I’M not sure where the last seven days went but the Cheltenham Festival has been and gone. Our runners, Kingston Queen and Gericault Roque ran with credit but the ground was not soft enough for the mare, it was not far enough on that ground. Both have returned home safe and well which is the main thing and will run again when the ground is more to their liking.

We started last week with a winner at Taunton thanks to Way of Stars winning the maiden hurdle under Jack Tudor. Acquired from the Newmarket sales in October, he has taken to hurdling well, and shows a great attitude alongside his talent.

We had two runners at Huntingdon on Wednesday which included another winner, Best Night in the colours of the David Pipe Racing Club. This was filly’s second win over hurdles since we bought her from France and she enjoyed the return to some better going. Saccary ran his best race to date over hurdles to be second and on this evidence his winning turn should not be too far away.

Our third winner of the week came at Chepstow on Sunday with Jaipaletemps winning for the fifth time this season. He has been an incredible little horse for the Edwards family. Rian Corcoran has been on board for all of his wins and they have formed a great partnership and the seven-year-old has really got his career going.

Our first runners this week are at Exeter on Tuesday. Shot Boii carries the colours of the David Pipe Racing Club and reverts to hurdles having been disappointing over fences on his last couple of starts. Allstitchedup and Eton Mes both run in the 2m4f handicap hurdle and look to have good each way chances.

We then have entries at Ludlow on Thursday and at Newbury, Lingfield and Wolverhampton on Friday. King Turgeon has an entry at Newbury on Saturday while Show Your Hand could make is career debut in the valuable Goffs bumper on the card. We also have entries at Bangor, Carlisle and Exeter over the weekend so for all the latest news on the stable runners keep checking the Daily News on the website.

Our son Jack rode in the 148cm pony race at Buckfastleigh on Sunday and finished second behind Rocket Ronnie, the pony he just beat the previous week. Jack couldn’t quite peg back the leader on this occasion but it was another great learning experience for them both.

I am saddened to report that Vieux Lion Rouge passed away on Friday after a short battle with colic at the grand old age of seventeen. He spent his recent retirement living with Toby and Callie Coles on the edge of Dartmoor.

Vieux Lion Rouge retired from racing in January 2022 a few days after his thirteenth birthday. He has been a tremendous horse for the Pond House team and the ‘horse of a lifetime’ for owners Professor Caroline Tisdall and John Gent. During his 41 race career he won thirteen times, including two Becher Chases over Aintree’s Grand National fences and a Grand National Trial at Haydock and amassed over £344,000 in prize money.

He was a cheeky character who loved his carrots and he leaves us with some fond memories that we will cherish forever.

David Pipe was talking to Richard Walsh.