EVE JOHNSON HOUGHTONS WOODWAY STABLES

It is always a great pleasure to be invited into the engine room of British Racing. And this country has many not only modern but historical venues that work so well and with Sucsess.
The West Berkshire Racing club, who kindly let me join their ranks to visit such yards are a bunch of kind and well informed racing fans who visit yards on a regualr basis, and over about the last 10 trips to trainers establishments i have not only enjoyed the company and trainer ,their staff and horses but also the look of the 'child in a sweet shop' expression of these enthusiasts as they are allowed to wander through training establishments that are on a whole out of bounds.

West Berkshire Racing Club visit to Eve Johnson Houghton

The West Bershire racing Club
visit their website
http://www.westberksracingclub.org.uk






The venue this time was Eve Johnson Houghtons Woodway stables in Oxfordshire. Not far from the few remaining Didcot chimney stacks, the yard is nestled in  some of the most beautiful landscapes that make up the ridgeway, an area packed with horse racing history, and Eve and her family make up a great part of that story throughout the years.

200 Acres a gallop at Woodway Stables

The Johnson Houghton family have been in this beautiful setting for the past 40 years. Gordon Johnson Houghton the first occupant and now his grandaughter Eve taking the reins, The yard has produced many group 1 status equines. Habititat, Robero and Ile De Bourborn to name but a few, but todays visit was to see some of the new and rising stars of Woodway

Some of the guys we met on the way

The trainer with help from her long serving head lad William Reddy allowed us wander the yard and took us up part of the 200 acres of owned gallops to see some of the horses work.

Horses such as 2 year olds Soiree, Custodial and Sunlit Waters and others all flowed up the sweeping grass gallop on a sunny June morning.

Soiree,Custodial,A Dutch Art Filly

Sunlit Waters, A Dylan Thomas Filly and one other added to the work?

The welcome all recieved, as in all yards visited is warm and friendly, also these guys know their industry and are happy to share that with you.

So Another great visit,and a sure thing i saw a few faces of my past come into view around the yard,

                               As always the complete pictorial story of this visit can be seen at

WWW.MJAYPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK

horse racing folder

The last part must go to the team at Woodway though

Friends

GOOD RACING ON WINDSOR MONDAY

Fair size fields, made for some very competitive racing on the Monday nights, race night at Royal Windsor racecourse.
The first few races throwing up some strong blanket finishes. And dispite the dull, rather cool feel to the evening. The racing made the crowd sit up, and take notice of the sport on offer.

Munsarim (near) Matraash (centre) (far side) Symphony 

Ryan Moore with a double for the afternoon

Ryan Moore and Tourment win the fisrt race

With Royal Ascot just around tbe corner, The Derby run at the weekend it can only show, we are getting through the Windsor season.

Munsarim (red/white sleves) win the 1m 2 f claiming stakes

Munsarim,Matraash, Symphony of Kings

Munsarim

Please dont forget the full pictorial story of the evenings racing can be seen at

Luca Cumani trained Aranka

WWW.MJAYPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK

The SIS Handicap Stakes 1m 2 f for 4yo Winner Persona Grata (Blue with orange blue cap)

CHROME SHINES AT ASCOT WORKOUT

Two stars were out at Berkshires' royal racecourse this morning. American Racehorse of the year 2014 California Chrome. And the U.K based Italian favorite Frankie Dettori.

As with the workout on Tuesday morning with Criterion, the race that is being prepared for is the Prince of Wales stakes held on the Wednesday of the Royal meeting.



The American Kentucky Derby Winner covered the same distance and course as the Australian entrant. The jockey this time though on board was the one and only Dettori, who himself is getting ready for a big race at the weekends Derby.

Both trainer and jockey were please with the horses piece of work, saying though the horse did have think about the courses inclined finish and bend, he took to the task well

The horses work partner was no slouch himself, ridden by Micheal Hills, Hugo Palmers  Aktabantay took a spin with the Americam giant.

Alan Sherman was at hand to watch his charge take to the course and said if the ground stayed as it was now, the horse could run a big race. and would only work again at his base in Newmarket and return to the Berkshire course only for the race itself.

Images from both big pre Royal Ascot workouts can be seen at

WWW.MJAYPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK

horse racing folder

AUS AT ASCOT WORKOUT

Australian wonder horse Criterion came to the Royal racecourse Tuesday morning for a look see, and a work out.
Working with an unmamed horse from the John Gosden stable, the three time group one world traveller strode out well, and easily passed his workmate, who only last week had trouble doing so.

The horse who most certainly runs in the Prince of Wales Stakes at the royal meeting took to the course well, and withstood the dull, windswept almost autum like morning.

His partner for the work out was the Australian Jockey Chad Schofield and with his trainer David Hayes watching wound the horse up for about half mile.

Both trainer and Jockey were happy with the horses work and have said the horse could continue with his tour d europe if running well at Ascot.

The team looked relaxed after the session.

At present no partner has been chosen for the Autralian contender,UK and Australian jockeys in contention,

More images from the workout can be seen at

WWW.MJAYPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK

Horse racing Folder

WET AND WINDY WINDSOR BUT WONDERFUL RACING

Monday evening racing at the Royal Windsor course. A listed race and a quality pre Royal Ascot card.

But no one told the weather, blustery spring time showers for the begining of June hung over the entire evening.

 Not even the colour on the silks could cheer up a bitter evenings racing

But the racing was quality, course times were broken. And listed races run.

accacia Beach

Not many images taken at this meeting as  the course was riding narrow and the light poor. But different angles abtained throughout the evening made for some interesting photography.

BUSHCRAFT AND BOOMARANG bOB

As always all the images can be seen at

WWW.MJAYPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK

Tropics and Luckey Krystale

SEVEN RACE BONANZA RACECARD AT ROYAL WINDSOR

Dry and warm weather blessed the bank holiday May meeting at the racecourse nestled by old father Thames at Windsor.                                                                        

A bumper crowed of young and old came for the beginning of summer festivities and also to watch some pre Royal Ascot flat racing action. Local trainers and Jockeys turned out with a superb double for Jockey based in Newmarket for the flat Frederik Tylicki

Craftsmanship winning at 5-2

Just us Two winning at 10-3

Also two Trainers, who last year were visited on the same day by the good luck charms of the West Berkshire Racing club. The trainers based just outside Lambourn Ali Stronge and Joe Tuite, had a visit from the club in October 2014. The racing club always seem to bring luck to their hosts by blessing them with wnners somewhere down the line.

Special Miss Trained by Ali Stronge Racing

Fast Dancer trained by Joe Tuite

As always images from the meeting and other meetings at events from Mark can be seen at.

WWW.MJAYPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK

WEST BERSHIRE RACING CLUB JOHN BRIDGER'S YARD VISIT 21-5-15

A small but friendly yard set in the rolling hills of Sussex, finds JJ Bridger's training set up.

A small string, but set with good, workmanlike horses. The trainer a Brighton Racecourse specialist gave and interesting and open minded visit to the West Berkshire Racing club






All was greeted by the trainer and taken to his back garden for coffee before a gallop tour. The view was relaxing and breathtaking, and all were met by the horses having a pre and post excercise paddock break.

The Trainer showed off his horses  and mentioned his two horses running at the Sandown Park evening meeting. Katie Canford finishing a 33-1 third in the first. But again bright sunshine greeted the visit.

Again all images from the visit can be seen in the Horse racing folder at

WWW.MJAYPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK