19th April 2021

Glory and Fortune can’t gallop through hurldes like that and expect to win, it was a mistake to leave the hood off and Johnny felt that he just ran with no equilibrium. Things have just got to click for him, he looked like he was going to fall out the back of the screen but in fact, stayed on in a satisfactory manner. Hopefully, he will start to believe in himself and when things click he can become progressive again. Argonauta is a baby, we have not been hard on him. He’s a horse for the future and one to look forward too. 

Typical Monday morning canters for the horses, Sinndarella and King Ferdinand jumped some hurdles. The nights are supposed to be warming up some horses will very soon be losing their rugs overnight in preparation for the summer holidays. We need some warm rain to get the grass growing. 

This morning, Tuesday we worked Algesiras who may run in a novice hurdle before making his way to the horses in training sale, Hazzaar, Hunting Percival, Lossiemouth, I’m on Snap, You Name Him, Outlaw Jesse James, Pounding Poet and Dorking Boy. Black Anthem and Polydora schooled over some fences and King Ferdinand jumped three lines of four hurdles. 

Neville’s Cross is another example of being crucified by the handicapper, he went up 21lbs for two wins, first time he went up 9lbs and then 12lbs. Horses do not get a chance to progress, they get stopped too quickly. He ran with credit and will now go and jump a fence. All the Ayr horses and Neville’s’ Cross are in good nick after their races. 

The news of Lorna Brooke death after her fall makes anyone think. I have mentioned what a lovely girl she was and it just makes one realize that horses running around a field should not allow anyone of us to get so wound up to the point we lose the fun element of doing something we all love. Of course, we all want to win. On Talk Sport the other evening Rupert Bell did a program on jockeys and their mental health. (I’m sure it is available to listen to Talk Sport Iplayer or the likes of.) It’s those in the mid to lower tiers who have it the toughest and without doubt it is tough for them. Trainers are older than most jockeys but the mental torture on trainers is also very tough. Everyone goes into this industry wanting to be winners, sadly we all have more losers than winners, even the leading trainers train more losers than winners yet our brains beat us up when every horse doesn’t win. It is pure madness. I also believe that jockeys and trainers believe they are judged more so than what they actually are. The majority of rational people understand that more times than not, the fastest horse who can shoulder their allocated weight wins the race. 

Sinndarella heads to Taunton tomorrow, to read my thoughts click here.