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FEB
JABER ABDULLAH'S GOOD OF LUCK MADE A PLEASING WINNING DEBUT AT LINGFIELD YESTERDAY
GOOD OF LUCK ROMPS HOME ON DEBUT AT LINGFIELD
A satisfying afternoon at a frosty Lingfield Park yesterday saw three year-old colt GOOD OF LUCK take the mile and a quarter maiden under Chris Catlin in taking fashion.
The son of Authorized was always a longer term project amongst last years crop of West Ilsley juveniles and might well make into a decent middle distance prospect for the 2012 turf campaign.
The race was dominated by relative newcomers in the betting and that proved to be the case as GOOD OF LUCK tracked the favourite Scatter Dice before making his move turning in and showing a decent turn of foot to storm home in impressive style by just under four lengths to Gabrial The Hero.
A job well done it seemed until the front pair prepared to turn back towards the winners enclosure on pulling up. Somehow they got too close to each other with the David Simcock trained runner up lashing out with both barrels in an alarming looking incident. Miraculously, it appears that GOOD OF LUCK was indeed lucky to have escaped the full force of the blow and seems none the worse for it this morning.
That aside, Mick was pleased with the performance.
"He just needed to go and do that because we've always liked him. He's a big ungainly horse still and that was why we held him back last year. I don't want to get carried away - he might have a Derby entry but so do about 500 others! Plenty of our owners make the entry at the three hundred quid stage rather than the £8k that it would be this year. So lets put that one to bed for a kick off.
"It might be a good entry, but he's just won a little race at Lingfield for now. We needed to get him started as he had no race experience until yesterday and we'll let him dictate where he goes next.
"He was green before and during the race but it'll put him in good stead for the season ahead. It would be nice to have a decent middle distance colt to look forward to in 2012."
JAN
TWO YEAR-OLDS ON PARADE - GALLERY PHOTOS NOW ONLINE - JANUARY 2012
There are a selection of our our two year-olds cantering up Hodcott Down throughout this month.
We had hoped to have more up by now, but a combination of dreary weather and the absence of a photographer who knows what she's doing (Sue Huntingdon) has meant that we are a held to ransom by certain parties!
They are all on the Gallery Page.
http://www.mickchannon.tv/admin/editGallery.php?id=25
JAN
Marwan Koukash's GABRIAL'S BOUNTY (Photo May 2011), a winner at Kempton last night.
GABRIAL'S BOUNTY RECORDS WEST ILSLEY'S FIRST VICTORY OF 2012
A solid start to our domestic flat campaign in 2012 has heralded a 50% strike rate so far, albeit from only two runners - and that's only one horse. Still, the stats don't lie.
Marwan Koukash's GABRIAL'S BOUNTY kicked off with a solid run at last week finishing runner up to a well fancied runner in a maiden over six furlongs at Kempton. He went one better last night over the same course and distance in handicap company, prevaiing by a length and three quarters in the hands of Franny Norton.
He seemed to be a bright prospect at the start of last season's two year old campaign, but a series of niggles postponed his debut until September, and in truth, the penny was somewhat slow to drop.
He appears to be a different prospect in 2012 though and last night's winning performance was pleasing for several reasons as Mick was keen to point out.
"Gabrial has been a bit of a long winded project and Marwan deserves plenty of credit for having patience with us. He was a smasher at the start of last season but he grew on us and suffered all the sort of niggly issues that can accompany young horses.
"Since we've had our own way with him though he's proved to be a very straight forward character to deal with who only wants to please.
"We tried to use our stall 1 draw last night but as ever with Kempton, everyone scrambles for a position early and he was bumped twice before the turn but didn't shirk the issue. Once Franny had the horse under him turning in he seemed in control and he hit the front two out and that seemed to be that. He just idled though and Franny had to get after him and he did it cosily enough in the end.
"What I'm saying is he learnt a hell of a lot and still came out on top so we'll see where we go from here. Tomorrow night at Wolverhampton might come a too quick after Wednesday, but that won't be the end of the world.
"We may step him up to seven, but he's handy enough over six so there are options and we'll see what the handicapper does to us."
JAN
THE FIRST TWO YEAR OLD VIDEOS OF 2012 NOW UPLOADED
The education continues after a week when the babies will have learnt more than they will for a long, long time. It was more like kite flying weather at the beginning of the week, but they all made it back in one piece as the highest point in Berkshire took a real hammering from the elements.
West Ilsley can go from Baltic to fantastic in the space of 24 hours and that was certainly the case this morning.
All of our two year olds took to the grass and the Gallops page has a selection of some of them. We'll do our best to catch those missing on film in the coming weeks.
DEC
THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST SEES MICK, KEV & ELTON SING THE BLUES
A bizarre e-mail alerted us to the presence of a rather laid back Mick in festive spirits with Kevin Keegan and Elton John back in 1976.
http://www.itv.com/sport/football/archive/classic-video-kevin-keegan-gets-all-christmasy-29047/
Enough said really.
