Hot, hot, hot!

At the start of the week I thought it would be nice to at least get another winner in seeing as the yard is in such flying form, but to come out with 2 winners and a second is even better. Canning Vale started the week off running a poor race at Southwell on Monday, however it wasn't as bad as her finishing position suggests as from the word go she hated the surface and the kick back in her face and although she has run there before, this time round she really showed us that she doesn't want to go back there again! Tuesday saw Silver Alliance make is debut for the yard at Kempton, he travelled well in second all the way round, but never managed to pass the one in front of him who won with something in hand. However nothing got near 'Silver' for second and we were pleased to see him run such a good race first time out for a while.

The next day was a bit dramatic as I was scheduled to go to Southwell with Blackmore and Exopuntia but my daughter, Shelley, managed to get buried by one of the two year olds in the morning and dislocated her shoulder again so I stayed at home and John went instead (back from Dubai, story to follow!). But it was another successful trip as 'Blacky' came home deservedly infront after being bridesmaid the last three times. 'Exo' confirmed our suspicions that she needs a break and after another poor run that was her last for a while and will now be roughed off in the paddock ready for the flat season, mainly Yarmouth.

So the week was going well and I was in good spirits taking Sail Home to Lingfield on Friday. Another horse in form, another winner! Adam Beschizza kept it simple by taking her up the inside and coming home half a length in the good. Here's a great snap just before the line...


It was a big finale to the week on Saturday as I took Emma's Gift to contest in a listed race at Lingfield. She had a luckless passage and they all came home in a bunch but she owes us nothing now and will have a few weeks easy now as there is not another race for her for a while.

With most of the yard running this week we didn't really have anything to work. So they just did a routine canter, here's one of the canters we mainly use, Hamilton Hill, it is a right handed, up hill canter only about 4 1/2 furlongs long and it's good for giving them a quick blow out just before they run. Here we have Entrance leading Kampai (right), Believe In Me and Tiger's Home (behind).

Another canter we use but mainly for galloping is Cambridge Road polytrack, it's a left handed track about 9 furlongs long. Here we have Acer Diamonds infront, followed by Angel of Mercy, Verona Bay, The Ducking Stool and Lea Valley.



So John came back from sunny Dubai last week after 6 weeks looking after Spirit of Sharjah, who also comes back next week. However I was horrified when I saw his face! Not that he'd lost his looks but he had a black eye and swollen face, I asked him if he'd bumped into David Haye whilst out there but he replied 'I had a falling out with a quad bike'. I think he got some funny looks when I sent him racing the next day!

What's a winnerless week?

It's been the first time in a couple of weeks that we haven't had a winner but the horses have still been running consistent as Blackmore showed when coming in 2nd (again!) at Southwell. He has been gradually coming back to his best but keeps bumping into a well handicapped one, he was also our 11th second of the season so far! So with the horses running so well it was disappointing to see Automotive run so poorly. I've been really excited about him for a while but in the back of my mind I had a feeling his breathing would let him down and it showed the second his jockey asked for an effort his head went in the air and stopped as if he'd hit a brick wall. It's back to the drawing board now to decide how we will get him right. The third and final runner of the week came from Spirit of Sharjah over in Dubai, he too ran a stinker however Ryan Moore who rode him said the track was riding like Southwell as they has rolled the surface quite deep which Spirit would not have appreciated.

However life goes on and it was back home to remind myself what prospects we've got in store this season. Sancho Panza (below) did his first long canter after coming back into training from a winter holiday. He seems refreshed and filling out that huge frame every day.

Silver Alliance (grey) worked along Cambridge Road polytrack with Sail Home (near side) and Exopuntia. Silver is entered next week at Kempton on Wednesday and will be going there in good spirits, it will be his first run for us and hopefully he will make a good first impression! Sail Home is entered the next day at Southwell, she likes the track and is a filly in form. Exopuntia is also entered to run the same day and at the same track, she hasn't been running well of late but has been given plenty of time from her last run which she likes.

Angel of Mercy and Lea Valley cantered upsides, the latter is a lovely 3 year old filly I purchased from Plantation Stud last year and has come along way considering she got broken in late as a 2 year old. Mercy has had some problems with her hind quarters and we've had to take it very slowly with her as she can go wrong very easily, but they both seem to be enjoying their training at the minute.

Argante Claudious has finally made a comeback after having a leg operation last year, it was probably a blessing in disguise that we couldn't train him as a 2 year old because now he has come back twice the size and ready to begin his career as a racehorse.

