Open doors on Sunday

Firstly I mustn't forget to remind you all that this Sunday is the annual Newmarket Open Day. As you all know, anyone is welcome to visit our yard anytime of the year but if you've been meaning to come and see us or would like to show a friend what you've been raving about, feel free to come down. The yard will be open from 9am - 12.30pm with a wide range of refreshments on offer.

You can make a full day of it as open to visitors in the afternoon are the equine hospital, the Jockey Club Rooms, the National Horseracing Museum plus the National Stud. As well as this, from 1.30pm onwards there is a whole host of fun and games taking place on the Rowley Mile racecourse.

If you would like more info, please visit: http://www.newmarketopenweekend.co.uk/

Before then, we have the more important matter of this week's runners. There was some promising runs last week with Vastly showing signs of coming back into top form as well as Veeraya proving that he has just found his grade again after some tough assignments.

Kicking off on Monday, Attain heads down to Brighton. He has been busy lately but takes his racing well and bounced back from a poor run to finish third at Yarmouth. He has won three times already this year so the handicapper knows all about him but I hope he can earn his dinner again with some prize money.

On Tuesday Yarmouth hosts it's highlight of the season with the three-day festival. We're not there until the following day when Silver Alliance heads to the coast. He is high in the weights after a successful year so is probably racing in a grade too high but the only way to get him lower again is by running so he will be lining up to take his chance. He tries hard every time but this will probably be a bit tough.

We're back again 24 hours later for ladies' day and it looks set to be a busy one. 

I'm delighted to be able to take the legendary Ducking Stool back to her beloved Yarmouth after it has been closed for so long. All her six career wins have come at the track and she just doesn't seem to be able to get lucky anywhere else, as demonstrated when narrowly denied at Haydock last time. She is in terrific form and, although the class of race is probably a bit too high, I hope she runs with credit and does her local fans proud.

On the other end of the scale, Little Orchid will be making her racecourse debut. She has needed time to fill her frame but has been working well enough at home now to hit the track. She will get better with experience but I'm sure her owner/breeder Dick Creese will be proud to see his filly in full flight.

Likewise, Duke of Diamonds is just starting out his career and after this third run he will qualify for handicap races and that will see him to better effect.

Rounding off a busy day will be Limerick Lord at Chelmsford. He was a bit one paced at Bath on Sunday but I think he is a few pounds better on the all-weather so, providing he recovers well from his run, he will take his chance again.

Finally, on Saturday we head up to Wolverhampton. You know winter is on its way when these floodlit evening fixtures start but thankfully it isn't too cold...yet!

Honeymoon Express ran an ok comeback last week and this step down in grade will suit her. She is in the sales in December so it'd be nice to get a bit of form to her name before then.

The better chance would probably be It's A Sheila Thing. She is dropping down to selling grade in the hope that she can be competitive as she has plenty of ability but struggled in maiden races. She was slow from the stalls last time but with a better break she can do better this time around.