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