This week’s exceptional form of Leicestershire trainer Derek Shaw has given a welcome lift to the family racing team fronted by east Northamptonshire businessman Brian Johnson.
The Croyland Motors car chief has embraced the Sproxton yard of Shaw and his wife Lyndsey in a whole-hearted effort to bring success all round this summer.
And while the rich trappings of Royal Ascot will elude the team for at least another 12 months, a spurt of action on Friday and Saturday and a glut of five runners in the space of four days this week lend optimistic hopes more winners for the Johnsons could be just around the corner.
Fenella Fudge, who carried the Johnson’s dark and light blue spotted silks to victory over Beverley’s stiff 7f last June holds an entry in tonight’s 6f fillies’ handicap at Leicester with the three-year-old returning from a five and a half month lay-off.
The five-year-old daughter of Rock Hard Ten, named after a Radio Two news reader, will be the third Johnson runner to hit the tracks after the exploits of sprinter Borough Boy at Leicester on Saturday and the juvenile debutant Phoenix Angel at Kempton on Tuesday evening.
Borough Boy produced the best performance of his 10-race career in finishing a length and a quarter second to Teetotal from the Nigel Tinkler yard, stepping up on a fifth of 13 at Nottingham six days earlier.
He now heads to Newmarket on Friday evening for the 5f handicap at 9.10pm with Johnson’s son Richard remarking: “Derek believes he is still a big baby who is building into his frame and who will be even better as a four-year-old next year.”
A week of frenetic action for the Johnsons concludes at Newmarket on Saturday afternoon when Top Boy is due to contest the Agribank Handicap over 5f at 4.05pm while John Lea is entered to run at Haydock at 6.50pm in a 5f maiden race - the geographical dilemma of reaching both Suffolk and Lancashire almost certain to thwart a desire to see all horses run...
There was satisfaction all round for the Shaw team last Friday, as they also saddled the other placed horse behind Borough Boy in the form of Whiteflats, but this was nothing compared to events at Chepstow 24 hours earlier.
Not only did they send out the 18/1 winner Queen Hermione in the hands of stable apprentice Adam McLean, they were also responsible for the 20/1 runner-up at the Welsh track. Farmers Dream was ridden by Martin Dwyer and the Computer Straight Forecast on the yard’s one-two would have reaped £320.87 for a £1 stake!
COUNTY-based Mick White believes the recent consistent form of his family-owned runner Rylee Mooch can soon be translated into a place in the winner’s enclosure.
The five-year-old grey Richard Guest-trained gelding, who has won or been in the first four in well over half of his 54 career starts, turned in a rare below-par effort at Sandown on Saturday where he missed the break over 5f and was then denied a clear run on the inside.
However, he now has options of contests at Brighton, Carlisle, Warwick, Newmarket or Chester towards the end of the month.
White said: “Rylee Mooch is now rated at 77 so he is not eligible for 0-80 races. The Chester4 race is a 0-90 and I’m not sure we will get in off that mark so it could be that we run at Warwick next Thursday afternoon.”
White also oversees the running of the three-year-old Duchess Of Dreams who has missed recent engagements due to rain at Nottingham and then Kempton, after coming into season.
ANOTHER Northamptonshire owner Gordon Reboul has Lady Gibraltar entered in the 6f Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot on Saturday but he appears unlikely to get a run.
However, Reboul reported: “Alan (Jarvis) says he is in good form and will win next time!”