Still no rain but our dry spell ends

After a series of unlucky placed horses over the last few weeks, the balance finally tipped in our favour as we visited the winner's enclosure not once but twice.

Emma's Gift (right) landed our first ever winner at Ascot and what a buzz it was. The fact that we were the 16/1 outsider of the field added to the excitement and that we were by far the smallest stable in the field but still managed to beat the big boys.
Emma is a super tough filly and I half regret not putting her in the 1000 Guineas because it was a weak race and she had solid form with some of the main protagonists.
The race was called the X Factor Stakes and it was sponsored by Simon Cowell so I was really looking forward to meeting him but sadly he wasn't there and I was left to receive the prize off some nobody friend of his!

Still buzzing from the success the day before, Ross and I drove the horsebox down to Brighton with our two year old Red Hearts. She hadn't run too badly first time out, finishing mid-division after getting tired and we hoped she could improve.
Once again, the bookies didn't rate our chances and we were available at the 16/1 mark but the little filly belied those odds by storming up the hill and winning by just under a length. To say we were ecstatic would be an understatement as I was chuffed for her owner, Dick Creese, who has been with me since I started training and the race also carried a £10,000 yearling bonus which was a lovely reward for Dick's patience and commitment to the sport over the years.

We hoped the momentum could carry forward to King Columbo at Salisbury on Sunday but, alas, it wasn't to be. The ground was rock hard and he just didn't let himself down on it. He's in good form though and will be winning on a better surface.

We've got some high profile runners this week too. Blackmore is in a valuable staying handicap at Ascot on Friday but I think the ground might be a bit too firm for him to take his chance. Pyjoma is in at Goodwood the day before but she needs a bit of cut too.
Also in the same boat is Spirit of Sharjah in the Victoria Cup at Ascot on Saturday. It's a big race but he's well handicapped and it all depends if he is 100% happy on the quick ground.



Three to Follow Update

The victory of Emma's Gift shook the standings up and now Maureen Youngs heads the table with 18 points. Maureen can also boast to be the first person to have scored with all three of her selections already. Red Hearts was not part of the original shortlist as we hadn't bought her by then but keep following her as she could be yours in the transfer window later in the season.

1st - Maureen Youngs (18 points)

2nd - Lee Cousens, Adam Beschizza, Rita Aspland, Len/Maureen Cousens (15 points)

6th - Rosalind Taylor, Peter Darlington, Julia Feilden, Poppy Feilden, Zac Fitzgerald, Tetanya, Bill Aspland (10 points)

Two entries on 8 points, 17 on 5 points and 2 on zero.