Arise Sir Frank

well, here he is, Fabby back in his new guise having decided he should be elevated - not yet, say I, ideas beyond his station!  Anyway "Sir" Frank's suggestions for Day One at a Meeting full of so much promise.......

2.30: Canford Cliffs (98), Goldikova (96), Cape Blanco (88), Cityscape (86)

3.05: Sole Power (96), Kingsgate Native (95), Prohibit (81), War Artist (79)
3.45: Frankel (100), Dubawi Gold (89), Dream Ahead (88), Grand Prix Boss (85)
4.25: n/a
5.00: Ashbrittle (80), Australia Day (89), Zigato (77), Veiled (76), Junior (76)
5.35: n/a

Glorious summer morning here, cool & bright, not much to ride as most now on summer break but yard still seems busy with redcorating, a couple being broken etc.........

Awards

Fifteen love to the oldies at the Point-to-Point dinner, last out of the marquee and first in for breakfast, Mrs A showing plenty of form leaving the youngsters trailing in her wake and looking rather green on Sunday morning, she can show 'em...
A splendid party and I was delighted to collect an award on behalf of the Fife Hunt and, somewhat ironically, the best horse award on behalf of Peter Russell's Badger Foot, my speech was suitably effusive.  I haven't looked at how big the cheque is but the prizes are all well worth winning, Kit collected a very smart racing saddle along with a historic trophy bedecked with familiar names, some of which have gone on in the sport, others of which, well, haven't...
The Queen's Birthday Honours gave much pleasure for a variety of reasons, from a racing perspective the honouring of Henry Cecil was wonderful, do read this article in yesterday's Observer and don't miss the awesome Frankel tomorrow in the 3.45 at Ascot, sadly we will be watching courtesy of the BBC having been eliminated from the Ascot Stakes, at least we tried, but worry not, I do believe Fabby Frank is dusting off his laptop and will be producing his usual list of suggestions after a summer immersed in academia.

Sir Henry with his roses

Moving on...

Glorious morning, horses cantering on the riverbank and two year olds by Generous and Desert King brought in from grass to start being broken on Monday.  No runners from here this weekend but Lucy has her first ride live on Channel 4 when she partners Baralaka for Duncan Davidson and Rose Dobbin in the 2.10 at York.  This horse was useful last summer for Sir Mark Prescott and is returning to the flat for the first time since in one of the feature races of the season for Lady Riders, apart from the usual prizes the winning jockey receives her weight in champagne which sounds rather marvellous to me; if anyone spots someone behaving rather strangely yelling at the TV in the Dormy House at Gleneagles at 2.10pm tomorrow afternoon that will be why!
Later in the day we hope to be reunited at the North's annual Point-to-Point Awards Dinner in Northumberland where I am delighted that Kit will be receiving the prize for Leading Novice Rider (coincidentally very kindly sponsored by Duncan Davidson). It went right to the wire this season and Kit won by virtue of his two thirds at the second last fixture; in point-to-points this season he managed 3 wins, 3 seconds and 3 thirds with his two horses who haven't been stabled all winter but lived together "rough" in a barn....

Commercial Express, Kit and Skipping Chapel

Disappointing that it doesn't look as though Daasij will make the cut on Tuesday, will be declared just in case, looking at this though maybe hurdling will be his forte...... I shall have to wait again for my first runner on the flat

Daasij at Cartmel

Ouch

Daasij (right) at Hexham

Daasij has been given a mark of 82 for the Ascot Stakes, a pound or two below what I think will be needed to get in to the race; we will prepare him as if he is running and hope for a deluge that will put others off and create perfect conditions for him, if it doesn't rain then I suspect we shouldn't be running anyway and the whole process has certainly opened my mind up to what he might be able to do in the future.

A fine place to start...

