The Three To Follow Returns!

Our Three To Follow competition is always very popular and provides plenty of banter throughout the year as well as a cash prize to the winner. This year's edition will be the longest yet with a start date of March 1st and running up until December 1st.
The rules are simple: pick three horses from the two pools and watch them collect points throughout the season - 10 points for a win, 5 for 2nd, 3 for 3rd and (new for this year) your horse will get one point every time it runs and isn't placed. So choose wisely and look for tough and consistent horses who will be prolific points scorers!

POOL A (Two and three-year olds) PICK ONE HORSE
Mungo Madness 2 year old (by Sir Percy)
Our Cilla 2yo (Sixties Icon)
My Name Is Jeff 2yo (Mount Nelson)
Kemsing 3yo (Footstepsinthesand)
Champagne Reef 2yo (Literato)
Secret Ballerina 2yo (Sakhee's Secret)
Sunset Bounty 2yo (Bahamian Bounty)
Serendib's Glory 3yo (Holy Roman Emperor)
Architech 3yo (Archipenko)
Little Orchid 3yo (Observatory)
Go On Gal 3yo (Approve)
Big Bang 3yo (Observatory)

POOL B (Older horses) PICK TWO HORSES
Silver Alliance
Dark Diamond
Vastly
Dissertation
Limerick Lord
Veeraya
Star Of The Stage
Sabre Rock
Candesta
Dakota City
Automotive
Attain
The Ducking Stool
Handheld
Harry Bosch
Moment To Dream
Duke Of Diamonds

Once you have made your mind up, email your three to rbirkett1989@hotmail.co.uk
Points will be collected from March 1st so don't wait too long!


It's not often that I head to the races thinking we have next to no chance as I always try and give my horses the best possible opportunity to win. However, travelling to Wolverhampton on Friday night I thought we had no chance of winning with Vastly and was only running him to keep him in peak fitness as there aren't many races about for him. The reason for my pessimism was because he was running in a claimer and had a lot to find at the weights against some highly rated horses. However, these old horses are in claimers for a reason and that became apparent when two furlongs from home Vastly had quickened away from the field and everyone else was struggling! Adam gave him a lovely ride to make all the running and the horse loved being out in front.. I'm chuffed for the owners as this horse has had quite a few setbacks so this win definitely rewards their patience.

Vastly and Adam on the gallops

Vastly's win made it four winners for 2016 already and it would be nice to get another one soon as we have some good chances.
On Tuesday at Southwell, Dark Diamond will try to bounce back after a poor run last time. He came back that day with a cut in behind so that may have been an excuse but he seems very well at home and should have a chance. Both Shelley and Adam aren't available to ride so we've got champion all-weather jockey Luke Morris booked and he will suit Diamond who can be a bit lazy.

Dissertation (Liam) & Dark Diamond (Mark)

We're back to Southwell the following day with a pair of runners and I hope Dissertation can finally start to show the ability I know she has got. All she does is stay so the two miles at the track will suit her ideally and her last two runs have been promising. I've been keen for the jockeys to not be too hard on her with the whip as she needs to learn to like racing and that has shown the last twice as she galloped all the way to the line. Hopefully she can put her new-found enthusiasm to good use.
Also on the fibresand will be Artbeat. She flopped after a good run at the track but those runs were only a week apart so I think it all came too soon. She has been freshened up again now and can hopefully go the right way again.

Artbeat (Adam) & Automotive (Ross)

We're set for a busy night on Saturday with three entered for Wolverhampton.
If he is ok, Vastly could take his chance again because he needs to run before the handicapper reassess him and puts him out of the 0-60 rated grade. He doesn't win very often so it remain to be seen whether he can string two good efforts together!
Another out again quickly will be Dakota City. Adam will tell you himself he probably didn't give him the best of rides last time so this is his chance to make amends, providing the horse acts on the track which he has never tried before.
Completing the trio is Automotive. He is a law unto himself and has been taking life a bit too easy recently so we'll put some cheekpieces on him just to wake him up a bit. He is well handicapped now and capable of winning if on a going day.

Candesta (Caitlin)

The two-year olds are coming along very nicely and have started doing a bit of work upsides now. They aren't galloping at full speed yet as it's too early to be testing them to the max but I'm very happy with how they're going.

The two-year olds sit upsides

Finally, I hope you will join me in wishing my sister Poppy and her fiance Trevor all the best on their wedding this Tuesday. It's just a low-key affair but they are making up for it with a spectacular honeymoon in Dubai and The Maldives. Trevor is part of the syndicate who owns Vastly so I told them his win was their wedding present!