30th September 2013

We went to Ben Case's Open Day yesterday, his number of horses in training has increased and he paraded over 30 horses before giving us a fantastic lunch. Ben's Open Day has become an annual event for us and we all stop eating at home on Friday in preparation. We sat with Mr and Mrs Tim Curtis who are now witness to the fact Sophie starves me. It isn't worry and work that keeps me so slender it is starvation! When we got home I had to sit down before I went to evening stables, I felt a bit like a camel after my second helping of Eton mess and chocolate moose. The 3 year olds I rode certainly blew a bit harder this morning.

All the horses are now back cantering away having had a week in the loose school. Major Martin has been declared to run at Chepstow tomorrow in a bumper. It is competitive and there won't be many easy bumpers from here on in. The forecast rain hasn't arrived which won't help him, we are still on a learning curve with him. He ran a very creditable race at Newbury 1st time out and then got very tired in a false run race and bottomless ground at Fontwell. He is well and will certainly try his best. Ideally, he wants some hurdles in front of him and a step up in trip. We will make a decision as to what we do with him after tomorrow. Hopstrings is in a competitive race at Bangor and we will make a final decision on whether or not to run her nearer the time. She is some tough cookie and I can't remember a horse that takes their races like she does. I would have Sulamani high on my list of sires if I wanted a racehorse. Max Ward will certainly take his chance at Bangor if the rain stays away.

28th September 2013

It's a very social weekend, this morning was flat out before we left for lunch just outside Leeds, Andrew Robertson who shares many horses with me held a surprise birthday party for his wife. We had a lovely lunch and a good chat before heading home. Tomorrow we are all off to Ben Cases Open day, the lunch is delicious, last year I think Tilly ate 5 if not 6 puddings!

I am keeping a very close eye on the weather at. Chepstow, they have put some water on it and rain is forecast, Major Martin has an entry in the bumper, it is a hot enough contest, the more rain the better, unless it is soft he won't be getting in the lorry. We want the rain to stay away from Bangor for. Hopstrings and Max Ward. Hopstrings will have to up her game as it is a very competitive novice hurdle on paper. I don't think there is any such thing as an easy bumper and I think Max Ward needs the fast ground to put his best foot forward.

27th September 2013

The horses, bar a couple are jumping with real accuracy and fluency now, they will have a break from it for a while before having another session  later in October, the less accurate ones will have a few more days in there next week. Below is Robin Des Champ ex Granny Grouse, the 3 year old filly we bought at Goffs.

Tilly and Panda were my assistants today as Sholto was at a mates house. A long weekend is taking place after 9 weeks summer holiday - I ask myself!

Our resident barber Kenwar cut mine and Sholto's hair tonight, he is a trained barber in India. He asked me to buy him some hair clippers which I did today in Stow. In India they have hand held clippers, Sholto was test pilot and I insisted that scissors alone were used.

26 September 2013

The horses are all starting to jump with much more accuracy and will have their last day in the loose school tomorrow. We will ride them all on Saturday before loose schooling them again on Monday.

Sam has been staying in Oaksey House the last couple of weeks, he returns on Monday for a couple of lots before going back to Oaksey House for more treatment.

Liz Wills popped in to see Ginge who devoured some mints, Hopstrings got in on the act and managed a few too. This afternoon I have managed to catch up on some paper work which was again mounting up. Christopher Cox from Lycetts was here to go through our insurance policies, something I never enjoy. Otherwise all is well.

The Racing Post has been running a series this week on successful partnerships, today is George Duffield and Sir Mark Prescott. The episode of George thumping Peter Savill is hilarious and a must read if you haven't read George Duffield's autobiography, which incidentally is also a good read.

I have been watching Peaky Blinders, tonight is the 3rd episode and I have been thoroughly enjoying it, tonight they are supposedly at Cheltenham, reports have it that no filming has taken place there so it will be interesting to see where they actually are.

