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Glory and Fortune and Le Grand Fromage worked having cantered around the sand. The other horses put in some hard yards on the sand.    Lamaver Storm and Ginflix both appear to be fine after their runs yesterday.   Leighton Aspell has decided to hang up his boots after racing at Fontwell tomorrow, another senior rider gone from the weighing room who’s services we had called...

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Routine canters for the horses this morning, all of the older horses that are racing fit have had a quiet enough week just to freshen up a little. Cheltenham sales this afternoon was as quiet as I’ve known it and there seemed to be a slow down for the form horse. I didn’t go around the horses so I’m not sure if it was the quality of stock on offer or people just sitting tight aft...

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Quiet canter for those that worked yesterday, Le Grand Fromage and Outlaw Jessie James worked nicely. It was the off to Cheltenham sales for vetting in preparation for tomorrows sale. Thankfully, no issues there.   The M5 was gridlocked so I thought I’d come home across country only to find most roads closed through flooding. My humour was tested as I had to navigate my way back to th...

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An even earlier start than normal as we took ten horses away for a morning to work on grass, getting on grass this winter has been near on impossible, we are incredibly lucky that occasionally, we are allowed to use some private land of one of our owners. The horses all worked nicely and some will soon be looking for races.    Red Nika ran a super race, in being patient, we have done t...

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Dorking Cock, Lamanver Storm and Kimberlite Candy did a little more than the others who covered the same ground in slower gears.    I took Thomas Patrick to the seaside again for a change of scene otherwise it was a pretty routine morning. The devastation caused by the floods in the local area is horrendous, how those people whose house are under water must feel, I just can’t ima...

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Typical Monday morning canters soon came around again, the wind and rain first lot was as bad as we’ve had all winter and certainly the coldest morning. We have escaped the worse of it, those in the immediate surrounding areas have been hit a lot worse and have their properties under water.    The BHA are doing a super job restaging some of the higher profile races lost and putti...

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A quiet morning for the horses on the back of a busy week, most hacked quietly up the woodchip and a few put in some yards on the sand. This rain is just getting worse here in Herefordshire, getting back into the yard from surrounding areas is a challenge in itself. Cars are stranded in floods in the middle of roads. Driving through them requires a bit of nerve and commitment. If you stop you&rsqu...

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Hard yards around the sand for many, those hoping to run tomorrow had a little blow on the hill. In case you’ve been living in a hole, the weather prediction isn’t great and I’m less optimistic than others that any racing will go ahead tomorrow.   O’Leary has stopped his motor mouth antics and has announced that Tiger Roll will line up in the 2020 Grand National. I e...

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Quiet canters for the horses this morning, all seem in good shape. The rain that fell again last night was of biblical proportions with more to follow, I think we will need to build an arc if it continues. Thankfully, our hill seems to take any amount of water. If it stands up to this winter it will cope with any. The weather will take its toll on the woodchip itself, and another fifteen thousand ...

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The lunch for the launch of The Grand National weights in Liverpool yesterday was a great occasion which I thoroughly enjoyed. The organizers did a fantastic job, we enjoyed some seriously good singing from Laura Wright, a good lunch and most importantly, a nice racing weight of 10st 4lbs for Kimberlite Candy. Lets hope this wet weather continues through to April 4th.   I think Tiger Roll i...

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Typical Monday morning canters for the horses this morning, any early week racing plans were stopped by storm Ciara. Riding out yesterday morning was an experience, the wind was bad enough but they rain of biblical proportions came at us sideways. Horses and riders were delighted to get back to the comfort of the stables.    Thomas Patrick went out with the hounds for a few hours this ...

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Le Grand Fromage and Ginflix cantered around the sand and went a little quicker than the others up the hill. Those which benefit from lesser visits to the hill cantered further on the sand. Coningsby jumped eight hurdles, he is still a novice over hurdles and is likely to take his chance back over them at Catterick on Monday.    Sir Egbert found two miles on the drying ground too sharp...

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Yesterdays runners are in in one piece and seem in good heart this morning. Onwards and upwards for them.    Those in full work put in some hard yards around the sand before heading up the hill, Sir Egbert jumped eight hurdles in preparation for his run at Warwick. Adrimel had a little blow on the hill before he heads to Newbury tomorrow. To read my thoughts click here.   I thou...

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A quiet morning for the horses, many just had quiet canters up the hill. Fair Kate and Capac jumped eight hurdles in preparation for their runs tomorrow. Christopher Robin heads to Bangor. To read my thoughts click here.   I managed to cope with yesterdays second without having too bad a mood swing but today’s two second places was considerably more mood altering. It’s like a br...

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Most of the horses put in hard yards around the sand this morning. Gordon and Su Hall were here to see their three year old by Milan. He’s here for six weeks education before getting some more time to grow on.   Tea Clipper, Thais Toir and Glory and Fortune jumped a line of four hurdles. Two of the aforementioned horses run tomorrow, to read my thoughts click here.   Most horse...

