We unfortunately lost a bright young prospect at Newcastle last Saturday when Just Paddy's Band fell at the fifth fence on his handicap hurdle debut.
Just Paddy's Band was out of a Beat Hollow mare, who needed three miles over hurdles to bring out the best in her, she won six of her 32 starts, and achieved a best Racing Post Rating of 125. His sire, Sholokhov is a son of Sadlers Wells, who was runner up in the Irish Derby, and Eclipse Stakes back in 2002, and is an outstanding producer of top class National Hunt horses.
Just Paddy's Band had made a winning debut in a bumper at Kelso in March of last year, before being sent out to grass. He ran in a further two bumpers when returning in October and November, finishing third and fourth under his penalty. Just Paddy's Band's future would have undoubtedly been over fences, and with that in mind he received an excellent education over hurdles in his three novice runs, and this last run at Newcastle in handicap company was his next stepping stone.
We of course will never know what Just Paddy's Band would have achieved, but in his short time with us he gave a lot of people a lot of fun and hope for the future.
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Commiserations to the connections, Chapman, Tennant, & Turnbull.