​What a month May has been - 4 winners from 5 runners! That’s the kind of strike-rate every syndicate dreams of, and it’s been great to see the horses delivering like that for our owners.

King's Scholar made it back-to-back wins, starting with victory in the 2m Maiden Hurdle at Southwell on 11th May. He travelled strongly throughout and pulled clear under Sean Bowen to win with plenty in hand. Just over two weeks later, he followed up in the 2m Novices' Hurdle at Worcester under a penalty. Despite unshipping Sean on the way to the start, he still managed to get the job done, which says plenty about his ability. He'll now enjoy a short break at home, although we'll keep him ticking over as he's the type of horse who enjoys keeping busy.

​Saint Jeannais made a very eye-catching start to his hurdling career at Bangor on 17th May. He jumped well throughout and showed a smart turn of foot after the last to pull clear and win easily. He's now enjoying a summer holiday and looks a very exciting prospect for novice hurdling this season. We're looking forward to seeing what he can achieve when he returns.

​Not every day goes to plan, and Belle Le Grand was a little disappointing in the 2m1f Mares' Handicap Hurdle at Cartmel on 23rd May. Cartmel is a unique track that can catch horses out, and everything just seemed to happen a bit too quickly for her. We've come away feeling she would benefit from stepping up in trip, and the plan is for her to have an entry at Worcester on 11th June.

​We had hoped Rainbow Tara would make her hurdling debut this month, but the prolonged dry weather got the better of us. Rather than force the issue, she's now enjoying a well-earned break at home and we'll look forward to bringing her back when conditions are more suitable.

Away from the racecourse, Leloopa, Ink Black Heart, Run Away Joe, A King of Magic and Jack Hyde are all enjoying their breaks at home. The kids continue to spoil them rotten and they're making the most of the sunshine and a bit of downtime in the paddocks.

​Finally, we've set a date for our Owners' Day – Saturday 25th July. It's always one of the highlights of the year, giving owners the chance to get up close to the horses, catch up with the team and meet fellow syndicate members. If you're interested in joining the syndicate and would like to come along, please don't hesitate to get in touch. We'd love to welcome you along.

Thanks, as always, for your continued support.

Paddy

​April brought a busy and enjoyable end to the season, with plenty of action on the track and encouraging signs for what lies ahead.

A King of Magic signed off his campaign in fine style when sauntering home in the 2m4f Handicap Hurdle at Perth, barely coming off the bridle and always looking in complete control. He’s been a model of progression throughout the season but it was the step up in trip that really unlocked another gear. He travelled sweetly, settled better than ever, and when asked, quickened away with plenty left in the tank. In truth, he made it look easier than it probably was, and the manner of the victory suggests there’s still a fair bit under the bonnet. The handicapper hasn’t missed him, though, and he’s been left on a mark of 129, which looks on the stiff side given he’s still learning his craft. He’s now back at base enjoying a well-earned break out at grass. He’s a horse with the size and scope to jump a fence in due course, his pedigree and physique both point that way, but there’s no rush. On what he’s shown, there’s still more to come over hurdles, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him pick up another decent pot in that sphere before we start thinking about a novice chasing campaign.

​Jack Hyde also made the long journey north to Perth and ran a cracking race in the 2m4f Hurdle, just bumping into one who looked particularly well treated on the day. He travelled strongly throughout, jumped soundly, and rallied to the line. It was a performance full of promise and suggested another win won’t be far away when things fall a little more kindly. He’s now back home enjoying a bit of downtime after a busy spell, and the plan will be to go novice chasing next season, which should really play to his strengths. 

Our owners had a fantastic time at Perth, it’s a brilliant, relaxed festival with a great atmosphere, and it was always a lucky meeting for me back in my riding days. 

​King’s Scholar has been confirmed for the prestigious Chester Cup on Friday, though we’ll need a few to come out to be guaranteed a run, and ideally a drop of rain would arrive to take the edge off the ground and keep conditions safe for him. It’s a race that would suit him well if everything falls into place, but we won’t be forcing the issue. Should things not pan out, we’ve got plenty of alternative options over hurdles at Southwell, Aintree, or Perth, so he won’t be short of opportunities.

​Belle Le Grand is set to line up at Newton Abbot on Wednesday in the 2m Mares’ Handicap Hurdle, and this looks a good opportunity for her to get back on track. She’s a mare who tends to come into her own at this time of year when the ground is a bit more in her favour, conditions should be just about ideal for her and Harry Skelton is back on board.

