Owner: John Best Racing URL:www.johnbestracing.com/wordpress Join Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2007 14:05:58 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: You'll find all the news about John Best's runners and winners here, from race reports to news of horses for sale, big-race entries to results from his recent runners. And John's weekly blog keeps you up to the minute with news and views from the horse's Site statistics:Click here
Sun shines at Kempton 2007-01-20 15:39:52 Oasis Sun held on to take the 3.45 intercasino.co.uk Classified Stakes at Kempton today under a positive ride from Hayley Turner.
The Desert Sun filly broke well from an inside draw and was always prominent in the field, with the application of a visor seeming to help her as it had in her previous run, when she was third to the promising Zam Zammah.
Oasis Sun hit the lead inside the final two furlongs and held on to her advantage despite a late run by the fancied Indigo Dancer, winning by a head.
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A mixed bag! 2007-01-19 15:35:16 Last week seemed to produce a mixed bag of results! Woodygo ran green, but with a great deal of promise, and will be out later in the month, when I’m sure he’ll still need the run to prepare him mentally for the future. I think he is a good horse in the making.
Smokin Joe travelled really well through his race and then again failed to produce in the closing stages. I think he’s getting a bit too wise for his own good. However, I’m still confident we’ll win at least one race with him soon, when things all fall right for him. He runs on Wednesday at Lingfield, over either seven furlongs or a mile, which should suit a bit better than 1 1/4m.
I felt Hurricane Spirit ran really well. The Racing Post gave him a mark of 102+ and made it his best performance to date. If it had been a handicap he would have been a lot better off with the winner, so you would have to be pleased. The draw also didn’t help - he had to go three wide the whole way round, while the
Undaunted Spirit posts creditable third 2007-01-13 15:45:13 Hurricane Spirit ran a brave race to finish third
in the Rachel Perchard 40th Birthday Conditions Stakes at Lingfield today.
The race, his toughest test to date, saw him poorly off at the weights against his elders, and things didn’t fall his way, with an outside draw forcing him to race three wide for the entire six furlong contest. The winner, short-priced favourite Areyoutalkingtome, enjoyed a more favourable run around the inside, but Hurricane Spirit ran on all the way and made up lengths in the straight to be denied second place by the shortest of margins.
Connections are pleased with the run, and trainer John Best believes the three-year-old colt will improve for a step up in trip, with the Listed Spring Cup over seven furlongs still firmly in his sights. Meanwhile, regular jockey Brett Doyle commented that he felt Hurricane Spirit would not have been beaten against horses of his own age, and that had today’s race been a handicap, the colt would have been much better Read more:posts
There's a storm coming 2007-01-12 15:33:32 Only three runners since I last wrote, but plenty to look forward to this weekend.
Brave Jack set the ball rolling on Saturday at Lingfield with plenty of press interest as the horse runs for Cancer Research UK. I thought it was a very encouraging first run. It was a shame we were drawn in stall 1, as it meant we were always going to get shuffled back early on. He ran on and off the bridle, and really only got the hang of things late on. He’ll probably return to Lingfield on 24 January for another six furlong maiden. He is sure to be a lot sharper for the experience, and I expect after that we will step him up in trip a bit.
Things didn’t work out for Smokin Joe later on, as they went a crawl again early on, which really doesn’t suit his style of running - he’s out again tomorrow over 1m 2f. Let’s hope things fall right for him this time!
Oasis Sun put up a much improved performance at Lingfield on Wednesday, finishing third in an ok maiden. I feel she doe
Hurricane warning for Lingfield 2007-01-08 15:50:57 John Best’s exciting three-year-old Hurricane Spirit is on course for a run this Saturday in a Conditions race at Lingfield that could boost his credentials for the 2,000 Guineas.
The Invincible Spirit colt, whose four-timer on the all-weather before Christmas included a record time in his Conditions win at Kempton, has been impressing connections on the gallops by “annihilating” all of John Best’s other horses.
