While we wait for racing on grass to resume, the all weather tracks have been busy with four Croom House bred horses reappearing in the week of January 17th.  Two placed efforts at the beginning of the week gave hope for better to come and we were not disappointed with a winner on Thursday and another winner on Saturday.

With the sharp cold weather our January foaling mares have been taking their time but we do expect foaling to get underway in the coming days.

We look forward to seeing many exciting horses run in 2022.  Broome and Point Lonsdale should start early for Coolmore.  Croom House has four of its own fillies to race this year and we look forward to seeing Siamsa step up in grade, a winner and listed placed in 2021, and soon the 2YO full sister to Mehmas now named Mehme.

January - July

Solid Stone

6th May 2022

Solid Stone has run twenty four times, has won on eight occasions including four at Group level and has been in the frame for seventeen of his twenty four runs.  He is a credit to his trainer Sir Michael Stoute and to his owner Saeed Suhail.  He has now earned over €300,000 and with his appetite for racing and winning there is lots more to come.

Having last been seen on a UK track when winning the GR3 Arc Trial at Newbury on September 18th he returned to contest Huxley Stakes (GR2) at Chester on May 6th.  He finished an easy three lengths winner with a further nine lengths back to the third horse.  Solid Stone’s Showcasing brother was sold at Tattersalls Book One in October last year.  He has also gone into training with Sir Michael Stoute.  Their dam Landmark has a Blue Point colt foal on the ground – he being a three quarters brother to Solid Stone.  Two of the mare’s offspring are back in Croom House to carry on the breeding dynasty – a mare by Montjeu and a mare by Galileo.
Desert Angel

1st May 2022

Desert Angel (Dark Angel X Slieve Mish) ran twice as a 2YO in September 2021 earning himself an official rating of 90 for his 3YO career.  The second September win was at Newmarket, with Ryan Moore in the saddle and the combination teamed up again on May 1st in the Class 3 Betfair Handicap and carrying 9st 7 lbs.  On this occasion he had a comfortable four lengths victory bringing his total winnings to just under Stg. £50,000.  It has to be black type racing from here.

After racing the vets reported that he came home lame and will need to be box rested until he is fit to race again.  We can only hope we see him in the Autumn, having made a full recovery.  We would like to congratulate his owner Ziad A Galadari and hope that Desert Angel returns to racing soon.
Merweh

24th April 2022

Merweb changed trainers in March and showed promise for his new stable and stepped up to 1m4f on the 9th of April, where he finished fifth.  At Bath on April 24th his new trainer again chose that he run over 1m3½f and he made no mistake on this occasion.  Taking the lead at the 2f but kept doing enough in the final two furlongs to stay in front all the way to the line.

This was his third win.  Now that he has mastered a longer distance we can expect a fast reappearance and further prize money.
Soaring Star

8th February 2022

Soaring Star winner at 2 and at 3 when trained by Kevin Ryan, changed trainers to Philip Kirby in November 2021.  Stepped up in distance to run over 1m4f he finished a close 2nd on both January 11th and January 18th at Southwell.  Turning out again in the Betway Handicap at Southwell on Tuesday, he made no mistake on this occasion winning by three lengths under a hands and heels ride.  Patiently ridden at the rear of the field Soaring Star started to make headway from the 2f mark and took the lead 1f out to go on and win comfortably.  Now that he has found his best distance we can expect other handicap wins.

His dam Peig has a Profitable yearling colt and is in foal to Cable Bay.  She will return to be covered by Profitable in April.
Pedestal

5th February 2022

Pedestal loves Kempton and having won there on January 12th he just got touched off finishing a close 2nd on February 2nd.  To overcome this disappointment his trainer sent him back there on Feb. 5th and on this occasion he made no mistake finishing 1st ahead of a twelve runner field.

As he is now returning to his 2YO form he should win more handicaps whether that be at Kempton or further away.
Stardayz

4th February 2022

Stardayz (Exceed and Excel X Red Avis) went to post at Dundalk on February 2nd, to race over one mile four furlongs.  She did not see out the trip finishing last of the fourteen runners.  Her previous run at Dundalk on January 14th saw her finish a close up 4th, replicating her good form as a 2YO.  The trainer returned to Dundalk, just two days later on February 4th and everyone noticed backing her down to the short price of 5/1.

She did not disappoint her supporters winning by a comfortable three and a half lengths and picking up a nice 1st prize of almost €7,000.

We would like to congratulate her trainer, Ciarran Murphy and her owner Mrs. D A Love and there is likely to be many more good handicaps to be picked up over this shorter trip.
Kodias Sangarius

22nd January 2022

Kodias Sangarius (Kodiac X Oui Say Oui) won a Fillies Novice Stakes on December 18th and was making her handicap debut at Lingfield on Saturday.  After her maiden win the handicapper gave her an official rating of 77 and with this rating and the weight to match she went to post unfancied at 12/1.  Given a patient ride by her jockey Sean Levey he moved smoothly through the field to go fourth inside the final furlong.  From there she kept on strongly to lead in the final strides.

This filly and How Impressive, a winner two days earlier were purchased and are owned by Middleham Park Racing.  We would like to congratulate them for the astute purchases and they can expect many more wins from these two in the months ahead.
How Impressive

20th January 2022

How Impressive (Starspangled Banner X Bright New Day) was unraced as a 2YO but wasted little time at three when heading to Newcastle for the Coral Novice Stakes over seven furlongs.  Though racing against previous runners, his work on the Newmarket gallops did not go unnoticed when he went to post as the second favourite.  Held up in last place In the nine runner field he smoothly moved from last to first between the five and six furlong mark and ran out a comfortable winner.  We expect to see him on a racecourse again shortly.

Bright New Day was an unraced filly out of the group winner Oui Say Oui. How Impressive was her second foal and she will have an Awtaad filly running this year as a 2YO and has a Cable Bay yearling colt.  He is booked to return to Starspangled Banner.
Pedestal

12th January 2022

Pedestal is a full brother to Loch Lein and he himself was sold for Stg. £220,000 as a yearling.  He quickly made his mark as a 2YO winning his maiden in Tipperary followed up by a third place finish, a few weeks later, in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Ascot.  He did not run again as a 2YO and with an official rating of 95 he made one appearance at three in the Copiers Lacken Stakes at Naas, finishing 6th to Carravagio.  Over the next few years he totally lost his way finishing last in many of his races.

All that has changed in 2022 and with a new owner a new trainer and a new jockey he has fallen in love with Kempton Racecourse recording a fourth, a second and two firsts in the thirty days from the 5th of January to the 5th of February.

When finished fourth at Kempton on January 5th he reappeared quickly on January 12th and with different tactics staying at the rear for most of the journey he was shaken up approaching the 1f pole and kept on to win by one and a half lengths.