Hoping Yarmouth can be great again

Yarmouth racecourse has had a bit of an up and down time over the past 12 months but I'm happy to hear our lucky and local track is now back on the right road and ready to host racing again.
The track closed in autumn 2014 to relay the home straight after some had complained about the undulations. Not one of the many horses I ran had ever been affected by the track's ridges so right from the outset I have thought the development was unnecessary. However, in racing, when the big names complain, heaven and Earth has to be moved. The course reopened again last September but, after a heavy downpour, the relaid turf became slippery and racing was abandoned until this year. After a spring setback, the track held a gallop morning this week to test the surface and all seemed to go fine.
I sent a pair of two-year olds there for some racecourse experience and both Our Cilla and Mungo Madness thoroughly enjoyed their day out. Yarmouth are set to race again on June 8th and we have a good few pencilled in to run so let's hope the weather stays kind and we can get back to winning there.

Our Cilla (Freddy Tylicki) & Mungo Madness (Danny Brock) gallop at the Yarmouth

Luck wasn't on our side much this week with Go On Gal finishing second to a Sir Mark Prescott improver at Chelmsford and our Brighton raiders didn't fire. May is never a very fruitful month for us though so I'll be happy when June arrives this week!
Two-year old Valley Lodge made a promising debut in a hot race at Windsor last time and he hits the track again on Tuesday. He has come on for the run but will need to as it looks a competitive race. He should stay the extra furlong and I'll be happy if he can land a place.

Secret Ballerina (Chloe), Valley Lodge (Liam) & Spirit Of Sarwan (Ross)

Sabre Rock hasn't fired in two turf runs since coming back from a long lay-off and I'll be hoping that a return to the all-weather on Thursday can rekindle his form. He is stepping up to two miles which is a step into the unknown but I can imagine he will stay as all he does is gallop. It won't be the end of the world if he doesn't run well but hopefully he can show a bit of a spark this time.

Sabre Rock (Mark) & Dakota City (Caitlin)

Friday sees us making our first trip of the year down to Goodwood. Attain has two wins on the board already in 2016 but was unlucky not to add to the tally the last twice. He is pretty high in the handicap at the minute but he is still in great form at home so I hope he can be a bit more lucky this time.
Dakota City will be heading to the Downs with Attain and he too has a couple of wins on the board this year. He's had some time off after a busy winter and needs to prove he is as effective on turf as the all-weather because the two runs we gave him on the green stuff last year weren't very good.

The following day we're back on the road to Lingfield. Secret Ballerina has been running ok recently and there will be a race go her way sooner rather than later so we will take our chance.
Candesta runs in the lucky last and I hope he can be a bit luckier than last time when he probably would have won if getting a clear run. He goes fine over the course and distance so I hope he can end the week on a good note.

Our Cilla (Mark) & Champagne Reef (Liam)

The third and final mare from our yard finally had her foal this week and both are doing absolutely fine. Bushy Dell was a successful filly for owner Dick Creese and he took the decision to breed from her once retired. Hopefully this little one can be just as fast!

Bushy Dell and foal with owner Dick

THREE TO FOLLOW LEADERBOARD

Annette Hall	45
David Haddrell	37
Barbara Walton	34
Jonathan Kinge	30
Pauline Kennedy	30
Dudley Lever	28
Chris Shirran	27
Gay Chalklin	27
Maureen Case	27
Anthea Telford	27