While the race has never before been won by a three-year-old, Hurricane Spirit will be in receipt of weight from his older rivals and will be ridden by his usual pilot, in-form all-weather jockey Brett Doyle.
Find out more about Hurricane Spirit >
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A year in review 2007-01-05 15:31:39 As we’re now into the New Year, I thought I’d start this week’s blog with a summary of how 2006 went for us.
I feel that we’ve made a further step up the ladder. Our total prize money, including our overseas winnings, came to just short of £500,000, which is a big increase on 2005. We’re also significantly higher up the trainers’ table with the likes of Sir Mark Prescott and Luca Cumani not very far in front, and plenty of really big names behind us!
We seem to have a better class of horse now overall - or maybe we’re just doing a better job of the buying, training, and placing of them. I suspect it’s probably a combination of several factors. One thing that has helped a lot is that our vet comes in twice a week to check over all the horses working, and any others that we’re concerned about. This is a free service that we receive, and it’s only when she starts treating horses that we get billed. I’m not sure that many t Read more:review
New year, new website! 2007-01-01 15:52:09 Today marks the launch of John Best’s new permanent website
here at www.johnbestracing.com.
The new site includes all the news and features you’ve come to expect from John Best, such as his weekly blog, but also loads more information about his yard, his syndicates and his horses. And there’s more to come - so you’ll never need to look anywhere else for everything you need to know about John Best Racing.
The website has been designed and developed by Kent-based web design agency e-Motive Media, who also designed John Best’s interim website as a short-term solution while this new and comprehensive site was under construction.
What do you think of the new site? Let us know >
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Hayley brings Hotchpotch home 2006-12-30 15:53:57 Hotchpotch took the 1.45 pontins.com Handicap (Div II) at Lingfield today under a positive ride from Hayley
Turner.
Travelling well in midfield, Hotchpotch, in the colours of G G Racing, took up the running inside the final two furlongs and held on to take the race by a neck from the fast-finishing Midmaar.
The combination of John Best and Hayley Turner also took second place with King After earlier in the afternoon in the first division of the Lingfield handicap.
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Last update of 2006! 2006-12-29 15:30:30 A very quiet week for us, really, with our only runner since my last report being King After on Saturday - he continues to disappoint us. He runs again this Saturday at Lingfield over seven furlongs, so we’ll see if he can rekindle a bit of his old spark. We’re certainly not seeing anything untoward in his home work. It’ll just be fingers crossed for a better run.
Our other runner this Saturday is Hotchpotch. He ran well last time at Lingfield, and I see no reason why he shouldn’t run well again. We’ve taken the visor off this time and replaced it with cheekpieces as, according to Brett Doyle, the horse got a bit stirred up and worried last time. Hayley Turner takes the two rides this weekend, as Brett is off skiing for a week.
We have a few entries later in the week, but I’ve not had a chance to look yet, so I’m not sure what we’ll be running.
Of the other horses in the yard, Hurricane Spirit has come out of his race really well. He prob
Hurricanes and hat-tricks 2006-12-22 15:27:34 The week started fairly disappointingly - but what an end!
Sunday saw Oasis Sun running well below what we’d hoped at Kempton. The only good thing is that Brett Doyle was a lot less disappointed and said we should step her up in trip. He feels that, given a better draw, she’ll acquit herself ok - so we’ll hopefully find something early in the New Year.
Epineuse was another disappointment, but there was certainly something amiss after the week. We don’t seem to be able to find out what - we have our own blood testing equipment, but nothing showed there or in a scope. Maybe only time will tell.
Hotchpotch ran well enough on Tuesday and would definitely have been third if he hadn’t been hampered in the closing stages. He’ll find a race soon. Monashee Prince just didn’t get the 1 1/4 miles, having travelled well, and we’ll drop him back and find a race soon over seven furlongs or a mile.
