BROOKIE made the perfect start for the yard with a fluent success in a handicap hurdle at Fontwell on Friday off a mark of 120 ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies.
He was previously trained by Tony Martin in Ireland before joining us six weeks ago. He won his maiden hurdle last November and has since run very well in handicaps at Leopardstown and Punchestown.
So I was hopeful of a decent show under top weight at Fontwell and was delighted to see him travel comfortably throughout before easing to the front at the final flight and quickening clear on the flat.
Brookie has a bit of quality and as a half brother to the 160 rated chaser Captain Guinness he should give his owners the Rugg family a bit of fun this winter.
They have a share in our star bumper horse who landed the £100,000 Goffs Spring store sale race at Newbury in March on his racecourse debut and also have an interest in the unraced Crest of Fortune who will try to follow the same path.
We can now raise our sights with Brookie and throw him into the deep end a little by looking at stronger handicaps at Cheltenham and Ascot.
He doesn’t want the ground too soft and I’d imagine will be going chasing sooner rather than later.
