Sedgefield stage their most prestigious race of the season on Sunday, the three and three quarter miles Durham National, first run in 1955. Unfortunately this time round we don't have a runner, in the race, but we are represented in three of the other events.
Swinton Diamond is first up in the 2.50.pm, where the predicted good ground will suit. As a result of not showing his old spark so far this season, he has dropped to a mark of 5lb below his last win at Carlisle, just under a year ago.He pulled up in August, after a near 10 months off the track, and then last month at Hexham, he fell at the second fence, the first time he has fallen in his career.At Sedgefield 11 days ago he was in touch until four out, and the extra two furlongs this time will help, Billy Garritty retains the ride.
Farsideofthemoon is a recent purchase out of the Gordon Elliott yard in Ireland, he has raced on three occasions to date, making a very promising debut in a bumper last October, staying on in to forth, beaten 11 lengths.His next two runs were very disappointing, a second run in a bumper the following month in Thurles, saw him get detached, and fail to get involved. This was followed by his hurdles debut at Down Royal on Boxing Day, when once again he was always in rear. To date he has only ever run on soft, or heavy ground, the race is at 4.0.pm, and Billy Garritty will take the ride.
Enfin Phil makes his seasonal debut at 5.10.pm, the 0-130 handicap hurdle, over the extended two miles and three furlongs, with Billy Garritty riding him for the first time, as Alain Cawley is still on the sidelines. Enfin Phil is a horse of above average ability, and got a well deserved first win for the yard when making all at Catterick back in January, he remains 6lb above that last winning mark. He has some very good course form, having been runner up twice before at the track, and this race will put him spot on.
FARSIDEOFTHEMOON.
10 April 2015.
Fame And Glory-Bean Ki Moon.
Owner-G R Orchard. Fairsideofthemoon has only raced on three occasions to date, all for the Gordon Elliott yard in Longwood, County Meath, Ireland.
His dam is an unraced daughter of King's Theatre, who has had four racecourse representatives to date, the other three have all recorded Racing Post ratings of between 116-118, including his full brother Vamanos, when in training with Olly Murphy.His sire Fame And Glory was the winner of four Group 1 races for the Aiden O'Brien yard, including the 2009 Irish Derby.
Farsideofthemoon made his racecourse debut in a bumper at Fairyhouse in October 2019, finishing forth of the 11 runners, staying on well to be nearest at the finish, beaten eleven and a half lengths.He was next seen at Thurles a month later, but turned in a very disappointing effort, being pushed along from an early stage, he came home 24 lengths behind the winner in 10th place.His final start for the Elliott yard was on Boxing Day at Down Royal when sent hurdling for the first time over two miles and one furlong. After an early mistake, he made no impression, trailing in well behind the winner Russian Diamond.
Farsideofthemoon has only raced on a soft or heavy surface to date, and has been given a good break to fully mature, and we look forward to seeing him on a racecourse very soon.
SWINTON DIAMOND.
03 March 2011 Dubai Destination-Absent Beauty
Owner-Mr & Mrs I P Earnshaw
Swinton Diamond started his racing career in the hands of Worcsester trainer Ian Williams, making his racecourse debut in a Market Rasen bumper in October 2015, keeping on, but ultimately being beaten 18 lengths.His second run was also in bumper company at Uttoxeter, but he probably floundered in the heavy ground, trailing in sixth of the 14 runners. He had a break until March 2016, when making his hurdles debut at Doncaster, and although last of three was only beaten around eight lengths, despite whipping around at the start.He would have three more runs for the Williams yard, including his handicap debut off a mark of 108, but he failed to cut much ice in any.
The horses owners Mr and Mrs Earnshaw transferred the horse to Micky at the start of 2017, and his first two appearances for us at Sedgefiled, and Wetherby didn't suggest that a win was imminent, but things did click int place at Market Rasen in May,when from a new low mark of 92, Swinton Diamond, under his new regular pilot, Joe Colliver came home in front by half a length, from the Mark Walford trained Cape Hideaway.In his next race at Cartmel in early July, he probably bettered that run when finishing second, from his revised mark of 99.
Swinton Diamond has been unlucky with injury, and after that run was away from the track for 11 months. He showed very little in three runs on his return, including his chase debut, but in October 2018 at Carlisle, under Alain Cawley he was once again back in the winners enclosure. Unfortunately that was his last racecourse appearance to date, as injury has struck again, but he still has time on his side, and when he returns there are more wins in him.
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