Very Very Cold

I am delighted today is over, I have never been so cold riding out, my thermal insulated boots failed to work and my feet where ice blocks for the whole morning and I have not warmed up yet.

Very disappointing there is no racing this week as Fulgora and Fairey Delta are in good form and I was looking forward to running them tomorrow. I have decided against entering the horses in the all weather bumpers at Kempton on Friday as the horses are fit and well and I do not want to risk them racing on the all weather when they are not used to racing on it.

Conigre worked well this morning, I was delighted with him and so have entered him at Folkestone next week – but the race course currently has 4 inches of snow on and so we will have to see if it warms up over the weekend.

All the other horses are doing routine canters and feel great. We are very lucky as the gallops men have managed to keep all the gallops open and they have been riding well.

Fingers crossed the weather will warm up soon.

Im off to defrost in the bath!!

 

Chilly

This evening the temperature has risen to 1 oc and it feels tropical. This week has been freezing to put it mildly, Thursday and Friday nights temperatures dropped to minus 10!! Riding out was very cold and I don’t think I had much feeling in my hands or toes. Last night we had snow, which is an inconvenience but Betty thought it was great fun!

We have managed to excercise the horses as normal, some of them have been feeling very fresh.

Next week we have the following entries

Fulgora is entered at Taunton on Thursday, she ran a good race at Doncaster, but was not up to the class, she has come out of the race so well so I feel we ought to run again.

Fairey Delta has been entered at Huntingdon on Thursday as well, but I have not decided if she will run here or go to Plumpton the following Monday.

Petrol Stations

Having made a successful trip to Toys R Us to buy my nephews birthday present – a big yellow digger,  I thought I had enough time to quickly get some fuel in time to return to see the Victor Chandler on Channel 4, but after filling up Muggins went to pay and had left her purse at ToysRus, deep breath and I dont advise any body to do this at an Esso garage, very luckily I was helped out by Michelle who lived close by!

Today I felt very sorry for Hadden Frost, he never did anything wrong on Somersby and lost the ride and then he wasnt riding Immissingtheblues at Ascot either, I wonder how Jockeys are ment to make it if they get jocked off!!

But I was delighted for Wayne Hutchinson who is riding very well for Alan King, I better get Conigre ready for him!

Last week all the horses ran well. Fairey Delta made a lovely introduction in her bumper to finish third only beaten a few lengths. Wayne said she was very green and liked her a lot, I am delighted for Lady Cobham too.

Set To Go ran another solid race at Wolverhampton and probably just needed it, hopefully we will get him into the winners enclosure soon.

Westward Point did a nice piece of work this morning and I am looking forward to getting him to the race course soon.

Fulgora worked well and nearly bucked me off, so she is in good form, we are a little stuck to where we race her next as in Novice races she will get a double penalty 14lb which is a bit much for a small filly and I do not want to claim off her as Sam Jones rides her so well.

Needwood Blade gelding and Charity Rainbow did a nice breeze upsides over a mile and both really pleased me, Charity Rainbow has improved no end for the wind operation.

Rhosilli Bay has just started cantering and feels so much stronger and more professional than last year, what she lacks in size she makes up with her great attitude.

A good week

We were all delighted with Fulgora winning at Taunton on Monday, she ran a great race and won well. She has now won both her starts over hurdles.

Conigre ran a lovely race on his hurdle debut at Doncaster, he travelled and jumped well and only got tired after the last, he was only beaten 8 lengths so we were delighted. Wayne was also pleased with him, so hopefully we can look for another race next week.

Smart Viking ran at Huntingdon on Friday, he travelled well but was unable to pick up when they quickened off the home straight. Sam came in and said he had a wind problem. We have given him plenty of time and his owners Ian Kidger and Ann Sturgis feel it is better to retire him rather than give him a wind operation. I feel annoyed for Ian as this was the first horse we bought for him, he is a lovely individual but he is not going to be good enough luckily we also have Ten Fires to look forward to, who is very well but is not back cantering yet having been given plenty of time to allow his leg to heal from the injury he got a Ludlow.

