Geegees and GG (Glorious Goodwood)

The two foals that we currently have at the stud have received plenty of coverage in this blog over the last few months but we also have another pair of youngsters maturing in the fields.
As yearlings, they are a whole year older than the foals so this means they are set to be ridden for the first time at the end of the year and then embark on their careers as racehorses.
The pair of fillies were bought as foals last December and their rate of growth over the past few months has been easy to see and they are both now looking like proper racehorses, ready for action.
We have never trained a horse by the great Montjeu but we now have one from his Derby-winning son Authorized as that is who Celestine Abbey is sired by.
The other filly is a fine looker called Mercy Me, by first-season stallion Mawatheeq.


Celestine Abbey

Mercy Me

Moving onto the current stars, it's set to be a busy week after a few quiet ones without any runners.
We didn't have anything suitable for Royal Ascot but it's nice to head to Glorious Goodwood with two good chances. Winners at the big festivals are what get you noticed as a small yard so hopefully we can hit the headlines but both runners do need some horses to be balloted out to get a run.
First up on Wednesday is good old Spirit of Sharjah. He is in great form at the minute and is on a handicap mark which he can win off. He has ran well at the track in the past and hopefully we can have Steve Drowne riding him as the pair went well the time before last.

Spirit of Sharjah (Reno)

Should Silver Alliance get a run the following day, we'll be staying overnight at Goodwood to save another stressful journey. Silver hasn't run since winning in June but that's because we've been keeping him fresh for this race as it is a very valuable one for apprentice jockeys. Our stable apprentice, Shelley Birkett, is in hot demand for the race as many trainers want her services but luckily we get first dibs so if he does run, Shelley will be on board again.
Silver had a stretch of his legs on Saturday with Automotive who runs on Sunday. He's back over the course and distance which he won over the time before last and the same jockey on that occasion, Ross Birkett, is back on him so it wouldn't surprise me to see them back in the money.

Automotive (Ross) & Silver Alliance (Alfie)

It has been a long and troublesome road trying to get Bethan on the racetrack but finally it looks as though things are falling into place. Her homework is really good and she went through the starting stalls for the first time on Friday without a worry so all looks set for her debut at Newmarket a week on Saturday. She went along with fellow comeback kid Lea Valley who is now fighting fit again after her fractured leg. She needs a bit of ease in the ground but should be running soon.

Lea Valley (Shelley) & Bethan (Annalie)

The Ducking Stool is becoming a bit of a legend at Yarmouth nowadays after four wins at the seaside track but she's going up north for her next run as she goes to Pontefract a week on Wednesday. She finished second in the same race last year so the place doesn't hold any fears for her and she is in great form at home.

The Ducking Stool (Ross)

The heavy localised showers have meant that soft ground has been very hit and miss across the country but it looks to have landed in the right place for Tiger's Home at Leicester on Wednesday. She has looked like winning on several occasions without actually doing so but she definitely has the ability to get her head in front so hopefully this could be her time.

Tiger's Home (Adam) & Entrance (Julia)

The two boys who we had gelded last week have come out of their operations fine and don't seem too bothered about being two stone lighter. It is not as a dramatic procedure as you may think as the whole thing is done in the comfort of their own stable and they don't have to miss out on any work. In fact, Vastly was back on the gallops on Saturday - he's a very stuffy horse so we have to keep plenty of work into him.

Vastly (Billy)

Quiet and dry spell

What a scorcher of a week it has been. The mercury hit 31C here at one point and I have to say it certainly makes up for all those long, dark, cold winter days we have to work through. You certainly won't hear me complaining it's too hot!

The dry spell does mean though that we have to use the all-weather gallops as the turf ones are just too firm.
We only bought Hamble from Marco Botti's yard last week but he was race-fit on arrival, so we haven't wasted any time with him and he has been straight into work. I was glad with what I saw when he led Automotive and Silver Alliance on Saturday. All being well, he should be running in a couple of weeks for the revamped Hoofbeats Racing Club - details of which will follow soon.
Silver Alliance hasn't run since he won at Yarmouth in June but that's because I'm keeping him fresh for a valuable apprentice riders race at Glorious Goodwood next week. He is fresh and well so I am certainly looking forward to it.
Automotive has a big target too that same week as he heads back to the scene of his finest moment, Newbury, in the hope that he can notch up another win.

Silver Alliance (Julia), Automotive (Ross) & Hamble (Shelley)

We're not set to be too busy with runners this week with the firm ground and lack of suitable races keeping most of our horses at home.
The only pair that may be heading off in the horsebox are Believe In Me and Omega Omega at Bath on Thursday. The ground is set to be very firm but I reckon both will handle it fine.
Omega ran a career best when second at Yarmouth last time and I think the blinkers really helped her focus and travel better. She has the shades on again so hopefully they will work again too.
Believe In Me hasn't had many chances yet this season but she is going well at home and has a good attitude to her work so that always means a horse is more than capable of winning.

