Seaside sizzlers

We have been waiting for the turf season to come around all winter and although Doncaster has been and gone, our turf season officially starts tomorrow at Yarmouth. We will be taking 6 runners to the seaside which is rather alot for a small yard! Hopefully we can squeeze a winner out of one of them. First though, we have got a rare runner in a bumper at Towcester today. We train the odd jumper and have only had a handful of bumper runners but Al Reefa (below) is a huge gelding who has been maturing and developing into a type that should be suited to the slower pace of NH flat races. It will be a learning curve for all of us and will definitely come on for the run.

Now for the dream team tomorrow! Silver Alliance (grey) wasn't suited by the crawl last time and there should be more of a chance of pace on the turf. He hasn't won on grass yet but has put in some solid efforts. He worked along with Chilli Green, who will be running in a couple of weeks, she is highly rated but untried for us yet, but she goes like a good horse at home and can hopefully deliver that on the track.

Running in the same race as Silver will be Handheld (far side), he is better suited to the turf, prefers a galloping track and goes well fresh so there are a few positive vibes for him. Star boy Vastly (grey) has impressed in his two starts so far, he is unknown on turf but I don't see why he couldn't translate his all-weather form, which would see him go close.

The Ducking Stool, is another who is better suited to the turf and is a course specialist, after winning two races at the track last year. She ran an encouraging race last week and it is her ideal distance, if she is in the right mood I wouldn't be surprised to see her come in.

Khajaaly (blinkers) has been a little troublesome at home and hasn't been the easiest to train, but we have been trying a few different things with him, including jumping which he wasn't too impressed with! But have now resorted to headgear which he will run in. Also in his race is Automotive (far side) we have been waiting for a race like this for him, 7f turf at a galloping track, so I think we may of found the ideal race if he can overcome his nerves.

So there is all 6 of tomorrows gang. It will be a hectic day but I am so excited to welcome in the season at one of my favourite tracks. By the looks of it the ground could well end up being 'good' which will be perfect for all of them. After a long hard think I can't split between Vastly or Handheld to bring home the cash.

Spirit of Sharjah ran another sound race yesterday. He may well run again next week round Lingfield, it is a hard old game with him as the handicapper hasn't given him a chance in so long.

With horses coming out of my ears at the minute the team have been flat out getting them all ridden. Returning back to the yard was Sheila's Heart (below) he was quite weak as a two-year-old but has filled out enormously, we will know more when he gets properly into his stride but he looks a nice prospect.

Another horse who has been given time is Bethan, she too is unraced but is really well bred and is still a blank canvas at this stage.

Returning after a winter break is Believe In Me, after a couple of solid efforts last year she will hopefully pick up a couple of races this year.

With only one run under her belt Honeymoon Express is lightly tried, she too was weak as a two-year-old but has come back much stronger and should hopefully benefit from the time off.

The four out on the heath...



Snow good

Just when we thought we had got away with it, it's back. I must say, I did think the snow this year had been quite tame compared to other winters as it was only around for about 2 weeks. But we definitely haven't got off lightly, luckily it all fell today on a day where we don't ride, so all being well it hasn't disrupted the horses too much.

Here's a few 'spring' snaps I got this morning!...



Icicles on the stable roof.




Palm tree not looking so exotic!




Happy staff!



This time last year Spirit of Sharjah was in Dubai!



Anneline Hollstenius, who has ridden over 100 winners in Sweden, has recently joined us. Shame the weather is no better here!



Luckily no runners today!

It was a mixed day at Kempton on Monday. The not so little superstar Vastly finished a gallant second on only his second start, he is still a big baby and with these two runs he has probably only just got to full fitness. We have so many options with him now the turf has begun so watch this space. Next Spirit of Sharjah ran down the field, he was dropped out the back early and was never put in a position to threaten, he is still highly rated by the handicapper so dropping down a few pounds will not hurt.

The Ducking Stool was meant to travel up to Doncaster for Lincoln day on Saturday but as most people know it was called off and wisely it was called off early before anyone had begun to make their journeys. Only runner next week will be the ultra consistent Sail Home at her favourite track, Lingfield, over her favourite trip, 1m 2f. She is drawn out in the car park and it is a slightly bigger field then usual which she will have to overcome, but other than that she is once again in cracking form and another placed or winning effort will be no surprise from the supermare.

Kicking off the season

Finally for the first time since November there will be flat turf racing on Friday. The winter is a dreaded experience for most people, especially those who have to work outside like us, but we are through the worst of it and it's now time to gear up for 8 months of glorious flat racing.

With only a small string for the all-weather, the rest have been having a well earned break and now fighting fit for the weeks ahead. Automotive (below), is still yet to discover the grass but we are confident that it will suit him better than the polytrack, with a galloping track in mind too I think we are aiming him for Yarmouth around the beginning of April. With his breathing sorted now and at a rock bottom handicap mark he is sure to have a fruitful season ahead.

