It has always been a target to better our previous seasons but a milestone that we have always wanted to achieve is 50 winners across both yards. Last weekend, we achieved this and the magic 50, soon became 52! 

Both Woodstock Octo and Al Gasparo extended their unbeaten tally when winning their respective races at Dunsmore on the 12th April. Woodstock Octo took his fifth race of the season when coming home in front in the Intermediate under a penalty for John and Sonia Gardener. Al Gasparo won his fourth race this season when taking the Mixed Open by 2 ¾ lengths under a 7lb penalty for John and Floss Symes. Dart Of Ginger made a pleasing debut for Jeremy Barber in the Mares Maiden and will definitely improve for the experience. 

Onto last weekend, Make Idaho Great was another to remain unbeaten when coming home in front in his Restricted under a penalty at Flete Park. We split across the country on Sunday and headed to both Cotley and Lower Machen. Clondaw Drake was the 50th winner to be sent out of Blackmore Farm this season, when he took the Conditions Level 2 under Darren Andrews for  John and Sonia Gardener at Lower Machen. He has had a frustrating season due to no fault of his own so it was great to see him back in the winners enclosure. This gave John and Sonia Gardener another winner and put them two wins in front for the National Leading Owner Championship. 50 soon became 51 when Talimar Pearl won the Members Race at Cotley giving David Churches a winner under Josh.  Arty Dodger ran a very pleasing race at Lower Machen in the Flat Race and it was great to see him show plenty of promise being a homebred of his owner, Becky Roach. 

The same weekend, Knock Off Soxs and Our Dylan made the long journey to Bangor On Dee for the last runs of their season. Both ran great races to finish 4th and 3rd and will now enjoy their well deserved summer holidays! The National Hunt horses are really winding down now with only a couple left in to run. Noble Blue finally got the win he deserved at Taunton on Wednesday evening. He has been unlucky on his starts over hurdles this season having bumped into a couple well handicapped horses and clipped heels when another runner crossed into his path and annoyingly left Josh no option but to come out the side door. Noble Blue has been a great horse since joining us last season and it’s wonderful to add a hurdle win to his CV for owners Friends Of Sylvie. 

Reaching the 50 winner mark for the season is a huge achievement. Our National Hunt season has exceeded everyone’s expectations this year and to end it with 17 winners is a huge achievement from our small yard. We finished on a 20% win and 46% placed strike rate with just under £130,000 prize money. It was a bitter pill to swallow to only have five National Hunt winners last season, but we were very confident going into the 2025/26 season with the best team of horses we have had! 

We currently sit on 35 winners heading into the last five competitive weekends of Pointing. Our best season is 43 winners, so fingers crossed we can reach another seasonal best over the coming weeks!