31st October 2012

An easy day for all those that went to the grass yesterday, other had routine canters or were ridden around the school.

I was saddened to read about Fergie Sutherland's death, Sophie and I know his daughter Rosie very well, she is in fact godmother to Panda. He was a great horseman and I remember Imperial Calls Gold Cup as if it were yesterday, Conor O'Dwyer who rode him was a fantastic jockey and in my mind one of the best.

This afternoon was spent back in front of the computer, typical of the end of the month.

Tomorrow, Glens Boy will now lead Knockdhu schooling, Trouble Digger wasn't as bright as normal this morning and has a slightly raised temperature, he will be on the easy list until it returns to normal. He had his head firmly in the feed pot this evening so I don't think there is too much wrong with him. On the back of this we will be monitoring all the horses more closely than normal and anything that doesn't lick its feed bowl clean will have its temperature taken.

30th October 2012

Connaught Square, Winged Love, Shantou, Kayf Tara Filly, Sergent Thunder, Network Rouge, Ballingary, Robin Des Champs, Virtuoso Rouge, Darsi, Trouble Digger, Billy Biscuit, Gelns Boy and Knockdhu all went to the grass. It is a huge bonus to be able to get on it at this time of year, this time last year it was like a road and we hardly used it at all. I expect I could count the times we used it last year on one hand. We've already been on it half a dozen times this year. All the legs feel great tonight and it remains an exciting time of year.

Once morning stables were all done and dusted Peter and I went and put the fences out. Trouble Digger and Knockdhu will be schooling on Thursday. I then spent the rests of the afternoon on my computer doing paper work.

I have appealed against the decision not to allow the name Yousaybolt and wait in anticipation to see if they will allow it.

29th October 2012

A routine morning for most horses, Sergey rode Notnowcato, Dandy Man and the Kodiac colts in the lunge pen, all were well behaved.

I reserved the name Yousaybolt for my Milan gelding only for it to be thrown out after further checks. Apparently, Usain Bolt has already been reserved and the BHA think Yousaybolt is too similar. Very annoying for me as I thought it was a great name. I would question whether or not Usain Bolt ever is used, permission from the man himself will have to be granted. Maybe Clare Balding knows Usain Bolt and could contact him, for the man in the street it would not be an easy task.

It has been a day of little disappointments, The Revenue won't allow our partnership to enter into an EIS. We are scuppered by the racing aspect of our operation and were hoping to get some tax relief on our investment. They clearly know that most owners of racehorses lose money and it would open a whole new can of worms if they were seen to be giving tax relief on such investments. I think school fees and costs incurred by owning racehorses should get tax relief. After all, children are the future of this country.

These are all minor irritations, the horses are well and there is plenty to look forward to.

27th October 2012

All the horses did varying degrees of work on the woodchip. We were cantering into a very cold north wind so some didn't do as much as I may have liked.

We sat on the Dandy Man, Kodiac and Notnowcato colts in their stables. Dandy Man is fairly handy with his front legs, Notnowcato is very nervous and the Kodiac seems straight forward.

I have mixed views with the new Channel 4 racing team. I have known Clare Balding for years as she used to ride in p2ps when I did. What I know of her she is a very nice person, on television I find her overpowering. There is no doubt she is extremely knowledgeable and obviously exceptional at her job, I just don't like listening to her. I've never liked Alastair Down, he is too smug for my liking and I am pleased I won't have to watch or listen to him anymore. I took an immediate disliking to him after he wrote about Red Marauder Grand National. Since, I have struggled to read anything he has written. As for John Francome, he choose not to be considered for the new team, this is a great loss in my mind. He is always worth listening to and I shall miss him. Clare Balding is very pleased with Clare Balding and Nick Luck is very pleased with Nick Luck, I shall be watching RUK and ATR. I have no feeling towards Big Mac, the betting side of things has never really interested me.

Tomorrow, is the horses day off. I shall be mucking out and putting various horses on the walker before heading off with Sholto to rugby training, after which we are all going out to lunch at my sisters house.

26th October 2012

Network Rouge, the apple of my eye, not only is he by a great sire I am the only one to have ridden him. He is pretty sharp and it would be easy for someone to drive him mad, if anyone is going to do so it will be me.

