25th August 2012

We were pleased with Connaught Sqaure he did what he was asked to do. I don't like horses working off the bridle. The 3 year old that has been here learning to jump has returned to its trainer and we'll look forward to seeing him action soon, it would be nice if Sam got the ride,although I fear he's too fat!!!

Preparing everything and making sure that everyone knows their jobs before I go away is exhausting in its own right. It will make the holiday more relaxing if I know I've explained everything 6 times rather than just the normal 3.

This will be the last post now until 5th September. Sun cream and handkerchief packed!

24th August 2012

Tomorrow Connaught Square will work on Peter Cundell's gallop and Timmy Murphy will ride him.

Everything seems to be in order at the yard and all the horses are progressing well. Charlie was in to watch a couple of lots this morning and is happy with this years crop, all shares are now sold for this year. We hope there is a good 1 or 2 in the bunch and have plenty to look forward too.

Our holiday is creeping closer and I am very much looking forward to it. Monday morning will be my last alarm call at 4.30 a.m for 7 days. The house sitter is all lined up and we can go away not worrying about a thing. 7 days in Portugal will be a desperately well earned break even if I say so myself!!

23rd August 2012

Cestus and Connaught Square just went for a quiet walk and trot this morning. Cestus has found it all a bit of a shock and it has set him alight. He will be ticked over for 10 days allowing him the chance to settle down and forget it. Connaught Square has taken his increased work load surprisingly well and we will continue training him for a race sometime in September. All the other horse are in good order and I ahve now sold the last leg in Network Rouge.

Sam was in for a bit of schooling, he ate all our bread at breakfast and I now know why he struggles with his weight!!!!

22nd August 2012

Connaught Square and Cestus went for an away gallop and both horses are in good order. Alice rang to say she would like to work here in the mornings, that arrangement will suit us both. She is currently working and will start here on 10th September. I have agreed to speak to Jay when I come back from Portugal and we will go from there.

Sam is in tomorrow and we will school the 3 year old over hurdles again. The yard is running on tick over at the moment and I can't wait to get some more horses in. I've a few booked for loose schooling when I get back from our week away and then the yearlings will hopefully start to come for breaking.

I am going to see Chiquilline on Friday, he is a character and we are always often amused by his antics when he is around.

21st August 2012

Alice, another local girl came in to see how we work on a day to day basis and has gone away to decide whether or not she would enjoy working here. The plan is she will work mornings only, allowing her to go off and do other things in the afternoon.

Once the horses were all done and out in the paddock for the day, I headed to Overbury Stud. Overbury Stud, the home of Kayf Tara is managed and run by Simon Sweeting, Simon has always sent me as much work as he can and I try to rest our horses there when I can. It is a beautiful place and very professionally run with fantastic staff.

Sam was in early afternoon and we schooled the 3 year old ex flat horse over 10 flights of hurdles, he loved it and I led him on Silver. If Silver's legs hold up I romanticise about taking him hunting one day a week. Whether or not I can find the time or money is yet to be decided.

20th August 2012

Jay a local girl was in to ride out with a view to working here, she has plenty of experience with horses and is a lovely quiet rider. Hopefully we will be able to work out something that suits both of us. She is freelance and the plan is that she will work several hours here each morning. Tomorrow Alice is coming to ride out with a view to working mornings only. Again, Alice has plenty of experience and will be a huge help to us here.

An owner commented on how often my success box appears in the Racing Post, since April 2008 I have broken-in or pre-trained just short of 300 winners. I am able to work this out from my accounts as I know how much I have paid for each box in the paper. I am fortunate enough to be asked to work for successful trainers and good owners of my own. However, we must be doing something right and it is a complement to the team here.

England fell short by 51 runs to lose the final test, in doing so they have also lost the top spot in the world rankings. At the close of play last night I thought they would all be skittled out by lunchtime and it must have been a good days cricket.

