A long day, Cavite Beta over jumped and fell

A long day, Cavite Beta over jumped and fell at the first fence today at Larkhill. To say we were not deflated would be an understatement, I thought he would win. Although I am bias he was the paddock pick and was ready to run for his life. He jumped the next 2 fences beautifully and led the field all the way round passing the winning post a good 10 lengths in front, needless to say without his jockey. There are no suitable races for him for another month, with this in mind we'll see how he is this week before considering the 2.5 mile madien at The Heythrop next Sunday.

Thats horseracing!

Although it is slow the thaw has finally started.

Although it is slow the thaw has finally started. I finally admitted defeat and rendered my gallop unusable as of yesterday. Thankfully Paul Webber kindly allowed me to take the Old Vic gelding over to his gallop. I’ve managed to keep him on the go cantering only, he was found wanting in faster work. Mr Webber assured me that I shouldn’t be too disappointed and that he was in fact working with a pretty useful animal who had finished second in her only bumper start. The main thing is that the horse has had a proper blow and will no doubt come on for it. I will be taking him back there for more of the same on Tuesday, if I’m in any doubt of his fitness I will wait another week and he’ll miss Larkhill and run at our own Point to Point the Heythrop.

We have done very little with the horses over the last 10 days, only managing to trot them around the school.

We should be back to normal on Monday at the latest.

Another inch of snow

We've woken up this morning to another inch of snow - things are proving to be a little difficult now. I think that we have managed very well up to now. The snow is no longer powder but has become sticky, excercising the horses is going to be limited. I managed to keep the Old Vic pointer on the gallop all last week and the others stayed in the school and on the walker. There is more snow forecast for Tuesday night. After Tuesday I will try to get my man on a digger, he'll clear the gallop leaving 2/3 inches on it, otherwise he'll take all the woodchip with him, I will then harrow it in. Its all very well but any racing ground will become a bog, it was so wet everywhere prior to the snow. I've use this spell of miserable weather to let the other pointers down.

A seriously well bred Oasis Dream filly belonging to Patrick Milmo has been booked in for Pre-training once the thaw eventually comes.

The weather is becoming tedious...

The weather is becoming tedious and dissapointment is setting in regarding the unlikelyhood of Barbury Castle being fit to race at the weekend. The forecast for the rest of the week is for more of the same.

Two youngters of Johnny Wills arrived last week, one by Beat All the other by Alflora who is a lovely looking 2 year old. Lets hope for some sunshine and fingers crossed that we get to run on safe ground at the weekend.