Proximo and Cavite Gamma jumped 8 hurdles at first light this morning, Trouble Digger and Harris worked on the woodchip. I then raced off to do the sales horses while the lads rode all the others horses. Sam was very pleased with Trouble Digger and I am expecting a very big run from him. I think we will ride him up on the pace on Saturday as he has proven to stay very well.
The sales horses were viewed by all the people one wants them to be seen by and I am sure there will be many more viewings tomorrow and others will be back for a second look. Only time will tell what they all make but I am optimistic they will all sell well. The 3 of them are by far the nicest horses excluding Malt Master that I have taken to any sale.
There has been a lot written in the press about the Grand National - for what it is worth I think as many others do, reducing the size of the fences and eliminating the drop on the inside of Beeches Brook has been counter productive. Everyone is now happy to travel down to Beeches on the inner. The reducing in size of other fences has encouraged more speed into the race and if anything they have probably made the race even more hazardous than before all the changes. The welfare is paramount to the horses and the facilities they have put in place for post race are second to none.
99% of the horses in training live in 5 star accommodation all year round and nobody involved in the sport wants to see horses mistreated in anyway. I have operated an open door policy at the yard since the day I set up the business; anyone of my owners can drop in any time they wish. We all live with these horses every single day of the year and we always want the best for them. I cannot stomach all the animal right activists as they don't know what they are on about. If I am reincarnated I would happily come back as a racehorse.
