After all the rain we've had all summer we've had a really nice 3 days of sun. We have started to get the horses in from the field as the grass has gone and the flies are getting bad. They all look pretty pleased to be back in.
I had a very nice weekend at Henley Regatta. It's always nice to see a different sport at top level. We went to Newmarket for the Sales and managed to buy a nice 4 year old called American Gigolo. He has been placed in a bumper and is a nice scopey sort.
My son William had his Speech Day at Pinewood and it was his last day there as he will go to St Edwards in Oxford after the summer holidays.The next day I flew to Nice to stay with Ros Kempner in St Tropez. It is fairly expensive in St Tropez but lunch on Tuesday was one of the most expensive lunches I've had for a while. Between the starter and the main course I managed to buy a horse at Ascot Sales through Bobby O'Ryan called Doolin. I didn't see him until I got back but I was pleasantly surprised and he looks a nice sort. I stayed in Nice on the 15th which was the day after the awful attack in Boulevard des Anglais. It was pretty grim stuff.
We have been a bit quiet on the runners front but we have got two in next Tuesday. We have also got a plan which is to run Sureness in a mares race at San Sebastian which will be an interesting trip. If she runs well on August 8th there is a big race for her a week later at the same venue.
We had a NTF meeting at Oaksey House in Lambourn for the first time at my suggestion and it was the largest turnout of trainers we have ever had so hopefully we will keep it at that venue. Its a fairly quiet week but we are getting busy as the horses are coming in.
