Eventmasters Racing – September 2026

September provided an exciting opportunity to look ahead to the new National Hunt season as Eventmasters Racing attended Tom Ellis Racing’s Annual Owners’ Day on 20th September. With six horses currently in training at the yard, it was fantastic to see five of our string on show and catch up with Tom and the team as preparations continue for the months ahead.

The afternoon offered a valuable opportunity to see both familiar faces and some of our exciting younger prospects, with Ain’t That A Shame and Four Decades joined by our three unraced fillies – by Nathaniel, Jukebox Jury and Golden Horn respectively. Ladies Day completes our six-strong team at the yard, giving us plenty of interest across the string as we head towards the heart of the jumps season.

On the racecourse, September has brought a mixture of encouraging performances and valuable experience. Ladies Day finished runner-up at Sedgefield, while Penzance continued his consistent spell over hurdles with another placed effort at Newton Abbot. Premium Seat gained further experience during the early stages of his career and Four Decades took an important first step in her education over fences. We also welcomed another homebred to the racecourse, with Khachaturian making his debut at Wolverhampton, where Thomas Tallis was also back in action.

With preparations gathering pace at Tom Ellis Racing and our horses continuing their respective campaigns across several yards, there is plenty to bring you up to date on this month.

Below is the latest news.

Penzance – Encouraging Efforts Over a Longer Trip

Penzance rounded off August with a promising performance at Downpatrick on 31st August, returning to handicap company and stepping up significantly in trip to 2m5f180y. Harry Sexton was once again in the saddle for trainer John Hanlon.

Racing prominently from the outset, Penzance tracked the leader in second before taking up the running from the fifth hurdle. He continued to travel well at the head of the field and maintained his advantage until coming under pressure after the second last. He was headed inside the final furlong but kept on to finish a creditable third of the ten runners.

Penzance returned to maiden company at Newton Abbot on 18th September, again running at around 2m5f with Paddy Hanlon back in the saddle. Racing in touch with the leaders throughout, he remained well positioned approaching the closing stages before being asked for his effort after the second last. Switched to the right before the final hurdle, he kept on determinedly on the run-in but was unable to make an impression on the leading pair, finishing third of the seven runners.

Back-to-back third-place finishes represent another solid and consistent spell for Penzance, with the step up in distance appearing to suit him well. He has now shown on several occasions that he can be competitive over hurdles, and his latest efforts provide further encouragement that there is more to come as he continues to gain experience.

Four Decades – First Experience Over Fences

Four Decades began a new chapter in her career at Worcester on 4th September, making her first start over fences in a handicap chase over 2m110y. Jack Andrews was in the saddle for trainer Tom Ellis.

Settled towards the rear during the early stages, she gradually worked her way into fourth before the fifth fence as she gained experience over the larger obstacles. She was unable to maintain that position as the race developed and weakened from two out, eventually finishing sixth.

While the result was not what we had hoped for, the primary objective was to give Four Decades her first experience of chasing in a competitive environment. The outing will undoubtedly have taught her plenty and provided the team with a useful opportunity to assess how she adapts to this new discipline. With that initial experience behind her, we hope she can build on it as her education over fences continues.

Hear Jack’s Post Race Thoughts

Ladies Day – Runner-Up at Sedgefield

Ladies Day continued her campaign at Sedgefield on 9th September, stepping up in trip to 2m3f188y for a handicap hurdle under Jack Andrews for trainer Tom Ellis.

She never appeared entirely comfortable around the track and was held up towards the rear before coming under pressure after the third last. Despite struggling to find her usual rhythm for much of the contest, she responded well when asked for her effort and made good headway to move into second approaching the final hurdle. Although unable to trouble the winner on the run-in, she kept on to secure a creditable runner-up finish.

Given how the race unfolded, there was plenty of merit in the performance. Jack felt afterwards that Sedgefield had proved a little too sharp for her on the good to good-to-firm ground and suggested that a return to a more conventional track should help her find a better rhythm, particularly with her jumping. To finish second despite conditions not playing to her strengths was encouraging and is a testament to her likable attitude. We hope to see her build on this effort when encountering a more suitable test.