Ho, ho, ho - I've never had a runner on the flat but I have just entered Daasij at Royal Ascot on Tuesday, and, no, I haven't lost my marbles - his flat form is well up to it and although he's been mixing it in a much lower grade over hurdles he is clearly in great heart, there is only one problem and that's the, err, trainer - does he have a clue?  Probably not but I can't see what's wrong with the idea apart from it seems completely and utterly bonkers, oh well, a few (more) sleepless nights beckon and of course, it will need to rain but they've had 35mm in the last three days and the forecast is unsettled (wouldn't have entered otherwise).

Daasij

Only Daasij and Amulree being exercised now, The Paddy Premium having a little break after his win on Sunday and the rest all at grass.  The joy of seeing them relaxing is tempered by watching several of them looking increasingly pregnant and once again Seeking Power has stolen the show by turning into an elephant, I therefore had to bring him in yesterday and the scales proved my point, he has put on 50kg in 3 weeks, restricted grazing and the walking machine for him, seems like a long time until Hexham in October....

More Celebrations!

The Paddy Premium

 Fantastic atmosphere at Perth yesterday with the best part of 12,000 people enjoying competitive racing;  I was absolutely delighted that The Paddy Premium won the 2 mile handicap chase for Mark Fleming and me with Ryan Mania on board, it was an important winner for all of us and the horse received a tremendous welcome to the winner's enclosure which was very special. I'm not quite sure why he was 20-1, perhaps because he is 11 and had never won a chase, let's hope he can progress from here. Lucy finished a good 4th on Scotch Warrior who was outpaced but stayed on strongly

"Upsides"

As for celebrating, well, a 19yo Frenchman may have stopped our nation from celebrating royal victory in the Derby and some may disapprove of his extravagant and risky gesture as he crossed the line but for me it was such a wonderful spontaneous outburst after a brilliant run from an awesomely talented horse that I can forgive the exuberance of youth, so different from the reserved trainer - great stuff, there was so much theatre in the build up to the race, I was completely enthralled.

Pour Moi

                                                           

Two Pads

Well, Mrs A came up trumps with an iPad2 for the big day and my present to myself from the Farm account was this different sort of pad, not quite as useful as the other one..

the pad

Please note the colour of the sky - a most fantastic day here today, a thoroughly welcome change, slightly weary yesterday after so many trips to and from Cartmel but re-invigorated by Clare's end of exams lunch at Castle Terrace - seriously good, a rising star. On the subject of eating, amongst many lovely presents received the elder daughter came up trumps with a Tasting Menu for Two at Scotland's very best restaurant, Martin Wishart, though apparently I have to take Mrs A rather than go twice by myself.

The Paddy Premium warms up for Perth on the Riverbank

I digress, sorry, this is meant to be about horses; at Cartmel on Wednesday Commercial Express finished 5th having been sent off favourite, he didn't look happy jumping off the loose watered ground and never really got into it, Lucy finished a close 2nd on Floreana, might have won had she not been badly hampered on the home bend, gave her a taste of her first Stewards Enquiry.  The previous evening at Redcar the illusion that watching her flat racing rather than jumping was going to cause less parental stress was shattered when the horse she was riding lay down in the stalls prior to rearing a couple of times, oh dear, its going to be a long summer.  On Sunday we run The Paddy Premium for Mark Fleming in the 3.30 at Perth, 8 run, Ryan Mania rides and the ground will be on the quick side of good, he ran very well over course and distance last time and if he can reproduce that on the faster ground he shouldn't be far away.  Lucy rides Scotch Warrior for Mike Smith in the same race.
Some pics from Kinneston yesterday and this morning, I absolutely love seeing the horses out relaxing in a big herd - it is their natural environment, they run with the cattle, have masses of space, excellent grass, plenty of shelter when needed and are checked twice a day and have a bowl of Medlocks finest oats just to keep them a little hard. They work so hard for us all winter that they thoroughly enjoy their rest.... come and see them!

Daasij - relaxing after completing his hat-trick

Mooching about

Some still at work....

Almost Blue and Native Coll

Desert King 2yo

Fleet Fox; Solsgirth & Northern Flame in background 

Little Glenshee