Wishing you a sunny Christmas

Hello from Dubai!
We arrived here safe and sound (the plane even landed early!) on Thursday and so has Spirit of Sharjah who flew in a day after us.
He has really settled in well and the change of scenery seems to have perked him up. You have to give the horses a couple of easy days when they first arrive so he just had a trot with Ross this morning (below) and can do a normal canter on the Meydan racecourse tomorrow.
We are in the same barn as this year's Royal Ascot winner Prohibit and two of last year's stars of the Dubai Carnival - Steele Tango & Monsieur Joe. As we're all British, the craic is great and I hope some of their class rubs off on us!

The weather here is amazing but it is surprising how chilly it is in the mornings before the sun gets into action. Saying that, it's still a fair bit warmer than home!
We went to Meydan races on Thursday to see Ross in action working for the TV and although the place is very impressive, it does lack atmosphere partly because you can't have a bet so it's hard to get involved.
Saying that, we had an amazing Christmas dinner there today with a massive spread of all kinds of food. I managed to fill my sweet tooth as well!

If all is well, Spirit will have his first run on January 5th and can hopefully get our first international runner off to a flying start.


John is running things back at home and we've got a few runners this week to keep him busy. Exopuntia didn't have a great draw on her last run but she's back at her beloved Southwell on Tuesday and is becoming well handicapped now.
Blackmore is at the same track two days later but it will be his debut there. Shane Kelly said after he rode him last time that the track will suit him and I hope so because he is coming right back to form.
On the same day Canning Vale goes to Kempton. She needs this third run to get a handicap rating her her work at home has really improved and I hope she can land a place in what is likely to be a weak race.
Khajaaly rounds off the year on Friday at Wolverhampton. He has a great record there but is rated the highest he has ever been. However, with a bit of luck, he could make the frame.

I hope you all have a great Christmas and a terrific New Year. We're looking forward to big things with some really excting horses strutting their stuff in 2012. Hope you can join us!

Christmas comes early

Seeing as Shelley and I will not be in the country when everyone else is celebrating Christmas, we thought we'd have a mini one today with me, John, Shelley, Poppy, Adam and Tony (John's dad). It's nice as well to let off a bit of steam after coming back from racing and as I'm writing this the festivities are kicking off.

It's been a frustrating week runners wise as all have returned to the winners enclosure but not the spot that means the most. Blackmore and Automotive were sent to Kempton on Wednesday, 'Blacky' was out quickly after last time but still only managed fourth, however his jockey came back with some useful information that it might be a good idea to run him at Southwell as he is just the horse to suit the deep surface. Then in the next race 'Mo' turned it on to come home 2nd, he'd been working brilliant before hand and he showed us what we'd hoped he'd show, although when asked for that final flourish to go on and win the jockey reported that his wind was letting him down, so maybe a tongue- tie next time out will do the trick. Saturday saw Entrance and Spirit of Sharjah arrive at Lingfield. The former ran another good race to finish 3rd, she's very in and out with her runs and just needs everything to fall right for her, she's come back well after that run and will contest in an amateur race at Wolverhampton tomorrow. 'Spirit' ran a much improved race after his last run by coming in 4th only beaten about half a length by the winner. He has his own ideas about how he should be ridden and when the jockey gave him a few reminders he was not having any of it combined with him hitting the front a furlong out he decided it was not his day. Emma's Gift ran today (Sunday) at Kempton and we yet again hit the till when she came home 2nd. The blinkers seem to have revitalised her of late and she put up another good performance despite not having a clear run well inside the final furlong.

This may well be the last blog for a few weeks as Shelley and I are jetting off to join Ross in Dubai on Wednesday. Spirit of Sharjah was invited over to race at Meydan so he will also be joining us later in the week. It's a tremendous opportunity to have the chance to run a horse out in Dubai and Spirit has been an absolute jem for us down the years. He's not getting any younger so we thought we'll take the chance, he's in great form and fit from his recent runs, we also have a little confidence that he'll love the Tapeta polytrack out there.

So with it only being John to juggle everything we've tried to minimise the runners while we're away. It'll only be Entrance running this week and then be quiet over Christmas, so John can have a less busy time on his own, although he's got 20 odd horses to keep him company!

