Sam and Joe were here this morning helping us out while Alice is on holiday. Joe in the saddle and Sam playing trainers.
Sophie and I have recently bought a farm near Ledbury, we will be staying where we are for the current season before we move next Spring. This afternoon Sophie and I with Sam and Joe all headed off there to meet with the ecologists and the contractors who will be putting in the equestrian facilities. I had routed the gallop previously but have always been very concerned about the gradient of it and not totally happy. This afternoon we have re-routed it and put it on ProMap. It will be 4.25 furlongs in length with a climb of 78 Metres. Paul Nicholls has the same but it climbs 71 Metres. I don't think we can do any better than that and I'm absolutely delighted a solution to my concerns has been found. 10 eyes are better than 2! Sam's input was immensely helpful. We had also encountered problems with dormice, by re-routing the gallop that issue is also resolved. The ecologist is happy and is happy to sign off our proposals without further complications. A huge relief all round to me and the bank manager - you have no idea the size of the bills that the dormice were potentially generating. If I was in to celebrating, tonight would be a big night. Instead, I'll go to bed a happy and relieved man believing I'll have one of the best gallops in the country and one of the most idyllic places in the country to train horses from. We have contracted the arable land out and I will now have my full concentration on the horses for the coming season.
Hopstrings has an entry for Bangor on Monday, at first glance there are 2 horses with higher handicap marks than her, we will see what the entries at Fontwell look like before making any firm plans.