Believe In Me (Alfie) & Bethan (Annalie)

I can't believe how well The Ducking Stool has emerged from her latest win as usually she is very stiff in the following days but this time she has been moving very well and is very happy with herself. She heads to Pontefract in a couple of weeks time for a race she finished second in last year. Let's hope she can go one better this time.

The Ducking Stool (Billie)

All our foals seem to do is eat and sleep as they grow bigger everyday and hopefully nurture thoughts of becoming future champions but I managed to snap them having a rare energetic spell as they galloped across the field back to their mothers. It was neck and neck with nothing to choose between them which either means they are both superstars or both useless. I hope it's the former!

The foal race

Another youngster getting to grips with the game is our puppy Mary. She has started getting a bit more street-wise about the horses and doesn't run under their legs anymore. She also tries to give a hand with the mucking out as you can see!

Mary mucking in

Our apprentice jockey Shelley Birkett had another win at Epsom on Thursday evening and she is starting to catch the eye of quite a few people. She had a telephone interview with Attheraces and then the Racing Post wrote a good pieced on her in this Sunday's paper. All publicity is good publicity!

Shelley in Racing Post

Sun, Sea and winners?

Finally it looks like summer is well and truly here and I certainly am not complaining that it's too hot after enduring one of the coldest winters I've ever known and some soggy summers prior.
The Heath is a lovely place to be when the sun is out amid clear blue skies and it certainly is reward for grafting through the darker days.

Even though it was 25C across the country last week, the mercury only got up to 16C when we were at Yarmouth last week but hopefully the sun will be out when we head there again on Tuesday.
Honeymoon Express has been one of the yard surprises of the year after her two great runs in maidens last month. She makes her handicap debut off a mark of 65 and I think that is a competitive rating. She loves Yarmouth and the form of her last run is working out great so hopefully she can maintain our great strike rate by the seaside.
Unfortunately Believe In Me, who was entered on the same day, missed the ballot to run by one so will have to sit this race out. It will infuriate me though if there is a non runner on the day as it would mean we could have run.

Believe In Me (Alfie) & Honeymoon Express (Shelley)

The Thursday night concert evenings at Epsom are always popular and we're back for Mike and The Mechanics this week.
Both runners ran at the course a fortnight ago and hopefully with that experience under their belt, they can run even better.
Spirit of Sharjah is back in top form and was unlucky not to win last time. Our apprentice Shelley Birkett will be taking a valuable seven pounds off his back and we know he loves the track. Hopefully he can record career win number nine.


Spirit of Sharjah (Reno)

Richard Hughes blamed himself for No Such Number's defeat last time so I hope the horse can prove his well being with a good run in the Ladies' Derby. The race is for lady amateur riders so it is crucial to have a talented and experienced rider in the plate. We have been lucky enough to secure the services of Hayley Moore to ride. She is not only the younger sister of champion jockey Ryan but also a highly successful and skilled rider in her own right. We have also put cheekpieces on the horse just to help him travel a bit better in what is likely to be a fast-run affair.

No Such Number (Billy)

With most of the older campaigners race fit and running regularly, it gave us a good opportunity to gallop some of the less experienced horses.
Lea Valley has had six months off after fracturing her leg but she has come back bigger and stronger since. She is only two weeks off running but needs soft ground so we'll have to wait until the heavens open.
Bethan is yet to run but is coming closer and closer to the track every week. She is still very green but clearly has an engine so it will be interesting to see what she's got.

Lea Valley (Ross) & Bethan (Cat)

With only three two-year olds in the yard, we haven't made much impact on the juvenile scene yet but hopefully things can change soon.
Tolly McGuiness is only small but his attitude is faultless and he acts like a real pro. He's pretty fit now but still needs to go through the stalls so he should be out in a couple of weeks.
Bushy Glade has only had one run but the form of that couldn't have worked out better with the winner coming first in a Group 2 at Newmarket on Friday. She still needs to grow a bit but she is going great.

Tolly McGuinness (Shelley) & Bushy Glade (Alfie)

I was running around like a headless chicken all week looking for bargains as the annual July Sale rolled into Tattersalls. This is where we get a lot of our older horses, especially from the Juddmonte dispersal, so it always pays to keep your ear to the ground.
It seems as though the recession has well and truly finished though as some of the prices were way above usual and meant I couldn't have all I wanted. I was very surprised to see a filly who is half-sister to our No Such Number sell for £110,000, especially since we bought him just 12 months before for a fraction of that price.
I didn't come away empty-handed though. The Feilden transfer record was smashed on Thursday night as I bid for the most expensive horse I've ever bought as Never Another was knocked down to me for £35,000.
He's an unraced four-year old who was trained in France as a juvenile but given time to grow. My sources reckon he is fully matured now and has an engine too. He will be running in the green silks of owner Graham Johnson.