Double Trigger and Connaught Square had their easy day, Billy Biscuit, Knockdhu loose schooled and Glens Boy had to keep grafting, he is too heavy and takes his work very well.  When compared to younger horses all trainers are harder on the older ones, they know what it is all about and it can they take a bit more work to get them ready.

The team in full cry, half term is on us and it was all hands on deck. Thankfully, only Panda is sitting down and none of the horses.

 Billy Biscuit makes a lovely shape!

Shantou thinks he knows it all after 5 days in the loose school.

Tomorrow, it is back to the gallop, a few of the horses are starting to lose their concentration and think they know more than they do. We will now pick and choose which ones we go back in there with, others will start to jump with jockeys on their backs.

All the yearlings are behaving, all but 3 are now hacking around the arena. Double Trigger and Knockdhu had hair cuts. This evening we did our fortnightly fogging of the barn. All the horses have to vacate their stables and I go in and blast the place out with my petrol powered mister. A irreplaceable machine.

25th October 2012

The power has been off for the last couple of hours hence the late posting.

Trouble Digger, Knockdhu, Billy Biscuit, Glens Boy and Connaught Square went to the grass. It is great cantering these horses on the grass fantasising what you may be sat on. I rode Trouble Digger and he is flying it. All the others are going well and I can't wait for the P2Ps to get started. Any regular reader will know we hope to have our first runners at Whitfield.

Sam was in this morning and stayed on to watch all the 3 year olds loose school, he was very excited by the time he left and he sure has a nice bunch of horses to ride this coming season. Most if not all of ours will start in P2Ps. Charlie and I are trying to produce horses for the future. It is all well and good throwing them in at the deep end and targeting bumpers. I have no doubt some are going to be good enough to take that route, however, when doing so you have to train them so much harder and that isn't always the best policy when trying to produce horses for the future.

Charlie Oakshot telephoned today to book in a filly by Nayef and a colt by Exceed and Excel. It is always nice to be asked to have horses for someone like Charlie, he is hugely respected in the bloodstock world and it can only be good for my business to be given the opportunity to work for people like Charlie.

24th October 2012

Charlie and Chris Palmer were here to see all the babies in the loose school. They are all natural jumpers and there isn't one I would be afraid to drive on into a open ditch. Plenty of schooling to look forward to. This is one of the most exciting time of year as we are starting to see them really developing and strengthening up. Just hope one or two of them have Rolls Royce engines!

Antony Tory was here to do 7 sets of teeth. It has been a typical busy day there isn't much to report. I have a heap of paper work to get through this evening and need to get stuck into it.

Sam is here tomorrow, once we've finished riding we will be going to the grass gallop to put the fences out.

23 October 2012

Above, Major Martin went in the loose school as did all the other 3 year olds bought in Doncaster or Ireland in the spring. As you can see we don't start them over anything too big to begin with, as the week progresses the height is raised and in fills are placed under the poles.

Above, pictures of Vazaro Delafayette, this is the 3 year old by Robin Des Champs. He isn't bending his back too well in the top picture, again by the end of the week he will be making a much better shape. He's a lovely horse and needs time.

These pictures are of the Shantou 4 year old, he remains unnamed as yet. The loose school is an absolute wonderful facility and the horses love it. In 6 years I have only had 1 horse who disliked it, he did dislike most things though.

Trouble Digger, Billy Biscuit, Glens Boy and Knockdhu went to the grass for 3 canters. Knockdhu will go to Whitfield for the maiden and Trouble Digger may take his chance in the restricted.

All the yearlings were ridden around the lunge pen or the school, the last 3 arrivals were long reined in full tack. We will think about sitting on them early part of next week.

A horse I sold named Theatrical Star ran a great race at Exeter today finishing 3rd in his first start over fences. Jo Tizzard gave him a smashing ride and he is one to watch next time. Jo wasn't hard on him and he will surely come on heaps for the experince.

I have just read on Bailey's Blog that Kim has a shooting lesson tomorrow, I am clearly doing something wrong and Kim needs no lessons, he is a hell of a shot. I stood besides him a couple of years back and didn't see him miss much, if anything.

