A blog within a blog......

Cold and drizzly here this morning but it was a fine weekend and for once we seem to have missed the worst of the weather and the forecast is reasonable.  A standard sort of morning on the all-weather and up in the forestry, all seem well.  A few bumps and scrapes from Perth but hopefully nothing too serious, splendid piece on Tipsy Dara and the Highland National in Frank Cornfield's blog - I recommend it

Tipsy Dara goes to post - ambulance?

Wetherby's abandonment means there has actually been a short break before the new jumps season kicks off in the North at Sedgefield tomorrow evening, Lucy rides Mansonnien L'As in the 6.15 for Ferdy and I see my old friend Sydney Cove has been declared by another trainer, very sad to lose him as I seemed to have found the key to him as his 4th trainer, he probably put in a career best on his last start for this stable when runner up at Ayr in February, seems odd but there's "nowt as queer as folk" and I wish him well, perhaps his new trainer will have found an extra gear, will probably burden him with a substantial Alexander wager, insurance I think it's called....
Statistical analysis of the old season and targets for the new one still a work in progress but delighted with how things have gone and excited about the new season, lots happening.

Little Glenshee

Little Glenshee

Glorious spring sunshine, busy morning on the gallops but basically a quiet weekend, almost a relief to climb off the rollercoaster. A marvellous week at Perth who put on a first class festival despite the elements and yesterday Little Glenshee ran well above expectations to finish 2nd, elation, then half an hour later Tipsy Dara came down at the first in the Highland National after jumping in to the back of another horse, Lucy received a nasty kick and was "stood down" for the rest of the afternoon, she then missed a winner on Rossini's Dancer who provided a fairytale end to the Festival for Susan Bradburne, perfect (well very nearly perfect!) and tremendous scenes in the Winner's enclosure celebrating a marvellous career, what a day and what a week!

Tipsy Dara, Mark Fleming (minus mud!) and Kelly

A chance to relax this afternoon and enjoy the racing from Sandown and an astonishing display from Tidal Bay, cantering home with top weight in the race that will always be known to me as "The Whitbread," he has been one of my favourite horses for a few years as one of the best sons of Flemensfirth, a stallion that produces the toughest of progeny. I had the fun of watching two of his sons in the field this morning, one yearling out of a sister to a Gold Cup winner and another a half brother to Buffalo Ballet et al. Plenty to look forward to and as the curtain comes down on the 2011-12 season one's mind is immediately drawn to the future, on Monday we will be riding the 3yo's again that were broken last summer, they will be ridden round the farm for a couple of weeks then turned away for the summer prior to coming in to training in August. We will be starting to back off a few of the horses in training but we look like having a busy start to the new season with 17 different horses to run in May all being well, starting at Kelso on Wednesday evening..........

Tipsy Dara struggles to her feet, Lucy receives a proper kick.

By the way, vile commerce, I hardly dare mention it,  but many of these attractive young horses are for sale and should provide bags of fun......... these photographs courtesy of Frank Cornfield and to finish the season - a caption competition..........

Papamoa

Papamoa (right) just gets up from a seemingly impossible position (Mike Bishop)

Glorious sunshine this morning but cold with a strong drying north-easterly wind. A memorable winner yesterday (aren't they all?) with Papamoa just getting up in the shadow of the post under a strong drive from Lucy after being under pressure for much of the race. A fantastic reception and much well deserved praise for what was an outstandingly determined ride. Commercial Express appeared to be handling the conditions and was travelling sweetly when blundering and unseating Kit. Schooling here this morning then off to the races for more fun and games, then a quieter weekend, Kelso on Wednesday next destination but no rest for Lucy who after her 5 rides this afternoon will head down to ride at Market Rasen tomorrow where she rides On Gossamer Wings in the 3.55 and Stuff of Dreams in the 4.30 - that will round off the 2011-12 jumps season but quickly into action for the new season with 3 rides at Wetherby on Sunday (assuming the monsoon relents). Great pictures from yesterday from Mike Bishop and Dennis Penny.....

Heading to the Start - Papamoa

Gritty stuff



Partnership still in tact

Emma seems happy to lead her horse back in, sadly without Kit this year



And this is my new background on my PC!

A lonely moment, trainer watches Commercial Express galloping loose (sorry about the wellies!)