Wednesday was our big day, and luckily we weren’t Read more:Hurricanes
, tricks
Sun and snow 2007-01-26 18:30:12 Just a few runners since last week, but reasonable results. It was a good start when Oasis Sun won at Kempton. I thought it was a nice performance with the visor certainly seeming to have done the trick. I’m sure that her problem before was just that she didn’t like being crowded, and now with the visor she probably just feels more secure. She’s entered again on Wednesday at Lingfield - hopefully we’ll get into the 1 1/4 mile race at 4pm, although she needs a few to come out.
On Wednesday we were back to Lingfield, and started with a nice run from Brave Jack in the maiden - he still ran green, but got the hang of things late on, running on well down the straight. I’m sure he’ll be one that keeps improving with his racing.
Smokin Joe again had no pace in his race - just what we didn’t need. He probably ran better than it really looked, but it seemed to turn into a sprint, which just doesn’t suit his style of running. He’s in again
Sun and snow 2007-01-26 18:30:12 Just a few runners since last week, but reasonable results. It was a good start when Oasis Sun won at Kempton. I thought it was a nice performance with the visor certainly seeming to have done the trick. I’m sure that her problem before was just that she didn’t like being crowded, and now with the visor she probably just feels more secure. She’s entered again on Wednesday at Lingfield - hopefully we’ll get into the 1 1/4 mile race at 4pm, although she needs a few to come out.
On Wednesday we were back to Lingfield, and started with a nice run from Brave Jack in the maiden - he still ran green, but got the hang of things late on, running on well down the straight. I’m sure he’ll be one that keeps improving with his racing.
Smokin Joe again had no pace in his race - just what we didn’t need. He probably ran better than it really looked, but it seemed to turn into a sprint, which just doesn’t suit his style of running. He’s in again
Sun shines at Kempton 2007-01-20 15:39:52 Oasis Sun held on to take the 3.45 intercasino.co.uk Classified Stakes at Kempton today under a positive ride from Hayley Turner.
The Desert Sun filly broke well from an inside draw and was always prominent in the field, with the application of a visor seeming to help her as it had in her previous run, when she was third to the promising Zam Zammah.
Oasis Sun hit the lead inside the final two furlongs and held on to her advantage despite a late run by the fancied Indigo Dancer, winning by a head.
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A mixed bag! 2007-01-19 15:35:16 Last week seemed to produce a mixed bag of results! Woodygo ran green, but with a great deal of promise, and will be out later in the month, when I’m sure he’ll still need the run to prepare him mentally for the future. I think he is a good horse in the making.
Smokin Joe travelled really well through his race and then again failed to produce in the closing stages. I think he’s getting a bit too wise for his own good. However, I’m still confident we’ll win at least one race with him soon, when things all fall right for him. He runs on Wednesday at Lingfield, over either seven furlongs or a mile, which should suit a bit better than 1 1/4m.
I felt Hurricane Spirit ran really well. The Racing Post gave him a mark of 102+ and made it his best performance to date. If it had been a handicap he would have been a lot better off with the winner, so you would have to be pleased. The draw also didn’t help - he had to go three wide the whole way round, while the
Undaunted Spirit posts creditable third 2007-01-13 15:45:13 Hurricane Spirit ran a brave race to finish third
in the Rachel Perchard 40th Birthday Conditions Stakes at Lingfield today.
The race, his toughest test to date, saw him poorly off at the weights against his elders, and things didn’t fall his way, with an outside draw forcing him to race three wide for the entire six furlong contest. The winner, short-priced favourite Areyoutalkingtome, enjoyed a more favourable run around the inside, but Hurricane Spirit ran on all the way and made up lengths in the straight to be denied second place by the shortest of margins.