Rainbow Tara has been working well and looks ready to make the switch to hurdles. She’s taken to jumping nicely and is growing in confidence with each schooling session, which is exactly what you want to see at this stage. We’ve deliberately taken our time with her, waiting for the right conditions, as safe ground is absolutely paramount. There’s a bit of rain on the way so she could head to Fontwell next week. She’s a mare we’ve always liked and I don’t think we’ve seen the best of her just yet. There’s a feeling she will take a nice step forward once everything falls into place.

​Huge congratulations to the Skelton team for securing the trainers’ title, surpassing the £5 million mark in prize money for the season. It’s a remarkable achievement, but one that comes as no surprise when you see the operation up close. Their professionalism, consistency, and attention to detail set a real benchmark.

​Saint Jeannais has really caught the eye at Grange Hill Farm. He looks an absolute picture at the moment and has been going about his work with a great deal of purpose. We’re in no rush with him and, like a few of the others, we’re keeping a close eye on the weather as safe ground is key. He’ll have plenty of entries over the next 10 days to give him every chance of getting a run before heading out for a summer break.

​Ink Black Heart, Run Away Joe and Leloopa are all now out enjoying a well-earned break in the field. They’ve let down nicely after their campaigns and are relishing the chance to switch off. Lindsey and the kids are keeping a close eye on them, making sure they’re getting plenty of attention. It’s an important time for them to relax and strengthen up, both mentally and physically, before being brought back in for the season ahead.

As the season drew to a close last week, we’d like to take the opportunity to sincerely thank all of our owners for their continued support, it’s something we never take for granted. It’s been a thoroughly enjoyable campaign, with 10 winners on the board and 15 visits to the winner’s enclosure, along with plenty of competitive performances along the way.

Days like those are what it’s all about, and they’re made all the more special by being able to share them with such a great group of people. We have a number of horses progressing nicely and plenty to look forward to, we’re excited for what lies ahead and hopeful there’s much more to come in the seasons to follow.

​Paddy

​It’s been a busy month juggling the syndicate runners, filming Unbridled and my new role presenting for Sky Sports Racing, but it’s great to be involved on all fronts and to see the horses continuing to run well.

We had a fantastic day at Ludlow on Monday with two runners on the card. I was delighted to see Jack Hyde get his head in front in the 2m Handicap Hurdle. He travelled strongly through the race and jumped with plenty of enthusiasm, putting himself in a great position turning for home. From there, he showed a really willing attitude, sticking his head down and finding plenty when it mattered to go on and win nicely under Tom Broughton. My two boys were at Ludlow to cheer him on, which made the day even more special. We had a race in mind for Jack Hyde at Cheltenham’s April meeting, so it was a real shame to see that fixture cancelled. He’s come out of his race in great form though, and there’s every chance he could head up to the Perth Festival instead, which is always a brilliant few days for connections.

​King’s Scholar also returned to the winner’s enclosure after finishing fourth in the 2m Novices’ Hurdle on his debut for the syndicate. His jumping wasn’t the slickest throughout, but what I really liked was how he stuck to the task and finished his race strongly, exactly what you want to see at this stage. Sean Bowen is sure we can iron out those errors with more schooling and it’s just a matter of time before he gets his head in front over hurdles. There’s one share still available in him, and I’m always happy to have a chat with anyone who might be interested in joining us. We had a great day meeting new members of the syndicate, and days like that are what it’s all about. The catering at Ludlow for owners is fantastic and really adds to the whole experience.

​A King of Magic put up a very solid performance to finish a close second in the 2m1f Novices’ Hurdle at Sedgefield under a penalty. He’s been allocated a mark of 117 by the handicapper, and I’ve no doubt there’s more to come from him with time and experience.

Ink Black Heart ran a big race to finish third in a competitive bumper at Exeter, especially considering he didn’t help himself by pulling quite hard early on. It’s since come to light that his hock has been causing him a bit of discomfort, which certainly explains a few things. The good news is it’s nothing serious and it will sort itself out over the summer. He’ll have a nice break at grass and go hurdling next season.

Rainbow Tara enjoyed a short break back home with us after her bumper run at Newcastle and has now returned to Dan Skelton’s yard. The plan at this stage is for her to make her hurdling debut at Stratford on the 19th of April. While we’re on the subject, huge congratulations to the Skelton team on surpassing £4 million in prize money this season, an incredible achievement and thoroughly deserved.

​Belle Le Grand finished sixth in the valuable Mares’ Final up at Kelso. She ran on really well in the closing stages, and looking back we might have been better riding her a bit handier. She’s come out of the race in good order though and we’ll now look to find the right opportunity for her in the coming weeks.