Muddy Perth

Lucy on Four Fiddlers (Dennis Penny)

Cool but dry this morning with a stiff breeze and the sun trying to show its face, a while since we've seen it but forecast improving so hopefully this weather pattern is about to change.  A scamper on the grass this morning for tomorrow's runners and most of the others, they all appear fresh and well including Tipsy Dara who we will declare for the Highland National at 2.35 tomorrow, Perth's first race to be shown live on Channel 4, Lucy will ride and 11 run on what will be very soft ground; it's a huge ask for her after her slog in the mud at Hexham on Monday but she has come out of her race well and was bucking in her stable awaiting her feed last night so who knows.  Prior to that we run Little Glenshee in the 2.00, 7 run, Peter Buchanan rides, the trip will be on the sharp side for her but she needs experience hurdling.  Buffalo Ballet was declared for the bumper but I have just heard that it has been cancelled, seems a somwewhat premature decision. Lucy also rides Cheatingsideoftwon in the 2pm, Niaid de Misselot in the 3.45, Rossinis Dancer in the 4.20 and Higgs Bosun in the 4.50.
It was too soft for Four Fiddlers yesterday, he needs goodish ground but he still put his miserable Kelso effort behind him and plugged on gamely to finish 4th, The Paddy Premium didn't like the mud and was up against it but he jumped round nicely to pick up a good 3rd prize, all being well both will reappear as soon as things dry up a bit

The Paddy Premium

Huge disappointment that an early decision was taken to abandon the Fife point-to-point on the basis of a poor weather forecast yesterday, a very hasty decision taken with scant regard to those that have invested in preparing horses to take part, after a poor turnout of runners in recent years some have gone to particular effort to produce horses to support this fixture and I'm not sure they will bother in future when the fixture isn't given every chance to go ahead.
Some more excellent pictures from Perth yesterday taken by Frank Cornfield

No, that's not mud on Mark's face!

Mid - div

Need a shower?

4F with Emma, he did look smart!

Mersey

A fine dinner party chez Bradburne last night though Mrs A (aka she who drives home as opposed to he who drives there!) in absentia, so slightly weary this morning and heads down in the yard after a nasty stable accident late yesterday as a result of which we lost Mersey.  He reared over backwards in his box and fractured his skull, a horrible incident for young Kelly who was with him and who only 24 hours earlier had been in the winners enclosure at Hexham with Tipsy Dara, a freak accident and desperately sad for the horse and his owner brother Jamie.  Although he had only been here a couple of months we like to think we had sorted out one or two of his little niggles, he was an excellent fast finishing 2nd on his debut for the yard, wasn't right next time but appeared to be back to himself and we were all looking forward to seeing him at Balcormo on Saturday - always difficult to handle for everyone.

Mersey

Perth appear to have escaped the worst of the rain so far but I expect it to ride pretty soft, tomorrow we run Papamoa in the 3.00, Lucy rides 10 run.  Then in the 4.05 Commercial Express will try to defend his crown in the Hunter Chase, Kit rides and 10 run.  Lucy also rides Jetmaster for Susan Bradburne in the 2.00 and Riguez Dancer in the 3.30 for Ferdy Murphy

Tipsy again...

Tipsy Dara at Hexham yesterday 

....hic, a brave performance in the mud by Tipsy Dara at Hexham yesterday running out a decisive winner under a positive ride from Lucy, she is a tough mare who relishes the mud and a test of stamina.  Seeking Power travelled well enough for a circuit but his early summer break soon told and he pulled up, honourable retirement beckons and I have found a good second career for him, the next chapter awaits.....

Lucy had five rides booked at Towcester this evening but only one of them was declared, she rides Around a Pound in the 6.50 for Nick Kent, then a long haul back up for Perth tomorrow where she rides Four Fiddlers in the 2.00 for Dan and Michelle Macdonald, 7 run and the ground is likely to be on the soft side which I don't think will really suit but he ran well over course and distance this time last year.  We then run The Paddy Premium for Mark Fleming in the 3.00, Lucy rides and 4 run, he is likely to need this first run back after a break.  Lucy also rides King's Chorister in the 4.40 for Barry Murtagh.

Should be three days of excellent racing at Perth's April Festival, lots of horses from Ireland and the big Southern yards should produce a great atmosphere, let's hope the rain goes away.......

Monday

A day for the committed yesterday, steady rain and heavy slippery ground; a good 3rd from Native Coll in the Mens Open and similar from Flaming Thistle in the Maiden, Amulree didn't handle the conditions and finished mid div, we withdrew Northern Flame.  Back down the A68 today to Hexham, Tipsy Dara in the 2.30, 13 run, Lucy rides, heavy ground and Seeking Power in the 3.00, Brian Harding rides, 13 run conditions right up his street.  Lucy rides Samson Collonges in that race, deserting the horse that supplied her first winner against the pro's but Ferdy has given lots Lucy some great opportunites and he was keen for her to ride this one.  She also rides Or D'Oudaries in the 4pm.

Tipsy Dara

Glorious morning for once here and busy here as we move in to the final week of the 2011-12 National Hunt season, hoping for 15 runners before the curtain comes down on Saturday evening, Lucy is on an amazing 36 winners, I would have been delighted with 10 when she turned pro, she will be going flat out as ususal this week, Towcester tomorrow then three days at Perth.