22nd October 2012

Virtuoso Rouge, Vazaro Delafayette, Network Rouge, Billy Biscuit, Major Martin, Knockdhu,  Shantou 4 year old, Ballingary 3 year old, Darsi 3 year old and Winged Love 3 year old all had their first day in the loose school. All seem to be natural and willing jumpers. Knockdhu has done plenty of it before and is very accurate, they never forget.

Sergey rode the Proud Citizen and the Bushranger colts in the lunge pen and they both behaved well. The colt by High Chaparral is typical of his sire and an absolute playboy, he has no malice in him at all but thinks it is great fun to rear, he unseated Sergey this morning.

I received an email last night from a young lad looking for rides and have copied it below. I thought my punctuation and spelling was bad!

My name is ............. I am looking for work I will be pointing this season and I would like to know If you had any work available to increase my experience both on the ground and on horse back I have ridden for a few trainers before such as ............. it has been a dream of mine to run my own horses and now I'm going to ride them but I want to give them as good a ride as hopefully they will give me I obviously am offering my grafting hands around the yard and my up most respected at all time I don't know how this would work with you or if indeed it Is something you are interested in but as I am going to have my licence to ride my own horses I am willing to race ride any horses free of charge to help out both my self with extra time in the saddle and your self with a free jockey I really would love the opportunity to ride for you at home and at the race track please contact me if you have anything available it would be much appreciated or if you know anyone that might be


Many thanks

It is extremely kind of him to be willing to race ride my horses free of charge!! When I stared out like many others we would have walked the length and breath of the country to get a ride..........I used to drive a round trip of 130 miles every Saturday and Sunday riding out and schooling for John Porter in the hope that I may get a ride. If I was lucky John gave me a fiver towards petrol every fortnight. I am not sure who is guiding the young lads today but they have no chance of making a go of it they approach it like this, I find it all rather depressing that no one is helping these lads and teaching them the right way to go about things. Give credit where it is due, he should be complimented for trying his best and for making contact with owners and trainers. His letter however, doesn't send the right messages. Sam has been riding out here once a week, some lunchtimes and some Sundays for 2 years, he's never had payment and as a result now has 15 point to pointers to ride.

20th October 2012

Double Trouble, Billy Biscuit, Gelns Boy, Knockdhu and the Ballingary 3 year went back to the grass and cantered through 2 or 3 times. All horses felt well. The others had routine canters on the woodchip or went into the school.

The yearlings that arrived yesterday were long reined with a roller, some approved more than others. Sergey sat on the Proud Citizen and the Bushranger colts in their stables, neither of them did anything wrong.

Watching Frankel was very emotional, not only is he the best racehorse ever to walk the whole story of Sir Henry Cecil suffering with cancer makes it all the more great. He really is a genius and his handling of Frankel has been something else. The racing from Cheltenham was competitive and got the season off in good style. We ran a horse there last year in the bumper and the ground was rock hard, to get soft ground for the meeting was a huge bonus and the number of runners was testament to it. Cavite Beta, a horse we sold to Alan Potts ran well finishing 4th.

Tomorrow Venetia Williams is popping in to see some horses on her way to Kempton.

19th October 2012

A routine morning for the horses, most cantered and Connaught Square stretched his legs last time up. All of the horses that went to the grass yesterday seem fine and it is interesting to see how it affects them mentally, it gives them something to think about and it is all part of the growing up process.

Tomorrow, Ballingary, Trouble Digger, Glens Boy, Knockdhu and Billy Biscuit will go back over there, the ground is so good it seems silly not to use it when we can. Ballingary's owners will be there to watch him.

A colt by Dandy Man and another by Kodiac arrived this morning, tomorrow a Notnowcato colt arrives. He has been bought by Patrick Milmo QC who sat in the big Kieran Fallon legal case some years back. I can't remember if he prosecuted him or represented him. I have had 3 if not 4 horses for Mr Milmo, he is a great owner, who much to my amusement always asks me if I remember him.

Sholto has spent the evening watching the racing replays on RUK from Cheltenham, he has beaten and pushed the equicizer into submission, it now needs a day or two off to recover.

