21st August 2017

Silk Run ran a super race for her debut, the rain didn’t help us but she wouldn’t have won on any ground. She was only getting 1lb from older and more experienced horses, she wasn’t beaten far for 3^rd. The winner looks above average and all bar one finisher in front of her had racecourse experience. I was very happy with her.

David John has work to do on his jumping, he just isn’t fluent enough over his fences and makes life harder for himself than it needs to be. 2.4 mile around Southwell was too sharp for him, it just all happens a bit quick around there. He will have his day again and the handicapper needs to cut him some slack.  

Both Perth and Southwell resembled open air bars, I do not like what race tracks have become. At Perth the owners and trainers stand was full of drinkers none of which saw a horse all day long, the area at the front of the stands was jammed solid with people getting drunk. Had you wanted to see horses in the paddock you would have had the whole parade ring to yourself. The traffic getting into Perth was busy and the coach loads of men and women peeing on the side of the road was a spectacle, the ladies did manage to get into someone’s garden for a little cover. Music started up as the horses entered the pre parade for the bumper, naturally, the racecourse has to get the crowd revved for the band playing into the evening for fear of them leaving. At Southwell I had to force my way into the owners and trainers stand as the security guard wasn’t aware of what a racecourse pass looks like. In his defense, he was doing a better job of keeping the stand clear for purpose rather than the man at Perth who was so clearly afraid of the intruders. I was told there were more cars going into Market Rasen than out after racing on Saturday as the crowd arrived for the music in the evening. It is a great shame that racecourses have had to resort to this type of entertainment. There was another punch up at Ascot a couple of weeks ago. I fear, if racing continues to rely on bands and a crowd full of drunks as a main source of income the old school owners will disappear without trace before we know it and they are the backbone of this industry.

The drive across country from the M6 to Scotch Corner on the A66 is lovely, you are left wondering how spectacular the area must look covered in snow. Given the road closure barriers and depth markers along the route, at times, it must get a fair covering.  You may think having a driver with local knowledge of Scotland is a huge advantage being so far away from home but realizing you are heading back towards Perth having left there 45 minuets early came as a little surprise. Reportedly, we were on a sight seeing mission!

Brandon Hill and Super Sid arrived back form their summer holidays this afternoon looking fantastic.