Weekend Racing Recap: Looking Back & Moving Forward
As the dust settles on another busy weekend for Ursa Major Racing, we take a moment to reflect on our runners’ performances. While luck wasn’t always on our side, there were plenty of positives, and we’re already looking ahead to the next challenges.
Thursday: Tarlac’s Run at Newcastle
Tarlac’s race on Thursday didn’t quite go to plan, but with insightful feedback from Jason Hart and Katie’s keen eye for detail, we’re making an important adjustment. He will step up in trip and run again this Saturday at Wolverhampton—an exciting opportunity that we believe will suit him much better.
Friday: Musselburgh Contenders
Punxsutawney Phil was our first runner of the day and produced a superb effort, leading for most of the race only to be caught right on the line. A tough beat, but still an excellent performance at 25/1, rewarding some owners with nice place money alongside the prize money earned.
Next up was Restandbethankful (Rocky), who didn’t quite fire over hurdles. What we learned is clear—he’s a much better chaser. This wasn’t his true showing, and we’re looking forward to seeing him at his best this summer over fences.
Saturday: Ashington & Darlo Pride
Ashington put in another solid effort despite facing soft ground that didn’t suit him. He ran his heart out as always, finishing 5th, a run that certainly deserves marking up given the conditions.
Later that day, Darlo Pride ran at Newcastle. He’s had an unlucky 2025, and his draw in stall 2 made things even tougher. Unfortunately, that compromised his chances, but he’s been a real credit to us in his debut season for Ursa Major Racing. He now heads for a well-earned break after giving his all.
A big thank you to Michael and all the stable staff for their dedication throughout what has been a fantastic winter campaign.
Sunday: Carlisle Runners
We sent two runners to Carlisle, with Glory and Honour and Heritier lining up in the same race. Tactics didn’t quite play out in our favour, and while Heritier managed to finish 4th, we know both horses are capable of better. Glory and Honour found himself outpaced on the day, but we know his best days are ahead.
Looking Ahead: Hexham & Straya Entries
Before the week is out, we have Final Edgar running at Hexham tomorrow, and we’re hoping for a strong performance from him.
Beyond that, we turn our attention to Straya and Tarlac who have some exciting entries coming up at the weekend. With plenty of racing ahead, we’re feeling optimistic and eager to see how our runners progress.
A huge thank you to our owners, jockeys, and stable staff for their continued hard work and support—onwards and upwards!
