Busy

I’m having a very busy time at the moment and I’ve been a bit slack looking after the blog, so apologies to my readers. My life can be quite frustrating. Since I went part time at Betfair I’ve filled the gaps with all sorts of other stuff. I have my directorship of Swindon Town, I’m chairman of BettorLogic and I’m …

Two for the notebook

I was very happy with my two runners yesterday.  Astrodome was run out of it in the closing stages, but they went no pace and it turned into a sprint, which was never going to suit him.  He’ll improve for that – he was very well this morning and should be out again soon.  Theophrastus looked like a possible winner …

Double trouble

Peintre D’Argent ran nicely, looking like the winner for a moment before being tapped for toe, finishing third.  She’s still a baby and needs time to mature – I think she’ll make up into a nice animal one day. Two runners today, and a couple that I’m really looking forward to seeing out. Astrodome goes in the first at Sandown, …

Heavy going

King’s Head won nicely yesterday to give me my second successive Sunday winner and I think my first ever winner at Kempton.  Fergus Sweeney gave him the perfect ride, dropping him in the middle but on the outside and making his move early to give him plenty of time to get going.  He didn’t get too aggressive with him, and …

Reservations

I laughed when I read the papers this morning.  Two years ago I invested in a low budget film called “Morris – a life with bells on” – these things don’t often pay out and I fully expected to lose my investment.  They produced the film but they didn’t find a distributor and I assumed that that was the end of …

Tough Game

It was a truly depressing day today.  Nick Gifford rang late on with three pieces of bad news. Killaghy Castle had a fatal fall at Sandown.  He was a lovely horse and a great prospect and I was very sad to hear this news. Theophrastus is injured and is a highly unlikely runner for tomorrow.  It’s been one injury after another …

Experimenting with drugs

An exciting day yesterday as my three fillies arrived at Watership Down from Japan.  They flew from Japan to Amsterdam and were boxed the remainder.  There’s a lot of risk in this type of journey and they seem to be injury free which is a relief.  I’ll give them a few days to settle in before I go down to …

Cossack dance

Exciting news – Park Acclaim foaled down a filly this evening, the first foal ever born to one of my mares.  I don’t know if she’s a grey (Park Acclaim is grey, by Clodovil) – she’s by Motivator.  I’ll post some pictures later in the week. Other horse news is poor.  Big Paddy has been retired following further tendon issues …

Conspiracy

I’m going through a quiet period horse wise.  Mon Michel is probably out for the season, and he was possibly my best prospect for this year.  Tifernati was bought to go hurdling this year, but he had a massive wart on his backside which had to be removed – he should go in to Gary’s at the beginning of January.  …

Highs and Lows

It’s a big time of year as an owner, and there are highs and lows.  Aintree was ultimately a real mix, and there was a lot of good and bad on Saturday.  I didn’t go up as I was at AFC Wimbledon for a match that my wider family were sponsoring in memory of my great uncle, who owned the club in the 60’s …