17th November 2018

Kimberlite Candy has come out of Ayr in good heart and thinks he’s king of the castle. Yesterday we worked, Hazzaar, L’Incorrigible, Templeross, Lamanver Storm, JohnBB, Dimmesdale, Floating Rock and Lady Cylla. The others all cantered a mile on the sand and up the hill a couple of time. This morning, after another busy enough week, every horse except Vado Forte and Equus Amadeus had quiet canters up the hill, Vado and Equus had a little blow second time up. They both head to The Greatwood tomorrow, if they finish in the front half I will be over the moon with them. Based on all known form the ground is too quick for Vado. It will never be quick enough for Equus Amadeus. 

If you have any hole even if it’s the size of a pin prick Cheltenham will find you out, Snapdragon Fire over jumped the first hurdle and it was basically curtains there on in. He hung right throughout and won’t be going back left handed in a hurry. I think it is safe to say he didn’t handle the occasion or the track. He went for a quiet canter this morning and appears to be as well as ever. 

I don’t think you’ll see quicker hands in international rugby as the Japanese ones. It was never going to be as easy or convincing as Eddie Jones reckoned and suggesting England would smash them was surely only mind games. He has more respect for opposing sides than that comment would suggest.