Thursday 7th January – and video

I’m not sure we need a new racing yard, it would  be better to get an ARK with this continuous rain, its causing havoc with our fields, Phil can’t get schooling into the horses on grass so some of our potential novice chasers are still hurdling – horses such as Cleve Cottage and Transient Bay who are entered for tomorrow and Monday. We feel they will come into their own when eventually going chasing but will be sticking to the smaller obstacles until we dry up a bit. Apparantly we are going to see freezing conditions next week! I can’t remember a wetter winter and its certainly challenging conditions for the men working on the new yard as well as our hardworking team at both Sharp Hill and Dibble Bridge getting a soaking every day mucking out and riding out…

Rajapur ran with some more promise yesterday at Wolverhampton, and while its clear he is too high in the handicap in the high 60’s at present, he travelled much better for this step up in trip yesterday and we feel sure he’ll be up to winning more races for his Owners new Partnership.

Tomorrow we have Kiwayu on the AW at Wolverhampton, with Philip Makin on board, he has dropped to a mark of 67 but the handicapper has been slow to relent. Its high time he had a 1 next to his name and Phil tells me he is well at home.

Just the two declared now at Doncaster, Improved is in the hottest division of the maiden hurdle and the ground isn’t what he wants but he is fit and schools well at home and he is bred to stay well. Adam Nicol rides both our horses  here, our first being the Presenting gelding Cleve Cottage who would also prefer much better ground but is ready to run again and its another step towards him going novice chasing later in the season.

We just have the one runner on Saturday, Courtown Oscar is going all the way to Chepstow for a limited novices chase, as his intended target at  Wetherby is off. Courtown continues to please us at home, and  regular pilot James Reveley can ride him as the weights are going up 12lbs due to the top horse not being qualified. It usually gets tougher when you venture down South but we have confidence in this lovely young stayer who has done little wrong so far.

We were delighted to see Monty finish his race safely at Cheltenham on New Years Day and we are pleased to say that Kate Walton is having him to retire as a riding horse so he is not going far! He has been an amazing horse and given us all some special days racing.  Below are some of our favourite photos of him….

We thought some of you might like to see some cowboy action from our PKR Christmas party……