Never Another

At the bottom end of the price scale was my other purchase Hamble. He won at Newmarket three weeks ago for Marco Botti and I couldn't believe I only had to pay £6,500 for him. He will be a fun handicapper to own and should be running very soon.

Hamble

With some new faces in the yard, it's time to sell off a few of the older ones and on Tuesday morning, Khajaaly will be heading to Ascot sales. He's been a grand servant, winning three races for us, but I think we've had the best out of him and it's time to move on. He is still perfectly sound and will no doubt win races for his new connections when conditions suit.

The trouble and strife we've had with Automotive over the years has been well documented but in amongst some of his mad moments, he does make you smile. He has a funny habit of burying his head in his bed when fresh straw is added with the result being him wearing a fetching head piece that could be sold to Royal Ascot ladies as a stylish fascinator!

Automotive: style icon

No Ducking Yarmouth

One of the oldest sayings around is 'Horses for Courses' and, more often than not, it is proved true. There was no better demonstration of this than The Ducking Stool on Thursday as she made it four wins at Yarmouth after battling to another success.
The day was made extra special as her previous owner's wife Sue McGuinness was there to see it all happen and her late husband Tolly would most definitely have been smiling down. I don't know what it is about the course that brings out the best in her but she seems a stone better horse by the seaside so we'll keep her there!

The Ducking Stool in the winner's enclosure

One course that most definitely isn't my favourite place to go is Southwell but we'll be heading there on Tuesday in the hope that the fibresand surface will suit Attain.
Our recent runners at the venue haven't yielded much success but Attain seems to hold all the right attributes to be useful at the track so hopefully he can finally get his head in front.
One who did that last time was Entrance and she has been in great fettle in her bid to double up. The likely firm ground at Yarmouth on Wednesday should be right up her street and she is best fresh so the short break since her win shouldn't be a problem.

Attain (Shelley), Handheld (Alfie) & Entrance (Cat)

One of the surprises of the season has been Honeymoon Express and I am grateful that the handicapper hasn't been too harsh on her by granting her a rating of 65 after her superb effort when finishing runner-up in a maiden last time. She is only small but has the attitude of a terrier and it's nice to have a sprinter in the yard, something we don't have many of - mainly by accident rather than design.

Honeymoon Express (Cat) & Tiger's Home (Alfie)

Unfortunately, one of my long serving owners, Dick Creese, has been rather unwell in hospital but I hope to cheer him up soon when his filly Lea Valley makes her racecourse return after injury in a few weeks' time. She had some screws in her leg to repair a fracture, an injury which occurred when she posted a career best effort by finishing second. She seems to have strengthened up during her recovery and strode out well during her first gallop on Wednesday.

Lea Valley (Ross) & Sheila's Heart (Adam)

The owners of Bethan have also had to be patient after her series of setbacks but she is now the closest she has ever been to making her debut and is coming on with every piece of work. She'll probably start at 1m2f to see what kind of trip she will want in the future and it will be great to finally get her to the races.

Bethan (Reno)

The fantastic summer weather we have been having recently really is a rare treat nowadays but it means the likes of Sancho Panza can't run because the ground is too firm. As a result, we just have to keep him ticking over so that he is ready to rock and roll as soon as the heavens open. He gets to enjoy the sun when turned out in the field though so I don't think he's too bothered!

Sancho Panza (Billy)

The horsebox has done plenty of miles this week as I made the trip with our apprentice Shelley to Ffos Las in Wales on Monday. Unfortunately there was little pace in the race so Automotive was a bit too keen and didn't stay the distance but he still picked up some prize money in fourth which just about paid the petrol money!
There was also promise at Epsom on Thursday. No Such Number only finished fifth but was running on well at the end. Jockey Richard Hughes admitted he sat too far off the pace and was rather annoyed with himself but he said Number is in top form and will win very soon.
On the same night, Spirit of Sharjah got himself back in the mix of things with his third place. He was hampered and may have finished closer with a clearer run but it was just great to see him competitive again and I hope he can notch career win number nine before retiring at the end of the season.

Finally, I must thank the owners of Automotive who kindly gave the yard a cash gift after his win at Newbury. All the team went out for a curry and plenty of banter was had with a few sore heads (and stomachs) in the morning!