25 September 2013

Today is a sad one. Trouble Digger (Ginge) has gone wrong and will certainly miss this season. Ginge will be sorely missed. He's a favourite of everyone and always keeps us amused with his antics at the bottom of the gallop, even more so when he runs off with a test pilot. He broke down very early on in life and after a prolonged rest recovered to win between the flags and a Hunter Chase at Lingfield last year when he was at the top of his game. Everything he has done has been a bonus but it is still very sad for us all. A decision on his racing career is yet to be decided, it maybe that he comes back to winning ways after 18 months in a big barn. It is even more gutting for his owners John and Liz Wills, we were hoping desperately to win the Hunt Race at the Heythrop P2P which is now held on their land.

This afternoon I went to watch Tilly play in a netball match at Kitebrook, she played very well. We will be working on her shooting as there is certainly room for improvement. She told me the pressure got to her and she was shaking. A good sign in my book as it shows she cares about winning and loosing - she's her father daughter. Panda came to harrow the gallop with me when we got home and told me "girls like money"! I did not take the conversation forward. Sholto is playing football next week and I note there are rain showers forecast so there is every chance it will be cancelled. I have told the headmistress that I've not seen a rusty child yet.

Hopstrings will be targeted at the mares hurdle race at Bangor.

24th September 2013

The loose schooling continues.........................

I have a race in mind for Hopstrings back at Bangor, she will have an entry anyway in the Mares novice hurdle, she's not run a bad race there so my theory that the track doesn't suit her has to be nonsense. It is 2 mile 4 furlong race so she's a course and distance winner although we all think she wants further. There is a nice handicap for her at Huntingdon over 3 mile 2 furlongs 2 weeks later.  I doubt she'll run in both! Max Ward will also have an entry in the bumper at Bangor. It is an Amateur and Conditional jockey bumper. My experience of using claimers is poor, it may come down to the expression of, 2 novices are a bad combination. We'll see anyhow, I am keen to find him good fast ground, I think and pray we'll see a different horse. He hasn't left an oat since he ran and seems to have taken it all very well.

23rd September 2013

Hopstrings ran a cracking race at Uttoxeter yesterday, she gave the winner 18lbs and was beaten a neck! I walked the course and wasn't surprised to see the ground wasn't as described. Good to firm it wasn't, why they watered in the morning is slightly bemusing to say the least. I spoke to a couple of trainers looking for fast ground and they too were bemused. Hopstrings has come out of the race very well, she ran to her handicap mark and hopefully, she'll win one off it. I meet Kim Bailey's right hand man Matt at Uttoxeter and Net Work Rouge has been doing everything very well. Lets hope he lives up to expectations. Seldom a day passes without Sam telling us Net Work Rouge is an aeroplane. We have some really nice horses out there this year and I am in no doubt they'll do well. Selling to the right trainers is important and we sold to all the right ones last year.

This morning we loose schooled fifteen 3 year olds and one 4 year old. There isn't one of them I'd worry about, they all seem to jump very naturally, they will stay in the loose school all week and possibly a few days next week.

21st September 2013

We have had 3 loose horses this week I think, thankfully none that I've been riding - they are very well and I think the feed may have to be cut back for a day or 2!

The going at Uttoxeter is Good and they have watered selective parts down the back. The Going Stick reading would not lead one to believe it is Good ground. Different courses produce different reading depending on the type of soil, length of grass and its root structure. What little experience I have of them I think they are pretty much a waste of time and the old fashion way with an honest COC (if they exist) is the best guide.

Tessa Blazey popped by this afternoon, Chiquilline will be coming back here to go Hunter Chasing, he is a horse we are all very fond of and it will be great to have him back. I am sure he'll win his races. Tess will do as much at home with him as possible and the aim is to bring him here before Christmas.

James Doyle has had a season never to forget on the flat and he's certainly a top class jockey who appears not to have the arrogance many flat jockeys have. Today I got a tip for one that he was riding - it got stuffed!

