Coakley News

• PARTY ISLAND PROVIDES GREAT HIGHLIGHT OF A BUSY WEEK WITH FANTASTIC ELEVENTH WIN

  18 May 2026

  A busy week started with trips to the East Midlands for Barry's Boy at Nottingham and Sharma d'Amour at Leicester. Both of them were unplaced in their races, Barry's Boy getting a little outpaced in the last furlong having moved into a very prominent position and Sharma d'Amour getting boxed in onto the rail which she clearly didn't enjoy and consequently faded.in the latter stages. 

  At Bath Party Island continued his great form with a remarkable eleventh race win, this time over ten furlongs. He was the outsider in a field of four, but always travelled very well on the firm ground for regular partner George Bass. Moving up and past the race leader once George decided to send him for home three furlongs out. Party Island was always doing enough to hold off challenges from two rivals and much to the delight of Denis and Tony Killoran the gelding notched up yet another race victory. The same outcome was not possible for My Ambition, who had to suffer a wide draw and no cover, so he ran much too freely and once George had sent him on after half a mile, he was always there to be swamped by late closers and things just didn't fall right for the Harrow Racing Club gelding this time around.

  Going to Newbury for the Bramble Syndicate, the filly Dijon Gone ran a great race in her first step into handicap company over ten furlongs. In what was quite a warm race, she will perhaps find better luck next time in a less competitive race. After a very long lay off Definite Dream had her first run over fences at Stratford in a novices steeplechase over two miles and a furlong. From racing in the rear she made good headway from three out for Brendan Powell, and then switched left she ran on strongly from the last, only just being held by a short head at the line. This was a great first run of the season and over the larger obstacles, and she must have a great chance of losing her maiden tag very soon.

• Phoenix Moon proves herself on turf with a strong second at Windsor

  08 May 2026

  Denis and the Keeper's 12 syndicate were delighted with the run from Phoenix Moon on the last race of yesterday's card at Windsot. Drawn quite wide she broke well this time, but was not able to find early cover which would certainly have been beneficial to her running. She followed quite a strong gallop on the outside of the group of nine, and George Bass had her in good rhythm to send her forward perhaps a little too soon halfway through the race. Looking to have a winning chance at the furlong, she was ultimately a little 'blindsided' by the topweight Twirler, whose telling run was very well timed to prevail by a length and give her a second course and distance win. Phoenix Moon had shown connections that she can act on the turf with nice summer ground, and this now gives the promise of a competitive season ahead after three nice runs this year already from the lovely grey mare.

• OUR GUY WINS AT WINDSOR ON HANDICAP DEBUT

  05 May 2026

  Denis and owner Chris van Hoorn were both delighted with the win from Our Guy in the opening race of the flat season at Windsor. Stepping into handicap company for the first time and, as anticipated from his last run benefitting from coming back a furlong in trip, Our Guy was always travelling very well near the front rank of a field of thirteen. Into the straight he held a central position among the leaders, and just one tap from in form jockey Rob Hornby saw him finish off strongly and surge to win by a neck at the line. The Zoustar gelding will now hopefully go on to better things for Chris van Hoorn Racing.

  In the same race Uniter was competing under Eddie Greatrex, but while he was in the stalls a hind shoe moved and the clip from the front of the racing shoe went up into the sole of his foot. As a consequence he was found to be very sore behind, exaplining that he was slowly away, detached from the dozen and pulled up a furlong from home, Fortunately the problem is only a very minor and superficial soreness and it will be a short time before the new syndicate will be able to get out of the pub and back into the paddock, as Uniter will be in racing action again very soon !

• Things don't fall right for last week's runners at Epsom and Bath

  04 May 2026

  Last Tuesday the two Ts from the yard - Terranoble and Tribal Rhythm - headed to Epsom Downs to contest quite strong races, but things didn't go their way at all and they were both unplaced. After the long dry spell the ground had been quite well watered, and some jockeys were reporting that this left the ground riding a little dead in places, and it certainly didn't seem to suit both horses who will be hoping for better runs next time.

  Conditions at Bath on Wednseday were ideal for My Ambition, and he ran another fine race for his second outing of the season. He had to make the running himself, however, and doing quite a lot early on just told in the closing stages as despite running on well he was passed by a couple in the run to the line. Jockey Hollie Doyle felt that if he had been able to follow a leader and have had something to aim at he might well have won. He looks and travels as well as ever so the Harrow Racing Club will hope to be winning again soon.

  At the Guineas meeting at Newmarket there was double interest for the stable with progeny of two of their old girls contesting the Palace House Stakes. Both horses acquitted themselves really well in the prestigious sprint event, with a son of Annie Fior, Shagraan finishing third and a daughter of Rebecca Romero, Miss Attitude placing fifth in the famous race.

• PARTY ISLAND LANDS HIS TENTH CAREER WIN AT BATH

  28 April 2026

  It was great to see stable veteran Party Island, now nine years old, deservedly notch his tenth race win after some consistent runs and not much luck. Under his regular pilot George Bass he made light work of the ten furlongs around Bath, showing his well being by travelling superbly throughout the race, closing to the flank of the favourite and race leader at the two pole and then extending three lengths clear to win readily at the winning post. Tony Killoran's Tagula gelding has been a great servant to the yard, and it was a fine sight to see him looking better than ever in striding out to a facile tenth race win, which very few horses achieve in racing.

  Things didn't work out for Phoenix Moon up at Nottingham on Sunday, over the straight six furlongs. She reared up a little breaking from the stalls and then found herself in front ranks very early on in the race, so that the desired cover just wasn't there for her. Doing too much early on meant that things didn't go to plan, racing in second she made her effort just after half way, but had no chance to show her turn of foot and gain on the easy winner. In the end she lost a couple of places inside the last hundred yards to finish fourth and she will be hoping to be in a race led at a much faster pace next time.

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