by Keith Melrose
There always seems a spring in the step of Harry Whittington, who is still floating on cloud nine after a fine campaign that included a first winner at the Cheltenham Festival thanks to Simply The Betts in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate.
That was the icing on a tasty cake for the affable trainer, whose street cred has been boosted by welcoming top owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede into the yard.
„It was our best season in terms of winners, prize-money, having a Cheltenham Festival winner and where we finished in the trainers‘ title,“ he said.
„It’s a season I’ll remember forever and it works in waves, so it might be hard to follow up, but we do have some very smart horses and promising youngsters.“
„Last summer we were ten winners ahead, so it might be hard numerically to beat last season having missed a chunk because of lockdown, but we have got more winter horses. We won’t be pushing or chasing things, just do what’s right by the horses.„
Rival to watch
Imperial Aura’s form with Simply The Betts is fantastic and I think he’ll be a continued rival for us. I’ve enormous respect for him.
Race in focus
There’s a novice handicap chase at Uttoxeter on Midlands Grand National day in March that De Rasher Counter won and I see that as a big target for Young Bull – it’s perfect for him.
Stable profile
Yard Hill Barn Stables
Where Sparsholt Firs, Oxfordshire
Started training 2012
Horses in yard 52
Members of staff 20
Assistant trainer Joe Quintin
Head lass Fredrika Sommarlund
Pupil assistant trainers Emily Shepherd, George Edgedale
Travelling head lad Stuart Baker
Assistant travelling head lass Hannah Spear
Jockeys Gavin Sheehan, Daryl Jacob, Adrian Heskin, Jonjo O’Neill jnr, Page Fuller
Conditional Jamie Neild
Secretary Anna-Marie Wilby
Stable sponsor Webbswood & CHD Property
Website harrywhittington.co.uk
Twitter @Harry_Whitt
Instagram @harrywhittingtonracing
Facebook harrywhittingtonracing
Winners in Britain
2019-20 30
2018-19 25
2017-18 27
2016-17 13
2015-16 21
Profit/loss to £1 stake
2019-20 -£19.03
2018-19 -£77.37
2017-18 -£21.08
2016-17 -£20.29
2015-16 +£20.37
Total prize-money 2019-20
£455,667
Horses:
| B | C | D | E | F | J | M | N | P | R | S | T | W | Y |
Bigmartre
Nine-year-old gelding
Montmartre (sire) – Oh La Miss (dam)
Owner: P J Dixon & C Nash
Form figures: 1/5674-4
Racing Post Rating: 154c Official rating: 137c
I was pleased with him at Ludlow recently, but the ground was quick and he’s come back jarred up. We’ll give him time and run on some proper good-to-soft. I think with his aches and pains he probably just wants a touch of cut now, although not a bog. We’ll look for sharp tracks over 2m5f or 2m6f as I don’t think he gets three miles. Jamie Neild, our 10lb claimer, has a good bond with him and hopefully they can win soon because he’s well handicapped.
Breaking Waves
6g Yeats – Acoola
Colin Peake & Julie Slater
4/4PP14-
RPR 130c OR 131c
New to the yard, he’s a great big chasing type who’s had an operation on his back this summer and I see him at galloping tracks over three miles on soft ground – he’s got some good form.
Captain Tommy
6g Court Cave – Freemantle Doctor
Richard J Gurr
3P-5425
RPR 132h OR 125c
He produced a good performance when second on his penultimate start at Bangor. He missed the last and I like the winner, Manofthemountain, a lot. He just hated the quick ground at Wincanton on Thursday, but I’m sure he’ll bounce back on softer ground next time. He’s economical over his fences.
Dargiannini
5g Fame And Glory – You Take Care
Dominic Burke & Kate & Andrew Brooks
1
RPR 120b
I was really impressed with him at Sedgefield on Sunday. His work had been well above average, so we expected him to win, although not quite in that manner! He’s a very good jumper and has got a fantastic pedigree being a half-brother to the talented Keeper Hill. As he’s five, I imagine he’ll be novice hurdling this season, although whether we run in another bumper with a penalty has to be decided and it’ll be up to Dominic and Andrew. I think he’ll be happy on most ground, bar extreme soft/heavy. He’s very exciting.
