28th June 2014

All the horses arrived safely from Ireland, glancing back at last years prices emphasises that demand for horses across the board hasn't been so strong since 2006. All those who whinge on about price money (agreed it is appalling in some cases) don't really have a defence against their argument. The proof is in the pudding and I believe that people would race for nothing. Most owners aren't in it for prize money, they are in the sport for the love of it and the buzz they get from winning a race whether it be a p2p or a race under rules.

Max Ward and Hopstrings seem in great shape and the babies from Goffs are cantering around the school. On Monday the breaking-in process starts for the horses that we bought last week.

27th June 2014

A very tough week in Ireland at The Derby Sale, trade was incredibly strong but we did manage to buy 7. Lot 23 by King's Theatre, lot 24 by Scorpion, lot 67 by Flemensfirth, lot 82 by Fragrant Mix, lot 133 by Scorpion, lot 256 by Saint Des Saints and 364 by Yeats. All of which I am very pleased with. Market forces increased our over all spend on individual horses but I think we have done very well considering the strength in depth. On day 2 it was near on impossible to buy anything at a trade-mans price. Until production increases and the foals are on the ground we are faced with more of the same. The records of 2006 we're not quite surpassed this week but I have no doubt they could be next year. In total we now have 2 horses which arrived from Goffs, 1 from Doncaster and 7 from Tattersalls, a trip to France next week has been talked about but travel arrangements are yet to be made.

Very little to report from home, the babies are now riding around the school. Over the weekend I will be fetching in  Kelsey who will hopefully run in the autumn. Hopstrings and Max Ward are in fine fettle, I have races in mind for both of them within the next few weeks.

23rd June 2014

Sitting in Birmingham airport listening to constant call for passengers travelling to Corfu. I think I may have a fair idea who they are calling for!

I am heading to the Derby Sale, it is ridiculous to think that a year has passed and we are on the mission of restocking again.

The horses from Goffs are all now riding around the school and behaving themselves. On my return I will be fetching in the 2 four year olds we carried forward from last year. One is by Enrique the other Robin Des Champs. They are 2 lovely horses and just didn't make it last time. Neither had anything wrong with them, they were more backward than the others and we pulled stumps rather than run them on unsuitable ground.

19th June 2014

All the horses had quiet canters on the wood-chip and the babies were ridden around the lunge pen. All is well.

This afternoon I spent on a dumper truck taking wood-chip up to the new gallop. We have nearly finished the main part of the gallop but still have some drainage to put in on the top side. It will be a while yet before the horses move over, there is still plenty to do.

18th June 2014

Instagramher disappointed to say the least, I had hoped she was better than that. I hate making excuses for horses and am always surprised how many some trainer come up with.  However, Liam said she was squealing and kicking out at the start and our only hope is she is coming into season. She'll get one more chance to show us something, otherwise, she'll have to find another job. It costs a lot of money for owners to keep horses in training and I will not mislead anyone of our owners about a horses ability. I also have to sleep at night after sending out the bills.

Hopstrings and Max Ward have come out of their races in great form, Max will head to Market Rasen having gone up to 134. I think that is harsh enough and expected 132. We will wait another week or so before looking for another opportunity for Hopstrings who went down to 119 from 120. Thanks a real help!

Sholto won the long jump and 200 meters, Panda won the egg and spoon race. Tilly has her sports day in a couple of weeks and better keep the medals coming in.

Liam is helping us out through the summer and rode the 3 horses from Goffs. Another arrived from Ben Case yesterday. All behaved beautifully and will progress in the normal fashion.

16th June 2014

Max Ward and Hopstrings are fine after Friday night. Hopstrings is finding life a bit difficult and I am sure the handicapper will now drop her, if not I will be on the phone to him. Max Ward won well given he didn't jump with fluency and got squeezed up more than once. He has his own way of getting from one side to the other of a hurdle and it is painful to watch. Thankfully, he doesn't give away any ground and is in fact very economical.  We will see where we are with him regarding the handicapper tomorrow, if he keeps plenty of sparkle about him he will then be aimed at the summer hurdle at Market Rasen.

Instagramher runs tomorrow at Stratford, she has come on for her run at Worcester but still has a way to go yet.

The 2 horses we bought in Goffs were long-reined in full tack this morning and it won't be long before I ride them away. Both seem very amiable.

Sholto has his sports day tomorrow and is disappointed he ran so well in the heats as he is now in the top group and feels handicapped out of it all. He is furious that he didn't stop himself!

11th June 2014

Another very interesting day in Newmarket and a tour of the gallops. There are advantages of training in one of the centers, the main one being the facilities that are maintained and paid for by someone else other than you. The costs per month for the gallops is approximately 118 pounds, in my book that is very cheap and a massive saving for any trainer who has to look after their own gallops. The disadvantage in it all is that you have to slot in with everyone else - that would not suit me!

The trade at Goffs is incredible! We had a bid on one horse but he soon went past our budget, reading the results at the moment the clearance rate is in the region of 95 percent.

