When you get a horse thriving and continually improving through the ranks it can spark a real sense of excitement. You are always looking to where they could reach and when the ceiling may be reached. Sergeant Wilko has racked up 3 wins out of four but improved that record once again when he added the 6f William Hill First Race Special Today Handicap at Goodwood.

The powerful 3yo has really stepped up this year and improved hand over fist throughout the season. He was always a horse whoo looked to have bags of potential, shown by some of the tasks he was set last year as a juvenile. With a winter on his back, Sergeant Wilko really fills out into his frame and this maturity has seen him become a really nice sprinter. Having won 3 times against his own age, including one of the top 3yo handicaps last time at Newmarket, Sergeant Wilko was to tackle his elders for the first time.

Oisin Murphy continued his partnership with the colt as the pair started favourite for the 7 runner contest. Running off a career high, Sergeant Wilko would need to take another step forward. Looking to control the race, the 3yo went to his usual prominent racing style. Racing along the near side rail, Sergeant Wilko led the field and set a nice gallop to chase along. The field were happy to take the lead given to them and they quickly headed through the first half of the race.

With Goodwood’s sharp nature, they were racing around the 40mph as they moved between eh 3f and 2f poles. Sergeant Wilko had a nice advantage and Oisin would try to use this as he began to niggle his mount, looking for him to kick off the front. One of the first to commit, Sergeant Wilko started to wind up and his move had the rest reacting likewise. The field were racing from the 2f marker and most of the field still held a chance coming into the business end.

Oisin had laid out his hand first of all but as they entered the final furlong, he looked like the jockey who had more underneath him. It didn’t look like he was asking for everything just yet. The lead shrunk and now it was time to dig deep and go for everything. Sergeant Wilko looks like he is just doing enough but once he fell the pressure of a rival, the colt finds some more. Now eye to eye with a serious challenge, Sergeant Wilko found some more and the pair began to pull away from the rest. It was neck and neck as they charged towards the line but as they flashed past the post, it was Sergeant Wilko who had done enough, securing the win by a neck.

Sergeant Wilko has really improved with every race this year and the 3yo looks like a nice sprinter for the future. He will be getting another rise in the ratings which will see him having to step up to the top heritage handicaps. Sergeant Wilko is not only a quality horse but he has the tenacious attitude that should help him in the big races. The Ayr Gold Cup will likely be the next stop for the 3yo, and whilst it is tough for that age group, Sergeant Wilko will certainly be a fixture in those races next year.

Oisin McSweeney spent a number of years over in England when he was based at Hambleton Lodge before he headed back home to Ireland. He arrived back on these shores at the start of the season and enjoyed a nice double at Carlisle courtesy of Magic Basma and Ribble River, both earning their first career wins.

Magic Basma was a late comer to the yard but the daughter of Expert Eye showed a good attitude and promise during her homework. Carlisle offers debutantes plenty of time to find their feet with he stiff finish meaning they don’t have to be rushed into the race. This proved key as the filly made a winning debut in the 6f Racing TV EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.

Given time to mature, Magic Basma still had some furnishing to do when she cam into training. Although not immediately ready, she showed ability and a very kind nature. Once things clicked and she showed that she was ready, Magic Basma was sent to Carlisle to line up against 6 rivals. It is always hard with 2yo’s first time out as you have to see how they take to the occasion but Oisin was allowed to ride with patience if his filly was a little race shy.

Steadily away, Magic Basma raced towards the rear through the early stages as the field shunned the rail to race more central. Oisin gave his filly time to find her feet and although she showed greeness, Magic Basma got into a rhythm. It was an even gallop but they were quickly swinging right handed.

With the leaders straightening up for home, they continued to race down the centre. This left Magic Basma with daylight on the far side of the field and meant that she would have a clear run if good enough. They got racing a long way out and each jockey started to get to work passing halfway. Oisin was cajoling his filly and she was starting to lengthen although still showing plenty of inexperience.

Magic Basma came good passing the 2f marker and made impressive headway. Sweeping through she joined in with the leaders as Oisin continued to educate his filly. Suddenly the debutante hit the front and looked full of running as she took the lead and started to really stretch. The inexperience was still there for all to see but she was thriving as they met the rising ground. Oisin was working and helping his filly all the time as she pricked her ears and pulled away. Inside the final furlong Magic Basma was just having a look around which allowed her rival to close in toward the finish but she had done enough. Passing the line with ease pricked, Magic Basma made a winning debut by 3/4 lengths.