Docpickedme
4g Getaway – Hard Luck
The Jockey Club South West Syndicate
1- (point form)
RPR 91p
He’s a point winner who came with a reputation from Ireland and will want soft ground. He jumps very well and seems to have speed, so might start in a bumper before hurdling.
Emerging Force
10g Milan – Danette
Webb Holt Carpenter Tucker
P1145/8/
RPR 152c OR 138c
He’s back after three years off – two of them spent in the field. He was exciting, so I’m looking forward to his return. He’s had an operation on his back, but his work suggests he retains ability and his brother, Barel Of Laughs, had a long layoff in the middle of his career and was still winning as a 12-year-old. We’ll aim him at veterans‘ chases.
Flash De Clerval
5g Maresca Sorrento – Nonita De Clerval
ValueRacingClub.co.uk
3/68149-
RPR 124h OR 115h
He’ll go novice chasing and has been well above average jumping fences, so hopefully he’s nicely handicapped. He appreciates some soft ground.
Franigane
5g Coastal Path – Nobless D’Aron
Edgedale & Robinson
4-
RPR 103b
He’s massive, about 17 hands. He ran in a bumper in March after I’d given him time through the winter and he came there to win but was a bit weak. He’s transformed over the summer and will start in novice hurdles and might end up over three miles at the end of the season. He jumps unbelievably well for a novice.
Jammy George
7g Multiplex – Dantes Mile
Kate & Andrew Brooks
41/5F22-
RPR 138c OR 131c
He had an operation on his back and is still a novice over fences, which is probably a blessing in disguise. He definitely needed that operation and his work is much better, so we’re looking forward to seeing if he can improve on the track, perhaps in the novice handicap chase at Aintree on Sunday. He might progress into a National Hunt Chase horse.
Medalla De Oro
6g Teofilo – Nyarhini
The Rogues Gallery Two
1-222
RPR 130h OR 125h
He’s a novice over hurdles until the end of November and ran a belter against Enemy Coast Ahead in July, but unfortunately he managed to run into one again at Fakenham on Friday. He’s in very good form, though, and should win a novice hurdle soon. He wants a sharp track and two miles.
Numberoneson
3g Camelot – Never Busy
Ownership name to be confirmed
042-71 (Flat form)
RPR 78f OR 81f
A winner on the Flat at Leopardstown, he looks as if he’s got class and speed, but he should also stay well, being by Camelot. He’s been at [eventer] Laura Collett’s for some schooling and jumps well.
Dark horse
Poldark Cross
5g Shantou – Diaconate
The Racing Demons
F/P1 (point form)
RPR 88p
He won a point impressively in March and looks a nice staying hurdler and then chaser. He’ll probably start in two-and-a-half-mile novice hurdles and I could see him going three miles after Christmas. He just gallops.
Qualismart
4g Martaline – Qualita
Kate & Andrew Brooks
Unraced
He has loads of speed and would appreciate soft ground and a flat track. He’s been pleasing us and I think he’ll go straight hurdling because he jumps so well having come from France.
Rouge Vif
6g Sageburg – Rouge Amour
Kate & Andrew Brooks
3/14213-
RPR 158c OR 156c
Good to soft is his best ground, although he was third in the Arkle on soft. He’s a warrior who’d run through a brick wall. I don’t think undulations are a problem as he’s got good form on most courses, but he was impressive in the Kingmaker at Warwick on a flat track. He could start in the handicap chase at Cheltenham on Friday we won last year with Saint Calvados, or Exeter’s Haldon Gold Cup.
Star quality
Saint Calvados
7g Saint Des Saints – Lamorrese
Kate & Andrew Brooks
37/1422-
RPR 172c OR 167c
He ran a stormer in the Ryanair and it’s fantastic he can be ridden a different way having been very much a front-runner until last season. Perhaps Min’s stamina was running out at Cheltenham and we were just staying on, but he’s also got plenty of speed. He’ll have an entry in the 1965 Chase at Ascot on November 21 and also the Betfair Chase the same afternoon. It’ll be owner Andrew Brooks’s decision which we go for and we’re just very excited to be running in such prestigious races.