20th September 2013

Last night was very interesting. Mark Johnson spoke for the  majority of the time and it was great to hear his views on various topics. Although all trainers suffer the same problems, I concluded that training flat horses is far less challenging than training NH horses. Martin and David Pipe were there, the reports on Vazaro Delafayette and Knight Of Noir were encouraging. I sat with Alan King and his team, Billy Biscuit is also pleasing everyone. Vazaro and Billy are expected to run in bumpers in October Knight of Noir is a bit further behind.

Hopstrings has been declared to run at Uttoxeter on Sunday, it isn't a great contest on paper and I think she should go close. I have pencilled in a couple of options for Max Ward in October, he has come out of his race very well and was very bouncy to sit on this morning.

19th September 2013

All horses are well, Trea Newell was here with her daughter Rose to give Hopstrings a check over through her back in preparation for Sundays race at Uttoxeter, they have finally managed to update their going report and it is reportedly Good Good to Firm in places. If this is the case Hopstrings will take her chance, she is really well. Sam Twiston Davis will ride her.

George Thornton and Tracey Poole were here to see their Teofilo filly, she is going really well and will soon be heading into training.

I rushed around like a lunatic this morning so I could spend an hour this afternoon watching Sholto play football at Summerfields. Football is not on my list of favourite sports but Sholto was very keen for me to come and watch. He should be playing hockey this term. Anyhow, I drove to Summerfields to find it had been cancelled due to the weather. I walked around the sports fields and found boys quite happily playing tennis and practising their golf. I don't ever remember matches being cancelled at my prep school and if they were we were sent on a cross country run up to our knees in mud. I just can't make it out and do fear what is becoming of this country, everyone has gone so soft, it is seriously worrying, I am not sure if they, the teachers have gone soft or are just bloody lazy. The matter was made worse as under the new leadership at Kitebrook, only one parent is now the primary contact. They choose Sophie and apparently she received a cancellation email. We are now both primary contacts!!!

18th September 2013

Max Ward seems fine after his run, I am more deflated than him and spent the night and most of today beating myself up. The positive is he has gained valuable experience.  This evening I went to look at our grass which is still too fast to work on.

Uttoxeter have failed to update their ground on Racing Admin since 9.30 on Monday morning, on occasions some racecourses don't help themselves.

Tomorrow I am going to a Racehorse Fitness, Training and Health Evening. Guest speakers are Mark Johnson, Tim Brazil and Kate Allen. Shame it isn't on reading going conditions!

17th September 2013

Max Ward was disappointing and I am kicking myself for running him on that ground. I thought he'd handle it, I walked the course twice and genuinely felt it wasn't that bad, it walked faster than it rode and the ground is the only excuse we can come up with. The winner is above average, however, I would have thought we would have been a bit closer. We will see how he comes out of the race and look for something on a quicker surface - when will we get that, gods knows. We could be racing on bog for the next 5 months with English weather. I am absolutely gutted with todays performance, it is all very well for trainers with plenty of horses to have a disappointing day but for us it is much harder to take. We have very few runners and like to make them count when we do run them. Its a tough game and you just have to pick yourself up and look forward.

16th September 2013

Max Ward is declared to run tomorrow, this afternoon I walked the track, if the rain stays away the ground will be perfect, I personally think it is on the quick side of Good. Hopstrings is entered at Uttoxeter on Sunday in a 0- 100 handicap over 3 miles. The ground there is currently Good to Firm and she seems very well.

There is little to report on the horse front, all is well and their work load will steadily be increased.

14th September 2013

The ground at Stratford is given as Soft, Good to Soft in places, they seem to think the weather front has now passed - the BBC wouldn't agree with that as there is a fair bit of rain forecast for the area tomorrow. We don't want it any worse that Soft. I am a great believer in good horses go on any ground but are even better on their preferred going. He will have a small blow on the woodchip tomorrow.

Ralph must be delighted with Talent, what a shame she didn't get her head in front. He must have a feeling of deja vu after Look Here doing exactly as Talent has done. Won the Oaks and second in The Ledger.

