10th April 2018

As much as it is lovely to go away, it is as nice to come home too. At the very last minuet we decided to escape for a week into the mountains. Skiing with the kids was an absolute joy. At no point did anyone of them back out of a black mogul field, they must get their courage from their mother. Having been twice with the school, Tilly makes skiing look effortless. Panda, our youngest child aged 10 had been with the school once and wasn’t going to be left behind on the slopes. Sholto had never skied before but soon picked it up and took some laying up with on the last 2 days down the mogul fields. If we leave it another 13 years before going again I will certainly be whipping in.

I seldom go away but when I do I never need to worry. The team here are excellent and have everything very much in hand. The weather interrupted some running plans in my absence. Alberto’s Dream ran a super race under a big weight at Exeter finishing 2nd, his winning sequence sadly came to an end finishing behind a horse recapturing some of his form. The abusive phone calls I received off a disgruntled punter as a result of him finishing 2^nd suggested he was expected to do better.  Dealing with such abusive phone calls tweets etc etc seem to have become part of the job. The slanderous remarks made by Jonathon Neeson on RUK referring to the betting markets prior to the off do not help and are totally unnecessary and unprofessional. Alberto’s Dream deserves a good summer and will now get it. Colt Lightning got stuck in the ground at Exeter and will have his day and more again.

Equus Amadeus ran well finishing 2^nd at Kempton yesterday and will possibly go to Sandown for the novice handicap final at the end of the month. All horses have come out of their races in fine shape.

Dorking Boy makes his debut at Market Rasen tomorrow, he has done plenty of work and will come on for the experience.

This morning we worked Kateson, Guy Roberts and The Welsh Crofter were here to see him, Jester Jet, Kimberlite Candy, Thomas Patrick, He’s a Goer, Now is the Winter, Kings Spirit and Sebastopol. Dorking Boy and Meep Meep breezed through on the woodchip. The Triple Pillar, Another Drama, Sir Egbert, Enchancia and Soraya jumped 12 fences having cantered twice up the hill.

We are mad keen to get some shoes off a few horses and get them into the fields but this weather is unbelievable. According to the forecast the end isn’t in sight yet. Another 10mm forecast to fall at Aintree on Friday night into Saturday just in time to help Thomas Patrick.

Runners at Aintree this week -  Meep Meep in the fillies’ bumper and Kateson in the gelding’s bumper. Jester Jet, she has 2 entries but we are favoring the 2.4-mile handicap given the ground will only get softer with the forecast rain, and the fact, there is plenty of pace in the race for her to aim at. Thomas Patrick in the 3-mile novice handicap. We will be sending Kimberlite Candy to Chepstow on Saturday and Now is The Winter to Hereford p2p. He’s a Goer and King Spirit to Ffos Las on Sunday.