See The Eagle Fly
3f Free Eagle – Glassatura
Sullivan Racing
1
RPR 98h
She showed gears on her first start for us and Adrian [Heskin] was impressed. The Listed race for juvenile fillies at Aintree in December could be an option and she’s got a great attitude.
Shantou Vow
5g Shantou – Holy Vow
Holt, Carpenter, Peters, Macnabb, Webb
41031-2
RPR 125h OR 123h
He won twice over hurdles last season and has been backward mentally, but he’s from a good family who need time. He ran a cracker to finish second at Wetherby last week, so he obviously improved for the three-mile trip. I see him as a chaser, but he’s not ready – physically or mentally – yet.
Simply The Betts
7g Arcadio – Crimson Flower
Kate & Andrew Brooks
4/11211-
RPR 159c OR 157c
He got beaten at Kempton on Boxing Day when he couldn’t jump and I drove away thinking, ‚Why haven’t I sent him to Laura Collett?‘. She had him as a youngster and it helped enormously, so he went each week from Kempton until Trials day at Cheltenham and just got better and better. He loved it so much we sent him on the way on Trials day and maybe it gave him an edge. As he won, we thought we’d better not change for the festival and he duly won there. He’s in good form and I think two and a half miles is his trip for the moment, although Gavin has always felt he’s got the speed for two, probably on very soft, and would also stay three. We’re thinking of the Paddy Power Gold Cup, but ultimately it will be Andrew’s decision.
Sir Sholokhov
5g Sholokhov – Menepresents
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
1 (point form)
RPR 89p
He’s one of two we’ve got for Simon and Isaac, and it’s fantastic as they’re top owners who are great to deal with. This fella is huge and won his only point. He’s an out-and-out chaser, but we’ll tip away over hurdles over two and a half to three miles this term. He’s a fine, big horse who moves great and covers lots of ground. He’ll want soft conditions.
Sirobbie
6g Arakan – Presentbreeze
Richard J Gurr
1P-6261
RPR 129h OR 130h
He’s a Uttoxeter specialist who loves the shape of the races there and won nicely at the track last time. The owner is keen on the Pertemps route at Cheltenham on Saturday. We can switch him back to fences at any point, but it didn’t work out on his handicap chase debut, so we’ll keep him to hurdles for the foreseeable future.
Torigni
4g Palace Episode – Princesse Stesa
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
01-
RPR 101h
He’s speedy and won impressively in France last year. He’s a racy type and will start over two miles in handicap hurdles.
Warranty
3g Authorized – Ballymena Lassie
The Guaranteed Success Syndicate
24-6961 (Flat form)
RPR 67f OR 68f
We have a nice team of juveniles and this one looks the part. He won at Beverley in July, beating Frankenstella, who has since won three. He appears to have a bit of class and I like him.
Young Bull
6g Dubai Destination – Jane Hall
Nash & Webb
31112-3
RPR 136c OR 133c
He ran an absolute belter to finish third on his novice handicap chase debut at Uttoxeter on Friday. The ground wasn’t quite soft enough, but it was an ideal introduction and he’ll improve for softer ground and a step up to three miles. I’ve been looking forward to him going chasing and I hope he’ll make up into some sort of National type in time.
Two for the tracker
Calidad is an unraced Califet gelding we really like and Qualismart shows a bit of class.
Expert analysis
Stable star Simply The Betts is a microcosm for Harry Whittington’s career. A big talent who went quiet for a while after a promising start, he flourished last season. It looked as if fences were the key to Simply The Betts and all indications are that Whittington’s most famous horses will always be chasers.
Simply The Betts now faces a similar challenge to his trainer. Now rated 157 by the BHA, he has few avenues left that do not involve getting to the top. Whittington, at least, is already starting to attract the material he will need.
Arkle third Rouge Vif, who, like Simply The Betts and Saint Calvados, is owned by Andrew Brooks, should not be forgotten. The yard knew what they had with him last year and it was only after mid-season wind surgery that he began to show it. There may be more to come.
At a slightly lower level, the same goes for Brooks’s Jammy George. That some physical issues have been detected and hopefully rectified makes sense given the way he was shaping last season.
It is also notable how pleased Whittington was with Young Bull at Uttoxeter last week. It was not hard to make out promise from that run in what will probably prove a strong race, and this half-brother to Shanroe Santos is just getting started.