DEC
YEARLINGS ON PARADE - GALLERY PHOTOS NOW ONLINE
Just a quick word to say that the potential stars of 2012 were captured on camera by Sue Huntingdon on Tuesday Morning.
The vast majority of the colts and yearlings are cantering up the grass on Hodcott Down now - feel free to have a look for yourselves.
It's a little hit and miss, but as we build up our photo library, each and every individual should make it on to the Gallery in time!
http://www.mickchannon.tv/page/gallery
Alternatively, you can follow our progress on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mick-Channon-West-Ilsley-Stables/144823345582075
Or there is the occasional piece of wit and wisdom from Mick on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/Mick_Channon_TV
He basically shouts, "Twit That!" [sic] and we either do so because it's hilarious, or pretend to do so but don't because it's invariably going to cause legal wranglings that are simply not needed.
Occasionally he's sensible.
DEC
NATALIE EVERALL AND BARISTA LEAVE THE SCHOOL AND HEAD FOR HODCOTT DOWN GALLOPS
NAT IS BACK - NATALIE EVERALL IS BACK IN THE SADDLE
To those of you close to the yard, you are probably aware of the fact that our Head Lass Natalie Everall was seriously injured in a motorcycle crash last April. She was airlifted to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford where she remained in intensive care with head injuries and what can only be described as a bashed up body for a further three weeks.
Not to put too fine a point on it, Natalie's recovery was thought to be a long term process, with 2011 a complete write off.
Medical experts shouldn't write off a farmer's girl from Herefordshire though!
Natalie returned to West Ilsley in October - baby steps at first, but it was a reappearance that has confounded those in the know and all of us who visited her at the J.R back in the Spring.
She's working away in the yard and since her comeback she's improved beyond belief. So much so that she made her first appearance on Hodcott Down this week on horseback.
The perfect partner was found in BARISTA, a super ride, and all he needed was a routine canter. This was achieved with ease, by "Barry" not Natalie, who confessed to being, "Bloody knackered".
A KNACKERED NAT AT THE TOP OF HODCOTT DOWN
It's a soppy story we know, but a major personal triumph for someone who we were all worried sick about - in the strongest possible way.
Well done Natalie, we've put you down for four lots in the morning!
DEC
YEARLING COLTS CANTERED UP THE GRASS THIS MORNING
YEARLINGS WORK MORNING VIDEO (First Lot) - DECEMBER 6th 2011
As promised, those colts that weren't featured last week. Colts by Teofilo, Duke of Marmalade, Refuse to Bend, Cape Cross (Elidor), Sixties Icon and Thousand Words.
There are plenty more yet to be seen, but we will get round to them eventually.
It's all on the Gallops Page
DEC
THE YEARLING GROUND IS SITUATED BOTTOM OF FRAME - THE PANHANDLE
YEARLINGS WORK MORNING VIDEO NOW ONLINE - DECEMBER 2nd 2011
There might seem to be a long time to go until the flat season starts again, but in reality the 2012 season has already started.
With Mick away for a week in the Caribbean, Michael oversees the first full lot of colts cantering up the grass chutes on Hodcott Down. The first lot of yearling colts follow first "proper lot" which at present is a combination of older horses and yearling colts that we've already blended into the "proper lot".
Many of our owners will be looking for their colts that aren't on today's video because of this fact - sorry, but we'll catch them on tape as soon as possible.
The colts are always the first broken and, as a result, they are probably three weeks ahead of the fillies.
However, with five lots being ridden at the moment, there's plenty of time to see them in action in the coming weeks but we have included in the video our first lot of yearling fillies cantering up the grass for the very first time today.
It's the time of year when a good day is one where nothing goes wrong. Thankfully this is one of them as Jack Channon makes his debut as cameraman - although his commentary is appalling to begin with!
Every piece of work is slow and a little monotonous at present as we build up a core fitness in the juveniles for the rest of 2011 before increasing the tempo in the New Year.
Put it this way, if you can pick your "Five to Follow" as we stand right now, you're a far better judge than most of us at the present moment.
Additionally, Michael apologises for his overuse of the word "Simple" in this video, but it feels somewhat apt.
It's all on the Gallops Page - The First In a While!
http://www.mickchannon.tv/page/gallops
NOV
Sunrise on Hodcott Down - 23rd November 2011
MORNINGS THAT MAKE LIFE A LITTLE EASIER
The first frost of the Winter on Hodcott Down say our Dubai bound horses stretch out in a routine canter on Hodcott Down. The first of the yearlings are settled in the middle of the string during first lot, whilst a full second lot of yearling colts are now doing steady canters every day up the woodchip.
The fillies will soon be joining them as every 2012 two year old eventually graduates from the Indoor School to the Winter Gallops and we wish away time until the Spring when things become a little easier.
DUBAI BOUND WINKER WATSON, CHILWORTH LAD & MONTAFF LEAD HOME FIRST LOT
It's bound to be cold and miserable for the vast majority of the Winter as we well remember from twelve months ago, but this morning was a bit special.