18th October 2012

The dreams started this morning, Billy Biscuit, Major Martin, Trouble Digger, Glens Boy, Knockdhu and 3 year olds by Kayf Tara, Robin Des Champs, Ballingary, Winged Love and Laveron all went over to the grass for a couple of quiet canters. The ground was beautiful and all horses enjoyed themselves. None were pressed into doing anything other than canters, however, you get a feel of them and I was very pleased with the ones I rode. Sam, Alice and Sergey were also pleased with their lots. Sadly, not all will be stars - the dream is still alive for all of them and they are currently all unbeaten!!! Trea and Alan Newell were here to watch their Kayf Tara filly and seemed happy with her progress. The plan will be to aim her at a mares only maiden, I am very much looking forward to the planner being published so I can get some mental targets for all of them.

Now we have reached this stage of the year getting out of bed is easier than normal, there is so much to look forward to, it's great, on mornings like this morning I wouldn't swap anything.

Paul Nicholls was interviewed on Racing UK this afternoon and spoke highly of the benefits of educating horses in the p2p field. I like him are not sure why more people don't do it with big backward 4 and 5 year olds. I am convinced the trends will change back to how they once were, 4 and 5 year olds educated in the p2p field will be sort after. It is all well and good racing 3 and 4 year olds but to compete under rules for many of them is too big an ask and they break or their hearts are broken. Due to bloodlines and pressures of training at such a young age the thoroughbred is becoming very fragile.

17th October 2012

Charlie was in and rode out 2 lots, most horses had routine canters. 2 yearlings arrived, 1 by Bushranger the other is by Proud Citizen. Sergey sat on the yearling by High Chaparral and he behaved beautifully.

I took Knockdhu over to the grass and let him lob up there once. The ground is safe and we will take a heap over there tomorrow, they will all canter through quietly. It is always amazing how much they come on from just going over there and having a few quiet canters. I am setting next week aside and all the 3 year olds will spend it loose schooling.

When I was riding Knockdhu back from the grass a rather unruly whippet decided it would be fun to chase after me and bite his heels. The owner was some 400 metres away whistling at the dog. It was clearly totally out of control and never been disciplined in its life. I walked the horse in circles growling at the dog and waited for her to catch up to retrieve it. She then gave it a doggy treat. Much to her disgust I suggested that she gave it a bloody good hiding and no more treats! Any animal without manners is dangerous and people who don't understand them shouldn't have them.

We are in 2 minds whether or not to run Connaught Square in another bumper, we certainly won't hurdle him as we will want to leave that option for his next owner. There is a maiden bumper at Taunton in early November and that maybe his next port of call before the Cheltenham sales.

16th October 2012

Routine canters for most of the horses. I lent over Ralph Beckett's High Chaparral yearling and will sit on him in the stable tomorrow. Sam has been asked to ride for Ralph on Thursday at Uttoxeter, he is riding a horse named Its A Privilege. The horse was here for some loose schooling sometime ago and Sam did a lot of the work on him. Another example of making your own luck. He looked like he was going to win last time he ran, it will be great for Sam if he can get his head in front.

Valley Queen won at Windsor yesterday, she is another horse I pre-trained for Verity Bourne. The Racing Post failed to put my success box in today's paper, it is always annoying when this happens and they claim my request to add her to my list was in their junk mail box. Anyway, by way of compensating me they will give me my next one FOC. Lets hope it is used on Its A Privilege.

The clippers are now starting to work overtime and we are making in roads into breaking the back of them. A Black Sam Bellamy filly arrived today, she has terrible mud fever and we will have to get that under control be fore we do much with her. Peroxide is the only thing I know that kills the bacteria that causes it. Tomorrow another yearling arrives form the Newmarket sales, the yard is nearly at full capacity. I am yet to turn any horse away and have in the past housed 50 horses at anyone time, I have always been told and worked on the basis that there are 24 hours in a day and busy people make time.

15 October 2012

Being Monday all the horses had 2 canters, Charlie was in to see his lot. Deep Trouble has returned to his trainer, I shall look forward to watching him run, he is a smashing horse by a Shantou, a sire who is becoming more popular. He too is by Alleged, the same sire as Flemensfirth, with these blood lines they are tricky customers but good racehorses.

I was very saddened to read on the Racing Post App last night of the loss of Jack Bowlby, his father Micheal supplies me with all my haylage and shavings. Jack was only 16 and at Cheltenham college, he had his whole life ahead of him and his death is a tradgey. My thoughts are with his family.

The whole world seems to be heading to Ascot at the weekend to watch Frankel, it really will be a sell out and a fantastic day for racing as a whole.

13th October 2012

All the horses had canters, a 3 year old by Ballingary went a little faster. Aiden Murphy was passing and dropped in for a chat. It is always interesting talking to people like Aiden as you can get a feel of what is happening in the National Hunt bloodstock world. He was very complimentary about horses being produced in the English point-to-points. It was nice to hear him say that Tiqris and Avidiuss Cassius wouldn't have made a penny more had they won Irish p2p's. We touched on the subject of pedigrees and it is clear that if they have the pedigree and have won an English p2p they are very attractive to buyers, without the pedigree, they will struggle and you are then forced to go one step further and take your chance in a bumper. To have a p2p win under your belt is a bonus. We as many of you know will be starting most of ours in the English p2p's.

The High Chaparral colt arrived late last night, he is a smashing individual and so he should be at a cost of 75,000 GBPs. I hope he is a good one as it would be great for Ralph to have something to compete on the big stage with. He proved what a good trainer he is with Look Here, I am sure given the horses he will be back in the winners enclosure with another Group 1 winner. His statistics are always year on year impressive when you look at winners to runners.

12th October 2012

A typical day, all the horses had routine canters and are in good health. The penny has started to drop for Deep Trouble, he is trained by Ben Case and came here for some loose schooling. He was prone to coming up from anywhere, he now pops and has a cut at the fences and no more can be asked from him. He will be sent back to his trainer on Monday.

I see that David Redvers bought a yearling for 2.5 million, the trade at the October yearling sales has been incredible and I just can't get my head around the sums of money paid for theses horses. The Green Monkey is the best example, 16.5 million dollars and couldn't get out the way of his own shadow.

I am waiting for a High Chaparral yearling to arrive and it should be here in the next hour or 2.

This evening we had all the horses out of their stables and misted the barn with disinfectant. It is something I do every 10 days and it has proved to be a very good exercise, every trainer in the country should have a machine like mine and carry out this routinely. It is expensive to do and costs me £50.00 each time. However, if the horses remain healthy it is a small price to pay. 1 trach wash is over £60.00, we do trach wash the runners if in any doubt or there has been something in the yard giving a cough. I am always nervous of vets, it is all too easy to fall into the trap of the vets training the horses. If they look well, eat well and no outward signs of ill health the vet should be kept as far away as possible.

11th October 2012

Connaught Square didn't disgrace himself, he ran too free but kept at it and there is no doubt he will win his races.

This morning a few of the youngsters stepped up their work load. Knockdhu and a 3 year old by Ballingary did a nice bit on our woodchip. Knockdhu will be aimed at Barbury Castle early December, we have been deciding whether or not to start in bumpers, he is well ahead of the game fitness wise and I will now back off him for a few weeks. He did plenty of schooling last year so he has that in the bank too. I had planned to take him to Towcester today but felt the ground was too fast. The timing of it suits, if he can get his head in front at Barbury we can offer him at the sales, if he doesn't make his reserve we will then go straight to bumpers.

A High Chaparral colt will be arriving from the Newmarket sales tomorrow and I see the million pound barrier was passed yesterday. It is mind blowing that this type of money is paid for horses.

9th October 2012

My feed has gone up 70p / bag in the space of 2 months, an increase to running costs of just under £2,000 a year. These price increases may seem insignificant to readers of this blog but it adds more pressure on small businesses like mine, what with haylage and bedding costs increases I should think I am looking at annual overall increase in running costs of circa £5,000. I am trying to do everything possible to keep my clients and encourage people into ownership of racehorses. It gets to a point where the business can not carry such costs, they ultimately have to be factored in and passed on to the owners.  Currently margins are tight and people do not have the diposable income they may have had some years ago. I do not feel that the time is right to increase my prices, in the short term I will have to accept it and carry them.

