There's nae stopping him....

well, the day finally came and Jock aged 82 retired on Friday after 54 years working here. I was therefore slightly surprised to hear him call up the office stairs to me at 7.15 this morning to say he couldn't find reverse in the new tractor and get it out of the shed! Speaking of the new tractor, a certain amount of research has gone into its purchase and I was delighted when it eventually arrived on Friday, the best thing is that it came with a set of overalls - although they perhaps exagerrate my rotundness somewhat I do think they will add a lot to my credibility in the neighbourhood, problem is though that everyone elses' tractors are so much bigger than my tiny little "groundcare" machine, still, got to start somewhere.

On Sunday morning we took our two most forward horses (Foodbroker Founder and Fearless Footsteps) to Lucinda Russell's gallop for a serious piece of work, partly to bring them on and partly to see exactly where we were with them. I was very pleased with the former who really perked up for an away-day and will either run on the flat at Beverley on 22nd Sept or at Perth later that week, Fearless Footsteps just failed to really let herself down on the different surface but her wind sounded good and all being well she will run in the bumper at Perth on Thursday 24th. My intention is that both of them will be ridden in their races by daughter Lucy, she has worked hard throughout her gap year and spent many months with two of the world's great trainers in Aidan O'Brien and Michael Stoute, she did well with both of them and rode work with champion jockeys past, present and future. I hope to give her lots of chances this season as I am confident she will maintain her fitness and focus whilst studying at Edinburgh University.

Much of family life is presently focussed on driving lessons and tests etc, I am afraid I couldn't conceal my delight when Mrs A sat the theory test online and failed - tee hee hee - she has been known to criticise my driving from time to time, completely unjustified of course....

We are stepping up another gear this week with a couple more horses in and looking forward to the arrival of the new assistant trainer next weekend

N

The joy...

of training the horses at this time of year usually stems from the perfect late summer days, the slight crispness to the early morning air as the sun comes up and bathes the golden stubble fields in light. The warmth quickly breaks through, the horses coats gleam and the cold wet days of winter seem a distant memory..... aha, not so today or yesterday or virtually any day this damp August. I have seldom been as soaked through as I was after first lot this morning, there was a cold easterly wind driving the rain and everywhere is completely sodden. Still, at least we were able to use the grass gallops, usually too firm at this time of year they are riding perfectly now, our half dozen most forward horses did plenty of work on them this morning though I am beginning to worry that their regime is being determined by how much the trainer can manage rather than how much the horses can manage, they have been doing a lot of hill work and are very strong when given their heads on some flatter grass. 2nd lot were jogging on the all-weather and I caught this damp but cheery(?) bunch with my camera coming down the gallop later on

They are, in front from the right, Miss Colima (Shellie Wilson), Smart Cavalier (Emma Dick), Forcefield (Lucy Alexander) and an un-named Accordion 4yo (Kit Alexander), perhaps we should call him Indian Summer.....

hello

Although we haven't had a runner since Almost Blue won at Kelso in May we have been busy, we managed to turn most of the horses away to grass whilst the stables were all disinfected and repainted, more rubber floors were installed and all the water drinkers renewed. We now have 8 horses back in work, a couple more came in from Doncaster Sales last week and with one or two other things going on we look like being up to about 18 horses in training for the winter.

With the stable expanding I have been preoccupied throughout the summer with trying to appoint our first head lad/assistant trainer, I have been looking for a proper horseman with a real depth of experience in racing gained at the highest level. I received a massive number of applicants from, thanks to the internet, all over the globe which have taken a bit of sorting out. I now have verbally agreed terms with a man that I am greatly looking forward to working with, more about him later...

He will be in charge of our core team of 3 girls, Jacqui, Emma and Shellie all whom have now been here for at least 3 years and are extremely able and dedicated to their horses. They are supported by our long-standing work rider James and old fatso here who has also resumed riding out. Our pupil assistant Douglas has left to study to be a vet at Edinburgh but is still hoping to travel the horses to the races when available.

The biggest change of all though will be the imminent retirement of Jock who aged 82 and after 54 years of continual service at Kinneston finally sidled up to me and asked would I mind if he "finished up." His long service was marked in suitable fashion at Kinross Show on Saturday when he was presented with a long service medal by the Royal Highland Agricultural Society in front of a huge crowd enjoying glorious weather, it didn't stop him being out moving haylage at 6.45am on the Sunday morning though.....

N