Chepstow trainer Grace Harris has had a season to remember but has wasted little time restocking her squad with the purchase of three horses in Newmarket last week.
With 25 winners and £238,560 earned in prize-money, Harris has enjoyed by far her finest campaign but is not resting on her laurels and was active at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale.
First up was Kinetic Impact, an unexposed three-year-old gelding formerly trained by Charlie Hills who ran the best race of his life when fourth at Chepstow in May, which might be a positive for Harris as she trains only ten minutes from the course.
He cost 14,000 guineas, but the trainer did not have to go that far when picking up Clementines Star from Daniel and Claire Kubler for only 2,500gns.
A winner at Thirsk in July, she was then third at Chepstow, but has since lost her way, which might explain her low price tag, although an official rating of just 65 is something her new team will aim to exploit.
Rated 72, Del Corso was the third and final of Harris’ buys at 15,000gns, which could look money well spent if he begins to live up to his illustrious pedigree.
Bred by Fairway Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd, he is out of a mare called Via Condotti, who is a sister to Highland Reel, a globetrotting superstar for Aidan O’Brien and the Coolmore partners whose seven top-level wins included the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot in 2017. What is more is that Del Corse is by Dubawi - a five-time champion sire in Britain and Ireland.
He has not managed to uphold family honour but was twice a winner for Lambourn trainer Ed Walker this summer and boasts a largely consistent profile despite a tame display on his most recent outing at Nottingham last month.
Connie's Rose (photographed), whom Harris bought for just 4,000gns four years ago, became her latest winner of 2026 when successful at Bath last week.
A seven-year-old owned by Paul and Ann de Weck, the mare was making her 78th appearance for the yard in a 5f handicap, for which she went off a 20-1 shot.
Kieran O’Neill was on board and got the tactics spot on as he sent Connie’s Rose straight into the lead against the near rail. He had to ask his mount for her effort three furlongs from home and the pair then came under pressure, but the daughter of Adaay kept on in game fashion to record her 11th victory.
There is racing at Chepstow this week when the course stages a seven-race jumps fixture that starts at 12.51pm on Wednesday 4th November, while its sister track Ffos Las is in action on Sunday.
Seven races are programmed then and the first of those is due off at 12.50pm.