FLOOD HITS HARRATON!

We had an unusual beginning to Thursday morning when a pipe had burst in the field next to us causing havoc. John initially noticed the sound of water when feeding early on so he took a torch out to discover a river literally running down the side of the hedgerow and depositing in the hay barn, destroying bails of straw, shavings and hay. We had a dribble of water in the yard and house throughout the day so I dread to think what the rest of the village ended up with. Although, Rolo (below) enjoyed a little paddle and tried to figure out how to save the day!

Amongst the mayhem we had quite a few runners this week. Kicking off with Blackmore at Kemton on Thursday, he ran better than of late but still below his best, they went a moderate gallop which would not have suited him and probably did well to come in 4th. The next day we arrived at Wolverhampton with Dolly Bay and The Ducking Stool. They both put in poor efforts with the former being quite well supported in the market after a decent run last time, she seems to be one who has to have things fall right. 'Ducky' would have been the one that I fancied more at her price but after trying a range of distances I think around 1m 2f is her ideal as that's the best race she's run when tried at that trip. The week ended with a trip to Southwell on Saturday, Exopuntia is another who has to have things fall right for her and after blowing the start her race was over. It is especially difficult at this track as they go quick from the word go, she was not enjoying her race so they jockey was not too hard on her. Sail Home also that day ran another encouraging race in 4th, however they seem to have a little more toe and would be better with a step up in trip so she can use her stamina.

I spoke too soon on the names front for my babies, as a letter from the BHA confirmed when letting me know I can not have Sir Toby Belch for the Araafa colt as there is already a Toby Belch so it might cause some confusion, although I like Tobermory Bay for him. Also Homewood Bound is not available for the Tiger Hill yearling as there is also a similar name, so back to the drawing board it is , name suggestions would be appreciated.

Next week Blackmore is in again at Kempton on Wednesday hoping for a better account, Automotive runs that day and at that meeting. Who is probably now crossed off every ones 'certainty' lists after that dismal first run for us, but he has been working with Spirit Of Sharjah and there's not alot in it, but none of that matters if he can't produce it on the racecourse like last time.

Babies driving us crazy!

For most people this tis the season to be jolly, but for us this tis the season to be rounding up the yearlings as they begin their life as a racehorse. The Bertollini yearling came back after being broken in this week and she is a beauty! When we sent her away she was small and stocky, but now she has grown about a hand and looks more like a 2 year old colt than a yearling filly. We are really pleased with her and I will try and get a few pictures of her being ridden to show you what I'm raving about.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who got in touch about my plee to name the other babies. After narrowing them down and checking to see what names were available we're come up with this. For the Araafa colt, out of Mennetou we've named him Sir Toby Belch, after a fat, drunkard character in Twelfth Night. Not because he is a fat drunkard but because his stable name is Toby and he is rather boisterous and stocky! For the Tiger Hill filly her name is Homewood Bound and the Bertollini filly is now Believe In Me, a name suggestion from a blog reader.

Another filly we have acquired at the recent sales is Faraway Land, another Juddemonte cast- off that I think will do for Bavarica's replacement (if that's possible!). However, she looks more like a chaser than a unraced 3 year old!

We only had 2 runners this week with The Ducking Stool running at Kempton on Wednesday, she was taking a needed drop down in trip, but raced too freely and will do better for more cover, although she ran well to plug on for 5th. We had high hopes for Entrance on Friday night at Wolverhampton but it all went to pot the minute the stalls opened. She reared up leaving the stalls and her race was over, but did well to run past a few to finish mid- division.

Next week Blackmore will head to Kempton on Thursday, bidding to defeat his back issues he has been plagued with, he has so much ability but has been hanging in his races due to a re- occurring back injury. The next day we have 2 runners at Wolverhampton in The Ducking Stool and Dolly Bay, but it's just a case of finding races that they can both get in with their handicap marks so low at the minute. Also that day is Exopuntia at her beloved Southwell, the deep surface really suits her and together with some decent efforts of late she should be spot on, as well as having plenty of time between her races which helps.

