Ridin Solo
The first of what we hope will be many horses on the team for The Red Sash Racing Club is Ridin Solo, a 6 yr old gelding by Ocovango, out of Takemewithyou.
Ridin Solo was purchased as an unraced 3 yr old by (his now) trainer, Donald McCain but remained in Ireland to be broken in and begin his journey to being a racehorse. He is from a late maturing family and was given all the time that he needed at the Wexford yard of Champion Point to Point handler Colin Bowe, an academy that has produced some of the best horses that we have seen on the track in the last few years, including Samcro and Envoi Allen. On winning on his debut in Loughrea in early October, Ridin Solo took Colin to a significant milestone in his career, his 500th winner in Irish Point to Points.
Being a late maturing horse himself, Ridin Solo was spared the rigours of running as a weak and unfurnished 4 year old and given time to grow and develop, eventually making his debut in Loughrea in early October 2023. On ground that was described as extremely testing, Ridin Solo did very well to get through it and win his race. He was put on the back foot when blundering five from home but to his credit he soon got back on an even keel and when left in the lead by the exit of Roe And Co on the approach to the straight he showed a willing attitude when pulling out plenty to carry the day by a length and a half. He was the beneficiary of the leader getting carried out on the home turn, but his jockey – Cheltenham Festival winner Rob James, ensures us that Ridin Solo would have beaten that rival anyway, and that Ridin Solo was the winner on merit. The Irish point to Point website stating, ‘He is entitled to step forward from this initial career effort, he should make his mark inside the rails in due course’,
After his maiden win Ridin Solo was recommended to us by Colin Bowe, and independently by the best Irish Point to Point jockey of all time, Derek O’Connor, who was suitably impressed by his performance.
Obviously, we wanted the first horse to run for The Red Sash Racing Club to be one that would make his/her mark on the track in the UK, and so we were very keen to make Ridin Solo that horse!
When he arrived over at Donald McCains Bankhouse Stables later in October and was given plenty of time to acclimatise to his new surroundings and get used to his new routine. He soon began to put on plenty of condition, and Donald was very happy with him, when he felt the time was right, he stepped his work up, and everyone was delighted with what they saw of him when he did his first piece of faster work. He attacked the hill gallop and was hard to pull up at the top of it – he relishes hard work, and has a very tough mental attitude. He is also not short of speed, and as he is bred to be a staying chaser, the fact that he shows plenty of boot on the gallops bodes very well for his future.
Ridin Solo made his debut in Sedgefield on Boxing Day in a 2m1f Maiden Hurdle. He was declared on Soft ground, which we felt would suit the horses with a bit of stamina on what is a sharp track, but by the time he went to post, the ground had dried back to Good to Soft, which was not ideal as it meant that it would be more about speed than stamina. He was taking on a couple of horses that were winners on the flat, and had vastly more experience than him, but after avoiding trouble at the first, where he was slightly hampered, he jumped and travelled great. As expected, he was outpaced at the top of the hill, but got rolling on the descent, and stayed on really well up the hill to the line to finish a close second. His jockey Peter Kavanagh reported that he was hard to pull up after the line, and really enjoyed his first run over hurdles.
After Sedgefield he was given a few days to recover, and when he retuned to work it was clear that the run had brought him on considerably. He made his second start in Carlisle where Brian Hughes took the ride. This race - over 2m1f would still be short of his optimum distance, but Ridin Solo is certainly not short of pace and the stiffer track was sure to suit. Ridin Solo travelled very stongly throughout the race, and once again jumped superby - he looked sure to pick up the leader after the last, but just couldn't quite get past. This was just the third start of his career, and Brian reported that he was still very green, and would learn plenty from this run and be hard to beat next time. The form of that run has been franked in some style, with the horse that finished sixth, and who went off favourite in Carlisle, comfortably winning in Ludlow later in the month. The Carlisle race looks like a decent heat, and there will be plenty of winner emerge from it - marking Ridin Solo out as a very bright prospect indeed. Especially as he looks sure to be even better over fences in the future!
There are so many positives to take out of his two runs, and it really does look like Ridin Solo has a lovely future, especially as he goes up in trip. He has the makings of a very nice staying chaser – just the type that Donald does so well with – as a Grand National winning trainer he knows what it takes to get the best out of this type of horse, and who knows, we may even see him around Aintree over those big fences sometime in the future! He is in the right hands – and we are really glad to have him!
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Year 2 – June 1st 2024 – May 31st 2025- New Members £75.00
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Price Breakdown:
- Purchase price Including commissions £ 65,000
- Insurance £6,500
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