Not for nothing...

...is he known as Gormless, off the rails a bit yesterday with a £30 loss to a £10e/w stake, never mind, here we go again for the final day of Glorious Goodwood 2010 -

1.55: If I Were a Boy(93)/ Dromore(89)

2.30: Treadwell(91)/ Critical Moment(91)

3.05: Midday(99)/ Stacelita(93)

3.40: Jonny Mudball(88)/ Kaldoun Kingdom(85)

5.25: Baylini(91)/ Truism(90)

Gormless Gord's Goodwood goes on...

Well, still ahead, £46 to a level £10 e/w yesterday, let's roll the dice again;

2.10: Duncan(98)/ Cavalryman(89)

2.45: Red Cape(87)/ We Have a Dream(84)

3.25: Mahadee(89)/ Proponent(82)

5.15: Jacqueline Quest(97)/ Golden Stream(96)

5.45: Little Garcon(90)/ Rule of Nature(82)
 
Good Luck!

Not so Gormless?

Well, we'll see if he can keep it up but perhaps we have unearthed the Holy Grail - £115 profit to a level £10e/w stake yesterday (or £150 if bets placed on Betfair) - hmm, bound to go pear-shaped soon but here we go again for today at Goodwood -

2.10: Solicitor (94)/ Beachfire (91)

2.45: Borderlescott (93)/ Triple Aspect (87)

3.25: Age of Aquarius (96)/ Tactic (93)

4.00: Flying Cloud (99)/ Polly's Mark (94)

5.10: Waveband (92)/ Rakaan (86)

5.45: Matsunosuke (83)/ Piscean (77)

Forecast of the day: Flying Cloud to beat Polly's Mark

 

Be lucky!

Gormless Gordon's Goodwood Greats

The gormless one is a little full of himself after yesterday when he managed to return £47.50 to a £10 e/w level stake so I ought to persevere and share today's selections;

3.25: Canford Cliffs (98)/ Premio Loco (93)

4.00: Grey Bunting (89)/ Contract Caterer (88)

5.10: Seradim (97)/ Dance East (95)

5.45: Oratory (92)/ Rulesn'regulations (90)
 
Personally I wouldn't mind a little each way interest in Beethoven at a big price, anyway let's hope Gordon keeps up the good work, we need a little redemption after Fabby Frank's Cheltenham fiasco...

When we moved to Kinneston in 1988 my late Father brought a lot of old bits of machinery and workshop equipment from our previous farm at Solsgirth, the family had been there for about 60 years so there was a curious selection of bits and pieces which for the last 22 years have sat here just generally becoming rusty and getting in the way.  Seperately I have been renting a shed to a interesting man from Ghana called Amu, I wasn't really sure what he did but it turns out he effectively gathers up all types of unwanted stuff and sends it to the community farm in Ghana where he grew up, he has been incredibly enthusiastic about the uses that lots of our old junk can be put to, what is now of no use here once again becomes state of the art equipment over there and it has given me enormous pleasure to think of these things being put to good use (along with old TVs, childrens' toys etc), if you have a moment check out the website he has set up for the farm -  http://www.wumenucommunityfarm.org/

Back in the groove...(not forgetting Gormless Gordon)

Well, we brought in another four horses from the field yesterday which means that along with the five "fatties" and three newly broken three year olds there will be twelve to ride out each day which is just about right.  I have been slightly amazed at how enthusiastic I have been feeling about starting again, (not quite as amazed as Mrs A!),  I have to confess that there were moments during the depths of last winter when I did wonder exactly "why?" However I can honestly say that my excitement has been building over the last few weeks and in the end I couldn't wait, extraordinary really, I think a trip to visit Lucy with some time at Ballydoyle last week was partly responsible, what goes on there is most inspiring.  That and the fact that I know that I have a better bunch of horses than ever to crack on with, patience has been the word for the last two years with several of the youngsters but now we might reap the benefit with a little luck. Most of the horses just rest in the field here during the summer, as much for our benefit as theirs, the Billinge's homebred 5yo mare pictured below (by Alflora ex Savannah Mo) has been having a rather more productive time.  This dressage experience will have done her the world of good both physically and mentally, it would be wonderful if we had the time to do this with all our young horses
                    
Racing returns to Perth this week but more attention will be paid to the two big Festivals that are happening, namely Glorious Goodwood and Galway.  Despite the notable lack of success from my previous tipping services I have hired a new man in the hope he can do a little better......... here are Gormless Gordon's selections for the first day of Goodwood -

2.10: Australia Day(91)/ Changing the Guard(90)

3.25: Dalghar(93)/ Main Aim(87)

4.35: Benandonner(89)/ Kay Gee Be(87)

5.40: Martyr(89)/ Emerging Artist(86)

Bet of the day: Dalghar (6/1)

Good Luck!

Sound travels

Do the horses prefer Eminem or the Black-Eyed Peas? I'm not sure but they must be quite baffled by the strange cacophony of sound that floats across Loch Leven late into the night on the second weekend of July every year; it is, of course, T in the Park time again - a Festival that has seen extraordinary growth over the last 15 years.  85,000 now attend and whilst traffic chaos ensued a few years ago it now seems very well organised as Mr & Mrs A can testify to following their duties as loyal taxi drivers.

Meanwhile the five fatties remain that way, despite 10km twice a day on the "walking machine" (as Francois used to call it) and a restricted diet they have actually put on weight;  I take comfort from the fact that strengthening horses will put on 2-3kg after a stiff piece of work, fat turning into muscle we hope, this pre-season regime will certainly enable us to crack on with them faster once we start riding them again later in the month.  Four of the five horses being broken are all hacking round the farm now (say no more about the fifth at this stage!) we will stick some different riders on them this week and hope things go smoothly....
The picture below shows Contendo (centre) shortly after he arrived at his retirement home with the Laird family in Angus, he is pictured with Bells Hill Lad a winner from here in the early 1990's, also in the picture is Sandpiper, a former HOYS show pony she was kindly lent to us by cousin Wattie and his wife Nina and then passed on to the Lairds a good few years ago, its splendid to see them all together looking well.