Coakley News

Newly acquired yearling Sergei Prokofiev colt for sale

04 September 2024

Denis was very pleased to purchase a very strong looking Sergei Prokofiev colt from the Somerville Yearling Sale at Tattersalls yesterday. A half brother to the much admired recent winner Hoornblower, he is a good looking son ot Sergei Prokofiev - the multiple stakes winner and Group 3 sprint winner of the Cornwallis at Newmarket, and is for sale to be in training with Denis at Keeper's Stables.
PHOENIX MOON WINS AT LINGFIELD

04 September 2024

Denis and all of the Keeper's 12 Syndicate were delighted to see their grey filly Phoenix Moon triumph over six furlongs of the all weather track at Lingfield Park on Saturday, bringing August to a successful conclusion. She ran a great race on this occasion, and now that she has her right distance and has learned how to sprint there will hopefully be more to come. She took her time to be persuaded into the stalls, but broke very smartly into stride and impressed jockey Tyler Heard with her sharpness in going straight to the front of a depleted field. Getting a breather into her down the slope in the middle two furlongs, once she had rounded the tight second bend she pricked her ears and was not for passing in the home run. A great ride from the front from Tyler, Phoenix Moon showed real enthusiasm for racing and notched her first win by leading all the way.

Milvus managed third at Windsor, stepping up to ten furlongs and racing prominently, in a race where the strong favourite dictated fractions and then went clear inside the last two furlongs to prevail by half a dozen lengths. Not much joy for Hoornblower at Goodwood yesterday, also going up to ten furlongs. A wide draw and Oisin Murphy reported that he just could not get in for cover for the Ulysses gelding, who was far too keen behind a slow pace. This meant that he wasn't able to finish and it is hoped that he will be able to get a much faster pace and a kinder draw next time out.
August roundup of recent runners

28 August 2024

Since the middle of the month the yard has been busy sending out runners to a variety of tracks. Wonder Starelzaam returned to much better form with a good run at Newbury, relishing the track and the going to come right there at the two pole under Rose Dawes, only for the winner to streak away and win by seventeen lengths - unheard of in a handicap race! Wonder Starelzaam just lost third place right on the line.
Definite Dream headed up to Worcester and travelled very nicely through the race, hurdling really well and just outpaced in the home run over two and a half miles to finish a good fourth. For Party Island at Windsor, in a small but high quality field, they just did not go a strong gallop that he would have wanted and then sprinted up the home straight so that Party Island did well to gain third place, with the two younger horses and market principles behind him. Going up to Newmarket for a twelve furlong contest, Golden Phase didn't enjoy the downhill section of the course and finished six lengths back this time, and a return to a flatter track will suit her next time out.
Two year old filly Connie Moon made her debut at Kempton and will come on for her run, finishing ninth of a large field, and the same can be said of the Shaman filly Sharma d'Amour at Lingfield - she was a little slow to break and then was facing a lot of kick back at the rear of a field of a dozen. The really pleasing thing was to see her stay on well in the last two furlongs of seven, passing three rivals in the home straight to finish off very well. This delighted owner Christine Young and Sharma will improve an awful lot for her first run on a racecourse.
Weekend gallops action

18 August 2024

Sue Huntingdon was up on the gallops this weekend to photograph some of the horses in action - with a collection of pictures now in a gallery album.

Pictured above Sharma d'Amour going with Connie Moon; Sweet Sister galloping with Golden Phase
Both runners at Salisbury finish fourth yesterday

16 August 2024

Contrary to the forecast, Salisbury was shrouded in a misty drizzle yesterday afternoon, which did not affect the going but did take the edge off the afternoon's enjoyment for the Harrow Racing Club, who were there in force to see My Ambition. He went down to the start early and well under Ray Dawson, but after a spell in the stalls he was a bit too keen behind a slow pace through the first three furlongs. Travelling very sweetly he edged left when a little short of room, and entering the final furlong and a half he looked to have a great chance, but found little in the closing stages, so that he finished a few lengths back in fourth this time. In the last race Tribal Rhythm returned to track action for the first time in twelve months, making his stable debut for owner Una Loughrey. This time Ray Dawson reported that they went a fast gallop, testing the small field over a stiff ten furlongs which Tribal Rhythm just did not see out. The favourite was a class apart from his rivals, forging a dozen lengths clear by the line, and it is most likely that Tribal Rhythm will switch back to a mile for his next outing.