Saint Jeannais is in great form back at Nigel and Willie Twiston-Davies’ yard. I had the chance to sit on him myself recently, which is always a pleasure, and I couldn’t have been happier with how he felt. All being well, he could also make the trip up to Perth for another bumper towards the end of April.

​We came into February wanting to build on what we’d been seeing at home and on the track. The horses have been running as we’d planned, learning plenty with each outing, and this is the time of year when you hope that education starts to turn into results.

Thankfully, King Of Magic did just that at Taunton. He’s been progressing steadily and we’ve liked him from early on, but he just needed everything to fall into place on the day. At Taunton he travelled well, jumped neatly, and when it came to getting the job done he showed a really good attitude. Once he hit the front, he knuckled down and saw it out properly, which is always what you want to see.

It was a very good ride from young Freddie Keighley. He’s a jockey going places if he keeps doing things that way. 

​Rainbow Tara was slightly disappointing whilst finishing down the field in bumper at Newcastle today. We may have got the tactics slight wrong but we go straight over hurdles now.

​We head to Sandown this Saturday, where Jack Hyde will line up in the Imperial Cup. He finished second at Taunton on the 12th of February following a short break, and we’re hoping he can come on from that run. It’s obviously a very competitive contest, but he has shown us before that he can compete on a big day. We’re looking forward to seeing him run and giving the owners another exciting day out on a high-profile card.

There’s a £100,000 bonus up for grabs if he can win the Imperial Cup and a race at the Festival, so we’ve entered him in the County Hurdle and the Boys’ Race on Gold Cup Day just in case!

Belle Le Grand ran at Market Rasen on ground softer than ideal, but her jumping is improving with every start. She will head to Kelso later in the month for the valuable Herring Queen Series Final Mares Novices’ Handicap Hurdle, and we’re looking forward to seeing her build on her recent run.

​Our owners recently enjoyed a yard visit to Olly Murphy’s yard to see King’s Scholar in action. He’s settled in really well and has been schooling under the guidance of the likes of Laura Collett and Sean Bowen. He’s set to make his debut over hurdles after Cheltenham, and there’s plenty to look forward to as he takes the next steps in his career. There are still 2 shares available, so any new members won’t have to wait long before experiencing the thrill of ownership!

​Ink Black Heart is in good form and we will see him on a racecourse again in the next couple of weeks. The form of his second at Wetherby Racecourse has been franked, and we’re looking forward to him trying to go one better. 

Saint Jeannais is back at Twiston-Davies Racing following a break and has settled in well. He could head to Aintree or Ayr for his next outing in a bumper. 

As with racing, there are always ups and downs. Run Away Joe and Leloopa have both suffered setbacks, but they are receiving plenty of TLC back at base in Willersey and will be given all the time they need before returning to a racecourse.

I’ve got a busy week ahead with Cheltenham previews, it’s an exciting time as we start to look towards one of the biggest meetings of the season.

​It has been a fairly quiet month on the racing front as the majority of our horses continue their preparations for a Spring campaign. I cannot say the same for myself, as over the past week alone I have been in Dublin, New York, and I am currently on the train back from London after filming the latest episode of Unbridled.

Leloopa enjoyed a short break at home over Christmas and is now back at Ravenswell with Fergal and the team. She could head to Ludlow on the 18th of this month, although her long term target remains the Catesby Estates Mares’ Challenger Series Final Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham in April. We are incredibly fortunate to have such fantastic opportunities on our doorstep, and the owners’ hospitality from the team at Cheltenham really is second to none.

​Jack Hyde also had a break during the worst of the winter but is now back in full work at Ravenswell. He is set to head to Taunton next week before taking his chance in the valuable Betfair Imperial Cup at Sandown on the 7th March.

A King of Magic finished fifth on his debut over hurdles at Exeter on the 9th January. The form of that race has worked out well and we should see further improvement from him on better ground. He could join Jack Hyde at Taunton next week, with fingers crossed for some drier weather.

​Run Away Joe is having a short break following his run at Wincanton on the 15th January. Ben Brain is planning to check his wind in a couple of weeks, as we feel that may be holding him back.

Belle Le Grand had a break over the New Year and is now back at Dan’s. She looks incredible and her long term target will be the Herring Queen Series Final Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at Kelso in March, a race we were lucky enough to win last year with Leloopa.

Saint Jeannais picked up an injury following his impressive debut at Worcester in October. He is back riding at home now and, all being well with his scan in two weeks’ time, we could see him lining up at one of the big Spring festivals.

