Thursday’s News

Its a quiet week with no runners entered now until next Tuesday – all on the flat at Catterick and Leicester. However, our NH team is well forward and you will be seeing runners as soon as we get some rain. One of our most forward is our star mare, Lady Buttons – she was pictured by her owner Jayne Sivills up on the gallops today with Adam on board. Buttons was just beaten a whisker in the mares final at Aintree at the Grand National meeting – she had previously won two bumpers unextended, we hope she could develop into a Cheltenham Mares hurdle Contendor for 2016, she will take the novice route this year.

The mare has been really good in her schooling and has been a natural jumper from day one at home. Hopefully she can transfer this fluency to the track. Another natural jumper that we are excited about  is the Hexham bumper winner, Aniknam – he travelled to Punchestown in April and wasn’t disgraced in their champion bumper but the ground went right against him there and being by the french sire Nickname, he appreciates some cut in the ground. One things for certain is – it will rain, we are never short of it usually!

This horse has appreciated the quicker ground this year – Dr Irv has been running such game races without getting his head in front as the handicapper has really caught up with him. he is still in great form and hopefully will get that number 1 in his figures for 2014 before the flat season is out.

Megan Dent – daughter of our Secretary, Anna, is doing a 5km sponsored run on Sunday in aid of MS. We would really appreciate any donations by clicking on this link to her Just Giving page – a very worthy cause.  justgiving.com/Megan-Dent1

Megan has helped us at the races and makes wonderful cakes that she brings to the yard!

While looking through these York photos I came across the one of Phil looking very animated with his girths, we are not sure why! Julie has a knowing look though…

And lastly we were pleased to see the first ‘Sea The Stars’ horse to run over hurdles get a win in a juvenile. We have the unraced 3 year old Sea the Stars gelding ‘Nabateo’ purchased at Doncaster, pictured below having a laugh with kyle. He has been put him away for the winter and he will come out in bumpers next Spring.