13th September 2013

We finished the stables today, every shaving out, disinfected lower walls and floors and filled with new shavings. A cost reaching somewhere near two thousand pounds, there is much talk about what it costs to keep a horse in training on a particular forum. It isn't just a case of exercising and feeding them, there is much more that goes into keeping horses fit and healthy than many people appreciate. Horses are very labour intensive and it costs lots of money to do the job properly. I always work on the basis that if anyone asks me what I charge the likelihood is I don't want their horses anyway. I'd rather stack shelves in Tesco than have to cut corners due to financial restraints that will have a negative effect on the horses.

Another horse arrived from the West Country yesterday who is proving a bit difficult, I long reined him this morning in full tack and we'll move along quietly as and when I think he's ready for a bit more of a challenge.

The English weather is now likely to keep me awake at night, I don't want too much rain for Stratford, the ground is currently Good and by race day on Tuesday considering the forecast it will surely be on the Soft side. I think Max Ward is a good ground horse.  The rain has come in time for Talent, it would be great for my mate Ralph Beckett if she can win the St Ledger tomorrow.

Sholto got hit on the head by a drain pipe at school this morning. Apparently they were looking at metals for their science lesson. The teacher touched it and down it came hitting him on the head before bouncing off the ground and hitting another lad on the leg. He seems fine and the drain pipe has a dent in it! 

12th September 2013

What looked like being a damp old day turned out to be beautiful on the weather front. We made a fair indent in getting the stables cleaned out and disinfected. Tomorrow we should wrap it up. It was all hands on deck, if Sam worked as hard physically as he does verbally we could all have gone home and left him at it, he'd have had it all done in no time.

Max Ward is in a competitive race on paper at Stratford next Tuesday, many respected trainers have runners, AP on one for Rebecca Curtis and Phillip Hobbs has one in it that hasn't run before and it appears that Warren Greatrex has sold Chalk It Down to JP.

11th September 2013

Major Martin and Max Ward have come out of their gallops in good shape, the rain has been failing all afternoon, it remains fairly wet through the weekend, I don't want too much more of it for Max Ward as I think he will put his best foot forward on good ground.

Our afternoon/evening was spoilt by the sodding rain, 15 overs were bowled before the rain arrived at that was that. England I am sure wanted it to continue as they lost 3 wickets pretty quickly and Jonathon Trott was doing his bit to impersonate Boycott! The bowling looked pretty quick form where we were sat.

Tomorrow we will ride a few lots before emptying all the stables of shavings before disinfecting the floors and lower walls which are untouchable when bedding is in the stable. We will the re-fill them with new, a costly exercise but one that needs to be carried out.

10th September 2013

A typical morning in the sense that the horses are all doing routine canters. Alice and I went off late morning with Max Ward and Major Martin. Both horses worked as expected. Max Ward will have an entry at Stratford next Tuesday, whether or not he fulfils that commitment will depend on how he comes out of todays gallop. He has to start somewhere and Stratford is as good a place as any. Major Martin will need rain between now and 1st October if he is to head to Chepstow. There is also a race on that card for Hopstrings and she won't want the rain. The likelihood is one of them will get their preferred ground. The weather has turned and is now very autumnal, a few are starting to go in their coats already. Last September was very warm in comparison to this year.

England lost the first one day match against the Australians tomorrow evening Tom Campbell, our vet, Simon and Christopher Sweeting and I are all heading off to Edgbaston to watch England make it 1 all!

9th September 2013

We were all soaked to the skin by 8 A.M, very welcome rain! Tomorrow Max Ward and Major Martin will have an away gallop. Depending on how we fare tomorrow Max Ward may head to Stratford a week on Tuesday. He'll definitely have an entry. Major Martin is pencilled in at Chepstow on 1st October. I had a sit on Hopstrings this morning and she is coming back to herself, we will wait a little longer before we find another race for her.