It was a sad scene on Saturday as we said farewell to King Columbo as he ventured for pastures new. 'Columbo' won 2 races and placed plenty of times, but towards the end of his career he developed in to a bit of a character and had to be delivered late in his races as he would pull up in front. However on his last run the arthritis in his knees signaled retirement as he fractured a bone in his knee, he made a full recovery but we thought we'd call it a day. He was a favourite in the yard, especially with my daughter Shelley who partnered him at the races on a few occasions and made sure he went to the best home possible!

Hitting the till... and the goalpost

As nice as it is to see the horses running well and in the place money it's frustrating coming second as we have done with a few of the runners over the last few weeks. Most recently was Sail Home at Kempton, Adam Beschizza settled her well mid- division and stoked her up early to lead well inside the final furlong only to be pipped on the line by the half- brother to this years Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe winner! Also running well this week was Dolly Bay the day before also at Kempton. She has a lot of speed but hasn't been able to use it at the end of her races, but she tries her heart out and stuck her neck out to finish 3rd in a photo finish for second. Spirit of Sharjah ran that night too, he was returning from a summer break and used his electric turn of foot in the straight but was too far back to mount a challenge and with the 1 mile trip he was just going up and down on the spot in the last furlong. He may contest in a conditions race at Lingfield in the next few weeks and then hopefully will be on a plane to the Dubai Racing Carnival.

The boys in the field were up to their old tricks again this week, here's Sancho Panza (right) and Verona Bay fighting it out yesterday!

Next weeks runners consist of Entrance whose got 2 entries at Wolverhampton, depending on which race is weaker. In the main she's been quite consistent and is flying at home so should be hitting the till once again. Also in this week is The Ducking Stool at Kempton on Wednesday but it looks unlikely that she'll get in the race.

I must add that my daughter, Shelley, passed her driving test on Monday so anyone who wants to buy me a drink at the races I now have a designated driver!

Mud larks!

With a lot of the horses turned out and having a winter break at the minute it's been fun watching them lark around with each other and let off a bit of steam. Here's Automotive strutting his stuff to King Columbo (rug hanging off), Silver Alliance (grey) and Sancho Panza (right). Although it's not very fun scrapping the mud off them when they come in!



And Sand Repeal checking out the camera...



The week started off with Khajaaly running another game race in defeat at Wolverhampton. It was evident early on that they were going too slow as Khajaaly was pulling hard and from a wide draw he did well to finish a close up 5th. We didn't have anymore runners until Saturday when we took Emma's Gift to Lingfield, after travelling nicely on the rail she continued her run on the inside in the home straight but did not have enough room and had to be switched, she then ran on and made up alot of ground to finish second only beaten about half a length. It's frustrating enough when they get squeezed out but to see her finishing so well and not get there in time was heartbreaking, but at least she is running well and will pick up a race soon in her headgear which has made the transformation in her attitude recently.

We will not have any runners until Wednesday next week, but it's a day I've been anticipating for a while as Spirit Of Sharjah makes his return after a summer break at Kempton. He won a similar race last year, in that it was a Listed race, so we hope the time off has freshened him up. He seems to like the all- weather alot more than the turf, so his recent runs are probably best ignored. All going well this prep- race should secure him a place in Dubai in the next couple of months where we hope he will apprecitate the Tapeta. Also in that night at Kempton is Dolly Bay, we've finally found a race that she can get into and it's just a case of using her speed to her advantage as she has alot of early toe.

However, on a sadder note it was a bleak day last Wednesday when sprinter Premier League had to be put down due to a pelvic injury that meant no more could be done after months of recuperation. He did us proud earlier in the year when winning at Southwell and being placed multiple times throughout the year.

It's a pain trying to name

Well with the runners a bit thin on the ground this week I've been trying to think of some names for the babies. Which include the 2 year old Araafa colt, out of Mennetou (stable name Toby), the yearling Bertollini filly out of Zephrina and the other yearling filly by Tiger Hill. It's an exciting time but they are important decisions as most good horses have good names! Any suggestions would be appreciated.

