Trainer Ruth Jefferson is up and running for 2025 and is back with updates on stable stars Kerryhill and others ahead of a busy start to the New Year.
Ruth Jefferson Latest: January Update
I was delighted with Hashtag Boum winning at Ayr last week. She’s very hard on herself and can be tricky to train, but has plenty of ability and that’s her second win from three starts over fences. When she finished second at Uttoxeter she jumped well, and whilst maybe not spectacular over fences, just keeps popping away. The way she jumps, I feel that she’s always going to be there or thereabouts in her races.
The plan was to stick to small fields and try and get her into a 0-120 somewhere but the handicapper has raised her 5lb to 125. It’s going to be hard to place her because there’s no longer any 0-125 Novices’ Handicap Chases, and you’re basically left to running her in graded company in the second half of the season.
Ruth Jefferson Latest: Hashtag Boum
She’s won over further but was almost in front too soon, with Hashtag going too well it seems – so options are open with her in terms of trip. She’s in good form at home, so we’ll speak to the owners and find another race for her.
Ruth Jefferson Latest: Kerryhill
Connections were due to have Kerryhill go to Warwick on Saturday for the Pertemps Qualifier, but I’m not convinced that A) it will be on and B) The ground will be in any fit state. We made the late decision to take one out at Musselburgh on what seemed a farce at the weekend. The BHA has to do something about these meetings getting called off so late – it’s not fair on the stable lads and lasses, owners, trainers, owners and ultimately racegoers
Ruth Jefferson Latest: Autumn Return
We’re looking at stepping Autumn Return up to three miles next, and I’m hopeful (obviously) she’ll stay. We’ll try and find a race for her in the next few weeks – she could go to Musselburgh on their big Saturday card.
Ruth Jefferson Latest: Giveupyerauldsins
She’s now qualified for the northern series final after his run last time out, It wasn’t her day, and I’m not sure if she liked the cheek-pieces, but the handicapper has given her a chance (down 4lb) so we will persevere with – I think she will win races.
Ruth Jefferson Latest: Lunar Chief
Lunar Chief ran well behind a good thing of the Skeltons – fair play to them for getting three spot on to win all three races – when finishing a good third on the day. I think we’ll probably go for a set of blinkers on him. He just got stuck behind a few horses and stayed on well near the end. He may end up stepping up to three miles, but we’ll just take it steady with him for now. I think he will end up over fences.
Ruth Jefferson Latest: 2025 and Beyond
The first aim for 2025 is getting an abacus to work out how Maple can go up 10lb for finishing second on New Year’s Day at Musselburgh. That’s really snookered him now, and made life difficult in terms of placing him. We trained 10 winners during 2024 and I’d like to think we can better that. We had winners at Listed and Graded level, which I don’t think others can boast from a similar string.
We’ve got some nice horses and I’m looking forward to the second half of this season – hopefully we can continue the yard’s excellent strike-rate, and get some of our horses more black-type.
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