26th January 2017

Guy Roberts was here this morning to see Kate’s Son a 4-year-old by Black Sam Bellamy and stayed to watch Chase End Charlie, Kimberlite Candy, Agamemmon and First Du Charmil who jumped a line of hurdles a couple of time. Kimberlite Candy will be declared for Cheltenham on Saturday, he seems to be in rude health and some rain is forecast.

All the others either cantered up the hill or put in some steady miles on the sand gallop.

Cirano de Sivola continued to fly the flag for our graduates and UK p2p winners winning the 2^nd division of the bumper at Warwick this afternoon. Cirano won his maiden for us at Larkhill before we sold him at the festival sale in March.

I think my criticism of Larkhill a few weeks ago is justified given they have received only 16 entries for their maiden. The framing of races is essential for a successful p2p and each race has to complement others on the card. I think the poor number of entries at Larkhill across both meetings staged there this year suggests their race planning needs an overhaul. I do not wish to be judgmental as I appreciate it is difficult, the reason for my criticism is out of pure frustration that a 4-year-old can’t run at Larkhill. The race planners appear to have gone out of their way to make sure they can’t by framing a race for maidens that have run a number of times.