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Well it was nice while it lasted but it looks like the holiday is over now and time to start getting the new year underway. We worked a few yesterday so I took my trusted camera out for a spin.


Here's Blackmore just stretching his legs out along the Cambridge Road gallop, he ran a good race last time coming home an unlucky second and looks sure for a win off his sliding handicap mark.

Silver Alliance (grey) and Attain have been working together recently and went together again yesterday. I've been really impressed with them both, especially Attain as he is an unraced three- year- old going with a multiple, older winner and really showing alot of talent. He will be entered for Lingfield on Saturday, I would like to think he would pick up a little race quite soon but you just don't know how they're going to react to a racecourse for the first time. 'Silver' will be entered to run on Sunday at Kempton and should hopefully be in with a shout given he's had time off and come back fresh and rejuvenated.

Sail Home also stretched her legs out yesterday, there's a race for her in a couple off weeks, she has been running well of late and looks another to take advantage of her sliding handicap mark.

The very exciting Automotive was also out, after finishing second last time on only his second outing for us he will be fitted with a tongue- tie next time to hopefully help with his breathing which probably got him beat last time.

Also running next week on Saturday will be globetrotter Spirit of Sharjah. He ran better last time picking up some prize money (over $2,000 for finishing 6th!) but seems to lack the toe of his younger, more improving components. He has dropped again in the handicap so looks unlikely that he'll get in on the tapeta again but will be entered for a race on the turf also. Canning Vale will run on that day too. We were quietly confident that she'd run a nice race last time and indeed she did by finishing a close- up 3rd. Another good run should be on the books now trying handicap company for the first time.

It's now time for my husband, John, and my sister, Poppy, to take mine and Shelley's place in Dubai to look after Spirit and have a little holiday after doing so well running the yard while we were away. We've had an influx of some new members to the team in the last week so all the horses that had a winter break are now starting to begin training again, Sancho Panza, Verona Bay, Argante Claudius, Acer Diamonds and Generous Genella are all now beginning to look like racehorses again. Although with Shelley going to be laid off this week as she's having an operation on her shoulder on Friday, I may have to blow the dust off my boots and ride the bears myself!