The ups and downs of racing...

We finally managed to get off the mark for the new year when Sail Home romped home at Kempton on Tuesday. I've been riding her myself prior to her win and I could not believe how well she was at this time of the year as most fillies do not enjoy the winter months. Here she is looking into the camera a few days before. I rode her out after her run and she put the brakes on and I went flying through the air! So I think she's well enough to take her chance again tomorrow, there's only 5 runners, although this does increase the risk of it being a messy race but she can run from the front or behind so hopefully lady luck will swing in her favour again.

However, when you start to think that the horses are going to form a queue into the winners enclosure, this fickle game soon brings you back down to earth as it did on Saturday at Lingfield. Emma's Gift was running again whilst in her rich vein of form, she was travelling well until the last bend when it all got a bit too tight on the rail, her room soon vanished and she clipped heels sending her jockey Adam Beschizza into orbit. The filly found a leg and managed to stay on her feet and run back safe and sound. It looked bad for Adam on the t.v. but thankfully he got up unscathed. You don't expect to go home with an 'unseated' on the flat, but its all part and parcel of the game and the main thing is everyone came back in one piece.

We had a few stretch their legs up Cambridge Road this Wednesday, here's Exopuntia cantering around, she's been running a bit flat recently so we're trying to freshen her up a bit now as she likes plenty of time between her races.

Emma's Gift (the grey, before her Saturday fate!) and Automotive work together, we're in the process of trying to get 'Mo' fit again for another run as he is quite stuffy and tends to lose fitness quite quickly.

Blackmore (left) who ran a game race in defeat on Thursday finishing second, works with Faraway Land, a Juddemonte cast- off I bought last year- I'm hoping she'll be a nice replacement for Bavarica for the kids to ride in amateur races this year.

Next week Sail Home will bid for a quick fire double on Monday and then it's a quiet week until runners a bit later on. Emma's Gift ate all her feed last night and seems none the worse so she'll be entered for next Saturday if all is well.