A New Start...

I'm sitting in my office looking out at the rain, pouring like it's never going to stop, it seems like only yesterday the fields were brown and burnt, will little or no hope of having enough grass for the field horses.

We have been steadily working away with the horses, doing two canters and working upsides, I have been careful to do too much with them on our gallop as it rides a lot quicker in the summer.

However we ran our first horses back yesterday, its always hard to know where we are fitness wise without runners to gauge against the others. Starfoot ran really well until his wind went, he choked and gurgled worse than I have heard him since we have had his wind done. That was two years ago and I think the combination of fitness not being quite where we thought it should be and the wind needing doing again, caused him to stop like he did, he did finish fourth so I suppose it could have been worse.

We scoped Star this morning and he needs another small wind op, I'm very relieved with the outcome and he should be racing again in a month or so.

We also ran He's a Toff, never in all of my years with horses has a horse frustrated me like this lad has. I swear he works like a Cheltenham horse, can lay up with anything in my yard, over ANY distance at home, in fact will work up the back of the hill in Lambourn and still be on the bridle at the top, with a 120 horse struggling upsides. He is 100% sound and is the easiest horse I have ever dealt with at home, but he will not face racing.

I feel so bad because we made excuses for him after he ran when he was ill, however yesterday he said no from the word go, obviously he has decided he is not a racehorse and would like to be an eventer. Carol his owner is the nicest person you could wish to meet and she really didn't deserve to have a horse like him. I know she has been given a lot of grief from her family about him and I would like to tell them it is my fault she has persevered, he gave everyone who sat on him false hope and has broken all of our hearts.

I will be advertising him on behalf of the owner, he won't be given away as he has no problems (apart from being educationally challenged) and is 100% sound, would jump anything, doesn't pull and does nice flat work.

The babies are coming along beautifully, so pleased with their progress, Patsy is so bold, she marches along the road now, without a care in the world. Yesterday I sent the two of them out without a lead, they were amazing with Pats showing how brave she was to pass a motorbike and various farm machinery in front. Dave is improving everyday and is pure class, I am delighted Patricia owns him, he is a very exciting prospect.

I am going back to the drawing board with them all for a few weeks, the only runner we may have is Touchy Subject and that is only if I feel he is fit enough to run a big race. I think this rain will help us to work them harder, with the gallop riding slower and we need to get on the grass too.

In other news Starfoot has won an award at the Mccoy awards for leading hurdler at Jockey Club courses, John his owner has very kindly invited myself, Greg, Nikki and Ash to the ceremony in Cheltenham on the 28th of September. Very exciting and I'm hoping Star can get back on track with the winning by then.

Last Thursday I flew to Ireland and looked at a horse for Tony and Vic, who used to own Heroes or Ghosts. He is a lovely horse called Its for Alan and his owner Alan Wright bred him, he wasn't for sale but with negotiations Alan has sold him to Vic and Tony. I am waiting for him to arrive as we speak, very exciting prospect for this season. He won a point to point nicely and will be a fun horse.