The runners that we did have this week did us proud. Emma's Gift ran a blinder to finish second in a competitive fillies handicap at Lingfield on Friday, the paper and betting had basically written her off but the first time headgear seemed to help her concentrate and we look forward to a fruitful winter campaign with her, although I was a bit disappointed that she still didn't even get a mention after the race. The next day we were back at Lingfield with Entrance, who despite being drawn 12 of 13, ran into third also overcoming a lot of trouble in running and the track seeming too sharp. However, it's pleasing to see her getting competitive after a few baffling runs through the season, she too will have plenty of options through the winter.

We shall take course specialist Khajaaly to Wolverhampton on Monday, where he will hopefully keep his never out of the first four record in tact, he likes time between his races and is in cracking form so were hopeful of another bold bid. Dolly Bay is entered for Wednesday at Kempton, but it is just a matter of whether she gets in or balloted out. Then on Friday Emma's Gift will be out quickly at Kempton, she has been struggling with the handicapper after being a useful 2 year old but she seems to have slipped down to a workable mark.

I don't suppose anyone heard Ross on At The Races the other night when they were showing racing from Meydan? Doing some presenting for Dubai Racing Channel, I missed it but apparently he sounded OK and even tipped the winner! At least I know he's earning his keep, won't be long until he can pay for a flight for me?!


Oh and another bit of photography from the kitchen window...

And the winner is...

Our popular Three to Follow competition has finally drawn to a close and it was a dead heat for the top spot..

1st= Richard Salmon (50)
=Shelley Birkett (50)

3rd- Adam Beschizza (42)

4th- Peter Darlington (39)

5th- Maureen Youngs (38)

6th- Martyn Clark (36)

3 on 33, 1 on 31, 4 on 26, 2 on 25, 2 on 23, 2 on 22, 3 on 21, 4 on 20, 1 on 18,1 0n 15, 1 on 8 and 1 0n 5.

The first and second prize money will be split between both winners (Richard if you could email your details to hoofbeatstours@aol.com your cash prize will be on its way!)

It was a fun and competitive competition which may carry on for next year if in enough demand! The horses that scored the most points were Bavarica (23), Sancho Panza (21) and Khajaaly (18).

End of another great flat season

The end of the flat season bowed out at Doncaster yesterday, which prompt me to remember the type of turf season we've had this year. I think the money spinner this season, although at a low level, was Red Hearts. A shrewed buy at the sales she won second time out, at the same time winning the £10,000 yearling bonus and then went on to be hugely consistent at her grade before going in again at Folkestone and winning prize money 8 out of her 10 runs, one of which was a close up 6th in Listed company at York.

But another crack filly, Emma's Gift (pictured) surprised us all by taking a conditions event at Ascot in April, breaking my maiden tag at the venue and beating some fancy colours in behind! So it's on and upwards as the all- weather season takes us through the latter months and will hopefully be another happy hunting ground for us this winter, most have been turned away at this time of year for a break, but a few select band of horses have been lined up for the winter campaign.


Talking of 'Emma' she will be only 1 of 2 runners this week, she'll contest in a handicap at Lingfield on Friday, she will race off a lower weight than she has been doing in handicaps and will hopefully make a bold bid. Also this week is Dolly Bay at Wolverhampton on the same day, optimistic of building on her lightly raced career so far.

Yesterday saw the return of our babies we sent off to be broken a few months ago and they have come back looking a lot fitter and more like racehorses. The Araafa 2 year old colt looks very strong and bulky, where as the yearling Tiger Hill filly looks light and is clearly ahead at this time of year. Another 2 year old filly by Araafa called Lea Valley came home with them too and no doubt will have a promising racing career ahead of her. Shares are still available in the Tiger Hill and Araafa colt, please see juliafeildenracing.com for more details!

New faces on the block

The Horses in Training Sale came and went this week and we had a bit of luck purchasing 2 promising horses for next year. Silver Alliance was bought out of the clearing out sale of Walter Swinburn's yard and with already 2 wins in his career he is sure to make waves for his new stable. Attain (pictured below) was an interesting buy as he is from Juddemonte Farms where we have had significant success buying out of over the years, the likes of Night Orbit, Rapid City, Bavarica and lots more have all had illustrious careers so hopefully this smart 2 year old colt by Dansili can join the list. Shares are available at £1,500 per 10th share and a monthly all inclusive fee of £180. His dam Achieve has bred three individual winners and he is the fourth foal, we hope to run him around Christmas time.

