It's a busy day on Monday when we send four runners up to Hexham for their jumping card, where the going is currently soft, heavy in places. We also have three runners on the flat at Pontefract where the going is currently soft.
We are doubly represented in the first at Hexham where Roxyfet has a rare away day from his beloved Sedgefield, The race is at 1.0.pm, a 0-100 handicap chase over the extended one mile and seven furlongs. Roxyfet who will be partnered by his usual jockey Emma Smith Chaston was a course and distance winner back in May 2019, and will enjoy the going. He now can race from a lifetime low mark of 80.
We are also represented in the race by the ex French Bandit D'Ainay who was a good fourth to his stablemate Knocknamona back in January at Newcastle. Unfortunately he has disappointed twice since then, but he can now race from a 9lb lower mark. He will also have no problem with the going, and will be partnered by Alain Cawley.
The classy Foster'sisland goes to post for the 3.15.pm, a 0-130 handicap hurdle over two and a half miles where he will have his regular jockey Emma Smith-Chaston in the saddle. Earlier on this season Foster'sisland notched up a hat-trick of wins, before finishing down the field in the 'Lanzarote' at Kempton in January, but he showed he was still in form when finishing third at Wetherby on his latest start 65 days ago.
Picks Lad will make his racecourse debut at 4.20.pm, in the bumper over two miles, where he will have the services of Sean Quinlan. On his breeding Picks Lad looks more bred for stamina than speed, being out of a mare who spent the majority of her racing career in the point to point field. His sire was a middle distance performer, and he has Saddler's Well on both sides of his pedigree.
We also have three runners at Pontefract where they stage their second meeting of the new flat turf season. Fiftyshadesaresdev showed us last season that he has a bright future when running with credit on four occasions over sprint distances. Now as a three year old he steps up to a mile, a trip which will suit, his mark of 70 looks fair and he will have no problem with the gound. The race is at 3.05.pm, a 0-70 handicap, where he will be partnered by Billy Garritty.
We welcome back Frankelio at 4.15.pm, in a 0-70 handicap over a mile, where he will have the assistance of his regular jockey Graham Lee. Frankelio failed to get his head in front in seven starts last season, but he had a stand out piece of form when he finished second at York from a 7lb higher mark than now. In all three seasons he has raced for us he has tended to run his best races in the earlier part of his season.
Our final runner of the day is Balkotic who runs in the 0-70 stayers race at 4.50.pm, over the mammoth extended two miles and five furlongs, where he will be partnered by Billy Garritty. Balkotic was a winner on the flat in France back in 2020, and since arriving at Oakwood Stables he has run in five hurdle races, where on his penultimate start he was a creditable fifth to his stablemate Desaray Girl at Sedgefield. He can probably be forgiven his latest start also at Sedgefield 18 days ago, as the ground was not soft enough.
To keep up to date with all the latest happenings at Oakwood Stables, Sharp Hill, and Curlew, click on 'NEWS' at www.mickyhammondracing.
Good luck to the connections, Samuel Sutton & Partners, The Golden Cuckoo, The Oakwood Nobels, Howard Pickersgill, Resdev, Forty Forty Twenty, and Raypasha.
Balkotic was the last horse owned by our very good friend Ray Parry who sadly passed away last week after a long illness. Ray was a great supporter of the yard, and had been an owner with Micky for over 20 years. I will always remember Ray as a enthusiastic owner who was proud to see his horses running in his silks. He was always welcoming, and wouldn't think twice about inviting you into the paddock before the race to share in his anticipation, he will be much missed by us all.
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