Rainbow Tara ended last year with a second place finish on her debut for the syndicate at Uttoxeter on New Year’s Day. She's in great form, so hopefully it will not be long before she adds a bumper win to her name.

​Ink Black Heart finished a close second on his debut for the syndicate at Wetherby over Christmas. There were plenty of positives to take from that performance and we are very much looking forward to seeing him out again soon.

Our latest recruit, King’s Scholar, is enjoying his new routine at Olly Murphy’s. He's been schooling under Olympic gold medalist Laura Collett and appears to be loving every minute of it! We are looking forward to a yard visit on Friday to check on his progress. There are still a couple of shares remaining, so if you are interested in getting involved please do not hesitate to get in touch.

​Finally, if anyone is looking for a fun Cheltenham Preview Evening, I will be on the panel at The Hollow Bottom in Guiting Power on Monday 9th March. It promises to be a great night and tickets are selling fast.

Hi Everyone

November began for us at Hexham with BELLE LE GRAND running in the 2m Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle. She finished down the field but she is definitely one to look forward to. She is now qualified for the valuable Ladbrokes Herring Queen Series Final at Kelso in March, a race we were lucky enough to win with LELOOPA last season. None of her owners could make the trip north so Lauren represented the team and upgraded six lucky racegoers to a complimentary owners and trainers experience.

​We then headed to Ascot where RUN AWAY JOE ran in the Ascot Round Table National Hunt Flat Race. He was a warm favourite but the race was over almost as soon as they started. The eventual winner grabbed a tidy lead under Brendan Powell and it was always going to be tough to make up the ground off an ordinary pace. Still, it was a beautiful day with our members and the hospitality at Ascot was outstanding.

Next came the Cheltenham November meeting where we ran JACK HYDE. This is one of my favourite meetings of the year and it did not disappoint. Jack ran his heart out to finish a close second in the 2m Valda Energy Novices’ Handicap Hurdle. Nobody likes losing but it was still special to greet our runner from the winner’s enclosure. The weather was dreadful but the rain didn’t dampen our spirits. We headed into Cheltenham with the team after racing and Taylor’s pub kept us going long into the night.

Then it was back to Ascot with SAINT JEANNAIS. I was more nervous than usual as I feel we have something a bit out of the ordinary with him. He was even money favourite after his easy success at Worcester and he ran well to finish a credible fourth. He was only beaten 5 lengths under a 4lb penalty. Racing can bring plenty of deflation but when they come home safe everything else is easier to swallow. The tactics were questioned but I was having none of it. If we want to aim for the Cheltenham Festival Bumper then he needs to be able to win from any position. Unfortunately he has come home with a small injury in the cannon bone which will need some time but I cannot wait to see what the future holds for him.

Next up RUN AWAY JOE ran again, this time in the 2m Racing TV Club Day Maiden Hurdle at Ludlow. It was his first start over hurdles and he was running a promising race, in touch with the leaders, before a mistake at the last saw him unseat Liam Harrison. Both came back safe and they will live to fight another day.

In other news we have purchased RAINBOW TARA, a beautiful five year old mare who ran a great race on her only start in the Junior Jumpers Mares National Hunt Flat Race at Cheltenham earlier in the year. We are very excited about her. She has settled in well at Dan Skelton’s yard and early reports are very positive. As you can see from the video below she's schooling very well. There's one share remaining in her but it won't be around for long!

We have sponsored Tom Broughton and hope to build a long association with him. He has already ridden eleven winners this season and as I have always said he is definitely a jockey to keep an eye on.

As I write this I’m on the train to London for the 59th HWPA Derby Awards. Our podcast Unbridled is nominated for the Content Award. Win or lose I am sure it will be a brilliant day!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas. If you are looking for a memorable gift for a loved one don’t forget I am only a phone call away.
​
Paddy and the team

​

Later in the month, we headed to Worcester for SAINT JEANNAIS. I was nervous about this horse, as he’d been doing things a bit differently to most horses I’ve sat on in recent years. I’ve thought this before, but this time, my gut instinct was right - we might have found something a bit special. Toby McCain-Mitchell gave him a beautiful ride, and from what I can see, he’s a young jockey going from strength to strength in the saddle. We had a lovely day at Worcester, and I took the Twiston-Davies team for drinks at the Hollow Bottom in the evening, which we all enjoyed. We plan to run SAINT JEANNAIS in the bumper at the Cheltenham November meeting, but, as with all horses, this is the plan for now.

​We then headed straight to Cheltenham for the October meeting, where we had our second-ever runner at Cheltenham with LELOOPA. Once again, she did what LELOOPA does and exceeded all our expectations, romping up the hill to win the 2m Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle under the very talented Tom Broughton.