Connections are pleased with the run, and trainer John Best believes the three-year-old colt will improve for a step up in trip, with the Listed Spring Cup over seven furlongs still firmly in his sights. Meanwhile, regular jockey Brett Doyle commented that he felt Hurricane Spirit would not have been beaten against horses of his own age, and that had today’s race been a handicap, the colt would have been much better Read more:posts
There's a storm coming 2007-01-12 15:33:32 Only three runners since I last wrote, but plenty to look forward to this weekend.
Brave Jack set the ball rolling on Saturday at Lingfield with plenty of press interest as the horse runs for Cancer Research UK. I thought it was a very encouraging first run. It was a shame we were drawn in stall 1, as it meant we were always going to get shuffled back early on. He ran on and off the bridle, and really only got the hang of things late on. He’ll probably return to Lingfield on 24 January for another six furlong maiden. He is sure to be a lot sharper for the experience, and I expect after that we will step him up in trip a bit.
Things didn’t work out for Smokin Joe later on, as they went a crawl again early on, which really doesn’t suit his style of running - he’s out again tomorrow over 1m 2f. Let’s hope things fall right for him this time!
Oasis Sun put up a much improved performance at Lingfield on Wednesday, finishing third in an ok maiden. I feel she doe
Hurricane warning for Lingfield 2007-01-08 15:50:57 John Best’s exciting three-year-old Hurricane Spirit is on course for a run this Saturday in a Conditions race at Lingfield that could boost his credentials for the 2,000 Guineas.
The Invincible Spirit colt, whose four-timer on the all-weather before Christmas included a record time in his Conditions win at Kempton, has been impressing connections on the gallops by “annihilating” all of John Best’s other horses.
While the race has never before been won by a three-year-old, Hurricane Spirit will be in receipt of weight from his older rivals and will be ridden by his usual pilot, in-form all-weather jockey Brett Doyle.
Find out more about Hurricane Spirit >
Bookmark to:
Read more:warning
A year in review 2007-01-05 15:31:39 As we’re now into the New Year, I thought I’d start this week’s blog with a summary of how 2006 went for us.
I feel that we’ve made a further step up the ladder. Our total prize money, including our overseas winnings, came to just short of £500,000, which is a big increase on 2005. We’re also significantly higher up the trainers’ table with the likes of Sir Mark Prescott and Luca Cumani not very far in front, and plenty of really big names behind us!
We seem to have a better class of horse now overall - or maybe we’re just doing a better job of the buying, training, and placing of them. I suspect it’s probably a combination of several factors. One thing that has helped a lot is that our vet comes in twice a week to check over all the horses working, and any others that we’re concerned about. This is a free service that we receive, and it’s only when she starts treating horses that we get billed. I’m not sure that many t Read more:review
New year, new website! 2007-01-01 15:52:09 Today marks the launch of John Best’s new permanent website
here at www.johnbestracing.com.
The new site includes all the news and features you’ve come to expect from John Best, such as his weekly blog, but also loads more information about his yard, his syndicates and his horses. And there’s more to come - so you’ll never need to look anywhere else for everything you need to know about John Best Racing.
The website has been designed and developed by Kent-based web design agency e-Motive Media, who also designed John Best’s interim website as a short-term solution while this new and comprehensive site was under construction.
What do you think of the new site? Let us know >
Bookmark to:
Hayley brings Hotchpotch home 2006-12-30 15:53:57 Hotchpotch took the 1.45 pontins.com Handicap (Div II) at Lingfield today under a positive ride from Hayley
Turner.
Travelling well in midfield, Hotchpotch, in the colours of G G Racing, took up the running inside the final two furlongs and held on to take the race by a neck from the fast-finishing Midmaar.
The combination of John Best and Hayley Turner also took second place with King After earlier in the afternoon in the first division of the Lingfield handicap.
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Last update of 2006! 2006-12-29 15:30:30 A very quiet week for us, really, with our only runner since my last report being King After on Saturday - he continues to disappoint us. He runs again this Saturday at Lingfield over seven furlongs, so we’ll see if he can rekindle a bit of his old spark. We’re certainly not seeing anything untoward in his home work. It’ll just be fingers crossed for a better run.
