Manager’s Thoughts: Post-Race Reflections – Derby Day Round-Up
Following on from yesterday’s preview blog, we had a busy and eventful day with four runners across two meetings. Here’s how the team fared:
Hexham – Huit Reflets & Suitably Surprised (Same Race)
We had two runners lining up in the same contest, and both gave us plenty to take away.
Huit Reflets ran a blinder under a cracking ride from Paddy Barlow. He’s bumped into two seriously well-handicapped horses – one of them being our own Suitably Surprised – and ultimately found them too good on the day. That said, he was only beaten by one of the best-backed gambles of Derby Day, which in itself is no small achievement. Credit to the Irish connections. We’re now looking forward to seeing Huit make his debut over fences, and Mark and the team deserve great praise for getting him back in such good form.
Suitably Surprised is a filly who needed her first couple of runs but really caught the eye in the parade ring – she looked a picture. In the race, she travelled better than anything else and with a clearer run, her jockey is confident she would’ve been even closer. Unfortunately, she picked up an injury late in the race, and we’re currently awaiting more information. Welfare always comes first, so she’ll have all the time she needs. She’s very well handicapped, and with the effort she puts in, she truly owes us nothing. It may be a couple of months before we see her again, but we’ll keep everyone updated as we learn more.
Musselburgh – Jumeira Vision
Next up was Jumeira Vision for Katie Scott and Sam James. A mile around Musselburgh might have been a bit sharp for him, and as we’ve seen before, if he doesn’t get to the front early, he can sulk a bit. It was a slightly disappointing run, but we’re not disheartened. He’s now down to a handy mark, and a return to Hamilton has already been identified as a good opportunity for him to bounce back to form.
Hexham – Glory and Honour
We wrapped up the day back at Hexham with Glory and Honour, who returned to hurdles and went off a late market drifter at 16/1. He ran a massive race to finish second, only beaten by what looked a very well-in winner. The track seemed to really suit him, and it was a performance full of encouragement. The team already has their eye on another race for him at Hexham next week.
New Sponsor Announcement
We’re delighted to welcome our newest sponsor to the Ursa Major Racing team! ‘PT Storage Systems LTD’ - It was fantastic to have him join us on course yesterday — pictured below alongside two of our jockeys. We’re looking forward to building a great partnership together, and we’re proud to have his support as we push forward into a busy summer. Exciting times ahead!
Final Thoughts
It’s been a day full of positives. The horses are all running well, and the team’s hard work and patience are starting to be rewarded. Most importantly, horse welfare remains our top priority. We await further news on Suitably Surprised and will share updates as soon as we have them.
Well done to all owners, jockeys, trainers, and everyone working behind the scenes. Onward we go.
— Ursa Major Racing
