Nicking money from the Scots.

On Saturday morning we had owners and red letter days in to watch work. Run To The Rhythm worked nicely with Expedite. Verano did a nice bit of work and is now on his way back hopefully.

 

We went to Sandown where we had a box to entertain owners who are coming into a new syndicate called The Steeplechasers. We are trying to get twelve people together to buy three horses for next season. Saturday went so well that we have eleven people now and only need one more. The two people behind this are Bill Brindle and Andy Stone, I think it will work well as it means we can buy three nice horses for next season. So if anyone is interested we only have one more share available.

 

I got up very early on Sunday morning and drove to Heathrow airport where I met up with Tony Holt and John Robinson who own Superb Story and flew up to Edinburgh as their horse was running at Musselburgh.

 

We had a nice lunch with my two sisters and brother who I don't see that often. Superb Story ran in a tough race which was a Triumph Hurdle trial and he finished fourth. Initially I was a bit disappointed until the jockey told me he did not go on the ground as it was very dead. We also ran Seventh Sky in a novice chase and he made most of the running and although he jumped out to the left and gave a lot of ground away he managed to win by nineteen lengths. I was hoping to run him in 0-140 novice handicap chase at Cheltenham but unfortunately he more than likely will not qualify for it now so we will probably give Cheltenham a miss. He is an extraordinary horse and has had eleven runs and won four this season and thrives on his work.

 

We also had another owner Mark Hitchcroft and his son George up in Musselburgh and had a very good dinner at my sisters house on the Sunday evening.  The next morning I didn't think it was to cold but unfortunately they called racing off and we were meant to have two runners that day. I managed to get an early flight home and was in Lambourn by two o'clock.

 

This morning we have had about six inches of snow everywhere and it has been difficult to get the horses up to the gallops. The Jockey Club men led by Will Riggall have done a very good job and we have got everything out. I don't know how much racing there will be this week as the forecast is very bad and it doesn't look to good.