THE 2023-24 National Hunt season came to its conclusion on Saturday at Sandown and may I say very well done to all the winners.  It is a phenomenal achievement by Willie Mullins to win the trainers championship, the first Irish trainer to do it since the great Vincent O’Brien 70 years ago.  

He has had a fantastic season both sides of the Irish Sea and he may be difficult to stop going forwards next season. 

The jump jockeys title race was also a great battle and one that was good for racing the final few weeks of the season.  Harry Cobden and Sean Bowen are two extremely talented riders who conducted their race for the title in such as sporting way it was nice to see.  

I am sure the pair will be right at the top of the tree again this time next year and for years to come with age on their sides.  

JP McManus is deservedly crowned champion owner once again while the champion conditional is Patrick Wadge who is based with Lucinda Russell. 

Our season finished with a winner at Chepstow on Friday evening thanks to Castle Daragh winning the hunter chase.  I have to say the win was a nice surprise but I was delighted for young jockey Conal Kavanagh.  He is sixteen years old and joined us last summer.  This was his first ride under rules and to make it a winning one was fantastic.  

Following the success of Castle Daragh on Friday it was then the turn of Lukke Morris to ride at Axe Vale point to point on Sunday.  He rode Moodofthemoment in the Intermediate race and dead heated to win!  This was Lukke’s first winner from just a handful of rides and so it was another great success.  Lukke is 19 years of age and has just finished his first season at Pond House.  

Both Conal and Lukke are likely to have a few more rides before the end of the season so fingers crossed they may even be able to add to their tally.

Jumps racing takes a mini-break this week in Britain and the new season begins again on Saturday at Uttoxeter and Hexham.  We have entries at both so keeping checking the Daily News for the latest information on the stable runners. 

We finished the season on 46 winners from 385 runners at a 12% strike rate.  We also had 52 seconds, 34 thirds and 43 fourth places.  We finished just shy of £460,000 in prize money and Jack Tudor was on board 34 of our 46 winners.  While obviously we hoped for more winners, we actually had 168 less runners than last season so it was always going to be tough.  

In racing, like with any sport, you have to keep looking forwards, re-grouping and rebuilding.  We have a small summer team, which will be headed by the likes of the very versatile Bashful Boy and Myristica.  While new additions from the Value Racing Club include exciting dual-purpose prospects, Coltor and Groundbreaker.  While these horses and others will be carrying the baton in the coming months, we will be looking to recruit some nice new winter prospects as well.  

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of my owners for their support throughout the season, without which nothing would be possible.  Thank you to my team of staff for all their hard work and thank you to all of you for reading and following the yard.  Here’s to a happy and successful new season ahead!