28th November 2017

Thomas Patrick thinks he’s very special, he may head back to Exeter on the 8^th December or carry a penalty at Haydock in a boys race on the 6th.

Many of the young horses are now stepping up their work load and will soon be considered to be in full training mode working twice a week. The more forward ones did a couple of swinging canters up the hill having cantered around the sand. The more backward ones will just be bought along in their own time.

The quality of racing at Hereford is disappointing tomorrow. I’m Sophie and I will enjoy the day and a lovely lunch in the box we have been invited into. No racecourse can control the weather and Hereford still has firm in their going description Watering courses in the autumn is high risk. Ask Simon Claisse, he has received unfair criticism over the soft ground at Cheltenham last week. The jockey who voiced his opinion was complaining about the hurdles being too upright at Newcastle a few days earlier. I don’t think his opinion counts for the majority who understand the difficulties clerks of courses face. Imagine the uproar if there had been 2 or 3 runner contests at Cheltenham in October on firm ground. It was bad enough when Worcester got it wrong.