It was a smart performance from Magic Basma who had to overcome plenty of inexperience and greeness. Once she got into her stride she was very strong and the further they went the better she was. There is obviously plenty more to come from the filly who will improve with racing but she won under a hands and heels ride from Oisin. Although Magic Basma made a winning debut, she is far from the finished article but is an exciting filly to look forward to.

When you hit the sweet spot regarding a horse’s trip they can improve tremendously. Stamina and ground proved to be the perfect combination for Ribble River. The 3yo thrived with a step up in trip and took his first win in the 1m3f Autism In Racing Handicap, giving connections a double on the day.

Having shown early promise, Ribble River didn’t quite build on that through the first couple of runs this season. Being by Ribchester, there was always a feeling that ease in the ground would suit best and this was helped by a step up in trip last time out. Running over 1m2f, he showed that the extra stamina test was no problem and should have finished closer if he had been a little more straight forward.

Lining up at Carlisle, Oisin took a patient approach but Ribble River took a bit of a keen hold through the early stages. The pace was steady enough through the first couple of furlongs which did see a few fight for their head. Ribble River  chased the early leaders, in touch but also just fighting Oisin ever so slightly.

When they raced through halfway and started to swing right handed, the pace did pick up as the ground runs away downhill. This did suit Ribble River more and allowed Oisin to drop his hands now and race in a smoother rhythm. As they headed into the final 4f the field once agin shunned the far side rail and began to move towards the centre.

Ribble River just hit a little flat spot but Oisin was quick to maintain his position as the race heated up. Straightening up he came good once again as the leaders began to quicken the tempo. Ribble River was going well in behind the leaders entering the final 2f but he was trapped in a slight pocket. Oisin had to sit and wait, searching for a route through. As the pressure told on a couple of the leaders the gaps began to appear, allowing Oisin to angle out. Switching to his right the pair got clear daylight.

Moving into the final furling, Ribble River had quickened up to join the leaders and looked full of running. Whilst he was entering unknown territory, Ribble River seemed to getting stronger and hitting the rising ground he started to assert. Oisin kept him up to his work but the 3yo was kicking clear of his rivals, eating up the ground. Crossing the line, Ribble River had gained his first win by a comfortable 2 lengths.

The step up in trip really suited Ribble River and he looks as though he would get further. Staying on well, he hit the line hard and won with a bit in hand. The easier ground is ideal for Ribble River and this is a performance that could really see the 3yo build upon.

Pedigrees don’t guarantee success but the one consistent in breeding is the Dam. Handbell has already produce two black type fillies and she may have just added another promising daughter. Lothlorien overcame inexperience to make a winning debut in the 5f EBF Fillies Novice Stakes at Beverley.

Dandy Man is one of the go to stallions for speed and Lothlorien looked to be a real sprinter from day one. Powerfully built, for a filly, she had shown plenty of promise in her home work but was a little raw in the early stages of the season. Time allowed her to strengthen and fill her frame to the point where she said she was ready for the track.

Beverley is a lovely track to introduce 2yo’s. The uphill finish means you don’t have to rush them into the race as they can finish and therefore have time to find their feet. This proved to be key for Lothlorien as she made her debut against 9 rivals, with Tom Eaves in the saddle.

Slowly away, Tom tried to let his filly find her stride but Lothlorien got a small bump and daylight which just lit her up. Racing quite keen through the first furlong she landed towards the front of the field with the odds on favourite coming around the outer to make a line of three at the front. With Tom not wanting to really force the issue, the favourite edged right, taking the position of Lothlorien.

Swinging around the bend and into the home straight, the leading duo looked to press home their advantage. The favourite pressured the leader but was travelling smoothly, similarly so was Lothlorien. In the favs slipstream Tom waited and looked to kick at the same time. Passing the 2f pole the leader remained the same but it were the fillies to the outer who looked to be stalking dangerously.

Lothlorien showed her first signs of greeness when Tom began to ask her to go through with her run. Whilst the favourite began to move forward an take the lead, Lothlorien took her time to get gathered and find her feet. It wasn’t until the rising ground that the penny began to drop. With the favourite kicking on, Lothlorien had some ground to make up but as the track stiffened, she began to eat into the deficit. Pulling up alongside the new leader, the front two came away from the rest as they battled for the lead. The final 100 yards were close, barely a nostril separating the pair. It was a head bobbing finish as the two flashed past the line, requiring the judge to decide the winner.

It was a fine effort from Lothlorien on debut, not only to overcome inexperience but to do so against a rival who had decent form previous. She almost did everything wrong through the early stages but with Tom’s help she settled. Once she hit the rising ground, Lothlorien thrived and this suggests that 6f should be no problem in the future. It will be interesting to see where the filly lines up next but on this evidence she is a 2yo with a lot of potential.

