Time to go shopping!

The autumn is a time of transition in the yard and over the next week there will be plenty of faces coming and going. We have already had a bit of a clear out with some horses which weren't up to scratch moving on to other stables whilst top-rated Luhaif was sold privately to race in Saudi Arabia. He left on Saturday morning and was set to stay the night in Dover before crossing to Brussels and boarding a plane to his new home. I wouldn't mind joining him for some sun!

This week sees the annual jumble sale at Tattersalls with the horses in training sale. There are nearly 1500 horses set to go through the ring, many of whom you would have probably backed over the course of the year. The trick is to cipher through them all and find the ones which don't have any problems and are worth buying. Thanks to some useful contacts I have in other yards, finding out about horses is a lot easier than it could be. I have orders to buy five in total so hopefully I can come home happy by Thursday evening!
One of these will be up for syndication so keep your eyes peeled for more information.

As well as scouting for new talent, we also have a couple of runners this week.
On Thursday, Meddling heads to Lingfield for her first run since a short break. She won at the track in the spring and enjoys front-running around there. She is in really good shape and put in a great gallop on Saturday. She is pretty fit for the comeback so I hope she can go well.
The other runner comes on Friday as Handheld heads down the road to Newmarket. I have a feeling he is too high in the weights at present but the only way to get him down again is to keep running him. He is very game and will be thereabouts but the handicapper stops him winning at the minute.

Handheld (Ross) & Meddling (Shelley)

 

The Ducking Stool has taken her season's racing remarkably well and still seems as enthusiastic as ever. She doesn't run as well on the all-weather so time on the turf is running out but she will have one more run at Nottingham the week after next. The track should suit her and it'd be amazing to squeeze another success out of her.

Authorized filly (Danny) & The Ducking Stool (Ryan)

The one scheduled runner for last week didn't happen as the ground went too soft for Automotive at Doncaster. It's a funny time of year with the soft ground and not too many all-weather fixtures. It won't be long though before we're busy again with plenty of runners.

Buying more dogs!

With yearlings selling for extortionate prices at Tattersalls sales this week, there wasn't much chance of me being able to afford to buy any new youngsters so I had to look at the puppy market and found a real winner! In the summer, I saw an interview on Channel 4 Racing with Yorkshire training legend Mick Easterby and he had these gorgeous dogs which I loved the look of. Further research showed that they were Patterdales and, luckily enough, one of our owners bred them.
Named Royston, he has settled in really well and hopefully it won't be too long before Mary trains him to be an ultimate rat catcher!
Despite not buying any yearlings, we already have six at home and the four fillies were sent off at the beginning of the week for pre-training where they will get their first taste of racehorse life. For the first couple weeks they will be long-reigned to get their mouths used to having a bit in and also to hopefully develop some sort of steering and brakes! After this, they will have a rider on their back for the first time and then gradually start going faster paces until they are cantering away safely. The whole process should take around six weeks and I'm already looking forward to getting them back to see what hopes we have for next season.

Royston

Last week's runners didn't strike gold but there were some good performances nonetheless and it was great for Candesta to come back to a bit of form on the all-weather. He should be winning soon.
I had a wasted trip all the way to Redcar on Friday. With an eight-hour round journey, you expect at least a run for your money but unfortunately The Ducking Stool lost a front shoe on the way to the start and couldn't run as a result. It's frustrating but these things happen and you just have to take them on the chin.

We have just the one entry this week and with all the rain about, he isn't a definite runner. Automotive hated the heavy going at Nottingham last time but is working well at home. He needs things to drop right to win but he seems to enjoy amateur races and if the ground dries out, he should have a squeak.

Automotive (Ross) & Meddling (Danny)

Meddling had to miss her return run at Brighton last time as the ground went soft but she is fit and well and I'm hoping to get her back on the all-weather when a suitable race crops up. She's a tough front-runner and seems to really enjoy Lingfield.

Don't has had some well-documented breathing problems but, after a couple of operations, I hope she is now a lot more comfortable. She has tonnes of ability, as demonstrated by her debut win, and it is now just a case of getting her to relax and enjoying running again.