Another horse coming back after injury is Acer Diamonds, he showed alot of promise in two maidens last year and it was a bitter pill to swallow when he picked up the injury, but he is back to his usual boisterous self and starting to do a bit more work.

The two 2 year olds worked upsides on Saturday, Tiger's Home (near side) and Believe In Me have been progressing together well, the latter seems the earlier type to be running next season, but both are showing a keen attitude to learn, shares are still available in both.

We had a couple of new additions to the yard this week, a un-named filly by Halling out of In Luck and Kampai, a twice raced maiden. Here is old timer Baverica (behind) making Kampai feel welcome, hopefully 'Rita' can have a chat with her about how to be a wondermare like she was!

Emma lights up the dark days

The snow that fell this week has been a pain but it fails to stop us Newmarket trainers from soldiering on. However, the heath at the other side of town from us tends to be better maintained in bad conditions, so we boxed a few over to give them a spin up Warren Hill, it is also handy for giving the horses a change of scenery. Here star performers Attain and Emma's Gift complete preparation for their races, read on to find out how they got on...!

This is probably the reason why I don't train over Bury side, you always have to queue to get onto the canters!

If there was a prize for star pupil of the week it would go to Emma's Gift, who yesterday completed the double on consecutive Saturdays. It's even better knowing that they are class 3 and class 4 races she's won so they're not bottom of the barrel prize- money wise. We will try and aim her for a Listed race in a couple of weeks time, which gives her enough time to freshen up, although she is hard as nails and wouldn't mind racing everyday in this weather! The photos came through after her win at Wolverhampton and there was even one of Adam smiling! ...and Emma smiling too!

Emma's antics have not overshadowed the fine form we have hit recently, if you take out Emma's unseat our last 7 runners in this country have not been out the first 3, 3 of them being winners. Khajaaly finished 3rd on Monday at Wolves, they went an ideal good pace and as they faded into the fog he looked sure to be there when he came out of it, but he is quite one paced in a finish and had to settle for 3rd only beaten about a length by the winner. The next runners were not until Saturday, where Emma lit up the stage again and Attain ran a gallant second both at Lingfield. This colt has been working well at home and came on leaps and bounds after his debut at the venue and showed it on the track, being beaten by a horse from a big yard who they say they're very excited about.

Blackmore has also hit a rich vein of form and he will be looking for another win on Tuesday at Southwell. He has come down to a winnable mark and he's gone well at the track before so Valentine's day could be his lucky day! Also next week is the exciting Automotive on Thursday at Kempton Park, he's been well in himself recently but a horse that we hope the cold snap won't effect as he gets quite stuffy and needs to be going out everyday, but he hasn't missed a day of training yet so hopefully he will be spot on.

Wolverhampton winter wonderland

Well Wolverhampton may not be everyone's cup of tea on a cold, snowy Saturday night but if it means bringing home a winner then its all worth it, and we did just that with Emma's Gift (below), who although clipping heels and unseating her rider last time out, didn't have her confidence knocked and was sent for home on the turn in and scored by about 2 lengths. She's been revived after the fitting of headgear (never being out the first 2) and looked although another win is imminent. We' re now looking to find a Listed race on the all- weather for her to try and pick up some black type whilst she's still in form.

As most of you would have noticed it's pretty white outside, but that doesn't stop the wheels turning at the yard. It doesn't matter how bad the weather conditions may be, you are always kept motivated by the thought of a yard full of racehorses waiting to be looked after, as they're not going to feed themselves! So today, as they do every Sunday, all went on the horse walker whilst their boxes get mucked out, but I have a feeling it's going to get alot more use this week. Here Silver Alliance shows us how its done!

...and Khajaaly will hopefully be out tomorrow at Wolves, but there is a 6.30am inspection so hopefully it'll get the green light. 'Jally's is a horse that has to be ridden in a certain way and Jimmy Quinn gets on beautifully with him, but with him out of action its been difficult trying to find a jockey that will get on with him. We're trying Luke Morris on him tomorrow and hopefully he can steer him home infront at his favourite track.

Sail Home ran again on Monday after winning well the week before. She came home a gallant second but it was a bit of a blow as Adam Beschizza could not make it due to poor traffic so we put up Paul Hanagan. Although he was a great substitute, it may of just helped her along if she'd had Adam's 3lb claim in hand. However, she ran another blinder and will be out again soon while she's in form.

After finally finding a name for the Araafa colt, now Toby Brown, I was approached by a friend from Cyprus that was interested in buying him for racing out there. It was a bit of a shame to see him go as he could of been anything, but I'm sure he'll set the Cypriot scene alight especially with his flashy new name!