Listen to Jack’s Post Race Thoughts

Premium Seat – Continuing His Racecourse Education

Premium Seat returned to Wolverhampton on 15th September for the third start of his career, contesting a confined restricted novice stakes over 6f20y. William Cox was back in the saddle for trainer Stan Moore.

Settled in midfield, Premium Seat raced a little wide before being asked to improve two furlongs from home. He responded steadily to pressure and continued to make ground from over a furlong out, keeping on through the closing stages to finish sixth of the ten runners.

With only three racecourse appearances to his name, Premium Seat is still learning his trade and gaining valuable experience with each outing. It was encouraging to see him finish his race positively, and these early runs should continue to help his development as he becomes more accustomed to the demands of competitive racing.

Watch Premium Seat at Wolverhampton

Ain’t That A Shame – Aintree Target in Sight

Ain’t That A Shame continues to build his fitness at Tom Ellis Racing as preparations for his return to the racecourse gather pace. Having returned from his summer break last month, he is progressing well through his training programme ahead of the new National Hunt season.

The Becher Chase at Aintree is currently being targeted as a potential early-season objective, providing all goes to plan in the weeks ahead. The race would offer him another opportunity over Aintree’s famous Grand National fences, a course where he previously ran so well when finishing sixth in the 2024 Grand National.

As ever, suitable ground will be an important consideration when finalising his plans. Ain’t That A Shame is at his best when conditions are soft, so we will be hoping for plenty of rain as the autumn progresses. For now, the focus remains on continuing to build his fitness and having him ready to take his chance when the right conditions arrive.

Thomas Tallis – Further Handicap Experience

Thomas Tallis returned to Wolverhampton on 28th September for another handicap over 1m142y, with Tyler Heard taking the ride for trainer John Mackie.

Drawn unfavourably in stall 12, he struggled to secure a good early position and raced more freely than ideal. Tyler therefore allowed him to move forward, where he raced prominently before coming under pressure over three furlongs from home. The early exertions eventually took their toll and he weakened from over two furlongs out, finishing tenth of the twelve runners.

Tyler felt afterwards that the combination of the difficult draw and Thomas Tallis racing too keenly meant they had ultimately done too much during the earlier stages of the contest. He also suggested that a switch to turf could be worth exploring, ideally on ground on the easier side of good.

Although this was not the result we had hoped for, his career-best third at Wolverhampton earlier in the summer showed what he is capable of when circumstances fall his way. The latest outing has provided further useful information as we consider the most suitable conditions for him going forward.

Khachaturian – Racecourse Debut

Khachaturian made his racecourse debut at Wolverhampton on 28th September, lining up over 1m142y under Tyler Heard for trainer John Mackie. Another of our homebreds, the two-year-old is by Kameko out of our own mare Turanga Leela.

He found the demands of his first competitive outing challenging and became detached towards the rear of the field, eventually finishing eleventh. However, as with any young horse making their debut, the experience itself was the most important aspect of the day.

Tyler reported afterwards that Khachaturian had been a little excited in the stalls but broke away well. He spent much of the race looking around and taking in his new surroundings, with Tyler feeling that he clearly needed the experience.

His debut should therefore prove an important first step in his education. Having now experienced the starting stalls and the demands of a race for the first time, he has plenty to learn from and we hope to see him become more streetwise with each outing.

September has provided plenty of interest both on and off the racecourse, from established members of the team continuing their campaigns to another of our homebreds taking his first steps on the track. The Annual Owners’ Day at Tom Ellis Racing also offered an exciting glimpse of what lies ahead and with Ain’t That A Shame building towards a potential return in the Becher Chase at Aintree, anticipation is growing as we move further into the autumn.

Away from our horses in training, October also brings one of the highlights of the British Flat racing calendar. As always, Eventmasters will be providing hospitality at Ascot for Qatar Racing British Champions Day on Saturday 17th October and we hope to see some of you there for what promises to be another blockbuster day of racing.