18th August 2012

Network Rouge behave beautifully and I rode him around the school this morning. Connaught Square and Cestus went for a piece of work on an away day, both horses worked well. All the others had routine canters or went in the school. Sam was here at lunchtime and we took a 3 year old off the flat over to the hurdles, he will be aimed at juvenile hurdles races. He hates the stalls and has gone a little sour. If he isn't careful he will start to enjoy himself. He loves the jumping and if he'd allow himself he would be happier! Sam is an example to all young lads and will do anything to help himself and others, he deserves all the luck he gets. I hope that I am able to supply him with a few winners in the winter. Sam doesn't think he's entitled to anything and is willing to work for it, a few lads that have worked here previously could learn a lot from Sam's example.

I think we will enter our Milan in the sales race in the hope that he is good enough. Something to aim at anyhow.

I have been meaning to post about the closure of Tweseldown p2p track. It was one of my favourite tracks and I was Sandhurst area champion jockey for 2 years, many of the winners were ridden at Tweseldown and it is sad that it has been forced to close due to a lack of finances. Steven Astaire has bank rolled it for a long time and I feel for Steven who has put blood, sweat, tears and no doubt plenty of money into the place. The best horse generally won there and it wasn't a place for bad jockeys!!!!!!!!

The English cricket team need to roll over these South Africans a bit sharpish.

17th August 2012

I sat on Network Rouge this morning and was pleased with him, he has settled in and needed to be challenged further, after a sales prep they are sick of lunging and being longe reined around the place. He will fill out to be a smashing looking horse. If you want to be critical of any horse it is easy to find faults in anyone of them. Willie Carson told me a few years ago to look for what you like in a horse before you look for the faults. This was good advice and there is plenty to like about Network Rouge. We are debating whether or not to enter the Milan horse we bought at Doncaster in May in their sales race. Entries close on 4th September and the race isn't until March. I am sure this is purely to line the pockets of someone but it seems a crazy policy to me.

All the other horses are in good form and the yard is a happy place.

16th August 2012

Sam was in this morning to sit on the babies and was complementary about them all. It was good to see him and nice to have him riding out.

Once the horses were done at 2 O'clock I went to George Smith's memorial service in Stow church. George was an absolute gentleman who supplied me with hay and straw for 5 years. If George gave his word on something you knew that was enough. People like George are few and far between in this modern age. The church was full to bursting, it was a lovely service and very amusing at times. Emily Campbell sang at the end, I have heard Emily on numerous occasions and she is top class.

15th August 2012

A routine day for the horses, all the babies are now hacking up the woodchip. Lucy Jones bought another horses from Pembrokeshire for a fortnight of loose schooling. She was so pleased with her Overbury filly that she thought this lad could also benefit from a session of loose schooling.

This afternoon I spent sometime trying to sort out rugs and clothing as Brightwells are kindly going to sponsor us for the year. This is great and I hope that we are able to get some good exposure for them. The bloodstock team at Brightwells are a super bunch of people and very good at their jobs.

Where has the summer gone?

14th August 2012

Andrew and Micheal Chambers were here to watch 2 lots before Micheal had to be back in court in Birmingham. Robin des Champs went on the gallop for the first time as did Ben Case's Shantou, both horses behaved very well and they'll be bought along slowly. Ben will have his lad back before long. The Network I bought last week is pleasing me and I am delighted with him, I think he's exciting, lets hope he has an engine!

Cestus and Connaught Square went for a swim this afternoon, Cetus took to it like a "duck to water" and Connaught Square is the hardened professional having done plenty in the past.

I have misplaced a horses passport, although it is far from a life or death situation it is so annoying. The horse hasn't been anywhere so it must be in my office somewhere. I have a shelve for passports and it isn't on it! I will blame the kids, Sophie or the cleaners but it won't be my fault! I keep going back to the same places in the hope that it has appeared - sadly not as yet.

13th August 2012

It has been a frantic day, once all the horses were done and dusted I headed off to Ralph Becketts to look at a horse. Ralph is a good friend, we shared a house together for a long time a few yeasts back and he is in fact Sholto's godfather.

