It's getting hotter, eventhough we're still on the cold list

This glorious weather makes all the long, cold winter days worth it and makes you appreciate working outside with these beautiful animals. They're all coming in their coats now and it's nice not to have to spend hours rugging them all up, instead we spend hours topping their water buckets up! But it's easy to see how relaxed they are now with alot of them being turned out in the paddocks in the afternoons.

Here we have, from left to right, Entrance, Emma's Gift and Sail Home enjoying the sun today.



Last week saw both Silver Alliance and Generous Genella travel down to Brighton on Tuesday, but we only ended up having one runner as the ground had dried up and would of been far too firm for Genella, especially as she's just come back from a tendon injury. But Silver ran his heart out only to be swallowed up in the last furlong or so, the 1m 4f trip may have tested his stamina out a bit and the ground could of had a bit more juice in it.

The next trip racing wasn't until Saturday, when Sail Home came in a gallant 3rd in the amateur race at Newbury. I may be the only trainer to say it but I always feel more confident in amateur races as I know I've got one of the most experienced riders about in my son Ross and that makes a big difference when riding in these races. She ran a blinder but is probably handicapped to her highest at the minute after a fruitful winter campaign.

The sun didn't dry up the grass gallops too much and the Peat Moss gallop was open, here we have Acer Diamonds (far side) running abreast with Attain, the latter is entered for Brighton on Thursday but will only go if they get some rain. Acer has healed well after his castration and will be waiting for some rain too.



Entrance and The Ducking Stool (near side) also worked on the Peat Moss, Ducky probably found the ground a bit firm but worked well considering the weight of the riders was not equal. Entrance is entered for an apprentice race at Brighton on Friday, we will have to see what kind of jockey we can get before deciding whether to run, but she has been working fantastically, runs best fresh and will like the ground.

Angel of Mercy (near side) will make her long anticipated debut at Yarmouth early next month, she is an unraced 4 year old and has had alot of set backs along the way, but she has finally strengthened up and come to herself. She will need the run for experience but it's just nice to see her thriving on the gallops. Canning Vale is entered for Brighton on Thursday, hopefully she will show some ability on the turf.

Coming up on her own was the unnamed Halling filly, she has been doing plenty of work and will be running in the near future.

We had a good turn out of owners on Saturday morning, it was even nice and warm on the heath for a change!

The Mujadil filly I bought from the breeze- up sales last month has been impressing with her enthusiasm, it helps when they're from the breeze ups as they already know quite a bit at such a young age.

The Feilden string slowly make their way down the wood chip canter. with the Rowley Mile in the background.

First day at school

It was a day to remember for two of our 2-year-old fillies at Newmarket on Thursday and Friday as they both took the first steps in their racehorse career. They were both in fiercely contested races with alot of fancy colours and horses that cost alot more than our two, but they both behaved themselves and seemed to enjoy it with also learning an awful lot for next time. Tiger's Home showed plenty of early speed so a drop back in trip should suit, whilst Believe In Me was very green and hopefully learnt alot from the experience.



Believe In Me looking at the camera before going out onto the track




The next day, Tiger's Home made her debut

 Verona Bay had his second ever run, also at Newmarket on Thursday, he's had a long time off after suffering a tendon injury last year and the main thing was just to get a run into him and make sure he was ok afterwards. He seems to want a trip and should be competitive when able to go handicapping.

 With just the three local runners we were able to get a bit of work into a few of them this week. Below we have Attain (near side) matching strides with The Ducking Stool, the former has been in great shape after his castration operation and it'll not be long until he is back, hopefully back to the winners enclosure now he has got his mind fully on the game. 'Ducky' has been quite consistent of late and it would be great to get that first win into her as she tries her heart out, she is entered for Yarmouth on Friday and should be in with another shout.

 Silver Alliance (foreground) worked along side Sail Home, they are both at the top of their game at the minute as they are bouncing up the gallops with ease. 'Silver' runs on Tuesday at Brighton, he has run well at the track before so fingers crossed he will get some luck.

The elusive Generous Genella will have hopes pinning on her again also at Brighton on Tuesday when she makes a re-appearance this time with head gear (pictured getting used to them). We like to put the head gear on just before they run to see how they react to them and sometimes it wakes them up a bit, she did work very well with Entrance and jockey Adam Beschizza was impressed with her turn of foot, but as ever she has got to reproduce it on the track.

The exciting Acer Diamonds was out on the grass and is healing well after also being castrated, he is also moving alot better and freer in behind. He clearly has plenty of ability after his run last time out and should be coming home a good'en in the near future.

Argante Claudius is a lovely big, grey gelding yet to reach a racecourse after many injuries, but the penny seems to finally be dropping and his recent work suggests he may be putting that big stride to use at the races soon.

Sail Home looking full of condition out in the field this week, she looks more like a colt up close as she has tremendous muscle tone and has a huge back end, she has done plenty of racing over the winter so we like to keep the fillies sweet by letting them be horses and graze on the spring grass.

Class of 2012 ready for debuts

It was a welcome relief not to get a soaking everyday this week as some of the rain finally relented and we ended up with a couple of days' nice weather. The sunshine and showers have done the fields some good as the grass growth had been pretty poor after the little rainfall we had over the winter.

