WHEN David Flood's flying machine, Jonny Ebeneezer, landed his fourth win in five runs, a voice yelled from the packed Windsor stands: "What the hell are you giving them?"
Flood and his ecstatic owners were too busy counting their winnings to shout back.
Flood reckons his gambling stable has already landed more than pounds 1million in bets with the season barely half over.
He's racing's new King of the Claimers, buying cheaply and shrewdly and transforming horses such as Hurricane Coast, Rolex Free, Dissident and Night Warrior into money-spinners. And then there is the phenomenal Jonny Ebeneezer.
So is Flood really giving them something special, as that raucous Windsor racegoer clearly suspected? Indeed, he is, and he's happy to reveal his secret.
It's Ribena - gallons of it.
At his smart Lambourn stable, once the home of the great Fred Winter, workaholic Flood says: "Every morning I call at my local supermarket and collect bottles of Ribena.
"I mix it with the feed and it makes horses eat. They can't resist it. If horses don't eat, they'll never race properly. I swear by it for them, but I can't stand it personally."
Once they've eaten, Flood leads his horses to a paddock high on a hill where special herbs and nutrients have been planted to help them flourish.
Jonny Ebeneezer, bought for pounds 6,000 out of a seller a month ago, has won four of his six races, and rocketed 23lb up the BHB ratings.
Flood says: "He's like an elastic band being pulled back and released.
"He could swim for England. He does 20 lengths in our pool every day. He's a sprinter on fire, so I keep running him. You've got to race when a horse is healthy.
"We took him to Ripon for the Great St Wilfrid last week, but he hated the place. He never raced, and has come back bouncing. Next stop is the Portland at Doncaster in a fortnight, and then the Ayr Gold Cup."
Flood then picks out Hurricane Coast, claimed for pounds 6,000 at Southwell last January and already the winner of pounds 40,000 in prize money and pounds 250,000 in bets.
He said: "I put blinkers on him first time and he bolted up. He's won four times over three different distances. We've big plans for him, including races in Dubai and Belmont Park."
Alongside Hurricane Coast is Rolex Free, bought out of a field for pounds 3,000 and already a winner of two races, pounds 7,000 in prize- money and about pounds 50,000 in bets.
Dissident and Night Warrior are busily munching nearby.
Flood, 36, adds: "I bought Dissident for pounds 10,000 in Germany, and soon took pounds 27,000 out of the ring at Lingfield. We also landed a massive bet at 33-1 on him at Newmarket where he ended up at 20-1.
"Night Warrior was Marcus Tregoning's first runner in a seller. He cost pounds 9,000, and I quickly won a handicap with him.
"I've schooled him over hurdles, and he looks a Cheltenham type. He's got a great eye for obstacles, and has a lovely flowing rhythm that separates the best from the rest."
Source: Findarticles.com
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment