30th June 2013

Apologises for those of you that were trying to follow our progress in Ireland via my blog, the WiFi was a disaster and the sales went on late. We bought 7 horses in total. Trade was strong and solid throughout both days. We worked hard and managed to pick our way through. Thankfully, we bought when they were there to be bought, if we had sat back and waited to see what trade was going to be like I don't think for a second we've had managed to buy 7 horses.

The scoping issue was very unsatisfactory for us as the vendors got together and decided not to allow it in rather union fashion. One vendor told me that any horse found to have been scoped would have been thrown out of the sale. This was obviously bollocks as we scoped many and bought some of them too. This issue isn't going away and a common ground needs to be found. National Hunt store sales, to my knowledge are the only sales in the world that purchasers are expected to buy without the use of a scope. Obviously, many vendors who allowed us to scope agree with us, others felt rail roaded into not allowing us. Reading between the lines, those against it are only interested in hiding something or filling orders. Many trainers, including the champion NH trainer in Ireland believe it is time for change and that purchasers should in fact be allowed to scope. I asked one certain trainer who I knew had bought 6 store horses privately before the sale if he scoped them. He said he did, I then asked him why he didn't just listen to them on the lunge, he had no answer and agreed that we are right and a scope should be used as it is at all other sales across the world and in private sales. Tattersalls naturally have to keep a leg on each side of the fence and proved to have no backbone at all.  Goffs said it was between the vendor and the purchaser, that was the perfect scenario in my mind. Now a whole can of worms has been opened and as aforementioned, a common ground needs to be found. Gigginstown asked our vet to scope a horse as his full brother, which they owned was rotten in his wind, this is a strong message that they too are now thinking of scoping horses as part of their buying strategy. Vendors are individuals as are purchasers and it should be each of them to decide what they would like to do as individuals.

I feel like a crap father, I've been away all week and have spent the whole of today working. Sholto is desperate to do something as the girls are out so I'm off................

26th June 2013

A busy day at the sales but a lot achieved. I have seen nearly all of Day 1 horses and there are plenty to like. Trade will be fierce and I think we will struggle to buy any. This evening the vendors are having a meeting about the scoping of horses, I will not bore you with my views on that subject again. I think they may wake up to a shock tomorrow as I know of 3 other prospective purchasers that are going to be requesting permission to scope. The vendors really need to realise that if people are spending money they should be allowed to scope the horses if they wish. Many vendors have told me that I can scope any of their horses I like and others seem much more objectionable. What are they trying to hide?

The Wi Fi in this hotel was put in when Adam was a boy scout and writing this blog with a connection that drops out every 2 seconds is no easy task. I think I will go to their "business centre " tomorrow to do so - a tiny room on the 2nd floor!

24th June 2013

I have had a fairly relaxed day watching the horses circle prior to vetting, it's a good opportunity to spot a horse that may not have made the list and also a chance to scratch a few that did. The quality of stock looks good, I am sure the prices will match. That is my biggest concern, finding horses we like will be easy, paying for them probably impossible!

I've just caught Nadal's post match interview on the BBC. What a shame for the tournament that he's out, he was very gracious in defeat and wouldn't be drawn into blaming any injury, a true gentleman.

22nd June 2013

A routine morning for the horses. Thanks to Sky + I watched the Loins test, what a brutal encounter, the hits made me shudder and I was only sitting on the sofa. I think The Lions were lucky winners on this occasion, the 2nd test will be no less enjoyable and I can't wait for it.

This afternoon I went to see Sam, his foot is a pretty ugly sight and has bolts going through it from all angles. Sam is in good form hobbling along on crutches annoying his poor mother, she must have the patience of a saint to put up with him.

Tomorrow I am making my way out to Ireland to start the hard work involved at the sales. I will watch the horses circling before their vetting, this is a good opportunity to strike some off the list and add others. I hope to start viewing them in the barns from Tuesday late morning onwards. The sale doesn't start until Thursday but there is a lot of horses to see beforehand.

21st June 2013

Hopstrings jumped 6 hurdles with Sam Twiston-Davis and did it nicely, he's happy with her and hopefully will be free to ride her at Worcester a week on Wednesday.

We took the Kalanisi gelding into the lunge pen, horse and jockey stayed together. Fergal O'Brien bought a horse over to pop around the loose school otherwise all the others had quiet canters.

This afternoon I watched a bit of Ascot and was surprised how weak Joseph O'Brien is when a horse was coming back underneath him. He is certainly a top class jockey but is nowhere near the finished article. I looked stylish when horses were running for me but when push came to shove it is a different matter and that is when the men stand out from the boys. Richard Hughes and Ryan Moore are in a different league. Quite who Channel 4 have employed on their fashion coverage I do not know, however she fits in well with all the other maroons that they have employed.

This afternoon I was knapsack spraying, I think Sophie's Sweet Peas may have had there day. I'm not too hot on spotting the difference between weeds and plants!

20th June 2013

All the horses had quiet canters or were ridden around the lunge pen, we will be taking our time with the Kalanisi and Shantou geldings the others could be ridden through Trafalgar Square now. Alice and I then headed off to collect the horsebox from Worcester. I think I've unearthed a very good company just outside Worcester for this type of work. They also build new lorries and seem to be a great, efficient and very nice bunch of people.

This afternoon I went to watch Tilly play in a rounders match, they won 8-6 and Tilly got two rounders. I was very proud of her, she was the only one in the team to do so. They were also up against a team of 9 year olds which made it even more satisfying.

I didn't get to see any racing today but am delighted to see that Lady Cecil trained a winner, what a lovely thing to happen after Sir Henry dying.

19th June 3013

We rode the Robin Des Champs filly, Mafate Fortin, Antarctique gelding around the lunge pen and the Shantou and Kalanisi geldings around their stables. We seem to have tamed the Kalanisi horse and the others were all great. They were then all turned out into the paddocks. I always keep the sales horses in for a few days just to make sure that they have no vices. Last year I returned a Milan gelding for windsucking. We paid somewhere between 30,000 and 40,000 Euros for him and the vendors failed to declare that he winded sucked.

Yesterday, I had an interesting conversation with Ben Brain about scoping horses at the sales. He was in total agreement that we should be allowed to. He in fact knows of 2 horses that came out of last years sale with completely paralysed larynx's and were immediately rendered worthless. He also eluded to how tough vets were being on the larynx at horses in training sales. No matter how thorough the sales vetting are no one can hear a paralysed larynx.

Emma Spencer is the highlight of the Channel 4 racing team at Royal Ascot. Royal Ascot is by far the most enjoyable flat race meeting throughout the year and I always enjoy it.

18th June 2013

All the 3 year olds from Goffs were long reined in full tack, the Kalansi gelding certainly has spirit, if we can channel it to the right place, he'll be tough. The other 5 are all well behaved.

Hopstrings and another filly worked on the grass, Hopstrings is in good form, I am looking forward to running her at Worcester on 3rd July. Although, I've never thought she is a world beater, she has come on a lot from her P2P win.

I have just over heard the children having their supper - apparently, their pony "is a little fucking  shit." I think I need to speak to their mother about her language.

17th June 2013

A very social weekend. Sophie and I went to Charlie Vigor's 40th Birthday party. I seldom get the chance to see old mates and it was lovely. Charlie was my best man and we've had some great fun together, much of which isn't suitable for relaying on my blog, or for that matter anywhere!

On Sunday Tilly, Sholto and I went to Henley on Thames for lunch with my godparents, Sophie took Panda for a ballet exam.

This morning I got the roller on all the horses from Goffs and they all behaved well. I don't see any of them giving us too many problems. Tomorrow they will be long reined in full tack.

I have spent the afternoon mowing the schooling ground as Sam Twiston-Davis is coming on Friday to school Hopstrings over some hurdles. We are still aiming her at Worcester on 3rd July.

15th June 2013

The horses from Ireland arrived safely first thing this morning, they all seem fine, as expected they are knackered. I did very little with them today, tomorrow they will have a day of rest before getting started on the steady process to the racecourse. The Robin Des Champs filly is the stand out, she already has my name beside her for the winter. I can't wait to get up on her and see what she's like to sit on. Captain Radclyffe always told me he'd pay an extra few thousand pounds if he could sit up on them before purchase.

Yesterday Alice went to collect the Nayef from Whitsbury Stud that we had earlier in the year. This morning I chucked a lad up on her and she was 100%. It is always a joy to have horses back that we have broken and seldom, if ever do we have a problem getting back up on them. Otherwise all the others had canters or went in the school.

I think we may have had our summer! The wind and rain today has been brutal.

14th June 2013

I feel exhausted after the sales, it is hard work mentally and physically. It is great to be home and all is well. The new horses are due to arrive around 6 A.M tomorrow. the dreams are alive and they are all unbeaten!

I am still recovering from the strength of the trade, it was outstanding. I think we have bought very well but only time will tell.

13th June 2013

A successful day, 3 more horses bought for sensible money. We bought lot 311 by Antarctique a French sire, he's a lovely active horse and we were all very pleased to get him. Lot 280 by Kalanisi, he again is active and a massive improver. Lot 481 a filly by Robin Des Champs, she is gorgeous and I just fell in love with her. If I lead 10 horses past anyone and said tell me which one is the filly only a lucky guess would get it right. If she has the ability to match her looks she will do us proud, she is by the best sire in England and Ireland and will have paddock value too.

If I had had a flight home on Tuesday night I'd have got on it. As it transpired I think we have had a very successful and disciplined sale. With the vendors agreement we scope all the horses we think we would like to buy. However, it has caused a few vendors to complain, they object to this and some got very excited. That is fine by us as we simply won't bid on their horses - that doesn't matter to us. They seem to think it is one-way traffic but it isn't, we were under bidders on 6 others and without us their horses would have made considerably less. My question to vendors is, why should NH store sales be exempt to pre-sales scopes? I take winners of races to horses in training sales and they could be scoped by 3 different vets. The horses have proven ability and have passed the pre-sales vetting as have the NH stores. Yet, if I want to sell my horses I am forced to allow them to be scoped by prospective purchasers. Vendors of untried NH store horses expect others to buy their horses without the use of a scope. Astonishing in my mind!! If I buy a car I am allowed an independent mechanic to inspect it, if I buy a house I am allowed a surveyor to survey it. But if I which to buy a horse I am frowned upon by many vendors for wanting to thoroughly inspect my potential purchase. The long and short of it is, some vendors understand my situation, others don't. The ones that don't will find others to buy their horses and we can all get along quite nicely in my mind. I don't see the issue and we will not be changing our policy of scoping horses before buying them.

I sold 3 horses privately this year, all of them had to gallop, tendons were scanned and the scope was used after galloping to check for any bleeding. I saw 3 lame horses this week all of which had  2 clean vet certificates????

12th June 2013

The trade was, as predicted very strong and I have no idea where we will be in 2 years time unless the breeders start to cover their mares again. The pool is getting smaller and it is very hard to buy. We bought 2 horses, one by Enrique who is the sire of Binocular, he cost us 26,000 Euro and looks very well bought. The other is by Shantou who cost 32,000 Euro. He is a bit weak on pedigree but a very good goer and a nice individual, Charlie loved him as did Tom our vet. We were under bidder on 4 if not 5 others, a frustrating and very long day. 

My dreams were shattered when lot 120 made 215,000 Euro, he has the stamp of a Gold Cup horse and was by my favourite sire Robin Des Champs. I hope he doesn't shatter the dreams of the buyer, Gigginstown Stud.

11th June 2013

I must have seen at least 250 horses out of which I've got 13 on day 1 to follow into the ring. I don't doubt they'll be a few serious horses in the sale. The problem I have is not only do I want racehorses I want a sales horses too, there are rules you simply can't break.

10th June 2013

We've managed to see a good few horses and are now ahead of the game, I learnt very early on that you can't see a number of horses on sale days and have to have done the homework prior to the start of the sale. Many were being vetted so it was hit and miss who was around to show them. They are a mixed bunch and many were sent back into their stables before they got themselves fully out.

Tom Campbell our vet is just about to arrive, he will be checking over the ones we like, much to the disapproval of vendors he scopes them if they allow. If they don't we won't bid on them. It isn't a fool proof as we still ended up hobdaying a horse last year but it sure helps. I still have 75 odd horses to see for Day 1 of the sale and Tom's list will hopefully grow, he has around 20 to get started with in the morning.

The sales ground was busy enough, I expect trade to be strong.

8th June 2013

A routine morning for the horses. Ben Case was here with Shirley Bailey and her husband to look at their 2 horses, the Heron Island 4 year old and Shantou 3 year old. The 3 year old is heading for some Spring grass and the Heron Island will carry on for now.

This afternoon I popped to Overbury Stud to see Max Ward and Major Martin, both horses are in fine fettle and there is no better place than Overbury for horses to let themselves down. Simon Sweeting and his team are excellent.

I came home to find Panda giving her mate Maddie a riding lesson on Tobby, Sholto and Tilly had tacked him up and hoisted Maddie onto his back. Ponies like Tobby don't have a value as no one could afford him. He is the kindest pony I have ever experienced, he switches on and off like a light bulb depending on the ability of the rider. Maddie's shoes are just perfect for riding in!

Tomorrow I head out to Ireland to start looking at the horses being sold at Goffs next week. A busy few days in store. Made a whole lot easier by the fact Alice is at home looking after things. I will be taking my ipad and will keep the blog updated.

7th June 2013

All the horses were ridden either on the gallop or in the school. I then headed off to Stratford for the P2P AGM before having lunch as a guest of the Board Of Directors of the Point To Point Committee. A very kind invitation, I sat next to Mike Felton who I know from old and Lucy Tucker who without doubt has the hardest job in the Point to Point circles.  You can't please everyone all the time and having selfish motives is not the way to keep the sport healthy.

I was pleased to hear the explanation over the loss of the coverage of p2ps in The Weekender. In short the Point To Point Racing Company had to protect their own interests, (which is understandable). The Weekender wanted to put all the information in their digital publications. This would of course had a massive impact on other publications produced by the Point To Point Racing company. They are currently working on an alternative as it is clear that Racing Plus is hopeless.  What that alternative is we didn't find out!

6th June 2013

I woke up this morning to read the sad news that Philip Schofield had been killed. I still haven't heard how or what happened. Phillip was riding at the same time as me. He was a feared man and you certainly didn't poke up his inside, if you did, you did it very quickly, otherwise, without doubt you would have been through the wing! Apart from his fierce competitive nature he was a very nice guy. He had a word in my ear one day, most of which I didn't understand but I knew what he meant and didn't push my luck again. His son Nick is making a real fist of being a top class jockey who will surely land a big job one day soon. I have always thought that he may have been snapped up by Lucinda Russell.

Trea Newell was here to see Hopstrings and we will be aiming to run her 3rd July at Worcester. Sam texted me to tell me that Bet365 wouldn't give him a price on Network Rouge for the Champion Bumper. I hope he isn't aimed at that race, it is the ruination of many horses.

Silver Breese my seldom used hunter has gone into retirement at Shutford Stud, Tim Rootes needed a companion horse around the stud and it seemed silly not to let him have him for that purpose. He'll have a fab retirement and will have the best of everything - lucky Silver.