Connaught Square will run at Towcester tomorrow and it doesn't look like an easy contest. Nicky Henderson's horse is the main danger, Lawney Hill has a filly getting heaps of weight with a 10lb claimer riding. The filly hasn't been out of the placings in 3 runs. Connaught Square is in good shape and will run up to his mark.

This morning we started the clippers up, Billy Biscuit, the Laveron and Shantou geldings all had a hair cut.

Melvin Haughley telephoned to book in a Black Sam Bellamy filly, she will be broken in and ridden around for 6 weeks before heading back to the paddocks. She will be on her way down from Kelso at some point next week. I am a fan of Black Sam Bellamy and he throws very good looking horses.

Glancing at the Newmarket sales results on line, this years million pound yearling has yet to be led through the ring in Newmarket.

8th October 2012

It certainly seems like October has arrived, a wet, cold and miserable day. We had a busy morning, the farrier was in and shod a good few and Anthony Tory was here doing the teeth on 12 of them. Most horses had routine canters. Connaught Sqaure had a blow in preparation for Towcester on Wednesday. The ground is currently good to firm, good in places. I find that hard to believe with all the rain we have had, as the crow flies we aren't too far away from Towcester. He's in good nick and the vet will be here in the morning to take a precautionary trachea wash.

If the ground is safe Knockhdu will work at Towcester on Thursday.

6th October 2012

Glens Boy went quietly around the school and is a fine looking horse, his form isn't too bad either with an official rating of 119. All the horses had routine canters and Connaught Square did his last 3/4 bit of work before Towcester. The forecast is in our favour and little rain is forecast, he should get fast ground. We had just over 1 inch of rain in the last 48 hours. A few of The fields along the river are under water, it never surprises me how little rain it takes to cause floods around here. When it rains so hard as it has done of late the rain just runs off the high ground rather than being absorbed.

At 6.30 A.M an Intikhab colt arrived in the yard from Goffs yearling sales, he has been bought by Ralph Beckett and we will break him in. Trade at the yearling sales so far seems to be mind blowingly strong and value looks hard to find. The best of them is still to come and it must all kick off in Newmarket next week. How many yearlings, if any will hit the million?

Big days racing tomorrow with the highlight being The Arc.

Sophie and the kids have gone to watch Angelia Ballerina in Swindon tonight, I have no supper so am off to get an Indian take away. Tomorrow Sholto continues in his quest to be spotted by Stuart Lancaster and will be rugby training at Stow.

5th October 2012

It is flat out from flag drop in the yard at the moment with more horses arriving tomorrow. A great complaint. Jay a local girl is starting on Monday and will ride out 3 lots each morning, this will be a huge help. The horses coats are now turning and the clippers will be starting next week. Most people I speak to have already started to clip a few, we keep our horses very well rugged and are always at least a couple of week later to start than most. The fact they are still being tuned out hasn't helped, if you put heavy rugs on they sweat, so light turn out rugs are still the order of the day.

I rode the Shantou gelding today and he is cold backed, once he's moved off and settled he seems fine. He is 4 and will struggle to make the racetrack in his 4 year old career. We have decided to claim off Connaught Square, Sam will ride him. Sam is as good as any claimer out there and always tries his best.  I hope the rain stops, we had a fair drop last night and at 2 O'clock this morning it woke me up. The ground at Towcester is currently good to firm, I should think it is now good at worse. Connaught Square must have fast ground.

Glens Boy arrived, he is smashing looking horse, I am sure he can win a few staying chases for us.

4th October 2012

Sam was in and most horses had routine canters. We rode the new Shantou gelding and he behaved beautifully. Sergey rode Big Bad Bob around the stable and Lawman in the lunge pen. Big Bad Bob won't be rushed and will stay in the stable for a couple of days, he's the type of horse that would never forget a bad experience and the risk of him being frightened by dislodging his rider is too great to rush him. Given time we will be able to ride him through Hyde Park! Lawman on the other hand could be ridden through Hyde Park tomorrow.

My lorry is still in dock, the linkage in the gearbox has failed and it is proving difficult to fix.

