Shropshire yard takes a huge leap with record number of winners

Having started off in point-to-pointing, Alastair Ralph learned his trade under some of the sport’s shrewdest operators, namely Paul Nicholls, Henry Daly, Richard Newland and Michael Scudamore, and those years of experience are starting to pay off this season.

His previous best tally was 17 winners in 2019-20 but, with more than two months of this season to go, the yard is already up to 24.

Based in the Shropshire hills, Ralph says: “I learned a great deal from watching some smart operators and took something from them all. I remember how much Paul Nicholls paid attention to even the smallest detail and that’s something I always try to do myself.”

Ralph’s higher level of success has caught the attention of many people and he admits he would be disappointed if he failed to reach 30 winners by the season’s end, although it must be odds-on that he will at least double his previous best.

“We’ve taken a huge leap forward this season and that’s partly due to the fact we’ve been buying lots of stores and they’re starting to come through. Some have won bumpers and there are a few quality horses in that number. We have ten stores ready to run and generally they seem like a decent bunch, certainly judged on their work.

“We’re spending anything up to £40,000 on them and work closely with Anthony Bromley and Jerry McGrath. It’s a full-time job looking for future winners and at the moment I couldn’t be happier with the results.”

Billingsley
10 b g Millenary – Retain That Magic
He’s always been a nice horse but for some reason he lost his way last season. It’s been our job to get his confidence back and it appears to be working as he was a good winner over 2m at Ffos Las this month. Now he has his head back in front I expect him to go on from here. He likes galloping tracks as his last three wins have been at Haydock, Newbury and Ffos Las, so we’ll be looking to similar courses.

Butler’s Brief
7 b g Yeats – She’s On The Case
He did us proud last summer, winning three handicap hurdles on the bounce, all over 2m7f, which saw him rise from 109 to 129. His runs after that were disappointing and I think he was crying out for a break. I’ve been pleased with his work at home and I think there’s still room for him to be competitive off his mark of 125.

Butler's Brief should be competitive off his current markCredit: David Davies (Getty Images)

Chanceux
6 b g Mahler – Granny Mc Cann
He showed ability in his bumpers before going hurdling this season. After a good second at Hereford, he really got his act together to win back-to-back novice hurdles at Chepstow and Plumpton over 2m before Christmas. I ran him at Newbury last time but it just never happened for him and Nick [Scholfield] wisely pulled him up. I’ve been very happy with him since and I think he still has bags of potential. We still have a few things to iron out but we’re getting there.

Dancing With Deco
6 br g Milan – Miss Toulon
A lovely young horse who is certainly going the right way. He has had three runs, having only made his debut in mid-December. He relished the heavy ground at Exeter last month when winning a decent 2m½f maiden hurdle but I was disappointed with his recent run at Wetherby. He wasn’t right afterwards so we’ll get to the bottom of that. I’m keen to get some more racing experience into him this term as he’s an exciting prospect for next season.

Encounter A Giant
10 b g Kalanisi – Sumability
He had been off the radar since winning easily at Hereford in December 2019 but finally came back at Exeter last week when he was pulled up. He’d been away a couple of times and was as sharp as we could get him. I love him as he’s a big, galloping sort but he’s been plagued by problems, hence the low mileage.

Gentle River
6 b g Gentlewave – Absalom’s Girl
We bought this fellow off Richard Johnson and he looks promising. He made his debut in a bumper at Bangor in November 2020 when he was a fine second and didn’t run again until October this season when he went back there and won a bumper. He has a huge engine but is still very green, so now we’re pondering whether to go novice hurdling, where we would risk losing his novice status at the wrong end of the season, or stick to bumpers. He has schooled well at home over hurdles and we’re all excited about him.

Getaway Totherock
9 b m Getaway – Theft
She’s a smart sort and did well last season, particularly when winning by 14 lengths at Hereford and following that with a second in Listed company at Kempton. Her only run this season was at Kempton in November after which she came back jarred up. They had watered the track and then the sun came out and it dried out, leaving her feeling uncomfortable. I’ve really struggled with her since but she appears to be coming back to herself of late. I have tentatively entered her for the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Glance From Clover
7 b g Passing Glance – Allforclover
This half-brother to Mix Of Clover is very much a work in progress. He’s a fine, big lad, standing at 16.3hh, and some of his home work has been very encouraging. He was unfortunate not to win last season and was second again at Bangor on Friday. I’ve been pleased with how he has progressed and he should open his account sooner rather than later.

Holly Hartingo
6 b m Well Chosen – Hazel Toi
Another young horse who has us looking to better things. She had her first run at Ludlow just before Christmas and won by a neck, but she learned so much on that occasion, which was evident at Huntingdon next time out when coming home five lengths clear. Although I don’t know how deep the race was, she couldn’t have done it better. This mare is from a great family, has a lovely attitude and has the potential to be very useful.

Inn The Bull
9 ch g Lope De Vega – Ile Rousse
He’s a seven-time winner, including three over hurdles. His most recent run when second at Wolverhampton was an encouraging effort. He’s a fun horse and we’ll mix and match on the Flat and over hurdles when we get some better ground.

Iontach Cheval
6 b g Dunaden – Dancing Emily
He won his bumper last term and quickly doubled that score first time out this season in a Uttoxeter novice hurdle. Standing at 16.3hh, he’s a lovely horse with bags of potential. It was disappointing to see him run down the field last time at Ludlow but he wasn’t right afterwards and was given a break.

Jack Sharp
7 bb g Scorpion – That’s Amazing
He’s a lovely horse owned by Dai Walters, having been with Nicky Henderson, although he was unraced when he came here. This season he won first time out in a Uttoxeter maiden hurdle over 2m4f before finishing second behind Creative Control at Doncaster, where he was still very green. I expected a big run at Wetherby last week but he ran below par and thankfully we found out why as he scoped badly afterwards. It was nothing serious and we can get him back on track soon. We’ll stick to hurdles this season but next season he’ll come into his own over fences, as he has schooled beautifully over them at home.

Kateson
9 gr g Black Sam Bellamy – Silver Kate
He has been a lovely addition to the string, having arrived from Tom Lacey’s for this season. He has had four runs for us, including a good third at Aintree over 2m4f before Christmas. He saves his best form for Aintree, so we’re going to take him back there in April. I’m sure there’s a good race to be won with him again, hopefully sooner rather than later. He seems happier over hurdles but is good enough to win a novice chase.