Hopstrings will run in the boys race at Aintree on Friday and Max Ward in the handicap. It was a toss up for both horses which races to opt for, only time will tell if we have made the right decisions.

10th June 2014

On Sunday I spent most of the day driving a 9 tonne dumper truck taking wood-chip onto the new gallop, when it started doing pirouettes down a very steep slippery hill after a rain shower I pulled stumps and went for a lye down! Not something I want to experience again and would opt to ride Robbie Rabbit over a line of open ditches in preference.

I am attending a seminar in Newmarket this week on various conditions in horses, today was all about the heart and lameness, all very interesting stuff and hugely educational.

Alice and Liam Treadwell are holding fort at home. It makes life so much easier when the yard is left in such capable hands.

Hopstrings and Max Ward will be heading to Aintree on Friday.

7th June 2014

Driving to the yard this morning was something else. Thunder and lightening coming from all angles followed by serious rain! By the time I got to Toddington the roads were bone dry and sun splitting the stones. We managed to get all the horses exercised before the rain hit Pudlicote around 11 A.M.

I have glanced at the entries for Max Ward and Hopstrings at Aintree on Friday, at first glance Max Ward will run in the Novice and Hopstrings in the mares race.  We won't have to make a decision until declarations by which time we'll know more about the likely opposition.

I couldn't wait to get home to watch the rugby and almost managed to get through the morning without hearing the rugby result. Any regular reader of this blog will know I'm a big fan and love my internationals. When talking to one of my owners I was asked why I wasn't watching it and informed of the score with about 5 minuets to play. I can't imagine anyone working with horses sitting down to watch the rugby at 8 a.m.! I've just watched it and it was a fantastic, exciting match with too many handling errors from both sides. Roll on next week and make a mental note to turn phone off!!!

6th June 2014

3 lorries managed to get up to the yard but sadly, the 4th failed miserably and caused such a fuzz that the rest were tipped at the neighbours farm. The men then had to resort to dumpers and a tractor and trailer to get the surface up to the buildings. It was most annoying as we have missed another day on the gallop when the weather was in our favour.

The dentist was in the yard this morning and sorted out 4 horses for us. Otherwise, it was another routine day for the horses.

Baton down the hatches apparently we are in for torrential storms tomorrow, after all it is June!

5th June 2014

A quiet enough day, all the horses had routine canters apart from the new Presenting horse who I rode in the school. I couldn't be happier with him and he will be joining a few others in the field at Sapness this weekend until I return from Ireland.

I have purchased 1000 tonne of the surface from Wolverhampton racecourse, the first 2 loads arrive tonight, it will be going on my all weather schooling ground, loose school, arena, lunge pen and rides to and from the gallop. It will also be going over the hard standing area in front of the yard. As a closet Eddie Stobart spotter I'm hugely excited to see what lorries arrive. Photos posted tomorrow and I will have to mark them off in my Eddie Stobart spotter book!!!!

4th June 2014

Liz Webster picked up her Apple Tree 2 year old who we broke-in and taught to jump, he will now be going into the field to mature over the summer before returning for another 6 weeks of education once the weather turns. Turns from what to what I don't know, we must have had 2 inches of rain today, it has been miserable and very depressing as it has yet again stopped any work on the new gallop.

Liam Treadwell was in this morning, he rode a few babies before schooling Instagramher over a few flights of hurdles. She will not be going to Worcester on Saturday due to the rain we've had. The ground has gone for her even if it stopped now.

3rd June 2014

Micheal Worcester's horses behaved beautifully, I rode the Robin Des champs filly who will be heading to Oliver Sherwood, she is lovely and very typical of his stock.

All the others had routine canters on the woodchip. Once the horses were all done and dusted I took 2 babies and Singlefarmpayment to Heather Haddock's, they won't be short of grass! I also bought Mafate fortin back to Sapness. I had to drag him in last week with puss in the ball of his heal, a long way from his heart and nothing a poultice couldn't sort out.

This afternoon was spent with Ed Hoddell who is doing all the work at Sapness, when you build a gallop on the side of a mountain getting to it was never going to be easy, cost effective and time efficient. We walked many routes and are still undecided as the best route but have ideas to sleep on.

If sthe rain stays away Instragramer May head to Worcester on Saturday before yet another party! That will be it for the year for me, socialising twice in the space of a week is just too much for me.

2nd June 2014

Into the 6th month of the year already! Soon be Christmas.

It was a busy weekend all in all. As most will know I am not too social and would much rather be with the horses than at parties. The wedding in Dorset was fun but the drive there and back was painful. I was slow to get moving on Sunday but had to ride out Cavite Epsilon.

Michael Worcester dropped off his 2 horses late morning today, tomorrow we will get the started, we will have to sit tight as they appear to be a little fresh!

Hopstrings will not go to Southwell tomorrow, instead she will wait for the 3.3 mile handicap at Aintree a week on Friday. Max Ward and Cavite Epsilon will also have entries there. Max Ward has come out of his last run in fine form and was bucking this morning.