Carlisle offers a very unique Raceday when the card is exclusive for female riders, both amateur and professional. Having gained her first winner this season, Louise Akehurst was reunited with Amazing Winnie  for the evening card. The pair recorded their second career win when they took the 1m Vanessa Lana Brown Appreciation Handicap.

Amazing Winnie had proven to be a frustrating character until a first career win a few starts ago. Despite this confidence boost, the filly reverted back to how she had been running, failing to fire on the next two runs. With Amazing Winnie being in foal, time was running out on her racing career and Carlisle would be the last run before she would need to retire to the breeding shed.

Breaking well, Amazing Winnie was quickly into stride and took the lead. Racing quite freely she had pulled her way to the fore and tracked over to snatch the rail, taking the shortest route. Once she had her head in front, Amazing Winnie then did drop her head and the gallop steadied to an even pace, as they started to swing right handed.

Constantly hassled in front, the field were soon past halfway and starting to straighten up. At the top of home straight Amazing Winnie left the rail and began to race towards the centre of the track. This is a usual move at Carlisle when the ground is soft and Louise took the rest along with her. Closely tracked by a couple of rivals, the front trio moved away from the rest of the field and started to increase the tempo from the 3f marker.

Heading into the final 2f and beginning to hit the rising ground, the front three locked horns and were set for a tough battle. Louise was getting a tune from her filly and Winnie was continuing to find for pressure. With little separating the leaders it was a real tussle and they were all finding a little bit more. Amazing Winnie was very game but she really came into her own the further they went. With just 100 yards to run, Amazing Winnie proved to be at her strongest and she was overcame her rivals. Galloping all the way through the line, Amazing Winnie won with a bit more to spare then the head margin.

Ending her racing career on a win was a very positive result and shows that Amazing Winnie and Louise have struck up a good relationship. Now the filly will go into the second stage of her career which will see her become a mother.

Sprinters at all levels are exciting to watch, showing blistering speed and there are non faster than those who race over the minimum trip. DC Flyer has been dropped back to 5f in recent races and looked to have been getting faster which every run. He gained his first win of the season when taking the 5f JPS Ceilings And Partitions Handicap at Newcastle.

Having won last year, DC Flyer hasn’t quite matched that this season and slowly the handicapper had given him some help. Dropping 7lb saw the 3yo off a mark of 55 which he utilised, making all at Newcastle. Lining up against 11 rivals, with Tom Eaves in the saddle, DC Flyer showed plenty of speed throughout the contest.

Breaking from stall 2, DC Flyer was straight to the fore and tracked over toward the centre of track. Although he was pressed, his rivals were happy to take a lead and so DC Flyer would bowl along in front. Setting strong fractions, there was no hanging about as the field quickly went through the early stages.

DC Flyer had a good number of his rivals in trouble at the halfway point, as those who chased the leader began to come under a drive. Tom maintained his advantage in front and continued to turn the screw, not easing the pace. As they passed the 2f marker, DC Flyer got the hurry up as Tom looked to take advantage of his lead. The 3yo quickened up and stretched his lead, although there was still plenty of racing left.

Opening up to a clear couple of lengths lead, DC Flyer was trying to make the best of his way home. Those who had been chasing throughout the contest were out of the race and it was left to a couple of late finishers. DC Flyer was continuing to move forward and deep inside the final furlong he still held a clear lead. Tom kept him up to his work and the pair were never in danger. The final 100 yards gave the runner up a chance to close the gap but DC Flyer had put the hard work in earlier in the race which helped to secure him a 3/4 length win.

DC Flyer showed great speed throughout the race and managed to also quicken off this pace. It is one of the hardest ways to win a race but being a target but if he can dictate like this then there could be more days to come for DC Flyer. He will get a hike in the handicap but that should not be a problem and hopefully DC Flyer can give his owners some more fun days in the coming weeks.

Sometimes people within racing are caught in their own bubble and it takes something to make you realise just how important other factors can be. There was sad news this week as owner Tom Muir passed away. It was planned that his horses would be out running, hopefully so he could watch them and maybe celebrate some wins. Vantheman was his first ever horse and the 3yo stuck to the script as he took the 5f Always Trying Racing Syndicate Handicap.

