DOUBLE AT TAUNTON

We recorded an unusual double at Taunton on Thursday with our marvellous veteran Sir Ivan winning the opening Hunter Chase and one of our promising youngsters Geezer Rockstar landing the closing bumper on his debut.

There is fully nine years between the pair and while one is coming to the end of a fine career the other looks to be at the start of an exciting journey.

Sir Ivan has been in training for ten years. While he has always been consistent he has recently found life quite difficult in handicaps against younger legs. Switched to calmer waters in a Hunter Chase on Thursday he was given a good ride by Megan Bevan who works for us. They clearly enjoyed themselves, surviving a couple of mistakes along the way before they stayed on to beat the favourite Bob And Co.

We did wonder if this would be Sir Ivan’s swansong but the way he pricked his ears at the line suggested that he is not in a hurry to be retired so we might look for a similar race for him provided the ground doesn’t dry up too quickly.

Geezer Rockstar then book-ended a rewarding afternoon for the yard with an impressive success in the bumper with the help of a patient ride by Lorcan Murtagh. He was happy to track the favourite Jackpot D’Athou before delivering his mount with a late challenge which quickly took them to the front.

It was a lovely introduction for Geezer Rockstar who lengthened impressively in the closing stages. As he will not run again this season we have time over the summer to decide if he goes for another classier bumper in the late autumn or switches to hurdles.