10th October 2017

Kimberlite Candy, Equus Amadeus, Polydora, Silk Run, Jester Jet, Thistle do Nicely all warmed up on the sand before working on the hill. Flashing Glance and Sir Egbert cantered around the sand before jumping 8 hurdles. Sword of Fate, Mary Eleanor, Cora Sundrop, Colt Lightning and Kateson breezed through on the hill a couple of times. All the others had routine canters around the sand or up the hill.

The horses seem in good health and are all enjoying their work. This evening we loose schooled a few of the 3 year olds, it just refreshes and sharpens their minds.

Cora Sundrop runs in the fillies bumper tomorrow at Ludlow, she is well and won’t disgrace herself.

Evidence of improper conduct has encouraged the BHA to undertake a review of sales, I don’t imagine we are getting the full story at present as something must have triggered the review. I have been on NH sales grounds for 10 years and have never had any reason to suspect improper conduct. Ensuring your horse makes the reserve, in my mind, does not class as improper conduct. Everything has a value to its owner. Auctioneers are skilled men and always know the reserve prior to sale but those of us who spend time on the ground at sales buying and selling horses get a feel of whether the horse is actually on the market or not. Some sales companies have an electronic board that flashes up when the horse fetches it reserve. I think these should be compulsory. More often than not, agents, trainers or prospective buyers will ask a vendor what the reserve will be. 9 times out of 10 the vendor will be 100% honest with all parties. I have been on the receiving end of two misfortunes at sales. On one occasion, I told a trainer the reserve of a horse and he failed to bid, the horse was sold for the reserve. The trainer rang me the day after the sale to try and buy the horse. He must have thought I was either lying about the reserve or the auctioneer was taking the horse along. There was a genuine bidder and the horse was sold. On another occasion, a trainer bid on a horse I was selling and realized there was no under bidder excluding the auctioneer. He refused to sign the ticket on his final bid and tried to buy the horse for 5,000 pounds less than he actually bid. I found myself in an awkward situation as I didn’t want to represent the horse at the end of the day. After a heated chat, the sales company made up the shortfall.  The second example is not improper conduct, it was purely poor behavior on the trainer part.