Don't (Shelley)

Tolly McGuinness (Ryan)

If you've been to the yard on a weekend recently, you may have noticed a young girl called Zoe grafting away. She has been with us for well over a year now and helps out during the school holidays and weekends. Last week she packed her bags for a couple of months and started a course at The National Stud in Newmarket to learn about the breeding side of racing. Zoe is a really hard worker and I've no doubt that she will thrive on the course and can hopefully come back and teach us a few things to help with our broodmares!

Zoe on Attain

Rain is a pain

The seasons have most definitely turned and gone are the warm sunny days of an Indian summer and autumn seems to have moved in instead.
The rain forced us to cancel the plan of having three runners at Brighton last Tuesday as none of the trio would have enjoyed the really soft ground. Luckily we don't  have any runners today as they would also be in doubt with Salisbury already abandoned and Windsor inspecting.

However, the runners we have this week shouldn't be too affected by conditions.
Mercy Me is a big and backward two-year old who has taken time to fill her frame but she has been giving us clues over the last month or so that she is ready for the track and goes to Nottingham on Wednesday. The plan is to give her this run and then give her a winter break so she can continue growing and it will be good for her to have the experience and she will improve dramatically for it.

One horse who certainly doesn't mind soft ground is The Ducking Stool and she'll be making the journey up north to Redcar on Thursday. The track has a similar layout to her preferred Yarmouth so there shouldn't be a problem there. Her coat has turned rather woolly but her work at home is still great so I expect another good show.
Also that day could be Sadiigah at Wolverhampton. She ran a great race after over a year off last time and she has come on for the run. She looks handicapped to win and I think she'll go close with a bit of luck.

Then on Saturday we are back to Wolves with a trio of raiders.
Honeymoon Express hasn't had things go her way on turf this summer but I think she should be equally capable on the all-weather. She needs to get out quickly and make the running so if that happens, she could bounce back to form.
Candesta is another who needs to come back to form but he has been galloping well and all his best form is on the all-weather. He is pretty one-paced but if he can get into a nice rhythm, he might be hard to catch.
Probably the best chance is Avidly. She caught the eye when running on at Lingfield last time and hold-up tactics seems to see her to best effect so they will be employed again. She is definitely well handicapped now and a win won't be far away.

Back to business

After a couple of quiet weeks, I'm happy to report that we're back at the track with a bang over the coming days with some good chances heading off on their journeys.
With Yarmouth closed until next June, I've got to head elsewhere for my fix of seaside air so we're going to Brighton on Tuesday.
All three of my runners are unproven at the course but I don't have too many doubts about them handling the unique contours of the downs.
Avidly made a big step in the right direction last time in finishing third and I think she is ready to win. She is a hold-up horse who needs things to drop right but Brighton does suit that type so hopefully she'll go well.
On the other hand, front runner Meddling goes to the same track in her first run since a short break. She won well at Lingfield earlier in the year and she is probably best fresh so I wouldn't be surprised to see her land some money. Her main targets will be on the all-weather later in the year though.

Avidly (Shelley) & Candesta (George)

Completing the trio beside the seaside is Candesta. He has been very frustrating since a promising start to his career. There clearly is ability there, we just need to find the key to it!

 

There won't be any hanging about after arriving back in Suffolk as we're off to Nottingham the following day. Handheld was still sore in his feet last week so couldn't make his engagement at the course but it does mean he's nice and fresh for this race. He has been working brilliantly and, providing the ground is good or softer, he has a great chance to make it course win number three.

Accompanying him to Notts is Automotive. He has had a short break after a busy spell so I expect him to be a bit stuffy and need the race. He likes these galloping tracks though so a good show wouldn't be a surprise.

Handheld (Shelley) & Automotive (Ross)

 

The Ducking Stool will be the main casualty of Yarmouth's early closure as all six of her career wins have come at the course so we are having to look elsewhere for opportunities. Redcar has a similar course layout as Yarmouth so I hope the track will be to her liking. There's a race for her there in the coming weeks and it would be nice to get this hoodoo of her back as she is very capable of winning elsewhere.

The Ducking Stool (Danny)

 

Honeymoon Express is another who has only won at Yarmouth so she too will be going elsewhere. She has never tried the all-weather and, judging by the way she gallops on it at home, I think she is equally capable on the surface compared to turf. There is a race for her coming up at a few of the all-weather courses so we will just see where the best opportunity lies.

Honeymoon Express (Ryan)

Homeward bound