Trainer Profile: Stuart Penny
Stuart starts another point to point season ably assisted by Teona Hammond with a mixture of the established stable star, two horses who debuted for him last season and two new additions to the team. Stuart who rents his yard from Richard de Pelet at Inwood near Henstridge is fortunate to have access to a wide variety of riding out and places to train his horses on the estate without recourse to roads or the need to travel to training facilities. The splendid old stables at Inwood do recall a time when the yard would have been full of hunters but it is now most definitely a point to point yard and out of the season Stuart and Teona handle the youngsters and breakers to keep the yard ticking over.
Stuart announced the retirement of Quedillac at the end of last season and his place as the senior member of the stable has been taken by 12 year old Trueflyingcolours, the winner to date of 8 races in his career of which the last 4 have been under Stuart’s care. Admitting that ‘really he is Teona’s project and I leave all the training to her’ he is a very genuine point –to-pointer who keeps his form from year to year. Winning all his races for Stuart at Larkhill with the latest being the Hunt Race at the South and West Wilts meeting last April it is likely that his season will be geared towards a repeat success of that race in 2019. He appreciates the faster surface that is often found at the end of the season at Larkhill.
Of the two horses who raced for Stuart last season the 9 year old gelding Novo Dawn owned by Patti Dod only joined the stable at the end of March having been bought out of Stuart Crawford’s stable having won an Irish point-to-point in 2016 and then placed in Hurdles and a Chase in 2017. He only ran twice for Stuart but showed promise in his second appearance when finishing fourth in a Restricted race at Upcott Cross when ridden by Will Biddick. Stuart describes him as a very nice horse whose ideal ground will be good to soft
His other runner from last season is the 5 year old gelding Ivebeentold owned by Pat and Jill Awdry. Whilst his initial races for Stuart did not give much hope for optimism his final two outings at Stafford Cross and Holnicote resulted in third placings. He has been doing a lot more jumping prior to this season and Stuart was quick to give credit to 15 year old Alice Procter who has been doing a lot of the work with him. Stuart feels that good ground will be the best surface for the gelding.
Pat and Jill Awdry also own one of the newcomers to the yard namely the 7 year old gelding Derryhale. Placed in two Irish point-to-points last season he was bought in March 2018 and has been pleasing Stuart in his work to date. His form in Ireland was all on soft or heavy ground so he will be seeking similar conditions in England. His debut will be awaited with interest.
The other newcomer to the yard is the 8 year old gelding Bouggietopieces who will run for the InforaPenny Club Partnership. Bought by Stuart at Ascot in July he had won a Hurdle at Towcester for his breeder Pam Sly and a Steeplechase at Perth for Gordon Elliott when ridden by Richard Johnson. Latterly he has been trained in Wales by Andrew Leyshon and finished his season when being runner up in a Ladies Open at Bratton Down. Stuart gave him a pipe opener in a Conditions Race on Sunday at Larkhill and he will come on from this run. His season will probably be aimed at Ladies or Club races.
Stuart plans to use best available jockeys for his runners and mentioned Martin ‘Fly’ McIntyre, Will Biddick as well as Gina Andrews. So far as Novice Riders are concerned Tom Doggrell who has ridden for the stable before may get an opportunity as might Alice Procter who will 16 in December.
