8th January 2018

Yesterday was full of adventure, some of which, is not the sort of adventure one wishes for. We had an early start as the week’s runners had to be ridden before we set off for Larkhill. Everything was going swimmingly well until the hose on the air breaks popped bringing us to a complete standstill on Birdlip Hill. Thankfully, away from the doggers!

Kim Bailey came to help and very kindly bought out his lorry. There was no way we could get the horses off on such a steep incline, we concluded that there is always another race and settled down to take our punishment.

Horses like Energumene and Sebastopol don’t come around every day. The police arrived as did our hero, Dave Little who used to fix my lorry in the Cotswolds. He repaired the pipe and sent us on our way at 10.40 a.m. The police were not required, Albert had traffic control well in hand and was suitably dressed in a high viz jacket kindly given by a passer by. Energumene had to be declared by 12 noon. Birdlip to Larkhill in 1hour 20 minuets in a 7.5 tonne lorry is impossible. We managed to over come all obstacles put before us and sent him off to the start. He didn’t disappoint us and won as we expected.  He is a June foal and a seriously talented horse. I have never run a 4-year-old this early in the year and the fact he is actually only 3.5 years old is testament to the horse’s raw talent. Sebastopol is only 1 month older and he too bolted up. We have been fortunate to have had some very nice animals through our hands but in my opinion, these two are seriously talented. To gallop 3 miles and jump 18 fences on dead ground and win in the fashion they did is hugely impressive at this time of year for May and June foals. Tommie gave the pair lovely patient rides and had them in the right places throughout.  The drive home was slightly more relaxed.

This morning all the 4 year olds jumped 12 fences having cantered a mile around the sand. Polydora, The Last of Them, Kateson, Sir Egbert and an unnamed Winged Love horse jumped 12 hurdles. All the others had typical Monday morning canters. This afternoon, I went to visit Pokeman George and see his youngstock. I will certainly sleep tonight.

Should racing go ahead tomorrow, The Last of Them will further his education at Doncaster. I and many farmers in Herefordshire were quite surprised that we couldn’t race at Hereford this afternoon, you would have raced here and 3 local farmers told me they would have raced on their land too?