It was no surprise for me to read that 73% of trainers are struggling to make it pay. Many people, (not all), fail to realise how labour intensive training racehorses is. Many trainers or people like me running pre-training and breaking-in yards have been afraid to put fees up and have carried rising costs. I have a life style and want for nothing but never have money in the bank. I am far from complaining and very happy with what I've got. Greed will kill any business. In fact, I get the feeling that suppliers have now stabilized their increases for now. If costs continue to rise the sensible ones will have to raise their fees, the ones who are too afraid to do so will go bust. I have always thought the prize money issues are a complete red herring and genuinely believe that people would race for nothing.

5th May 2013

A routine morning, all horses are progressing nicely and it will remain much the same now until the end of the month for most horses.

The partitions in my lorry have twisted due to one particular horse who is orange in colour but shall remain nameless. He has a habit of leaning on them, I am having to take it to Leominster to have them all re-done. Getting horses in and out is proving almost impossible. Alice had to dismantle it the other day to get one out. Over and above everything else it is unsafe. I will be taking it when I get back from Goffs.

Sad news came in yesterday that Cestus broke a leg when galloping. I loved that horse and seldom allowed anyone else to ride him.  He did some outstanding bits of work in his time here and was on a upward curve, we as traders just couldn't carry him forward for another year. He wouldn't have ever made enough money at the sales as a 6 year old to justify in doing so.

4th June 2013

Tom Campbell was here first thing to look at a couple of horses and do a routine vaccination. Otherwise we are ticking over. Alice went to Overbury Stud to collect a filly that we broke-in last winter. She will now get started again and pre-trained before going to Andrew Balding.

I have been looking at Mark Warner holidays and am seriously contemplating going on one in the school holidays. I have heard nothing but good reports about them and it appears that it is the only way to get a break without leaving the kids at home - something I don't like the idea of. Paying for it is something else I don't really like the thought of either.

I turned on ATR for half an hour this afternoon and heard Hughie Morrison saying that the grass was too long at Epsom for Banoffee in The Oaks. According to Hughie she has a daisy cutter action and the grass was too long! Even if I thought it, I wouldn't be brave enough to air it. That surely, has to go down in history as the worse excuse for any horse running a disappointing race.

Below is a link to The Point, an Irish weekly magazine about Pointing in Ireland. Go to page 6 to read a nice piece on us.

http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?pbid=65280ec8-a2ea-4f11-9831-9f11bc87284a

03 June 2013

This morning was routine for the horses, it is a quiet time of year for news as we are just breaking-in and schooling most horses on the flat.

 

I went to catch Tobby this morning at 6 A.M and by 7.30 A.M I still hadn't caught him. It was a reminder of how bloody minded ponies are. I could have shot him!

 

After school all the kids had a ride on him and he redeemed himself, he is an absolute belter of a pony and we are very lucky to have been lent him. 

 

Sholto on the lunge line

Sholto working on his position

 Panda sitting beautifully

 Panda again

 

 Sholto Breaking him in!

 

 Tilly in the school

 Tilly going well

 Sholto up and running

01 June 2013

Where does the time go, half way through the year, a bit depressing!

I felt for Kevin Manning today, his horses was beat after half a furlong, I was surprised John Oxx didn't have plan B in place. One sure fired way to get himself beat was off a slow run race. Where was the pacemaker?

I had a sit on the Manduro 3 year old and Robert Robinson's Flemensfirth 3 year old this morning, both nice horses. The mower, strimmer and sprayer were all in full swing late morning, it's that time of year. This afternoon I put a goal up for Sholto, would have preferred it to have been rugby posts which I am sure would have been easier. The instructions are hopeless, lettering the pieces in the manual is great but when the pieces themselves don't have letters on them it all gets a bit complicated. Anyway after several swear words it is now built, I just need to fix the net. Tomorrow we are off to collect a pony for the kids, it is time they got going and started to ride a few out for me before school.