Pics

I’m getting a lot of photos in at the moment from all sorts of different places. Here are a few that have just come in; First up, and after a long absence recovering from a broken bone in his foot is Bouguereau; . . Bougie hasn’t been on the course since July 2008, when he was a very different looking …

Shepherd’s Pie

I’ll be brief again today as I’m on cooking duty – I cook a mean Shepherd’s Pie. Jane got me a couple of framed photos for Christmas – Bouguereau in the Derby and Winker in the July Stakes.  They were fantastic professionally taken photos that I’d never seen before – I’ll post them in here when I get time.  I couldn’t have been more …

Thoughts on Melbourne

I’m back at my desk having flown in to a freezing cold Heathrow at 5:30 this morning wearing shorts and a T-shirt.  I hardly slept a wink and I’m fading fast – as soon as I’ve done the blog I’m off to bed. I couldn’t have been more impressed with Melbourne – it’s got everything.  It’s clean and well maintained …

Free to a good home

A good day on Sunday with King’s Head doing it nicely.  He needs it G/F or firm and given that he has invariably delivered when he has had his ground I probably should have given him a stronger write up.  He may come out again on the weekend – he has entries on Saturday at Market Rasen and Sunday at Ascot.  Market …

Mixed news

I’ve been ringing around today and the news is mixed. Lilac Moon has jarred one of her feet and it’s badly swollen.  It’s probably nothing major but we’re having a scan to be sure – she was down to run at Lingfield on Tuesday, but has obviously been left out.  It’s annoying as she’s been in great form at home …

Bring it on

I travelled up to Newmarket late on Monday night with Mick and we checked into a hotel.  In the morning I went down to watch work with Pete. Winker was out first lot.  He worked extremely well without seeming to extend himself – Pete thought it was there or thereabouts his nicest piece of work this year.  Nicky Nutjob, an …

Ran rain go away

The weather is currently scuppering my racing plans.  We made the decision this morning not to supplement Winker at Deauville – the ground there is on the soft side and there is heavy rain forecast on Sunday.  These forecasts are extremely unreliable and it’s perfectly possible that Sunday could turn out to be a glorious summer’s day, but he misses …

Postcard from abroad

A quick one from me from the hotel computer. It’s not easy checking out the racing from here as all betting related sites are blocked by the Italian regulator.  I can access the Racing Post site at least, where I can check out Bouguereau’s oppo. Only six runners but no easy task on.  Boug is extremely well, but he has …

Goodwood Glory ?

Bert€™s Bouguereau, in Tuesday€™s Betfair sponsored Gordon Stakes, and the Comic Strip Heroes€™ Winker Watson, in Wednesday€™s Sussex Stakes, are declared runners at Goodwood this week. They face just five and six rivals respectively and hopes are high for a bold show from both. I have a slight concern about the ground being too fast for Bouguereau if the current …

Disappointment

A big day and I made arrangements to go to Newmarket – I decided to book a driver for the day.  I had a few errands to run in the morning and I headed off a bit late.  I slept most of the way there – when I have a driver I usually stay up late the night before knowing I’ll make …