Our other runner this Saturday is Hotchpotch. He ran well last time at Lingfield, and I see no reason why he shouldn’t run well again. We’ve taken the visor off this time and replaced it with cheekpieces as, according to Brett Doyle, the horse got a bit stirred up and worried last time. Hayley Turner takes the two rides this weekend, as Brett is off skiing for a week.
We have a few entries later in the week, but I’ve not had a chance to look yet, so I’m not sure what we’ll be running.
Of the other horses in the yard, Hurricane Spirit has come out of his race really well. He prob
New stars on the horizon 2007-02-03 01:36:12 At Wolverhampton Fastrac Boy ran OK. I think he is still a little weak so hopefully we will give him a break soon so that he comes back a bit stronger for the summer. It probably doesn't help that Wolverhampton is riding a bit slower than earlier in the all weather season when he won there.
On Monday we were at Lingfield with six runners. Things don't ever seem to go quite right when you think you have chances but we got off to a good start with the owners of Foreland Sands having a good bet on him each way and gladly he finished third and a reasonable bet was landed. Just a shame he hadn't settled a bit better as I think he may just have been good enough to win if he had. Nevertheless they did OK and he will be back out this Monday, hopefully to land a bit more prize money.
Hucking Heat ran in the same race and ran well but definitely looked as though he needs another furlong at least. We'll get him back out soon - he probably just needed the run a bit.
We ran three Read more:horizon
, stars
Halsion days for Chancer 2007-02-03 16:02:57 Halsion Chancer made a winning debut today when taking the 2.50 Canvas Prints From bonusprint.com Maiden Stakes at Lingfield.
The three-year-old Atraf colt has been described as the nicest-looking horse John Best has ever trained, and he lived up to his matinee idol looks. Breaking well enough under Dane O’Neill, Halsion Chancer tracked the leaders before making good progress in the straight and taking the lead inside the final furlong to hold off fancied rival Time Share by a comfortable half length.
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New jockey on the block 2007-02-09 19:00:52 A good start to the week with Halsion Chancer showing plenty of promise, winning first time out at Lingfield in the five furlong maiden. Dane O’Neill was really impressed with the horse and said we are sure to have plenty of fun with him. He’ll be out again on 19 February, all being well. We ran Brave Jack in the same race and, as I predicted, he found things happening a bit quick. But he looks to be getting the hang of things, and I’m sure we’ll see him winning fairly soon. He is a horse I like a lot.
His two-year-old brother by King’s Best continues to really impress me at home. I think I have decided that, unless I get a big offer, I may well keep him.
On Monday we were back at Lingfield with what seemed to be our best chance of winning for some time - Foreland Sands. Having been third the week before from 21lbs out of the handicap, we were now 12lbs better off in a worse race. I really couldn’t see how we could be beaten. Hayley Turner rode aga Read more:block
Chancer takes Best race of the day 2007-02-19 19:21:00 John Best’s unbeaten three-year-old Halsion Chancer made it two from two today when winning the 5.10 Digital Prints From bonusprint.com Handicap at Lingfield.
The Atraf colt - described as the best-looking horse in John Best’s yard - broke well from a tricky draw under Stephane Breux, the yard’s new apprentice, though he was forced to go the long way round for the entire five furlong trip. However, the stable’s confidence in the three-year-old was to prove justified as Halsion Chancer cruised into the lead in the final half furlong to snatch victory from Rocker.
Earlier in the card, the partnership of John Best and Stephane Breux was narrowly denied another victory when Mine The Balance just failed by a nostril to reel back Ellesappelle in a thrilling photo finish in the seller. Mine The Balance was later claimed.
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Four chances - and Halsion 2007-02-19 13:35:26 Sorry for the delay in the blog this week!
