Coakley News

• Golden Phase comes closest to success of four recent runners

  16 July 2025

  Barry's Boy went up to York for a very competitive handicap over a mile, but David Egan found that he really didn't like the ground at all, so didn't pressure him in the latter stages of the race and he finished well behind this time. At Newbury Ridgeway Redwing ran a moderate race coming back to six furlongs, and she will now need to learn how to sprint in a race next time, as it was her first go at this shorter trip. Golden Phase had a bit of a stumble from the start and then sought to make all the running in her race, but it didn't work out this time and she was collared inside the distance to finish third. My Ambition went down to Chepstow for his first race there, but he was clearly a little under the weather as he faded very quickly in the final furlong, having looked like he was about to challenge. A couple of easy weeks to see him back to full health and he can then start preparing for his next run for the Harrow Racing Club.

• No joy for last three runners from the yard

  08 July 2025

  Over the past week Sharma d'Amour once again didn't find her race to suit over a straight mile at Newbury's evening meeting. They crawled the first furlong which meant that the filly didn't settle at all and was burning a lot of energy in the first third of the race. She paid for this by fading at the end to finish sixth, but it doesn't tell the full story or do justice to her definite ability to be winning a race again once things fall her way.

  In his race at Sandown on Saturday Hollie Doyle reported that Tribal Rhythm struck into himself during the race and finished at the back of a strong field for the Coral Challenge Handicap over a mile. He was sore after the race but hopefully it is nothing too serious and two easy weeks will see him back in full training. Yesterday at Worcester and switching back to two miles, Definite Dream was reported to be unsuited by a very slow pace followed by a sprint over the last two obstacles, Brendan Powell felt that this didn't suit her at all, so the mare will hoping for a strongly run affair next time.She came fifth on this occasion but it should soon be time for her to win a similar event as her hurdling is slick and a sterner gallop would suit her well.

• Starlight the highlight of late June runners from the yard

  02 July 2025

  Starlight Sami was very much the highlight of recent runners sent out from the yard, with Christine Young's Earthlight colt building on his Salisbury debut run with a fine showing on Saturday at Windsor. Up against a half a million pound purchase of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, made odds on favourite, Sami travelled very well through the race for jockey Cieren Fallon, closing up on the front pair at the top of the straight. Finishing off his race to good effect, Starlight Sami chased home the Newmarket favourite for a clear second place and this represented good progression from his debut, so that he can be expected to have his day in the sun very soon.

• A very busy few days for the yard as we approach midsummer : ANOTHER WIN FOR GOLDEN PHASE !

  16 June 2025

  Last week Denis sent out his first two year old runner of the season, as the exciting chesnut colt Starlight Sami headed to Salisbury under Oisin Murphy. Christine Young's Earthlight colt performed really well on his racecourse debut, having to wait for a gap inside the final furlong to ease through into a very promising third, with Oisin regarding him as a nice horse in prospect. 

  Connie Moon ran a great race at Goodwood under Jack Doughty, moving up well from midfield to close on the leaders from three furlongs out, and she was right there entering the final furlong. She just missed out on second place at the line but this run has all the signs of her winning very soon. Up at Chester Barry's Boy had little chance of getting into the race from his 14 draw, and George Bass was obliged to race wide or wider still, so that he had to run half a furlong more than the rest and thus had no chance of getting involved this time. He is sure to have another winning day soon if things fall right in a suitable race.

  At Bath on Saturday Sharma d'Amour was much too keen in the first quarter mile of a very slowly run mile race, and the inclement conditions did nothing for her chances as she battled home under Tyler Heard for a gallant fourth. She may drop back to seven furlongs or find an opportunity for another race with a genuinely run mile contest. As the repeated showers affected the going for the afternoon My Amibtion did not run and he will have to wait for another option as the sunny weather prevails in the coming days.

  On Sunday at Salisbury Hoornblower was extremely unlucky, travelling through the race very well for Rossa Ryan, only to be shut out so that he was nearly brought down as the race entered its final stages. Rossa felt that he would have won if it wasn't for that incident, after which he was eased down some way back from the first three home. He deserves much better luck next time out and can win again. Hollie Doyle took the ride on Golden Phase, who she knows very well, and she produced a textbook ride from the outset to bring Golden Phase her fourth win, unchallenged by the end of ten furlongs. She was a little keen early, but Hollie took her forward and round the loop to establish a clear lead turning in. and perfect fractions saw her gallop away from a trailing field to take out the race emphatically by two lengths come the line. Fast ground is certainly to her liking, and West Ilsley Platinum as the owners were understandably delighted with another win for their daughter of Gustav Klimt.

• Start of June becomes a bit of a dampener all round

  09 June 2025

  Last Friday on the Oaks day card at Epsom Hollie Doyle reported that Tribal Rhythm was too far back in his race to get into things at all come the business end, and as with all races at the Derby meeting nobody was able to make up distance on the leaders in the prevailing ground. He had to make do with seventh on this occasion, closing in the final half furlong to be only four lengths back, but he will have to wait for another opportunity to secure a second win this year. At Bath on the evening card Sweet Sister wore a first time visor in her race, which seemed to light her up and she ran much too freely for the first mile under Nicola Currie, so that she emptied out quickly in the straight and she needs to drop the headgear and come back down in trip next time.

  At Lingfield on Saturday evening, the 'weather warning' atrocious band of storms had reached Surrey by late afternoon, so that by the time of Party Island's race the ground had gone to heavy all over, which left him with no chance for a soaked Jack Callan, plugging away into fifth in a filthy race. He is bound to have better chances next time out.

  Earlier last week the mare Definite Dream went up to Warwick with Jonny Burke as pilot and ran yet another fine race. Her hurdling was as good as ever and she travelled through the race very well indeed, just getting outstayed after a slight mistake at the second last, with three horses from top national hunt yards filling the frame. This was her first outing of the year after a substantial break, and she is sure to find a winning opportunity soon this summer.

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