As you can see below, Spirit of Sharjah certainly thinks his bed is a lot comfier now.

Acer Diamonds was our only runner of the week at Windsor on Monday and he ran a blinder to finish third. It was his first run in almost a year after a tendon injury and he made most of the running untill getting tired towards the end. I also managed to persuade the owners to have him gelded and I made sure it was done the following morning before they could change their minds!
Acer is a lovely big horse and the operation will mean he will not be as top-heavy as he currently is and this will help out his front leg troubles.

Most of Newmarket's horse population have been fighting it out on the flat gallop on our side of the heath as it is the only grass open at the minute due to the wet weather. It can result in the ground being very chopped-up after so many horses have been up it but we got out early on Saturday and were rewarded with some decent turf to exercise on.
Verona Bay runs on Thursday at Newmarket in a maiden. He is quite lazy in his homework so it's hard to judge his ability but he will need the run after an injury last year and he'll be seen to better effect in handicaps later this summer.
(Above) He led The Ducking Stool (middle) and Sail Home (last) over one mile and all went nicely, particularly Sasil Home.

It looks likely that Silver Alliance (above) will be in the same race as Sail Home at Newbury in a fortnight's time and he just had a solo spin to blow away the cobwebs. He came out of his last run with quite a few cuts to his legs after a rough race but they've healed up well now and he's in good order.

Also on the grass doing a steady piece of work were Lea Valley (front), Argante Claudius (grey), Kampai and Generous Genella.
Claude is coming along very nicely and it will be a relief to finally get a run into him after all his problems.
Lea Valley has had a little cough recently but is a filly I like the look of whilst Kampai isn't far off making her debut for us.

Jockey Luke Morris came in to have a sit on two-year old Tiger's Home. She is set to make her debut at Newmarket on Friday and judging by her work on the gallops, she is more than ready for a run. She has been quite slow from the stalls in practice but her attitude is faultless and hopefully she can get our juveniles off to a good start.

Another youngster seeing a racecourse for the first time is Belive In Me on Thursday at Newmarket. She has been a bit lazy in her homework but hopefully the race will wake her up a bit as she realises what the game is all about and the experience will do her good. She worked over fivwe furlongs on the all weather with Canning Vale (nearest).

(Above) Belive In Me and owner Richard Fuller discussing tactics before the big day!

Our other two year old is the one we bought last week from the breeze up sales and she has done nothing but impress me. She eats for England and is very enthusiastic about her work. She was pretty fit when she arrived so it shoulodn't be long beofre she is ready to run. Shares are available in her!

Happy 'Jally' is back on his feet

Just a brace of runners this week kept us busy with Silver Alliance heading to Lingfield on Thursday and Generous Genella to Wolverhampton on Friday. The former ran a creditable race but pulled hard like he has done before and could not finish his race off, a stronger pace would suit. Genella was having her first run after a year off due to a leg injury and we were sweet on her chances, but it proved a bitter pill to swallow when she trailed in towards the back of the field, however she was quite rusty and looked although the fitting of head gear might help as she seemed to throw in the towel when she got surrounded by the other runners.

We didn't have much working this week but our two French imports from last year stretched their legs on the Cambridge Road gallop on Saturday. Verona Bay (infront) and Argante Claudius both suffered injuries last year which mean they have a total of one run between them, but the future is bright for them now and the racecourse is not far away.

The two two-year- olds worked together with lead horse Canning Vale, they are coming together now and learning every day. Believe In Me (near side) and Tiger's Home are both near enough ready to run it's just a matter of finding the right races for them now.

The un- named Halling filly is also learning more and more, she has just started doing fast bits of work and likewise will be running in the near future.

It was a nervous wait but our good old handicapper Khajaaly came back safe and sound from his operation to remove the bone growth on his leg. There was a worry that he wasn't going to be able to get to his feet after the op as the leg would be weak, but his is back at the yard now and has that same old sparkle in his eye. It will be a while before he can get ridden but it is just nice to see him bright and well.

Exopuntia has returned to the yard after a short break, she provided some great efforts on the track last year so hopefully she can have another fruitful campaign this season.

The two broodmares Bavarica (left) and Bushy Dell (middle) relaxed with their new field mate Faraway Land, who is having a short break before coming back into training later in the year.

I went shopping last week and came back with a lovely un- broken two- year old colt by Phoenix Reach out of Legal Belle. He is a blank canvas at the minute and could be anything, shares are available and details will be available on juliafeildenracing.com.

Another purchase I made this week was another two- year old this time from the breeze up sales, she is un- named by Mujadil out of Royal Jelly. She is along further down the line than the colt so if all goes well she will be running this campaign. Shares are also available, details on the website.

Homeward bound.



Acer Diamonds makes his come back on Monday at Windsor, providing the ground is safe to race on after all this rain, although the deeper the ground the better as he has such a big stride he will eat up this soft going. He showed alot of promise in his two runs in maidens last year so it was a blow when he got a leg injury, but he has been training well and it will be a fact finding mission to see how he reacts to a racecourse and whether he can show his ability he is showing at home.