Two more...

.. fine days and a busy time using all the different facilities and Lucinda's woodchip, yesterday with Tipsy Dara, Flaming Thistle and Northern Flame and today with Here's to Harry, Massini Man and Native Coll.  Working on the grass here yesterday were Isla Patriot, Sydney Cove and Forcefield and today Buffalo Ballet, "Flora," and Almost Blue.  Back into work after a short hold-up was Academy and we have started Goldtrek with some light work.  Plans firming up for Musselburgh and Kelso but a little concerned about frost re the latter.  Tomorrow at Catterick Lucy has 3 rides, Hennessy for Ferdy Murphy in the 2.15, the "North Yorkshire Grand National," Turbolinas for Kate Walton in the 2.45 and Big Water for Alan Swinbank in the concluding bumper at 3.45 

One fine day

Glorious morning, the promise of spring round the corner, not yet, mustn't get carried away. After a productive Sunday mending storm damage and preparing surfaces it was nice to be able to do what I wanted with the horses today rather than be dictated to by the conditions. So a Monday and lots of schooling, hurdles and fences, most pleasing of all was to see Four Fiddlers jumping with zest back over the hurdles, he is a horse that I feared the worst for when he left Kelso on 5th Nov for the Royal Dick Veterinerary Hospital, his recovery has been remarkable and he jumped hurdles with plenty of enthusiasm considering this was the first time he had seen a hurdle since this...

Newcastle

Back down the road to Newcastle yesterday and a so-so sort of day, Seeking Power seems to need four miles these days to be competitve, he plugged on in his own style to finish 5th, Papamoa's hurdling wasn't slick enough against decent experienced handicappers but he ran well enough to finish 4th in decent company, staying on strongly at the end.  Back here a useful morning with 15 working on the all-weather in good conditions, forecast is not too bad at all for the time of year so plenty of plans hatched for next week, no runners until Musselburgh on Friday though.

We have started some of the spring horses this week, including Daasij (above) who is back on the horsewalker each day.

A lost week?

Well, after 3 days without power it finally came on sometime last night, not sure precisely when because family Alexander were once again taking refuge in the Odeon, probably beginning to smell slightly and given a wide berth by the other cinema-goers.   All sorts of knock-on effects of both the prolonged power cut and severe storms but horses and people all well, only dark cloud remaining is the missing dog.  The stable routine was quickly adjusted to compensate for it being pitch dark from 4.15pm until 8.15am, none of the horses missed any exercise or feed and they are certainly fresh judging by this morning's exercise, the only ones that missed out were those on the barns and walker regime.  Family have survived well but it will be a while before I return to "Fife Leisure Park," the novelty of which wears thin quite quickly, I did manage a flying visit with the boys to watch Newcastle thump Manchester United on Wednesday evening, there is nothing like the roar of the Geordie fans enjoying a famous victory on a wild January night to warm the soul!

Seeking Power

Anyway, back down the road to Newcastle tomorrow where we run Seeking Power in the 1.25 and Papamoa in the 1.55, 8 run in both races, Lucy rides and the ground promises to be particularly gluey.  I was going to wait until Kelso next week with SP but seeing the bucks he was putting in as he went on to the gallop this morning I just couldn't resist declaring him in what looks like an ordinary sort of race.  Papamoa has also been very fresh and well at home, we have taken the decision to up him in class and this may backfire as he is still inexperienced after only four hurdle races but he should handle the track and going and I am hoping (expecting?) that he will also improve for stepping up in trip, we will see tomorrow!  After that nothing until Musselburgh next Friday....

Papamoa

Long Dark Night

After writing my blog early yesterday conditions deteriorated dramatically, on hearing of lorries blown over on nearly all the main roads to Ayr I decided it was unsafe to travel horses and withdrew them, first lot pulled out here but I could hardly walk up to the school to see them, sent them straight back in and shortly afterwards the power went off, I headed off to Ayr with Lucy but was only 20 mins down the road when they abandoned racing. Serious damage caused by the wind right across central Scotlnad and though we have lost about 50 trees and have minor storm damage to schooling fences and buildings we have escaped lightly compared with many who have my sympathy as they start to pick up the pieces. The weather was reasonable in the afternoon, a chance to launch another search party but still no sign of dog, needle in a haystack I am afraid, then time to remove branches etc from gallop prior to an early evening stables then a cinema trip. Fine morning today but still no power so morning put back 45 minutes and time to write the blog whilst I wait for the light to come up. Horses slightly surprised to be greeted by me earlier with my miners lamp but all seem well and hungry, fresh this morning no doubt so plenty of work, off to harrow the gallop now!

Ayr today

Yet another storm blown in off the Atlantic but milder than forecast and not as much rain so Ayr goes ahead, going to be a rough journey but we run Papamoa in the 2.40 and Sydney Cove in the 3.15, Lucy rides both, the ground will be very testing, Papamoa faces five opponents and Sydney ten.   Lucy has four other rides, Desertmore Star 1.05, Something Silver 1.35, Posh Bird 2.10 and  Malibu Dancer in the 3.45 (it was virtually dark for the 3.35 yesterday so hope Malibu has been eating his carrots!).

Papamoa at Perth

Yesterday 24 hours of drying wind had turned the ground to holding and Forcefield failed to travel or pick up, we will definitley look for better ground for him now (did I say that after Kelso??!!).  Back here we will be on the all-weather today, I have already reduced the morning to 2 lots in view of the forecast, unfortunately still missing little terrier called Joey which is casting a bit of a shadow over the New Year....

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to one and all, may the world be a happier place in 2012.  So, how did you celebrate Hogmanay? After a fine dinner I took the dogs out with younger son Johnny, we paused to listen to an owl, as one does, a few minutes later our minds returned to the business in hand, and guess what, the dogs had vanished into thin air, plans to watch a DVD were abandoned and the next hour was spent searching high and low on the quad, in vain, alas, we still await their return.

Forcefield (left) on the beach at St Andrews this time last year.

We've had a bit of everything here in the last 48 hours, frost, rain, snow, wind just not sure if we've had any sun, still a productive couple of days with the horses working all over the place, on the grass, up the all-weather and a couple of lorry loads along to Lucinda's woodchip.  No runners today at Musselburgh but four good rides for Lucy (Andrea Bambaleo 1.50, Marsh Warbler 2.25 - Ch 4, Fred Bojangles 3.00 - Ch 4 and Optimist 3.30) so we are going along to have lunch and support her and what looks like an excellent card, there is also the slightly bizarre annual Musselburgh Sprint to enjoy. Tomorrow we run Forcefield at Ayr, Lucy rides, 7 run and the ground will be heavy.  Having blamed the overly soft and holding ground for his defeat at Kelso last time I am unsure about how he will handle the conditions but it's a good race for him and the ground is relatively fresh so I am hoping he will go through it, the meeting is subject to a precautionary inspection as a bit of snow and frost is forecast... there are small shares available in this horse who with luck will provide plenty of fun, brighten up your 2012, great value! - kinnestonracing
STOP PRESS - Mrs A reported sighting of overweight dirty yellow labrador outside back door, enjoyed party apparently, ruined ours!