Ducky doing herself proud

I'm sure anyone who saw it would agree that The Ducking Stool ran the race of her life on Thursday at Haydock. Despite finishing second, she looked the winner a furlong out before getting headed in the shadows of the post. She is a pleasure to train and I can't believe how consistent she has been this year with form figures of 3313322 recently. She loves her routine of being exercised and then going out in the field to chill and it helps an older mare like her to keep enthusiastic about the game and hold on to some condition. Hopefully she'll get her head back in front again for another much-deserved win.

This week saw the departure of one of my favourites in the yard as No Such Number went to the sales. He had been running extremely well all year on the flat and over jumps but we all felt that we had got the best out of him and it was time to get some fresh stock. He has joined a lady who trains near Carlisle and she says he'll run under both codes and I'm glad he has gone to a good home. I'm looking forward to having some money to spend at the sales in October to buy his replacement for his syndicate of owners who have been very lucky in the past.

No Such Number

 

Looking ahead to this week, we'll be all over the country with three runners.
Starting on Monday, Previous Acclaim heads to Brighton. How she hasn't won a race yet, I do not know but I'm sure there is one in her as she isn't useless and tries hard. Hopefully the pieces will fall into place sooner rather than later.

Previous Acclaim (Ryan) & Sadiigah (Shelley)

 

Luhaif has an inconsistent profile but managed to win at Yarmouth in the summer. He is a front runner so if he can't get into the lead early on, he tends to spit the dummy out and not try too hard. The handicapper keeps dropping him every time he does though so he'll get into a grade he finds easier and can dominate in. If the ground isn't too soft, he'll go to Chester on Friday. It's important to have a low draw there on any type of horse so we'll need luck with that and also in the race itself.
The following day at Bath we have Honeymoon Express. She loves firm ground and hasn't had things ideal for her this season. She's working very well at home so it wouldn't surprise me if she can bounce back to form.

Luhaif (Ross) & Honeymoon Express (Ryan)

 

You wouldn't have heard much of Mercy Me on this blog as she has been a big and backward two-year old filly but I'd like to get a run into her before the end of the season for some experience, so she has been stepping up her work recently and did her first gallop last week.
She was understandably green but it seemed to really sharpen her up and, although I'm not expecting much of her this year, she looks the type who could develop into quite a decent older horse.

Tolly McGuinness (Danny) & Mercy Me (Ross)

 

We don't leave a stone unturned here at Harraton Stud in a bid to get the very best out of every horse. Avidly has been disappointing recently after a promising start for no apparent reason so we decided to try the latest in veterinary technology to see if it was her breathing holding her back. Using a dynamic endoscopy, the vet can see how the horse's windpipe works thanks to a camera which beams images to a laptop live as the horse gallops.

 

Unfortunately nothing major was found so we'll have to go back to the drawing board with her but it was fascinating to see how the latest technology is being used to improve the performance of racehorses and giving us better diagnosis.

THREE TO FOLLOW UPDATE

With another second place to her name, The Ducking Stool is now the highest points scoring horse in the yard and helped many to move up the rankings.
For the first time this year we have a clear leader as Harry Hurst moves ahead with 27 points, closely followed by Sophie Feilden on 26 and both Sophie Collington and Mark Henry on 25.