24th October 2016

Saturday night internet failure so I failed to post below:

No excitements here and that is the way we like it. All horses seem in good shape having had a busy enough week they just swung through on the woodchip this morning.  

Suddenly, almost within a matter of 48 hours the horses have turned their coats, the clippers are out and will be busy.

Timico are getting behind Point to pointing in the UK in the form of sponsorship. I saw an interview on Twitter with Tim Radford explaining why his company have agreed to get involved in a major new Point-to-point sponsorship. He reasons are heart warming in that he thinks it is the right thing to do given what point-to-pointing has given him and many others. He came across as a lovely man and we are lucky to have him and his company supporting our sport. A few other new sponsors have come on board too which is testament to the guys running the show. I have repeatedly voiced that point-to-pointing in the UK is not in as bad a place as some may like to suggest or think. I witnessed competitive racing and large crowds where ever I went last year.

Today, Monday, was typical, in that, all horses had quiet Monday morning canters up the woodchip. Clippers have been flat out since 8 O’clock this morning. Clipping is something we have to outsource as there simply isn’t enough hours in the day to get everything ridden as well as clip. More often than not it absorbs one other on the end of the rope. I’m delighted to see the horses all have great skins and look well in themselves.  

We have few entries this week, Kimberlite Candy had an entry at Bangor tomorrow but will not participate due to the ground. He is in a novice hurdle at Carlisle on Sunday and Pinnacle Panda in a novice handicap chase. I have eyed up a few races for many horses all of which need rain and everyone is no doubt in the same place. Ballots will be plentiful and races very hard to win. Kimberlite Candy has a few entries over the next week or so. If the rain doesn’t arrive they will have to wait. He is a staying chaser in the making and we will probably side step the bumper route and get him started over hurdles. Anything he achieves over hurdles will be a bonus.