Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a pleasant Christmas, mine just seemed like another Sunday as the horses still have to be looked after but I did get a nice dinner down at the father-in-laws surrounded by family and booze! Although it is nice not to be as busy, it is hard trying to train your horses when there are so many days when they can't be ridden, luckily I have got some good hardworking staff and have not missed too many riding out days.

With a lean spell of runners usually comes an overload the next week! On Wednesday we will send three to Kempton and one to Lingfield. At the former will be the great Spirit of Sharjah running quickly again after some time off. He was not disgraced and only beaten a couple of lengths by the winner last time, he would probably of needed it and the jockey was not hard on him, he has won round Kempton before and another exciting run is expected. Later on in the night will see Automotive and Lea Valley go head to head in the same race, at home I would definitely say that 'Mo' would finish way ahead of 'Lea' but both have been running disappointingly of late. Then over at Lingfield is in-form Sail Home, this is her time of year as she thrives on the all-weather tracks, she has been quite consistent of late and I would love to see her get her head infront once again as she is one of my favourites! The next runner isn't until Friday when The Ducking Stool makes an appearance again after a little break, her last few runs were a little flat so we gave her time and she seems right as rain again at home, if she is in any sort of form as she was in last year she should be there abouts once again.

Here's a few up coming runners being put through their paces..

Silver Alliance (grey) getting one over on Handheld

The Ducking Stool flying along side the blinkered Faraway Land



Lea Valley striding out ahead of Sail Home (nearest) and Automotive

There was an old face back this week when Al Reefa joined the string once again. We trained him as a two-year-old and he was always quite weak as he was so big. But now after 3 years off he is back in training working underneath owner Jerry.


We all had a little joke about The Ducking Stools new winter attire, I don't think she knows it is decorated with sheep, does wonders for the complexion though...

Merry Christmas!

Well it's that time of the year again to be getting into the Christmas spirit, I must say it has been hard this year as it hasn't been too cold and doesn't really feel festive around here, probably because we've got no decorations up! It is also the time of year when darkness falls at it's earliest and lifts at it's latest, first lot has just become a survival mission as it is so dark, this is second lot (below) and the place is still not lit up entirely.

We haven't got much going on this week as it's all about the jumping and for the first time in a while we haven't got a single jumper in the yard, so I thought I'd take a few pictures from around the yard. Here is Attain checking out the camera, he as had a break for a while and after a slightly disappointing season will be back soon for another crack at losing his maiden tag. In the background is a horse I own myself called Faraway Land and it's a good job I do as she has been a nightmare trying to get her to the track! We aim to run her in the new year, she goes really well and that is probably the reason we have persevered with her for so long.

One of last weeks runners was Emma's Gift at Lingfield on Wednesday. She has been a real gem for the team over recent seasons, winning multiple times and taking us to places like Royal Ascot and York but we made the decision after another disappointing run to retire her. Her form had really trailed off after a fruitful winter last year (pictured winning at Wolverhampton), she owes us nothing and I hope she enjoys her retirement.

The time had come to give Bonnie the companion her annual clip!

With all the talk recently of Kauto Star and his controversial new life I thought I would dig out a picture that was sent to me recently of a horse I used to train called King Flyer. He was a really good horse winning 7 times and placed a further 19 times, earning over £60,000 in prize money. He is now doing various shows such as dressage at the age of 16, I don't think there is anything wrong with horses going on after a busy racing career into another discipline and I was really proud to see him looking so well.

Best worker in the yard!



Bright week ahead

We have got runners almost every day next week and a few good chances I hope. Tomorrow Silver Alliance and Handheld run at Wolverhampton, Silver is in great form and has been unlucky not to have won a race this year but he is running over his ideal trip at a track he has good form at. Then 'Andy' makes his debut for us, he was once a good 2-year-old but has come down in the weights now and was running well on the all-weather for his previous trainer, I think the change of scenery has done him good but it will be interesting to see how he runs. The next day at Lingfield Automotive makes his return to the track, he had us all scratching our heads last year as he put in a few disappointing runs, but since then I think he is a changed horse as he is not as quirky as before, he has been working with our Listed horse Spirit of Sharjah and been giving him a good run for his money.

Two fillies also run this week which have also been a little disappointing of late. Emma's Gift runs on Wednesday at Lingfield, she was once a top class filly but her confidence is at an all time low as she keeps running against good horses who just come past her, we will leave the headgear at home this time to hopefully let her enjoy it again and try to eek out her ability. The next day Lea Valley also travels to Lingfield, she is lightly raced but still a maiden. She works really well at home but gets quite buzzed up at the races, hopefully the penny is starting to drop with her and she can get competitive. Also at the same venue that day is Kampai, she finally broke her maiden tag the time before last and you can probably forget about her last run as she was too far off the pace, another sound run is expected.

With all the grass gallops now closed for the winter the Cambridge Road polytrack is the place to be. Here we have new boy Vastly (grey) doing his first bit of work with the returning The Ducking Stool. The former is a lovely un-raced colt by Mizzen Mast, he is a chunk of a horse with a bright future ahead of him as he worked impressively with this years stable star, shares are still available in him. 'Ducky' has just had a bit of time off after a fruitful turf campaign and it won't be long until she is racing again, she will have a run on the all-weather and then we may look to give her a try over hurdles. 

