27th November 2020

Quiet canters for the horses this morning, Kimberlite Candy did a little bit more, his work is now done and he will be kept fresh and well before Aintree next weekend. Those heading north to Ayr all had a canter and swung through on the hill. Sebastopol and Tea Clipper had a little blow for their engagements tomorrow. To read my thoughts click here.  

It goes without saying Neveille’s Cross was hugely disappointing this afternoon, but maybe not through his own doing. I now believe we have go him all wrong. All last winter we said he wanted soft ground and then he went and won on good ground. Admittedly, in a lot worse company that what he’s faced in his last two runs.  Through no fault of anyone’s we started to believe good ground was the key to his success. Having won on it twice, why wouldn’t we. There are other factors to add into the mix too. However, in the grade he now finds himself in he is simply being taken off his feet. We need to change something and will now give him a go back on the ground we originally always thought he wanted. Robbie said he felt a million dollars going to post, he jig jogged off the track when we went to collect him and all the way back to the stables. He was like a bull when I went to see him cooling off and excluding the disappointment no harm appears to have been done. 

Newbury is a grade one track with all the prize money stacked at the top end, something that annoys me too. They didn’t bother to have a screen on the racetrack itself and choose just to have one by the paddock. From an owners view point - if you are going to make the effort to travel to the races to watch your horse surely one would want to watch from the grandstand using the screen as well as binoculars. The whole purpose of going to watch a horse race as an owner is to see it race in the flesh where ever possible. Too many racecourses have failed to put screens in the right places through lockdown. I find it hugely disappointing and even more up stetting for the lack of respect it shows towards owners requirements when on course.