Go Kauto!

A long drive home from the cauldron in the Cotswolds yesterday but another exhilarating day's racing with the highlight being a fantastic fourth win for Big Bucks in the World Hurdle, the collective joy of the crowd when this horse won is what National Hunt racing is all about; people with no financial interest or allegiance to the connections join together to celebrate the horse, pure and simple, and it creates an electric atmosphere that I don't think you will find anywhere else, I can hardly bear to think about what it will be like today if the mighty Kauto can pull it off, I feel extraordinarily nervous about a race with which I only have an emotional connection.
Of course Lucy's riding there as well, Bocciani for Brian Ellison in the 4.40 and then the well fancied De Boitron in the 5.15, gulp.
I trod wearily upstairs late last night but very happy to be back in amongst our horses this morning, we have a busy and important weekend ahead, the horses seem in excellent order and a huge credit should go to the team here who have managed brilliantly despite 3 staff being off sick this week, various others have come in to help exercise the horses and everyone has pulled together, well done!

Forcefield wins at Newcastle in November

  

Bit of a logistical challenge tomorrow thanks to not very clever scheduling; at Newcastle we run Forcefield in the 4.15, 16 run, Peter Buchanan rides and the ground will be good, we then run Isla Pearl Fisher in the 4.50, 8 run and Peter rides again, I hope both will run well; meanwhile just up the road at Kelso we run Native Coll, Flaming Thistle and Mersey at the Buccleuch Point to Point. Lucy is at Uttoxeter where she rides Posh Bird (good name???) in the Midlands National at 3.20, she also rides Bar de Ligne in the 2.45, Santinho in the 4.25 and Walkabout Creek in the 5.30. We have no runners at Carlisle on Sunday but Lucy rides Formulation in the 2.30, Turbolinas in the 3.30, Zitenka in the 4.00 and Pete in the 4.30...... hmm, better to be busy I suppose!

The imperious Isla Pearl Fisher

Dangerous Dan lost in action on the track yesterday, last seen spending his tipsters fees (ill-gotten?) in the champagne bar, after this week's record I'm not sure anyone will want me to find a replacement, I suggest we all just sit back and enjoy.......

Lucy comes in after her first ride at Cheltenham on Riguez Dancer