Vantheman has thrived this year and has developed into a potentially smart sprinter. The son of Invincible Army was always a big, powerful horse and it was a bonus what he did as a 2yo. When he came back from his winter break it was clear that he had flourished and matured into his physique. That was immediately evident when he made a winning comeback at Newcastle. That win was followed by a fine second at York, where he was unfortunate to be drawn away from the action and did superbly well to get as close as he did. Royal Ascot was the next stop and again Vantheman ran a big race, only beaten around 3 lengths on ground that was too quick for him.

This time of year the 3yo are forced to race against their elders more often and Vantheman would have to do this as he lined up against some veterans at Ponte. Tom Eaves maintained his partnership with the gelding and went into the race with extra motivation for the evening. There was always going to be plenty of pace on and straight for the off they were going hard. Vantheman jumped on terms but had to be rousted along to hold his position on the inside. Settling into midfield he was chasing the pace which was touching 43mph.

Blasting through the first half of the race they swung the bend and maintained to keep the intense tempo. Tom had held his position throughout and moved up the inside as they rounded the home bend. As they entered the home straight Tom got to work with a beautiful opening in front of him. Vantheman immediately quickened up and tried to make headway on the inner. The leader poured it on from the front and set sail off the strong gallop.

Pontefract has a stiff finish and it was certainly going to be a test here. Vantheman was picking up but still had over a length to catch the leader. As they headed towards the final furlong it looked as though Van would be the only real challenger. He inched his way closer to the lead but was up against a very willing foe. Once he got to the girths of the leader he found another gear. It was 1/2f from home and now there was only one winner. Vantheman was in full flow and snatched the lead, the shouts went up from Tom Muir’s family and it looked destine to be a memorable moment. Now he started to power away, striding out and opening up a length lead, securing an emotional win.

It was only two years ago when we met Tom Muir who was keen to get into racing. Thankfully he got Vantheman, a horse who we always liked and thought could potentially take him to the right meetings. The 3yo has done just that and looks likely to for his career. It also meant that we got to spend time with Tom, his wife Janice and their family. Not only was Tom great company but a gentleman and he will be sorely missed by all. Times like this just put everything into perspective but hopefully Vantheman can continue to thrive and carry Tom’s colours to more memorable days because if there is one little bit of solace that the horse can give then it would be the perfect result.

Winter can be a long time, no racing, bad weather, short days. In racing the unknown yearlings are what keep that period exciting, not knowing what potential stars are lurking. It doesn’t always work out but the yard looked to have a nice bunch of juveniles and they have certainly been in fine form. Territorial Knight became the 12th 2yo winner when he bolted up in the 6f Northern Commercials Used Stock For Instant Delivery EBF Restricted Novice at Pontefract.

The son of Territories had taken a big step forward from his debut run to his second. Having found everything happening a bit too fast at York, Territorial Knight showed that he was a quick learner when he returned to action. Taking a big step forward the chestnut narrowly went down at Wetherby, finishing second and showing real promise. He had steadily stepped up in trip but it was clear that 6f would be his next start.

Pontefract offers a stiff test of 6f and Territorial Knight headed there to take on 10 rivals with he race splitting into 2 divisions. Sent off favourite, Tom Eaves looked to be positive from the outset. Vying for the lead from the off, Territorial Knight had to settle for second as his market rival, and previous winner, took the lead. It was a strong gallop with the leader pulling hard but Tom had a nice toe into the race and they quickly ran down the back straight towards the left handed bend.

All the market leaders were toward the front of the field which ensured a strong gallop throughout the contest. Territorial Knight always travelled smoothly and held his pitch just behind the pace. The field were well strung out as they rounded the bend, with the pace telling. Tom was away going to have first crack at the leader once the chance came.

Moving into the home straight, the 2f pole loomed up and Tom kicked. Territorial Knight quickly moved up and took the lead, looking to stretch clear of the rest. He pretty much did and this move looked to be race winning but there was one rival who came from out of the pack. Suddenly it was a leading pair as they went head to head, putting distance to the rest. Now a two horse race they went to battle with over a furlong to run. Territorial Knight still held the advantage but was going to have to pull out all the stops. Once they entered the final furlong it was a little bit of unknown territory with this being his first run over the trip. As expected though he thrived for it and the extra distance was a real plus. Territorial Knight now hit top gear and with 100 yards to go put the race to bed. Striding out he continued to stretch clear, taking the win by a comfortable 2 3/4 lengths with daylight to the rest.

The progression shown by Territorial Knight has been impressive and he won here with plenty in the tank. Stepping up in trip was ideal and he should be the type to continue to improve with racing. He has the size and scope to continue maturing throughout this year and next but York could be on the cards first. The big sales race has had another influx of pre money and Territorial Knight could well be heading there next, surely with as good a chance as anything else.