The Network horse is a cracker and I am delighted with my purchase, I'll be taking my time to break him as he seems a typical French sort - afraid of his own shadow.

The feel good factor from the Olympics has been amazing and I hope that it hangs a round for a while. What a incredible tally of medals Team GB accumulated. I think we as a country can give ourselves a pat on the back. The whole Olympic experience has been wonderfully executed by the organisers. The alethlets performed out of their skins and I am thoroughly proud to be English.

Last night I went out for supper with Andrew and Micheal Chambers, Micheal has just joined a syndicate as is a judge who sits in Birmingham.

11th August 2012

Yesterday was fun but exhausting, I got up to check the horses at 3.30 a.m before heading to Heathrow for the 6.30 a.m flight to Dublin. I am obsessed with time and hate being late. Parking cars and things always takes longer than one imagines, security checks now in airports takes forever. I've no idea how many people go through Heathrow on a daily basis but whenever I go through 2 channels are open and I always get stuck behind the family with 3 pushchairs,12 kids and the parents who are too fat to get their belts off! I got back last night at 11.30 p.m and have felt the affects of a 20 hour day all day today.

Anyway it was a successful trip and I bought 1 horse, Lot 106 by Network for 20,000 Euro. He was lead out unsold the previous day, the vendors were possibly looking for too much money in the ring! He is to split between some mates and I will retain a share. Network is a serious sire, if our lad is any good he should show a tidy profit next spring when he will hopefully be sold on. Another Network horse topped the sale and I think Alan Potts paid 130,000 Euro for one at the Derby Sale in June. I was under bidder on a Scorpion who was bought by Nina Carberry, she was standing with Timmy Hide who I guess will be involved with the horse. I also left a bid for a Hernando horse who sold for 20,000 Euro to Bobby O'Ryan and the Costello's were under bidders. I seem to want the same horses as many shrewd people, although it is frustrating it is reassuring to know that well respected people are on the same horses.

Once the horses were all finished up this morning Sophie and I set about the garden for a few hours. We have had some fruit trees lying across the lawn for too long. They were blown over in the high winds and I have stared to take the chainsaw to them. Tomorrow I will finish off the garden and hope to have a snooze at some point!

9th August 2012

A busy morning riding out. Tim Rootes was here to see his Tefilio filly, she will now head off to Ralph Beckett on Monday. Ralph is having a great season, every time I open the paper he's trained a winner. Ralph is a great mate of mine and I think he places his horses very well.

Connaught Square went for a swim tonight and knows his job, he went a few times last year and certainly hadn't forgotten. He is a busy horse and I will do more swimming with him as galloping him too much will blow his brains!

Anna Moore telephoned from the sales to recommend a Midnight Legend 3 year old, it made 33,000 euros!! I am looking for a cheap horse to take a punt on with a mate.

A better day on the Olympic Medal front, 3 more Golds boosting our tally to 25 Gold medals.

There won't be a blog tomorrow as I am off to Ireland and wont be back til late, I am on the 8.30 PM flight out of Dublin.

8th August 2012

Cestus and Connaught Square had a easy day after yesterday's excertions, the others had canters on the woodchip or continued their flat work in the school. Once the horses were all done and dusted I dismantled the tent in the hope that I can avoid any further nights sleeping under the stars. I expect to be talked into again soon.

On Friday I am making a day trip to the Tattersalls August sale. I'm on the early morning flight out of Heathrow so it will be a 4 A.M rise. I have a few people interested in taking a share in a couple of horses to prove on the track before re-offering them back in the ring. I would expect the trade to be poor on Friday and there should be some value.

No Gold medals as yet today.

07 August 2012

Cestus and Connaught Square did what they were asked to do, I was surprised how stuffy Connaught Square was and he will now swim 2 afternoons a week for a month. I use Nigel Ridout's pool outside Moreton-in-Marsh. There isn't a race for Cestus in September and I shall aim him for the bumper at Huntington in early October. All being well we will find something for Connaught Square late September.

