I went to see my Bank Manager at Barclays to negotiate a new
interest rate on my mortgage. When I told him what I wanted, he said it was
impossible, to which I replied "I have already got it with another bank”, so I
will now be having a new Bank Manager and I must say, it is about time!
The horses are coming on well. I have been riding out two
lots most mornings this week. We schooled 20 horses on Thursday (see video’s
below) – it was a real eye opener as I hadn’t seen a few of them jump before.
Noel Fehily, Gavin Sheehan and James Davies came in to help with the schooling
morning, along with our in house jockeys Tommy Dowling and Shane Harte. I must
say it was a very good morning and they all looked superb!
Baltic Storm, Victor Leudorum, Le Legro & My Anchor
Cody Wyoming
Dragon City & Aspasius
Morney Wing, Elmore Back, Bridal Suite
Seventh Sky, Royal Redemption, Gowanauthat, Nimbus Gale
Some Kinda Lama, Quebec, Murray Mount, Capatosta
Charlie Nugent and Will Stuart came to stay on Thursday
night. We had a wine tasting evening at The Malt Shovel to decide what type of
wine they might serve. The Malt Shovel is all coming together very well now and
I am looking forward to it opening.
We had a new hall window put in on Friday as the last one
was a coloured glass thing, which I had actually become quite attached to.
However when the new one went in, I was quite surprised as it is stunning and
lets in a lot more light; we are very happy with it!
Matty went to pick up my new hunter Ronnie and when he
arrived I must say I was a little disappointed, as he was a bit "cobby" for more
liking.
We had Andy Stone and Bridget, and Sarah Holcroft to stay on
Friday night. Katya cooked a very nice dinner for us and we had a lovely evening
all together.
Saturday was a very busy day for all at Neardown – we had
five Red Letter Day’s plus another six people for breakfast. We had owners all
morning and then twenty people for 4th lot. Gavin Sheehan and Harry
Bannister came in to ride work up the “back of the hill” which was a great
help. The Steeplechaser’s horses looked very well (Quebec, Some Kinda Lama and
Morney Wing), as did The Neardowners’. The one that stood out to me was Le
Legro (IRE) who has got his first entry next week. There are still a couple of
shares available in this syndicate and I would advise anyone who is interested
to move quite quickly.
We then had a box at Newbury for the syndicates and watched
some good flat racing, followed by watching Madness in concert, who were very
entertaining. Johnny Seth Smith and his girlfriend Colette came to stay that
night, so it was a very sociable but lovely few days!
On Sunday we got some horses out as a friend of Andy’s
wanted to see The Neardowners horses. After they left, I thought it would be a
good idea to get on my new hunter Ronnie. Katya put him on the walker, I then
led him into the ring and got a leg up off Johnny whilst Katya held his head,
but before I could get my feet into the irons, he took off with me and I came
off after he had bolted. I was then taken to Great Western Hospital in Swindon
in an ambulance.
Having had a scan, the Doctors found that I had fractured
three ribs, my pubic ramus and somewhere else in my pelvis, and my shoulder had
dislocated. It now looks like one of Luke Harvey’s shoulders!!
I had quite a few injuries as a jockey, but I don’t think I
have ever been in so much pain!
Having spent six days in Great Western Hospital, I have
managed to get home, although I am not very mobile and am still having an awful
lot of morphine. Hopefully I will be on the mend fairly quickly and we can all
move on again! I had plenty of people come in to visit me at the hospital which
was very nice and I am very grateful for all the well wishes that I have received.
Not being able to get about is very frustrating, but I am hopefully getting a
mobility scooter which should make my life a little easier and more interesting.
I am delighted to be back at home and have my first decent meal cooked by
Katya! I don’t honestly know how hospitals can make food taste as bad as it
does!
We had a runner at Worcester yesterday – a horse called
Murray Mount, who was having his first run over hurdles this season for Mark
Hitchcroft and was ridden by James Davies. He is a little bit backward and has
taken time to come to himself, but he jumped better and has improved from his
last performance – he is definitely learning the job!!
Sureness runs at Market Rasen today. She just hasn’t had her
ground all season – she wants fast ground, but as the summer has been so
disappointing, she just hasn’t been able to run on her ideal ground. However if
it stays good today, she should run well for Paul Mott under Gavin Sheehan.
We took Seventh Sky to Kempton yesterday to stretch his legs
before his first run – Tom Scudamore rode him for us and he went really nicely.
I am currently sitting in a high backed arm chair which gives
me some relief, and if I am not in sitting in this, I have to be lying in bed!
Tess took these striking photo's of the horses cantering along "the short" in the early morning sun:
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