Grey week

It certainly was a week to forget after we lost the popular Tight Lipped at Southwell on Tuesday. He suffered a bad fracture during the race and I just can't believe that it happened, as he never had any problems with his legs but it just goes to show that these freak accidents can happen to anybody. He was a great character and pretty cheeky but this is what made us love him, along with his striking grey coat. He was in terrific form prior to the race and he was even bucking and squealing when we gave him a shampoo bath before he left. It has broken my heart to lose him and Tolly McGuiness within a month of each other and, after going 14 years with a training licence and having no racecourse fatalities up to this point, I can't quite believe it. Hopefully this is our bad luck out of the way for a good long time.

Sadly missed: Tight Lipped

The thing about racing is that you can't sulk around for too long as there is a yard full of horses who need your full attention the very next morning.
Undoubtedly the most popular horse in the yard is The Ducking Stool and she is set to make her seasonal reappearance this week at Weatherby on Sunday. It is the first flat that the track has ever had and I think it will suit her down to the ground as she enjoys galloping, left-handed tracks like her beloved Yarmouth. She is really well and, despite being a bit high in the weights, I hope she can do herself proud.

The Ducking Stool (Sarah)

Candesta (Nick) & Automotive (Ross)

Making the trip up north as well on Sunday will be Automotive. He too hasn't run this year but I don't think I've ever had him fitter at this stage of the season. He is pretty hard to predict but Shellley has built up a good rapport with him recently and they could surprise a few people. He too should love the track and I'm looking forward to seeing how he goes.

Over the last couple of weeks we have been using GPS watches on our horses just to monitor their gallops. It is still in the experimental stage at the minute and you need months and months worth of data to use it properly but it did show us that the application of blinkers on Honeymoon Express certainly woke her up on Saturday morning. She has just been a bit flat in her recent runs and I think the headgear should wake her up a bit. She goes to Doncaster on Friday and it looks a race she could be competitive in, providing the ground is firm. She may need to drop some more in the handicap but we'll find these things out then.

Honeymoon Express (Adam)

Bethan became a bit frustrating last year and, despite a barrow load of placings, she couldn't  get her head in front. Having said that, she never really got the soft ground she loves but she has returned from her winter break a much stronger and mature mare and I think 2015 could be her year. She is pretty low in the weights so it would be good if she could take advantage of this over staying distances.

Bethan (Mark) & Bushy Glade (Ryan)

Veeraya and Dakota City have come back from their trip to Redcar absolutely fine and the firm ground might have just been against them. I'll keep my head buried in the programme book to find their next target but Dakota City might just try a handicap next time if he drops to an attractive mark.

Veeraya (Megan)

As most of you know, we like to let the horses have some play time at the weekend as they tear around the fields and get back to being horses. I certainly think it helps some of the older horses come back year after year as their regimes are channelled towards giving them the most enjoyable experience possible. Horses like Silver Alliance and The Ducking Stool have been with us for years now but their enthusiasm for the game is unwavering.

Automotive & Silver Alliance have a wild time in the paddock

Thank you all for the Three To Follow entries, the record-breaking 70-plus of you who entered have given Ross plenty to work on and he says the next update will be coming in a week or two when a few points have been scored.