22nd March 2018

A busy morning getting everything out before we set off to Chepstow and Ludlow. All the horses cantered 2 miles on the sand. The babies coming thorough the system and those back after a winter break didn’t go as far.

I went to Ludlow with Flashing Glance as he is known for being a bit of a handful and two pairs of hand are better than one. He seems to be going the right way, not only in the preliminaries but also on the track. I can now confess to declaring him in a hood in error, I’m not sure what went through my mind but I was absolutely convinced he always wore one. As it happens he hadn’t had one back on since he lost the plot wearing one at Bangor. I reassured the owners that the hood wasn’t the cause of his melt down at Bangor and that they need not worry. Thankfully, he won very well today and the hood discussions can be parked until his next declaration.  Robbie gave him a super ride, he isn’t an easy horse to ride and Robbie’s style of riding was always going to suit him. His jumping is something only he can improve with racing, he schools with pin point accuracy at home yet during a race when his body seems to move faster than his legs causing him to show little regard for his hurdles when he needs to get in tight. It doesn’t seem to stop him but it will be costing him. Ludlow is one of my favorite tracks when the ground isn’t deep and I highly recommend a visit for any racing fan. However, they failed me miserably today with no pictures from any other tracks. I was forced to listen to Meep Meep on my mobile phone. I have been assured that pictures from other tracks will be present at all their meetings going forward.

Meep Meep gave us an across the card double within 20 minuets. By the reports I have received I missed out on witnessing some serious celebrations after she crossed the line. A member of the ground staff who has worked on the track for 30 years told Albert he had never seen celebrations like it, the celebrations were reportedly a sight to behold. If Joe had been there I think I would have been left in charge of the horse as he was doing his own somersaults at Ludlow. I may find Joe asleep in Meep Meep stable when I feed in the morning!

As the owners of Meep Meep own the newsagents in Ledbury, I’m sure I can expect free Racing Posts delivered daily, including on Sundays for the rest of my life.

We have had 6 winners from our last 9 runners, non of which would be possible without all the committed staff here. They work bloody hard everyday of the week for someone who is hard to please and for that I am most grateful -  they make it happen.