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Travelling to Musselburgh, Dorset and back to Carlisle over the weekend and on Monday is somewhat easier when the horses are running so well. Five horses have left the yard since Saturday morning and four of them won so the journeys were considerably more enjoyable. Most importantly, they have all come out of their runs in good order.    Although, we are having a good few days I was ve...

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Dorking Cock and Neville's Cross head north tomorrow. To read my thoughts click here

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After a busy week, quiet canters for the horses this morning up the hill. I left early to catch my flight to Musselburgh. Thank goodness Flybe survived.    It wasn’t all plain sailing for Sebastopol as he appeared to be struggling early doors but jumped his way back into the race down the back and looked to have as good a chance as any turning for home before winning in a cozy fa...

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This morning we worked Adrimel and Vado Forte, the others in full excluding those coming off the back of runs cantered around the sand and up the hill.   Kateson and Coningsby are fine after their runs yesterday.    We cried for rain last winter and we certainly got it this time around. Chepstow was as expected, deep winter ground and Unohu ran a very nice race in defeat. He&rsq...

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Days like today are not for the faint hearted, I think I could have assaulted someone if they said the wrong thing to me after Kateson’s race. I left Wincanton in very bad form.  The ground on the hurdle track at Wincanton wasn’t for me, it was basically mud so we made a decision to pull ours out and save them for another day. Kateson will be heading off for wind investigatio...

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Most horses had routine canters around the sand and up the hill. Sebastopol, Thais Toir and Neville’s Cross schooled over eight hurdles. Torran returned having had a break and a chance to strengthen up. What a change to have some sunshine and wind. We may finally get some better under foot conditions.    Tomorrow we send Kateson to Ffos Las, Tea Clipper, Coningsby and Glory and F...

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We worked Adrimel, Dorking Cock, Sebastopol, Thais Toir and Neville’s Cross this morning, all others had routine canters around the sand and up the hill. I’m getting to the point of parking some horses as there seems to be no let up with this weather.  The babies that went away from home yesterday had a quiet hack around the place.   The famous, Horse in Training book is no...

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Saturday was as bad as it gets but yesterday was a very memorable day. Sholto won on his pony at Cocklebarrow. He gave it a great ride, he was stone cold last into the first bend and just crept into the race down the side before running out a nice winner. We were all very proud of him, numerous supporters came to watch, three of his god parents were there as were all his cousins and a good few mat...

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Routine canters for the horses this morning.    There is no worse feeling than when losing a horse and sadly, today we lost Lamanver Odyssey.  The on course team managed to get her back to the stable yard in the ambulance but her condition deteriorated and we were left with no other option than to let her go. Everyone involved is naturally saddened.    Sholto make...

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Very quiet day for the horses, many worked yesterday. The babies worked harder than they had done so before so just quietly cantered up the hill. Those that needed more work naturally got it. Lamnaver Odyssey and Dorking Cock schooled over fences having cantered around the sand.    I thought Dorking Boy ran a very creditable race given he possibly over raced a little off a slow ga...

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Two days at Doncaster January sales is enough for any man. Like all sales, many vendors were disappointed with their sale prices and buyers thought the trade was solid, it certainly was for the cream of the crop.    This morning we worked Tea Clipper, Coningsby, Fair Kate, Unohu, Kateson, Glory and Fortune, Lagonda, Thais Toir and a number of unnamed 4 year olds. Many others put in som...

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This morning we worked Tea Clipper, Adrimel, Dorking Boy, Lamanver Storm, Lamanver Odyssey, Glory and Fortune, Kateson, Coningsby, Sebastopol and a heap of unnamed horses.    Vanessa who runs our office wasn’t playing football today so she came to Haydock with me for a jolly. I wasn’t disappointed with Sir Egbert, he has to learn to race properly as trying to go from the fr...

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Yesterdays runners are all in good order and are there for another day. Quiet enough time for the horses today, most had a couple of hack canters up the hill and a few stayed on the sand.  Thomas Patrick had a lovely time on the sand dunes, it is a high tide this week so we were unable to get down onto the beach. If time allows, I will be back there next week with him for a canter in the wa...

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The horses between races and in full work put in some hard yards around the sand, those coming off the back of races had quiet canters up the hill or quietly around the sand.   I think enough is enough of this rain now, it has become very tedious. I was cold to the bones at Ludlow today, running in the second race and the last makes for a long day in those conditions.    Hunting...

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Quiet canters up the hill for those that worked yesterday. Polydora, Thomas Patrick and two unnamed four year olds did a a little more. Vado Forte ran his race again. Sometimes it is just very hard to place horses and he is one who has very limited opportunities. He seriously deserves to win one but he won’t be cut any slack as he’s incredibly consistent and the handicapper clearly ...

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