Tom Campbell our vet was here this morning for a few routine jobs and it is always interesting talking to the vets, there is always something to learn and think about.

What an amazing Olympics, 21 Gold medals is fantastic and surpassed out Beijing tally of 18. By the close of play tonight we could have another 1 or 2 too.

Lucy Jones collected her Overbury filly who has been here for loose schooling, I thought she would never learn but she did and is now very accurate over her fences. I hope she can go and win a race for them now.

Last night I was talked into sleeping in the garden with the children, I woke up many times in the night and was frozen to the bones when I got up at 4.45. My blow up bed doesn't hold the air and by the time I got off it it was in a sad state. Tonight I am refusing to repeat the exercise and am very much looking forward to sleeping in my bed.

6th August 2012

Routine canters for most and flat work for others. Cestus and Connaught Square are going for an away gallop tomorrow.

What a fantastic 100 mtrs last night, I know there was no world record broken but anyone who wasn't excited by all the hype beforehand can't be in anyway competitive. Usain Bolt is a real showman and a great athlete.

Brilliant for Nick Skelton who has competed in 4 Olympics games without getting on the rostrum, finally, he has one and it is the all important Gold variety.

4th August 2012

All is well with the horses and it was yet another routine day. Not long now before we start the fine tunning of a couple and start to look for possible races for them.

This afternoon we have all been to an Olympics BBQ in Rissington. I left for an hour after the beach volleyball as I had to come back to the yard for evening stables. Our team was touched off for the Gold medal in the final event, tug of war. Another great day for GB on super Saturday of the Olympics. Mo Farah showed the Africans how to do it in the 10,000 metres, absolutely brilliant. A real super Saturday with 6 golds.

Kevin Pietersen has had an amazing innings today, I listened to a bit on radio 5 and the commentators were saying that they had never seen anything like it, he was hitting top class bowlers bowling at the top of their game all over the ground. On his day he's the best batsman in the world.

03 August 2012

A busy morning with the horses and all seem to be in fine form, Charlie was here bright and early to watch the first 2 lots. Cestus and Connaugt Square will have their first away gallop next week, Timmy Murphy will be in to ride one of them and I'll ride the other. It won't be too serious but you have to start somewhere and the only way to bring them on is to get on with it. Connaught Square will take less work than Cestus and I could see him running towards the end of September.

Great Britain have won 4 golds in 24 hours which is fantastic and they are progressing up the medal table. I'd expect the USA to close the gap on China this coming week as they traditionally dominate the athletics.

02 August 2012

A great day at the Olympics for GB. My faith was restored in British sportsmen last night when I heard Bradley Wickens being interviewed. He went on to say that Gold medals where the only ones that count in Olympic sport. I am always dismayed by the extent of celebrations surrounding Silver and Bronze medals. I heard one of the Chinese diving coaches being interviewed the other day too. He eluded to the fact that his diver didn't go to school and that he practised for 8 hours a day. The British coach went on to say how his diver trained for a couple of hours in the morning and a couple in the evening, enough said.

All the horses are well and it was another routine day for them all. My mother-in-law was knocked over by one of the kids ponies this morning and has spent most of the day in the JR hospital in Oxford, she is still there at 19.45, Sophie is with her and I'm worried about my supper!!!!

01st August 2012

All the horses are in good order, Cestus and Connaught Square are coming to hand really well and I am pleased with their pre-training. Cestus has finally strengthen up and feels every bit the racehorse we thought he'd eventually make up to be. I have now settled Connaught Square and he is also shaping up nicely.

Anthony Webber was here today and looked at the Winged Love and Robin des Champs geldings, I was pleased that he found both horses to be out of line as I wasn't happy with the way either carried themselves.

Frankel is absolutely amazing, 8 group 1's is an amazing feat and he makes very good horses in their own right look very moderate. What he must be worth at stud must be mind blowing. He's a horse of a lifetime and I feel privileged to have seen him, he'll be talked about for years and years, I wonder if any other horse will surpass his greatness.