Taming Lions

Four Fiddlers runs into the back of Dark Glacier when he slammed the brakes on going into the first at Kelso

Lucy is subsequently ejected from the saddle

Another favourite expression, Ferdy Murphy's saying that "this game tames lions" sprang to mind after a roller coaster day at Kelso yesterday; at the first hurdle in the first race a horse I adore Four Fiddlers had a nasty collision with the well-backed favourite leaving Lucy on the ground, he galloped loose for two circuits then pulled up lame, he had a painful swelling on his side and after another 30 minutes could barely move at all, he was transferred to the RDVS Equine Hospital for further examination and kept in overnight; I was hugely relieved to be advised that there is no internal damage just bad bruising leading to a large haemotoma, I collected him this morning and he is already on the road to recovery - phew!

Happier times, Lucy drives Storm Surge clear

Later in the afternoon Lucy had her third winner in three days when Storm Surge romped home in the 2 mile handicap chase, on the ground one minute, cloud nine the next!  Tomorrow at Carlisle she rides Battle Honour for Susan Bradburne in the 1.20 and Ballycarberry in the 4.05 for Lucy Normile, we have Sydney Cove in at Sedgefield on Tuesday and will see how he is tomorrow before deciding on a quick reappearance, otherwise next runners likely to be at Newcastle on Friday.

All smiles now!

It had been quite a day, celebrations on Friday evening after a long day had left me feeling slightly bleary first thing and this wasn't helped by the lights fusing as I was feeding the horses at 6.15am, I then managed to bog my car when out trying to follow first lot and had to abandon it and borrow Mrs A's to rush to Kelso and then all of the above happened, it was wonderful after all of that to be able to head off to a local party with a blond bird in the evening....

The Alexander house party for Mr David Stanistreet's 50th Birthday Party assemble before departure