On Tuesday I went to the Grand National weights lunch at the Royal Opera House. Cedre Bleu was given 10st 4lb which means he should get a run in the race. I think he will have a good each way chance judged on his performance at Aintree in December. It is very exciting for the Tangledupinblue Partnership headed by David Obree to have such a nice runner in the prestigious race. Cedre Bleu will have a racecourse gallop at Newbury on Sunday and will then head to Cheltenham for the Kim Muir with Sam Waley-Cohen as his preparation for the big race.
Wednesday turned out to be quite disappointing. We had runners at Doncaster and Ludlow, I headed to Doncaster whilst Foxy went to Ludlow. Superb Story ran a little free becoming lack lustre in the finish, the race didn't really suit him. Noel really liked him and suggested he would want further and as he develops he will become stronger in a finish. We also ran a young horse called Run To The Rhythm in the bumper there. He managed to get free down at the start after unusually being able to unseat Noel! The race was delayed by fifteen minutes but we still decided to take our chance with him. He ran a poor race after all his pre race antics. We have spent an awful lot of time and effort on breaking this horse in but to no avail it seems! He has been very troublesome, and my patience has worn a bit thin. He has shown plenty of ability at home so I am sure someone will be able to get him to show his full potential.
We ran Royal Redemption at Ludlow, I thought he would run a good race and be up there at the finish. I was very surprised to see him pull up. Jason Maguire came back in and told us he had a wind problem. Our vet backed this up when he got home and he has since undergone surgery. He is a very talented young horse so I really hope this has done the trick as I am very surprised he has not won yet.
On Friday Andy Pountney came to see his horse Nimbus Gale with his two daughters Lily and Rose. We followed a brisk morning on the gallops with lunch at The George and watched the racing.
My children Tildie and William stayed on Friday night. Nigel and Ros Kempner and their daughter Natasha also came to stay. We all celebrated Williams birthday with a delicious curry cooked by Iffy's wife.
On Saturday morning David Bond joined the Kempners to watch the horses out on the gallops for a couple of lots. Cedre Bleu worked nicely with Verano and Murray Mount worked well with Lord of House, all four horses have had a short break but are back fit and working well. Expedite did a nice bit, he works well for a young horse. Cody Wyoming and Seventh Sky were very impressive on my gallops, you have never seen anything like the way they both work!
We had an enormous lunch with John Francome and a few others at the Royal Oak at Bishopstone. On Monday the 2nd of March they are hosting a Charity Cheltenham preview night and myself and Gavin Sheehan are on the panel. If you would like to book a table please get in touch with them directly http://helenbrowningsorganic.co.uk/pub/our-glorious-pub.html
We had fourteen people for supper on Saturday night. Ros Kempner had bought a chef for the evening to cook a 4 course dinner during a Charity Auction she had attended at Newbury Racecourse.
We helped choose the menu which included Venison Wellington. It was really delicious and a such great treat. It was very kind of Nigel and Ros to share this with us.
A few horses were ridden out on Sunday morning then we had lunch for ten. We ran Sands Cove at Southwell. Tommy Dowling our conditional took ten pounds off his back in a class four handicap chase. We have been trying to win a race with him for two seasons and he has been knocking on the door on numerous occasions so the drop down in class and the weight off his back meant he stormed home to win by eight lengths under a good ride from Tommy. I was very pleased with him giving the horse a nice ride. Part of the winning formula I feel was that neither the trainer or the owners were there which is a first for the horse!
On Monday I rode out for the first time in quite a while. I came back from Cuba with some sort of fever that really knocked me sideways, it really laid me up for a while but I have regained my strength now and managed not to over take the rest of the string on Murray Mount! The Monday Lunch Club ate at The George and I gave Barney Windsor-Clive his trophy from Sands Cove win.
The weather has played havoc with our plans recently so we are not now due to have any runners until the weekend. Verano, Seventh Sky, Cody Wyoming and Expedite should all head to Newbury on Saturday along with Lambro in the Charity race. Seventh Sky contests the Greatwood Gold Cup which I have previously won with Fine Parchment. I wanted to run Murray Mount at Lingfield today but as it is abandoned he will head to Doncaster for the conditional jockeys bumper on Saturday.
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