Charlie was in this evening and we chatted about the horses, all of which are progressing in the right direction. Tomorrow a horse named Glens Boy is arriving, he is owned by Lady Bamford and Charlie will train him for staying chases. Last season he was trained by Henrietta Knight and she has given Charlie  up beat reports about the horse, it will be nice for Charlie to have an older horse and one that can possibly compete in some decent staying chases.

Simon Sweeting rang to book in a couple of  2 year olds to be broken-in.  It is nice to be getting back to being busy as the quiet period has been too long. Everyone I speak to tells me that they are struggling. I am very grateful to those long supporting clients I am fortunate enough to have.

3rd October 2012

Connaught Square and Knockdu ate up after their away trip to Lambourn. We have reconsidered and are likely to send Connaught Square Towcester for a 1 mile 5 furlong Maiden bumper. He has the speed to travel up the hill which many others don't. I don't think we will get the rain making the ground safe to work Knockdu the day after racing, but will have to wait and see.

Sergey sat on the Big Bad Bob and Lawman colts in the stable today and both behaved very well. I long reined the Shantou gelding and will put Sam up on him tomorrow.  Any idiot can fall off but not any idiot can handle them correctly from the floor, that is a mans job.

Deep Trouble loose schooled for the first time and has a bit to learn. He will get more accurate and learn to make a better shape over a fence.

Goffs yearling sales started today so I hope that Ralph is over there spending lots of money giving us more work. Trainers aren't as brave buying on spec as they used to be and that has a knock on effect on business like mine. Only a few years back I had over 40 yearlings in in October, these days we are lucky to have 20. I am sure good times will reappear but it's a case of sitting tight until they do.

2nd October 2012

A lack of sleep is the order of the day. The yearling is through his colic and I have no doubt it was caused through the wormers I give them all when they walk in the yard. If they have worms they generally get belly ache and it is surprisingly common. As we had an early start to be in Lambourn by 7.30 a.m I fed at 4.30 a.m giving the 2 workers time to eat their breakfast.

Connaught Square worked well and Knockdu did everything he was asked to do. If we get sufficient rain Knockdu will do his next serious bit the day after racing at Towcester in 10 days time. Timmy Murphy will hopefully ride him in that work and we will get his feed back before we decide what route to take. En route to Lambourn the gears on my lorry failed. I could only get 3rd 4th and 6th gear. I no idea what the problem was but not to be deterred I carried on and managed to get there and back. It was not quite a simple as one may imagine. The only way to get any gears was to have the revs spot on. More expense pending as I am still waiting to hear from the garage what the problem is. It isn't easy!!

Connaught Square has been entered of Ludlow next week but we shall want fast ground before we even consider getting in the hopefully mended lorry.

Today Ben Case sent over Deep Trouble for a bit of loose schooling, he is by Shantou as is another new arrival, a 4 year old gelding who's a half brother to Back In Focus. He is here to race and I have bought him privately for a syndicate, we will see how he shapes up and either take the p2p route or bumper option.

01 October 2012

Yesterday Sholto, Tilly and I went rugby, Sholto played in his 2nd under 7's match, scored 3 tries and tackled hard. Stuart Lancaster has been notified!!! We then headed to Ben Case's Open Day for a delicious lunch. Ben does well with the horses he has and like many smaller trainers can do it as well as anyone given the horse.

Our Halling gelding has been in for his hobday and I collected him late tonight, he will be on the easy list now for 6 weeks and it will be a steady road back from there. All the other horses had routine canters except those yearlings who are just ridden around the school. One yearling has a rumbling stomach and is being very closely monitored. I had the vet out this morning and this evening and they are not over stressed at the present moment. I guess it is a result of worming and he has probably never eaten so well in his life. However, colic in any shape or form is very serious and he will continue to be closely watched throughout the night.

Very sad news to report -  Chiquilline will be racing under rules next season trained by Richard Lee. Tessa Blazey who shares him with her parents has moved back to Wales and they want their horse closer to home. I am sure he will win for Richard Lee and will be worth following closely. There is not much point owning a racehorse and paying large training bills for it if you have to drive miles to see him.

Tomorrow, I am taking Connaught Square and Knockdu to Lambourn for a gallop.

I didn't get to see one stoke played in The Ryder Cup but read reports that it was outstanding.