This afternoon I had some fence builders to look at my schooling fences and was horrified by their quote to tidy them up.

My godfather sent me this the other day and I whole heartily agree with most of it.

SHOULD BE OUR NEXT PRIME MINISTER

I THINK THIS MAN HAS IT ALL COVERED.  I COULDN'T SPOT ANYTHING HE LEFT OUT.

     
"I am the Tory Party's Worst Nightmare.  I am a White, Tax-Paying, God fearing English man.

I am a hard working Brit and I work long hours to earn a living.

I believe in God and the freedom of religion, but I don't push it on others.  I believe in British products and buy them whenever I can.

I believe the money I make belongs to me and not to some governmental functionary, to share with others who don't work!

I think owning a home doesn't make you a capitalist; it makes you a smart Brit.  I think being a minority does not make you noble or victimized, and does not entitle you to anything.  Get over it.  Join in with the majority!

I believe that if you are selling me a Big Mac, you should do it in English.  I believe there should be no other language option.

I believe everyone has a right to pray to his or her God when and where they want to.

My heroes are fellow Brits like Freddy Flintoff and Winston Churchill  and I know I've missed a few thousand!!!!!

     
I don't hate the rich. What I hate is the way they always manage to avoid paying proper taxes.

I don't pity the poor, I just hate the way they are always moaning that they are hard done by!!

     
I know wrestling is fake and I don't waste my time watching or arguing about it.

I believe if you don't like the way things are here, go back to where you came from and change your own country!

This is ENGLAND.....We like it the way it is and even  more so the way it was...so stop trying to change it to look like some other socialist country!   If you were born or legally migrated here and don't like it... you are free to move to any Socialist country that will have you.  I believe it is time to really clean house, starting with the House of Commons, the seat of our biggest problems.

I want to know where the "Do Gooders" get their money from, and why are they always part of the problem and not the solution?
Can I get an AMEN on that one?

I also think the cops have the right to pull you over if you're breaking the law, regardless of what race, colour or creed you are.     And, no, I don't mind having my face shown on my driving license.  I think it's good....


I dislike those people trying to guilt me into making 'donations' to their cause....

Get a job and support yourself and your family!

I believe 'illegal' is illegal no matter what the lawyers think!

I believe the Union Jack flag should be allowed to be flown anywhere in the United Kingdom !

If this makes me a BAD Brit, then yes, I'm a BAD Brit. 

If you are a BAD Brit too, please forward this to everyone you know....

We want our country back!   My Country....

      I hope this offends all illegal aliens.

My great, great grandfather watched as his friends died in the Boer War.

My grandfather watched and bled as his friends died in World Wars 1&2. 

I watched as my friends died in Sierra Leone Bosnia, & Desert Storm.

Our sons and daughters watched & bled as their friends died in Afghanistan and Iraq .

None of them died for the Afghanistan and Iraq Flag.

Every Briton died for the British flag.

At one high school, foreign students raised a Middle East flag on a school flag pole.

British students took it down. Guess who was expelled...the students who took it down.

West London high school students were sent home, because they wore T-shirts with the Union Jack flag printed on them.

What is going on?? What idiots do we have in authority?? Enough is enough.

This message needs to be viewed by every Brit; and every Briton needs to stand up for Britain .

We've bent over to appease the Brit-haters long enough.  I'm taking a stand.

I'm standing up because of the millions who died fighting in wars for this country, and for the British flag.

And shame on anyone who tries to make this a racist message.  IT IS NOT!

Britons, stop giving away Your RIGHTS!

THIS IS OUR COUNTRY!

This statement DOES NOT mean I'm against immigration!

YOU ARE WELCOME HERE, IN MY COUNTRY, welcome to come legally:

1. Get a sponsor!
2. Learn the LANGUAGE, as immigrants have in the past!
3. Live by OUR rules!   Dress as we Britons Do
4. Get a job!
5. Pay YOUR Taxes!
6. No Social Security until you have earned it and paid for it!
7. Find a place to lay your head!