This week runners

Tuesday Fairey Delta Folkestone in the Bumper

Thursday Set To Go Wolverhampton in the  Handicap over 7f.

Both horses are in good form, Fairey Delta is going well at home, but I feel she will come on for the run and we are taking on a few horses that have already raced.

Set To Go is in good form and we just hope to get a good draw.

 

Happy New Year

This week the following horses are entered:

Monday 10th Fulgora Taunton

Tuesday 11th Conigre Leicester

Wednesday 12th  Conigre Doncaster

Friday 14th Smart Viking Huntingdon

Effectsmenone ran too free at Exeter in his second Bumper, he is lovely and relaxed at home, but Noel was unable to settle him and he ran with the choke out so was unable to see the race out. He will now go hurdling and we will teach him to settle in his races. Colin Miles his owner came up this morning and watched him school with Sam Jones.

Fulgora is in good form and will run at Taunton on Monday, I have not decided which race yet but she schooled well this morning.

Fulgora

 

 

 

 

 

Conigre worked well and will be aimed at Doncaster on Wednesday as I think the ground will be too soft at Leicester on Tuesday. I was annoyed as I wanted to run him at Lingfield but after all the rain it was too soft.

Ian Kidger and my Mum came to watch him school this week.

 

 

 

 

 

This morning Smart Viking and Fairey Delta worked on the grass and went well, I am hoping to run Smart Viking in a Bumper on Friday, Huntingdon is not the ideal track for him but if we do not get a run here we will have to wait another ten days before there is a suitable race. I have a few Mares only Bumpers pencilled in for Fairey Delta later this month.

Rhosilli Bay and Cecile De Volange both came back in this week from their holidays and both look well so I look forward to running them both on the flat this summer.

Charity Rainbow has also come back in having had a small wind operation, she is back cantering and is moving well and so far has not made a noise, we will know more when she starts to work, but she seems much stronger and relaxed.

Red Rock is slowly recovering from his fall, he seems much better this week and hopefully he can start full training next week. Ten Fires leg is looking much better after striking in to himself at Ludlow and I will also start him back next week.

Westward Point managed to get loose on the gallops and has got a nasty cut to his leg, this is very frustrating as he was ready to run and his home work had been very good, he will need another week on the easy to allow the cut to heal and then hopefully he will have a clear run, as I had promised his owner he would be ready to run in November and now we are in January!!

Well fingers crossed that we have a good week and I am off to buy my lottery ticket.

 

Winner for the Landlord…………

This week Effectsmenone is entered on New Years Day in the Bumper at Exeter.

Fulgora ran a blinder to win on her first start over hurdles, she travelled and jumped beautifully and won well. It was a great success as she is a home-bred of my Landlord and she won him a nice Christmas present.

It was very disappointing for Ten Fires he struck in to his hind leg and got a nasty cut and so will have to have a rest for a few weeks. I was so disappointed for his owner Ian Kidger as I was expecting a big run.

Conigre ran a very pleasing race in the bumper to finish 5th. Wayne felt that the track was too sharp and that he needed further, but I felt it was better to run at Ludlow than the following day at Hereford where the ground was very testing and hard work. He has come out of the race in good form and now will go hurdling.

Red Rock was running well when he took a very nasty fall at Taunton, he is still rather sore and is having some physio to help him, I am so annoyed as I had the perfect race for him at Warwick this weekend.

Effectsmenone worked well this morning and will run at Exeter on Sunday in the Bumper.

 

Happy New Year

Christmas is here

The horses know its Christmas and are all in good form.

Red Rock has been declared to run tomorrow at Taunton in the 2m1f Handicap hurdle. He was due to run last week at Uttoxeter but due to the ground being to testing we decided to wait for the better ground.

Wednesday we have three entries at Ludlow.

Fulgora in the Juvenile Hurdle, Ten Fires in the 3mile Chase and Conigre in the Bumper. Conigre needs 7 to come out to get a run so I am keeping fingers crossed.