The boys still doing us proud

Our best start to a year just keeps getting better as Attain brought up our 10th winner of 2016 with an emphatic success at Lingfield on Saturday. After going 21 runs before his first win, the boy has now won five races in just over the past year. He loves Lingfield and seems to thrive on the routine at our yard -  he is banging the door down on a Sunday morning because he knows he will be going out in the field for a run around with his mates.

Attain and Shelley score at Lingfield

Earlier in the week, Kemsing continued his rapid improvement by notching his fourth win since we bought him as a maiden in October for just 6,000gns. He is another who has fallen in love with his surroundings and he showed his love for Southwell by taking his record there to 4 wins from 6 runs. He was stepping right up in trip to 1m4f but seemed to have more than enough stamina as he ran away with the race. He will have a few weeks break now as there aren't any races for him at his favourite track.

Kemsing chilling the day after his win

We usually hit a bit of a winner slump this time of year but we still have lots of fresh horses to run so hopefully we can kick on through it and continue our great year.
On Wednesday, Duke Of Diamonds makes his comeback after a winter break. He has strengthened right up and matured mentally as well. His work has been great but he is quite a tubby horse so will likely improve for the run. He is lightly raced and I hope he can improve throughout the year.

Moment To Dream (Chloe) & Duke Of Diamonds (Liam)

Also at Kempton that day will be Veeraya. He has found some great form recently and was very unlucky not to win last time. It remains to be seen whether he can string three good runs together as he usually can't mange two but he is in fine fettle at home.

Star Of The Stage (Tess) & Veeraya (Ross)

Our third runner of the week will probably be Handheld at Wolverhampton on Saturday night. He was a bit ring rusty at Pontefract last week but that run should have brought him forward. He is probably better on the turf than all-weather but it's an ideal race for him and I hope he can show a bit of form again.

I went to the Tattersalls Ascot Breeze Up Sales on Wednesday and came away with two lovely looking colts. The Breeze Ups are a bit different to normal sales as you get to see the youngsters galloping over two furlongs before they are sold in the afternoon. This gives you a great look into the horse's attitude and action. as well as obviously giving you an insight into its ability. It's unusual that I pick a horse before the sale, like it when it gallops, like it even more when I inspect them after and then, finally, can afford them but this just happened twice in one day!
The first purchase is a lovely bay colt by first season sire Elzaam. He is really athletic-looking but seems sure to grow a bit more into a nice horse.
The second buy is a strapping colt by Group 1 sprinter Mayson. He is a bit smaller but looks like he will be an early type, ready to win this spring.

Elzaam colt (Adam) & Mayson colt (Liam)

The Mayson colt will run in the colours of my longest-standing owner, Dick Creese, whilst I had bought the Elzaam to syndicate - it looks as though he too has been bought whole by a new owner. So it looks like I'll be heading to the Tattersalls Newmarket Breeze Up at the end of the month to buy another for those interested in a syndicate horse.

Before these two new boys run, it looks likely that we will have had a juvenile runner as Secret Ballerina continues to impress. She has taken every step of her racehorse journey very well and this week she went through the stalls for the first time with no bother. She will do it again this week and gallop once more before hopefully hitting the track next Monday.

Little Orchid (Sam), Secret Ballerina (Liam) & Silver Alliance (Mark)

The ground was way too soft for Sabre Rock to make his comeback at Doncaster last weekend so we've decided just to give him a few weeks more to get him fully fit for his return. He did a nice piece of work on Saturday with Harry Bosch who has come out of his winter break as well as ever and will be back racing again this month. 

Harry Bosch (Ross) & Sabre Rock (Mark)

Go On Gal is another who we have just given a couple of weeks more to get fully fit and she is now just about there. She is handicapped to do well straight away so I hope she can give her syndicate of owners a lot of fun this year.

Go On Gal (Mark) & Candesta (Sam)

Ross would like some of your best racing photographs from the past month for the newsletter 'Photo of the Month'. The winner will receive two free badges to any Newmarket Racecourse fixture of your choice (excluding music nights). To enter, send your photos to rbirkett1989@hotmail.co.uk


THREE TO FOLLOW UPDATE

Wins from Attain and Kemsing have given the rankings a real shake-up and it is now very tight at the top.

David Haddrell	22
Phil Gunning	22
Sophie Feilden	22
Eileen Turner	22
Matt Bisogno	22
Maureen Case	22
Anthea Telford	22
Annette Hall	21
Barbara Walton	21
Chris Shirran	21
Gay Chalkin	21
Dee Clarke	17
Paul Matthews	16
Pauline Kennedy	15
Jonathan Kinge	15
Sam Feilden	14
Liz Moore	14

PLUS: 3 on 13 points, 8 on 12 points, 6 on 11 points, 5 on 10 points, 1 on 7 points, 5 on 6 points, 2 on 5 points, 5 on 4 points, 3 on 3 points, 8 on 2 points, 19 on 1 point & 5 on 0 points.