Commitment

Northern Flame

Bright, breezy and cold this morning, the first dusting of snow at the top of the all-weather where most of the horses worked, it has dried out (a bit).  Another trip to Lucinda's woodchip, this time the turn of Forcefield, Northern Flame and Seeking Power all of whom have important engagements in the next 10 days.  Off to a meeting at Perth Racecourse and staggered by the flooding, the River Earn has burst it's banks in a big way.  Useful meeting at Perth regarding our media deal for the next five years, I hope all the courses are about to see similar increases in their income and see fit to pass a fair percentage on to the owners via prize money, we could be looking at quite a different situation in 12 months time, it certainly needs to change.  No luck for Lucy down at Catterick, I hear her car arriving home now exactly 24 hours after she left, her commitment is admirable - in the second half of last week she did round trips to Wetherby, Musselburgh, Newcastle and Carlisle, yesterday she was up at 6am, fed 34 horses, went to Lucinda's to give the Buffalo his final prep for his first run on Monday, came back here to ride Academy, prepared all the evening feeds, did the bandaging & left here at 6.30pm to drive 3 hours to spend the night at her grandparent's in Northumberland, up at 5am to be at Alan Swinbank's to ride 3 lots prior to going to Catterick for 3 rides then driving 4 hours home... an average week, no more than what every successful National Hunt jockey does but I feel exhausted just writing about it, they really are a breed apart..

Blowy

Ayr abandoned and very wild here this morning, didn't stop us taking Isla Pearl Fisher, Here's to Harry and Buffalo Ballet to Lucinda's woodchip, all worked well, I love watching the bumper horses develop as they work with a good yardstick like IPF, these two both look pretty decent.  Going on our own gallop changed from marshmallow to porridge thanks to another inch of rain overnight but nice on the old turf and all the horses here cantered 3 times up the grass banks.

Buffalo Ballet and Isla Pearl Fisher on the woodchip a week or two ago

Tomorrow at Catterick Lucy rides Secret Desert for Ferdy Murphy in the 12.30, Emotive for Barry Murtagh in the 1.00 and Jan Smutts for Wilf Storey in the 1.30, some interesting comments in the latter's form on the flat, hmm. We will be quiet until Sunday when our only likely runner will be Forcefield at Kelso, winner last time at Newcastle he will go there with a leading chance and 5% shares are available for a mere £595 at http://www.kinnestonracing.com/  - roll up, roll up!

Ayr

Bright, cool and breezy here today, 21 horses ridden, all seem well, last 7 brought in from grass - forecast pretty rough all week and whilst the horses seem fine it seems kinder to have them in, 4 pensioners and 3 youngsters, that will mean 34 needing breakfast in the morning! 

First jumps action of the winter at Ayr tomorrow, ground is soft and we run Sydney Cove in the 2.40, Keith Mercer rides, 9 run, I think he will like the ground and the step up in trip.  Lucy rides Alexander Oats in the 1.35 for Robert Goldie,  however if the forecast is correct the meeting will be abandoned as they are due about 2 inches of rain in the next 24 hours, that will mean no racing at Ayr this side of New Year - grump, grump.  

Lucy stands up for one of The Paddy Premium's less elegant efforts at Musselburgh last week (pic from Dennis Penny)



Stormy

As wild a night as I have known last night, gusts of 94mph recorded at local weather station and well over an inch of rain.  There is always a certain amount of trepidation when one heads outside to feed the horses after a night like that but to my amazement there appears to be no damage, these ancient buildings must have been cleverly built.
Initial reaction has to be an ordinary couple of day's racing for the yard, that's the nature of the game, there will be plenty of them for various reasons but that reaction soon overtaken, firstly by the magnificent Overturn who became the first horse to complete the Northumberland Plate/ Fighting Fifth hurdle double in front of a rapturous Geordie crowd all of whom appeared to have backed him, great stuff, and then sitting in the car waiting for the jockey I opened my ipad to discover the wonderful news that Carruthers had won the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury; after last Saturday's great win by Kauto the sport was again united in celebration, this time for a struggling but talented journeyman jockey gaining the biggest win of his career aboard a horse owned, bred and trained by the Oaksey family.  The manner in which Mattie Bachelor's weighing room colleagues celebrated this success with him sums up everything that is good about the sport, to quote Oaksey himself - "the brotherhood of hazards shared" - is one of the great but unsung qualities of National Hunt racing.  And of course, a wonderful victory for Lord Oaksey - sadly too frail to attend but hopefully aware of this great victory through the mists of old age, most of you will be aware that he founded the irreplaceable Injured Jockeys Fund which has done so much for so many people and was himself a thoroughly accomplished journalist and amateur rider, in the latter role giving my father his greatest moment as a trainer when winning the Aintree Foxhunters for him back in (dare I say it!) 1967.
Today Lucy rides at Carlisle, Red Tamber in the 1.20 for Bruce Mactaggart and Proud Times in the 1.55 for Alan Swinbank, we hope to be back in action at Ayr on Tuesday then Kelso on Sunday.

A day in the sun, Mattie Bachelor aboard Carruthers

   

Newcastle

Filthy morning here, cold, windy & wet.  Not ideal for schooling but with Kit home from Uni for a day needs must and we popped the pointers over the fences and a few over the hurdles, bad ground, but mission accomplished.

Capital Venture on a brighter morning!

Tomorrow at Newcastle re run Ocarina in the 12.35 and Capital Venture in the 2.55, Lucy rides both and the ground is good to soft, both seem in good heart.

Musselburgh

Isla Patriot

It's a blessing that I cut short my career in the City, I could have done a lot of damage judging for my propensity to press the wrong button on the computer, fortunately today it only resulted in Buffalo Ballet being declared by mistake for Musselburgh tomorrow.  He is fit and ready to run well but for a variety of reasons would be better to wait another week or so, banned for 6 days now but not missing anything.  We do run Isla Patriot in the 12.10, this is a good race for him despite a minor setback earlier this week, Lucy rides, 8 run and it is on the quick side of good but rain forecast tonight.  We also run The Paddy Premium in the 2.25, 7 run, Lucy on board, he will hopefully benefit from the drop back in trip and Lucy's claim. Lucy also rides Red Lite for Wilf Storey in the 12.40, King's Chorister in the 2.55 for Barry Murtagh and All American for Alan Swinbank in the 3.30.
Tomorrow also sees the launch of our new ownership concept - have a look and do contact us if you are interested or know of anyone that might be.........

http://www.kinnestonracing.com/

Mud

Awesome Kauto

Cold and blowy up the all-weather this morning, pleased to be using it though, it has undergone a minor refurbsishment this week and Holly described it as like riding on marshmallows- perfect. 

Buffalo Ballet (Holly), The Paddy Premium (Lucy H) and Ocarina (Gemma) after their work on the grass yesterday

closer inspection of The Paddy Premium reveals why everyone might be quite happy to have the all-weather back!

Sedgefield has never been my luckiest track, best moment cheering on brother Jamie to win there a few years ago from the bar at Cheltenham, broken a couple of nice horses down at the track, yesterday the starter screwed up letting them go before Sydney and another were even on the track, they had an inquiry into it and have referred to to the BHA, too late for Sydney, at least he's back home in one piece having run a decent enough race to finish a never nearer 5th.
Today Lucy has two long-priced rides at Wetherby, I Got Music for Keith Reveley in the 12.25 and Jan Smuts in the 2.35 for Wilf Storey. Our next stop is Musselburgh Friday followed by Newcastle Saturday all being well, and big excitement is making first entries this winter for Ayr, too late though, they should have starterd there at least a month ago...