Sancho Panza (below), has had a long time off the track and I have been itching waiting for him to come right to run him again. He was really progressive a couple of seasons ago, although it may have been a blessing in disguise to of had the time off as he has grown and filled out enormously.

Another really progressive horse is No Such Number, he is still only lightly raced and yet to fill his true potential. Another who will be much more suited to the turf he will be a long distance type to watch out for as the season progresses.

Tomorrow we have 3 runners at Kempton. Vastly makes his reappearance after an encouraging debut, he takes a step up in trip which he would definately need in time anyway, but I hope he will stay the extra 2f. Old yard stick Spirit Of Sharjah also runs and has won twice at the track, he still maintains a high grade which makes it hard for him to get his head infront, his turn will hopefully be soon.

The first day of the flat is on Friday at Doncaster and we will hopefully be there with The Ducking Stool. She ran a great race yesterday to finish 4th and with a bit of rain forecast it will do her cause no harm at all. Our only other runner for the week is Handheld, who also travels to Doncaster but on Saturday. However, I would be a little concerned if there is alot of rain as the 1m 2f distance may stretch him a little on the softer ground.

Double baby bubble

Finally after months of anticipation both broodmares gave way to two beautiful foals only 2 days apart! Both were in foal to Observatory, Bushy Dell foaled on Thursday night and had a filly and then Bavarica foaled on Saturday morning and produced a colt. They both had illustrious careers both only just being denied black type form.

Here is Bushy Dell in her racing days after winning at Wolverhampton under Amy Baker...

And here she is with her foal and proud owner Dick Creese holding his future star!

Bavarica is pictured here winning at Newmarket under my son Ross, she has a special place in my heart as she gave my son Ross, my nephew Adam Beschizza and my daughter Shelley their first ever winners!

And again with foal. Both are said to be good mothers and coping well considering it is their first time foaling.

Finally the await is over and everything went well! It's just a matter of time now before they are racehorses themselves. Back at the yard things are going well for the horses gearing up for the turf season which is now only about 3 weeks away. Handheld (below) will hopefully run at the first meeting up at Doncaster, he doesn't really like the all-weather and a galloping track is just what he needs.

Another who prefers the grass is Automotive, after a promising run last time and a rock bottom handicap mark he is sure to fire in the weeks ahead.

The Ducking Stool runs on Saturday on the big all-weather meeting at Lingfield, she runs well fresh and would be another to watch out for on the turf.



Workers on the way back from Cambridge Road gallop.

Sail Home and Exopuntia were the only runners last week and both ran respectively. Exo finished 3rd on Wednesday, she was trying blinkers for the first time but they didn't seem to make much difference. Sail was running over 2f shorter than normal and found the quickening pace a little too sharp but ran on well to finish 4th on Thursday. 

Bright future ahead

After much anticipation, Vastly made his debut at Kempton on Wednesday. He had been working well at home and is a really nice, big horse so we were all hoping he could translate that to the track and he certainly did. After running green early he soon got the hang of it and ran on well to finish 3rd only beaten a length and the first two deat-heated so technically he was second! He will be a nice sort for the future. Also that night Tiger's Home made her seasonal reappearance and also ran creditably to finish second, she was the outsider of the field so she definitely ran better than everyone predicted, we hope there is a few more good runs in her to come.

With all the excitement on the track, on Saturday attentions were passed to the rest of the yard as we gear up for the start of the turf season, almost every horse in the yard is getting ridden now so it's full steam ahead.

Here we have Exopuntia trying out the blinkers for the first time. She has been a bit laboured in her races and so the idea was to wake her up a little and run her in them on Wednesday, she went really well with The Ducking Stool, who is certainly hard to pass in gallops.

Two horses I am looking forward to running soon is Spirit of Sharjah (nearest), he is an old yard favourite and every year he produces, he runs in a couple of weeks and still goes as well as when he was a Group placed 2-year-old! He worked along side Handheld, who has benefited from time between his runs and even gave Spirit something to think about!

A new name around the yard is Chilli Green, she is a highly rated mare with an incredible build and physique. She moves like a dream and I can't wait for things to get a bit more serious with her, I just hope she still retains that ability on the track.

Stable star Sail Home was out again after her emphatic win last week. We will aim her for a race at Wolverhampton on Thursday, the only concern would be is that is is only 1m 1/2f so she will have to be sharp but she shows speed in her races and will definitely be staying on at the end.

Faraway land was back in action again this week after a little break. She doesn't really like the all-weather so I have been waiting to run her on the turf and she will be ready for the first few meetings. She works so well at home but comes with alot of problems too.

All the winter break horses have been dusted off this week so it was time to sit tight for some of the riders! They're all doing steady work at the moment but it won't be long until they are back to full fitness...



Believe In Me full of beans!




Honeymoon Express glad to be back




Amelia George not so fresh!




Old favourite Entrance (chestnut) and Believe In Me again




From left: No Such Number, Sancho Panza and Automotive