SPSS News - Simnel

GRADED BROODMARE RETURNS TO RACING!

Report by Colleen and Kerry Salmon

Those of you who read about our "history making" mare 'Simnel', (graded into both Head Stud Books of the SPSS and the SHB(GB) - click here to read) would have seen that we were hoping to see whether Simnel could become the first graded broodmare to make it back onto the racetrack – and within a year of having had her first foal – and we are delighted to say that she did it – and 17 days before her foals first birthday!

Simnel had her first race after a break of over three years (well 1,219 days actually) off the track, and considering she hadn't even had a saddle on for well over a thousand of those days, and had only been in with our racing trainer Shaun Keightley for a matter of weeks, we were delighted with her well she went.

Simnel in the Pre-Parade Ring at Southwell Racecourse

Okay, she came last by a very long way, but the race at Southwell's all-weather racetrack on Wednesday 1st March 2006, was purely to see whether Simnel could take it both mentally and physically, and we are delighted to report back that she coped brilliantly.

The race was far beyond her capabilities as she was racing against horses rated more than double her handicap rating, but our trainer just couldn't find a race at Simnel's level for her to have her first race in, so the 1.50pm race "Win £2m @ footballpools.com Apprentice Handicap (Class 6)" had to be the one. I must admit, we were slightly worried about having a young apprentice jockey on her back for the first time, but young Mark Coumbe had ridden one of our other racehorses for us and did a brilliant job with him when he got him into the Winners Enclosure, so we agreed that Mark would have the responsibility of giving Simnel her first ride back and look after her. We just hoped that Simnel would look after Mark.

As you can imagine, we were very nervous waiting for Simnel to make an appearance in the Parade Ring but when we saw her come out, already saddled up, we were absolutely delighted. Angela Turner, who looks after Simnel and who rides work on her most days and has taken a large part of Simnel's race training off of our trainer, had turned her out brilliantly, even to the extent of plaiting her. Angela herself wanted to lead Simnel around the Parade Ring whilst Shaun had told us that he would meet Simnel at the starting stalls just in case there was a problem with her loading, although naturally much practice had been done at the yard with her on this with no problems, but come race day, it could be a different matter.

Simnel was very much on her toes going around the Parade Ring and we couldn't help overhearing quite a few comments about her. The Racing Post newspaper had printed that morning that Simnel had been off the track an awfully long time and that she'd had a foal in 2005, so many race-goers were keen to see "this broodmare". We heard someone comment "Where is Simnel, the one who had the foal last year? No, that can't be her, she doesn't look like a mum". We felt like telling her that Simnel didn't look like a broodmare the day she gave birth either.

Mark Coumbe (jockey) on Simnel, being led to the track by Angela Turner. This photo is by kind permission of Proshot Photography

So with Shaun as excited as us about Simnel's reappearance – he had originally purchased Simnel as a yearling at Tattersalls Bloodstock Sales in Ireland, and she'd been with him up until he gifted her to us at the end of 2003, he made his way to the stalls whilst our jockey came out ready to mount. He asked about Simnel and we told him how special she was and told him to make sure he looked after her and hoped she looked after him as well.

With the jockey on board, Angela led them out onto the racecourse and then let her go. Simnel just stood there bouncing up and down on the spot until Mark pushed her into a canter to join the others. She went calmly down the track, stopped where the others had stopped to turn around, and bounced on the spot again. Another horse thankfully gave her a lead, and she followed that around the track to the starting stalls where her "dad" Shaun was waiting for her to lead her into the stalls when it was her turn.

Simnel showing her excitement on the way to the starting stalls

She loaded fine, stood in the stalls brilliantly, and came out faster than we could have hoped. She was in 3rd place for about 4 furlongs and was travelling very well. We couldn't have hoped for a better start back for her. As they rounded the final bend though, the class of the other horses took over and Simnel was left behind but still running on. She finished the race last but to us she was the winner!

We all ran down to meet her at the unsaddling area where we met up with Shaun who said he had been delighted with her. Our jockey came back and Shaun asked him if he would consider riding Simnel again, so we assumed Simnel would be staying in training for a little while longer. Mark said she'd been no problem at all, and would be more than happy to ride her again for us.

We went back to the racecourse stables to check her over and give her lots of kisses and cuddles and was thrilled with how well she recovered from the race.

We can't thank Shaun or Angela enough and in fact, Angela has asked us if we would allow her to ride Simnel in an Amateurs race (Angela herself is a Winning Amateur Jockey) and we are more than happy to agree to that.

We've since spoken to Shaun about Simnel's future, and have all agreed that providing we can find an eventual race at Simnel's level, we will let her have three races and if she's improving she can stay in training for a while longer. If not, well, she can come home to us and re-acquaint herself with her daughter who was so very proud of her mum. There aren't any other yearlings whose mum is back racing as far as we know.

Latest News: Simnel has just had her second race (28th March), again with Mark Coumbe on board, and we are delighted with her. Considering she raced in torrential rain, she showed 100% improvement in her racing, and again, even though she was racing against horses rated a lot more than her, she actually managed to beat one, coming in 6th. She'd been in 2nd place for most of the race and was moving very well. You would have thought she had won the race, as we were all so very pleased. Both our jockey and trainer say that if we can find the right distance and level of race for Simnel, then we could possibly see our little broodmare become the first ever Graded Broodmare in the Winners Enclosure! Wouldn't that be something!

Jockey on board Simnel in the Parade Ring - 28th March 2006

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