If you don't want to forward this for fear of offending someone, then YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM!

We've gone so far the other way... bent over backwards not to offend anyone.



Made in BRITAIN & DAMN PROUD OF IT!!!!!
AMEN"

7th Septemebr 2013

Sam and Joe have returned from their family holiday and it was great to have them back. Sam managed 3 lots on his foot, I am sure it won't be long before he's back to full fitness. Max Ward and Major Martin did a bit on the woodchip and I couldn't be happier with them. I have pencilled Max Ward in for a bumper at Market Rasen at the end of the month and Major Martin at Chepstow on 1st October.

I left Alice in charge late morning and we all headed off to Moreton Show, I am told it is the largest one day agricultural show in England. We watched a great jumping completion, 6 uprights all in line, the winner jumped 5ft 11 Inches - a fair feat in anyone book. The cheer leaders  in between classes would not get a job on an American football field, Simon Cowell would have had a field day with them on Britain Got Talent. 4 of them would have looked more at home in a wrestling arena! The chickens on display were incredible. Sadly, we didn't get to the cattle as we ran out of time. The cost of 7 hot dogs would have taken Sophie and I out for a night. We all had a lovely day and caught up with lots of mates.

6th September 2013

A very busy morning, Sam and Joe are back tomorrow, we have missed them. The horses are all now ready to up their work. They are finding life a bit easy and some are getting above themselves. I'm hoping to send a couple to the first meeting at Barbury Castle, it will be on us before we know it. We will also be running a couple at the new Heythrop course, Trouble Digger has  a big date in his diary. The Heythrop course is on Johnny Wills land. It would be fab to win the Hunt Race and hopefully it will be the first race on the card. Johnny has put a massive effort emotionally and no doubt financially into the new course. It would be very fitting for Trouble Digger - his horse to win there.

The rain this morning amounted to nothing and hardly settled the dust. I would love to see some decent rain as I'm very keen to get an away gallop into Max Ward, he is jumping out of his skin! We've won races before training on the woodchip but there is no substitute for an away gallop. Major Martin isn't far off either.

5th September 2013

A nice easy day for Max Ward and Major Martin, all the others had routine canters. The heat and lack of air is exhausting, we are forecast some rain tomorrow and it will be most welcome here.

I am trying to set up a new set of accounts which entails opening a new account to run alongside my existing one with the same software provider. Easy you may think, well nothing on a computer is easy for me. If all the codes don't sync transferring data is impossible, getting codes to sync is beyond me and the support team think I understand it all as well as they do. This does not make for good humour and has caused me major stress and late nights struggling in front of the computer.

04 Septemebr 2013

The place was very quiet today, the kids were all back to school. When Sholto came home, the first question he asked was " how did you get on without me this morning". He loves the yard and knows as much about the horses as anyone. He fed Trouble Digger tonight, felt his legs and reported them to be all okay.

Our stable jockey is away in Portugal. He sent me a text saying " the women are swarming around me" I told him that he was mistaken and they were probably flies!

 



03 September 2013

Hopstings is back from her break albeit a short one. She has entries at Huntingdon and Uttoxeter next week. As it stands she won't be making an appearance as I want to see her back to her full self before the weekend otherwise she'll be sent home.

It has been one of those days when I haven't stopped - it is on going as Sholto is kicking off! Thank god they all go back to school tomorrow.

2nd September 2013

Very little to report, the horses seem to be on the mend, I didn't hear 1 cough this morning. We will slowly start to increase their work again. Max Ward and Major Martin will have a squeeze in the morning, both horses are very well, Major Martin dislodged Alice this morning! We'll be aiming to run both horses towards the end of the month early October. Max Ward will want safe ground and Major Martin may have to wait for rain. Charlie was here to watch the first 4 lots out and heads to France tomorrow to judge at a show. I can't wait to hear how it all goes and wait in anticipation to see how many horses he returns with.