On Saturday a horse that has raised my profile over the last 6 years will be running. Spirit of Sharjah worked on his own on Saturday with myself aboard and I was blown away by him as ever. He always works so well and has so much power in his hind quarters. He runs on Saturday after time off since his stint in Dubai last winter, I hope he will still be running up to form as he is really showing encouraging signs at home.



Next weeks runners Emma's Gift (grey) and Lea Valley (middle)

Only the two runners over the last few days but they both ran with credit. Sail Home and Exopuntia both ran at Lingfield on Wednesday and both were agonisingly beat in photo finishes. A nose was all it was and we were announced as finishing fourth, just out of the winners enclosure but more importantly just out of the prize money. Although I am pleased with their runs and we will hopefully have fun this winter with them.

Grinding on

It's a harsh time of the year and now with the frosts setting in and even a bit of snow this week, working with horses is not the ideal job to have! But now with flat racing all year round there's always horses to keep on top of. Two horses I hope to see helping us through the dark months are Spirit of Sharjah and Automotive (both below). Spirit (green cap) has been a real good money spinner for us over the years, we have got a race in line for him in a couple of weeks and I just hope he still retains all that ability. 'Mo' on the other hand is still a maiden, he also has alot of ability but is quite quirky, they will definitely be two to keep an eye out for this winter.

Handheld (right) has really come into himself since joining the yard a couple of months ago, I think a change of scenery has done him good and will be running in the next couple of weeks. Working along side him is Lea Valley, we have kept her going because I think she could pick up a race or two on the all-weather, she goes very well at home but gets quite buzzy and nervous at the races.

Only two runners next week, both at Lingfield on Wednesday. Sail Home (infront) and Exopuntia have given great performances of late, the former is a course and distance winner but Exo has only run there once before and finished 2nd so would both hopefully be in with a shout.

One of the heroines of the turf season this year has been The Ducking Stool, with two wins and 4 seconds aswell as several other placed efforts she has given us some great fun. She has now returned after a short break with maybe a look at having a run over both codes, she is a huge filly with so much scope it would be great to see her over a few hurdles, if she does well over jumps it would be a real success story as she was only a cheap buy by her owner.

We had no luck with the runners this week, Wiggo and Generous Genella both ran at Wolverhampton on Tuesday and both ran disappointingly, although the surface there is not great at the minute. Then Kampai ran at Lingfield on Friday, she arguably ran better than her finishing position suggests as she was ridden further back than ideal and was running on before meeting trouble late on. She still has a race in her and would be worth a look next time.

Cracking the ice

Winter is officially here and back with a vengeance. Everything takes twice as long now, from getting dressed in the morning putting on lots of layers to navigating our way round the heath with all the walking grounds frozen solid. Everyone has to deal with it in some way or another, one job I don't envy is that of being the Clerk of the Course at certain tracks at the minute, namely Wolverhampton. Last year it could not cope with the temperatures as the polytrack balls up and creates some nasty and dangerous kickback. The same thing happened on Friday and Saturday night, we were there with Khajaaly on Friday and luckily they just got through the meeting, however on Saturday they only managed three races. I understand it is a difficult situation to be in and not alot they can do to prevent it, but I do think that some provision should have been given that this would happen to the track again this year as I would not of liked to of been one of the runners that went there on Saturday only for it to be called off.

However, further south we were at Lingfield and Kempton at the start of the week. Emma's Gift ran at Lingfield, she is struggling at the minute at getting competitive and I think it might be a confidence issue. She is rated so high at present and I think running against these good horses and having them come past her all the time just makes her give up. Over at Kempton though, things were looking better as Sail Home came in a gallant 3rd once again. She loves the all-weather and it would be fair to say that she hopefully has a fruitful winter ahead. Entrance had her last race that night before she heads off to the sales later this month, considering it was only 1m she ran well and would be a nice prospect for someone next year providing she gets her beloved rock solid ground.

The only other runner this week was the previously mentioned Khajaaly. We were in 3rd spot again but it was great to see him run into a bit of form and will hopefully be back in the swing of things again soon round his favourite track.

We had fun this week galloping a few for the first time. Handheld (below) did his first bit with Silver Alliance, 'Andy' was really impressive and I hope to bring him back to some of his old form as he was a decent 2-year-old in France. Silver is too in great nick and ideally he wants a race at Wolverhampton, but with the track in the state it's in at the minute that looks unlikely.

I got the pleasure of riding Spirit of Sharjah in his first bit of work since his injury last winter, he worked with another wounded returnee Automotive. I can't believe how well Spirit is at the minute, you know when he's feeling well when he tries to attack you every night putting his rug on! 'Mo' was a little frustrating last year as his trip eluded us, we'll take it one step at a time with him and hope to see him showing that ability he oozes at home.

New in-mate Vastly has moved up a gear now and is doing faster bits of work, the next step will be to give him a gallop with another horse so we can really see what he's made of.

This week was the foals sale at Tattersalls and we ended up coming away with two lovely fillies. Both are by promising new sires Authorized and Mawatheeq, they're a long way off being racehorses yet but it's nice to look out into the paddocks and see our future stars.

As for next weeks runners, Generous Genella goes for another try at losing her maiden tag on Tuesday at Wolves before she goes to the sales, she has so much ability but just does not want to know on the track. Wiggo will also be there, it will only be his second run and I hope the drop down in class will see him get competitive, he was only a cheap buy so I don't think he will be setting the world alight but he has a lovely attitude and really tries. The only other runner for the week will be returning heroine Kampai back over course and distance, we are hopeful of another thrilling run.



Someone who doesn't mind the mud!