I feel for Paul Nicholls, what a time to get a cough in the yard. The Cheltenham festival would miss his horses presence and it would be a great lose to the occasion if he has to pull some of his horses out. I read that he doesn't think it is big deal and he can get them over it with 6 days of antibiotics, if this is the case I'd love to know what he uses and what measures he takes that we dont to stop the spread of any virus. The problem that i found most difficult was staffing this type of problem. No matter how hard you try staff have to go from horse to horse. We disenfect all bridles between lots but it is probadly a complete waste of time, I'm sure these things are air bound, carried on clothing etc etc. We took 3 months to sort it out at huge expense to the owners and me. At one time we were putting £200 of disinfectant throught the mist blower a week.
Loose Preformer a horse I sold to Mr Henderson was having a run before Cheltenham today at Wetherby, he missed the start, missed the first fence and it was all over from there. I wouldn't have thought he could possibly go on to Cheltenham on the back of that run. I was hugely disappointed as it is so important that horses we sell go on to prove themselves.
I took Sholti to football in Chipping Norton before he assisted me at evening stables. He is a very willing helper and I am sure in another 10 years when I ask him for some help he'll just grunt at me.