Quickly onto the next race, we ran JACK HYDE in the Grade 2 Novices’ Hurdle. Again, I felt like he did plenty wrong but still ran an unbelievable race, finishing 5th, beaten under 3 lengths. It was a week I won’t forget, having our first Cheltenham winner with the syndicate.

We also had a runner at Ffos Las in the bumper this week with A KING OF MAGIC, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Freddie Keighley, a young jockey who impressed me with his professionalism. Magic was a warm favourite, and even though he didn’t win, he ran a race full of promise. Paul assures us he’ll improve massively for the race, and we’re really excited about his future.

Hi Everyone,

October is upon us already and with that brings the build up to the jumps season. It’s a really nice time of year watching the horses step up their work and staff always seem in good spirits in anticipation of the season ahead.

September was a mixed month for us and our runners. Saratoga Lass was our first runner of the month who ran a brilliant race at Newton Abbot just getting beat close home. Initially I was gutted to lose but Fergal rang me from down at the finish, and as soon as I saw his name come up on my phone I knew there was a problem. Unfortunately she sustained a leg injury and at the age of 9 we decided amongst the members that it wouldn’t be fair to bring her back into training and therefore we retired her, with the plan to hopefully breed in the future. She is a beautiful mare and it was lovely to get her home the same evening from Newton Abbot thanks to the Veterinary team at Newton Abbot and Fergals staff.

Our next runner was Jack Hyde back at Newton Abbot where he was an impressive winner at the short odds of 1/7. I was really happy with him and this was always the plan before the Persian War at Chepstow which is where he will go next, all being well.

Leloopa ran on the same day and finished a credible third. Lindsey, my wife and Abi Stock represented our syndicate members that day and they are a valuable part of the team.

Our Lil was our next runner who ran at Chester, our first flat runner. We were so excited to switch codes and experience Chester Racecourse. I knew from watching she wasn’t that happy from quite an early stage under David Nolan and it transpired she had a leg injury and was pulled up. She also damaged a tendon and is recovering well at home. Thanks to the Vets and Dan Skeltons staff again for looking after her and bringing her home. It’s looking unlikely that she will race again but luckily the person we purchased her from in Ireland is keen to have her back with the plan to breed from her, so she will have a nice home for the future.

Dealing with injuries is new to me, it’s not easy, but from my Jim Bolger days I’ve always tried to deal with these situations through good communication and it was important for me to speak to each syndicate member individually and fortunately they were all extremely understanding.

In other news Belle Le Grande headed back to Dan Skelton’s after a nice break here. She has settled well and Dan is happy with her.

Also in September we managed to have a Morning on the Gallops with a nice breakfast down at Paul Nicholls’s yard to see A King Of Magic and I think everyone would agree it was a fantastic morning and we were well looked after by the team Paul’s and at the local pub,The Manor.

We also had a morning at Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies, where we had breakfast on the side of the gallop and watched Saint Jeannais in action - another beautiful morning with our syndicate members.

Hopefully onwards and upwards with Chepstow just around the corner where we plan to run Jack Hyde and Run Away Joe. We are really looking forward to the season ahead.

I’m off to sit on a new horse today - the next potential syndicate horse, I will keep you posted.

Paddy.

Hi everyone!

I plan to do a blog every month to share the journey of our syndicate. The Paddy Brennan Racing syndicate has been up and running for just over 12 months now and I couldn’t be happier with how it’s gone to date. Everything is new to me, except finding the horses, I’ve always loved sourcing nice horses even when I was riding I was looking for horses for the following season and I’ve been involved with buying many over the years. 

We’re currently up to 8 horses which equates to nearly 80 members and the most enjoyable part of this so far has been meeting so many like minded racing enthusiasts from all over the world. 

Our first season we had 20 runners with 5 horses, winning 8 races, 9 placings and over 90k prize money which exceeded all expectations. I’ve tried to match the horses to the trainers and so far it has worked well. This includes Fergal O’Brien, Dan Skelton, Nigel and Willie Twiston-Davies and Paul Nicholls. Looking forward to the new season ahead we have some exciting horses to run and we can’t wait to get them started. 

August is a month where most horses are back in full training and are starting to step up their work. Some will be ready to run before others but it’s all ground dependent at the moment with the dry summer. 

Our next planned runners will hopefully be next week with Jack Hyde heading to Newton Abbott with Leloopa and Our Lil turning her hoof to the flat hoping to give Dan his first flat winner. 

Let it rain

Paddy and team