It's been quite quiet, but I feel we have got off to a fairly good start with Stephane in the yard - he's getting to know the horses well. He had his first rides for us on Wednesday. Woodygo settled much better this time and ran on late - hopefully we can step him up in trip now, and providing he settles he should really start to progress. Things didn't go quite to plan with King After. Having got shuffled a bit too far back early on, he then suffered traffic problems turning in but ran on really well to finish third. He must win a race soon!
We went jumping on Friday with James Street making his debut in a reasonable juvenile hurdle at Sandown. He jumped generally very well, though I think a combination of a stiff track and very heavy ground just meant he didn't quite get home, but the experience will stand him in good stead when we find a track and ground that's more suitable - maybe somewhere like Kempton or Huntingdon would be Read more:chances
A Chance(r) encounter 2007-02-25 11:18:54 We started the week off really well with four runners at Lingfield. Oasis Sun ran respectably, finishing 6th, and again showed signs she didn’t like being crowded just as they turned in before staying on at one pace without ever really looking like she would take a hand in the finish. We will probably give her a short break now so that she’ll be fresh for a summer campaign. I also thought it looked like a step up to 1 1/2 miles wouldn’t go amiss.
Mine The Balance again ran well in defeat in the seller, finishing second. I was pleased with the performance but frustrated that we haven’t won more races with him. He was claimed after the race by the son-in-law of John Manners and will run in his name. I think there’s a good chance that the change of scenery could be just what he needs - I hope they have a bit more luck than me with him - there’s certainly a bit more in the tank if they can get it out!
Laheen was having her first run for us. I thought she
Who's Hucking Harkness! 2007-02-26 19:58:55 There could be supernatural goings-on at John Best's Kentish training yard this spring when an associate of everyone's favourite Time Lord drops by.
A colt by Dr Fong from the 2007 Hucking
Horses syndicate is to be named "Hucking Harkness' after the popular character Captain Jack Harkness, hero of the BBC's Doctor Who and Torchwood.
And actor John Barrowman, who plays Captain Jack in both hit series, will be stopping by John Best's yard to meet his namesake.
John Best explains, "We were discussing the Hucking Horses and the Dr Fong colt stood out as a tricky one to name. Somebody mentioned Doctor Who, and from there we reached Captain Jack - and Hucking Harkness was born.
"We got in touch with John Barrowman's connections to see what they thought of us using the name, and they loved the idea immediately"
A familiar face on British television since landing the part of Captain Jack Harkness, John Barrowman has made headlines with high-profile appearances on Dancing
Race planning? What race planning! 2007-03-03 16:27:56 A quiet week with no runners. There’s no real reason - it’s just that there aren’t the races for us. The race planners just seem not to really think what they are doing sometimes. This is really brought home when on Monday you find that there are two races for our filly Laheen - one a 0-60 over 1/4 miles and one a 0-52 over exactly the same trip, and both for four-year-olds and over. It just amazes me how this can happen!
So anyway, we run in the 0-52 and we end up with a bad draw, 12 out of 14. That always makes it difficult at Lingfield, especially over a mile and a quarter as you either have drop out and try and make your way through or use up a lot early to get a decent position without going too wide. It will be tough.
On Wednesday we have six entries and at the moment it looks like they could all run if they get in. Again, race planning
has meant we’ve ended up with three horses all in the same race, the 3.00. In this, Brave Jack and Hills Place definitely
Mind over matter at Lingfield 2007-03-07 22:05:01 Mind How You Go brought new meaning to the phrase “goes well fresh” when shaking off an absence of almost two years to take the 5.05 River Belle Online Casino Apprentice Handicap at Lingfield today.
John Best’s nine-year-old Hernando gelding shouldered joint top weight in the contest, his first racetrack appearance for 632 days, to collar Garnett on the line after a scorching run down the straight.
Mind How You Go had shown promise over hurdles prior to the problems that caused his extended layoff, and a spin over timber is on the cards for him now with the soft ground he relishes so prevalent at present.
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