Boooooom!

Seeking Power - just denied at Hexham

Hard frost but fantastically beautiful morning here with blue sky and snow-covered hills.  Gallop working well so all horses working on it today.  Superb day at Musselburgh for Lucy yesterday, her first double, combined odds of 100 and something to one, unbelievable.  Sydney ran a solid race, ridden from behind to get the extended trip he appeared to stay on well but couldn't get close enough to land a blow, finished 5th of 12, I think he can win again.  Tomorrow we run Seeking Power in the 3.20 at Hexham, 13 run, ground heavy, Lucy rides, subject to an inspection this afternoon, snow on the track, I always say he needs at lease two inspections from the ground to be wet enough for him to be competitive, so, here's hoping! Today Lucy is at Sedgefield riding King's Chorister in the 2.50, 8 run, an each way chance in a competitive little heat.  She has a couple of other rides at Hexham tomorrow it its on, then she is at Doncaster on Fri & Sat, we will be appearing next at the Alnwick point-to-point on Sunday where we have 3 entries, most odd point-to-pointing before Christmas, good idea.
Changing for the races on Sunday morning at 10.15 I was staring at myself in the mirror whilst shaving, reflecting, literally and metaphorically, a pause in the rush - I try to start an hour later on a Sunday so it should have been an easyish sort of morning but even in that short period there seemed to have been so many ups and downs, my head was spinning, crazy really, it's such a bizarrely intense sport to be involved in, and all about whether my horse can run faster round a  big field than someone elses.... big deal.  I was unable to attend Musselburgh yesterday, I as at a funeral with Rose, my 3 brothers and mother, someone very dear to us all, she always supported Lucy in her races having cared for her a lot as a child (that was 25 years after caring for the four of us!) and she usually phoned in the evening after she had a winner - her partner loved to bet on Lucy, we all watched the 1.20 at Mother's house before going to the church, a winner, bittersweet funeral and burial and back in to watch the 2.50, another winner.....