saturday and Sunday with five runners across both days and all the details are below:

SATURDAY RUNNERS

WINCANTON

2:13 – BILLINGSLEY (Alan Johns & Alastair Ralph)

It’s not been entirely straightforward for Billingsley so far this season but he jumped well enough around Sandown last time in a very competitive race but the small step down in grade will hopefully help along with the step back up in trip. The handicapper has dropped him a couple of pounds which can only be a good thing and this flatter track could also play to his strengths, so there are no real excuses.

3:58 OUR POWER (Jack Savage & Nigel Twiston-Davies)

He seems to get this trip well but is probably a victim of his own consistency having only been dropped a pound since his last run at Haydock. He was an impressive winner of a Handicap Hurdle at Kempton last March off 130 so it could be deemed he still needs to come down a few pounds; that said, Nigel Twiston Davies has secured the services of Jack Savage who takes a valuable 5lbs off his back which is a massive help and brings him right back into contention. His experience will count for plenty in a race like this and he represents great each way value once again.

ASCOT

3:00 STOLEN SILVER (Sam Twiston-Davies & Nigel Twiston-Davies)

Silver brings some very high-class form to this race having won a Grade 2 at Haydock last year and the switch back to hurdles could also be in his favour. He’s a tough and consistent customer with a great attitude so should go very close.

SUNDAY

UTTOXETER

1:22 EXELERATOR EXPRESS (Sean Bowen & Neil Mulholland)

If any horse deserves to win a race it’s this chap and after making a terrible blunder at the fourth fence last time you’d have to say he did extremely well to end up finishing third in a very competitive race at Newbury. This is a small step down in grade and we’re hopeful it’s enough to see him get his head back in front.

Exelerator Express
Exelerator Express fancied to go close at Uttoxeter on Sunday


MARKET RASEN

2:40 MISS GOLD DEN (Craig Nicholl & Olly Murphy)

She plugged on nicely on her hurdles debut at Ludlow last time, but being from the family of Denman and Grand National winner Silverburn it’s pretty clear she’ll be suited by a much stiffer stamina test than two miles around a sharp track like Market Rasen and she will be an interesting proposition once handicapped and up in trip.