2nd December 2021

I have never claimed to be pure as driven snow. After Sebastopol and now Nocte Volatus falling at the last fence with the races at their mercy I am questioning myself. Given Nocte Volatus was eighteen lengths clear he is sure to be hammered by the handicapper for his troubles. The owner tells me that life is not fair, I don’t go down that route either. We shall dust this morning’s snow flurry off and go again tomorrow. Speaking of owners, trainers must wear many hats and be prepared to swap them at any stage of the day. A new one came this week when an owner was charged a fee for a letter from the BHA stating that his account was overdrawn. The problem is that the horse in question is registered to an account with plenty of funds in it. The BHA charged the wrong account for the horse, and it is proving impossible to get someone within the organisation to admit their error and reimburse the fee they charged for sending a letter. I feel it is a trainer’s duty to listen to their owner’s rant about an incompetent group of people, many of whom, remain in the warmth of their own homes after covid. I shall add agony aunt to my hat collection. 

I have nominated Eamonn for the last two years for the Godolphin leadership award and I have failed to get him shortlisted on both occasions. The awards have become a bit of a joke with a huge bias towards large yards preferably flat based in Cambridgeshire. We shall keep trying.

Many Christmas presents were sold at Yorton sale this afternoon, some reserves must have been set by the elves. Unsold lots over £200,000 is ambitious for any horse. I don’t know many, if any p2p trainers who would set a reserve so high on any horse. 

This morning Adrimel and Lossiemouth had little blows on the hill, many of the others had a couple of swinging canters up it too. The fat boys club put in some hard yards around the sand. Adrimel heads to Exeter and Lossiemouth to Sandown. To read my thoughts click here. It is time for a cup of tea with large quantities of sugar added.