11th December 2019

Man flu took over yesterday and I was pleased to get to bed. We worked Polydora, Quick Draw, Adrimel, Outlaw Jessie James, Red Nika, Hunting Percival, Dorking Boy, Glory and Fortune, Neveille’s Cross, Lossiemouth, Sir Egbert, Snapdragon Fire and Floating Rock. They all pleased us, many of which will be running over the Christmas period. 

This morning we schooled, Lossiemouth, Glory and Fortune, Floating Rock, Fair Kate and Neveille’s Cross over hurdles. Snapdragon Fire jumped some fences. The others had routine canters around the sand and up the hill. I never seem to stop trying to improve things and the diggers are back putting in even more drainage around the sand gallop. Did we ask for rain in September?  

Christopher Robin and Nocte Volatus are in good shape this morning, I was pleased Richard pulled up Nocte Volatus after his mistake. You seldom see a horse throw his head up quite like that on landing after a mistake. He jumped great on the whole and will be a horse for further down the line. 

Andrew Balding is standing firm against the new apprentice fee structure changes. What is it about organizations, governing bodies that think they know better than those on the shop floor. Richard Fahey has also been involved in the discussions over the aforementioned changes.  It’s the same old nonsense of people expecting everything for nothing. Kingsclere is renown for producing apprentices and they, the apprentices I am sure are happy to share their fees and winnings if it is a case of getting opportunities or not. I have had horses in this yard to give young jockeys chances and trust me when you look at the cost of doing so, in my cases I’ve lost money hand over fist. I turned £8,000 into £3,500 in a matter of a few months last week and that’s before any costs have been taking into account. In my limited experience of working with apprentices the majority get lifts in horse boxes or with other jockeys and trainers, they continue to get their daily wage and are grateful of the opportunities. Money becomes irrelevant when you want to make it as a jockey or serving as an apprentice in any walk of life. The BHA ought to open their eyes if they think that apprentices are hard done by. An apprentice electrician will be getting a lesser wage than an apprentice jockey if everyone is paying what those in power suggest is reasonable and fair. 

By treating those who produce future jockeys with utter contempt the BHA have screwed it for themselves and others. I now read they, the BHA want to align the regulatory practices within Arab Racing. Best they concentrate on what is going on a little closer to home if you ask me. 

Fair Kate heads to Warwick tomorrow, to read my thoughts click here.