I thought I'd better write a line for dual purpose, old- timer Night Orbit who after a fabulous career winning on the flat turf, all- weather, hurdles and had multiple placings over fences started his new life as a riding horse in Soham this week where he can spend his senior years relaxing and filling another families life with joy. He was the ultimate school master at home leading schooling and teaching the young riders and young horses about the game.

We travelled to Nottingham on Wednesday and ended up in the winners enclosure twice out of the three runners. Sancho Panza ran his last race of the season finishing a gallant 3rd, they went 15 seconds slower than average which was a hindrance as he is a real stayer and did well to plug on into fourth. Sail Home ran well without being placed but the 1m 2f trip probably found her out of a little more toe, but Entrance impressed on her fast finishing 3rd. She has been a bit disappointing after her 40-1 success earlier in the year and hopefully she can time it better next time.

Next week we will again go to Nottingham this time with Automotive, he ran dismally on his reappearance after coming over from France but we are convinced a switch to turf from Wolverhampton last time will show his true colours as he has been impressing with his work at home. Also at that venue and day is Dolly Bay but the rain has come and gone against her as she would prefer ground like a road.

As the sun is struggling to rise early at this time of the year so I thought I'd impress you with my picture taking skills on the heath this week!

I almost had kittens!

It has been quite a busy week runner's wise, but my mind was occupied on Tuesday by the arrival of 4 feral kittens. A friend had found them and asked if I was willing to house them as their mother was run over and were left to fend for themselves at the tender age of about 6 weeks, they are still quite wild but this one didn't mind having his/ her photo taken!

Blackmore ran another puzzling run on Monday at Pontefract, when he seemed to travel much better but his jockey Paul Hanagan reported than he was unrideable due to his hanging. He's had back problems in the past but we cannot seem to find the reason now, I even blew off the dust off my riding boots yesterday to have a sit on him in a bit of work and he seemed very well physically, maybe the problem is in his head after his back issues.

We had a seaside trip to Yarmouth on Tuesday with Dolly Bay and Exopuntia. The former was racing for the first time in handicap company and seemed to struggle with the bit of give in the ground, but the latter, Exopuntia relished the conditions to come home a much improved 2nd. She's been a bit in and out this season but she runs best fresh and will hopefully have a lucrative all- weather season at Southwell.

Thursday saw Khajaaly back to the place he knows best, Wolverhampton. He has never been out of the first 4 in all his visits and he kept his record in tact when coming in 4th under Jimmy Quinn's substitute Paul Hanagan. They didn't seem to go a quick pace like he enjoys but will be back to regain his crown in the coming months.

Bavarica went to her favourite track, Newbury, on Saturday in the lady amateur rider's race under Shelley, but only managed 5th after travelling sweetly in behind she was left with daylight in the straight and could not throw down a challenge.

We managed to find a home for injury plagued Dakota Hues on Sunday. The 5 year old had only managed one visit to the racecourse, but he was finally sound enough for a lovely riding home in Lakenheath where we have sent other retired horses in the past.

Next week sees the start of the Horses in Training Sale at Tattersalls where I will be spending most of my time so I may send John off to the races. On Wednesday Sancho Panza will look to forward his consistent season and Sail Home may run in the amateur race if she gets some rain, Entrance is also entered in this race but being a 3 year old she is finding it hard to get in races with older horses due to the weight allowance. Bavarica may contest in a Listed race at Lingfield on Thursday, it is probably the last chance we'll get in going for the black type for her before she goes to stud and would be nice if she could bow out in style.

Jockeys Getting Me Angry

I was pretty furious when I heard on Thursday that a whole host of jockeys (represented by the Professional Jockeys Association) where planning to boycott racing on Monday and, without their services, no racing could go ahead.
It may seem a straightforward thing for them to do but the repercussions are more severe for owners and trainers. For instance, we have Blackmore running tomorrow at Pontefract. It is the first time in a long while he has had perfectly suitable ground and yet he could have been denied a great opportunity to run well if the jockeys had forced a strike. Luckily the matter is now going to an important meeting on the same day and I hope an agreement can be reached but, as I said last week, I don't think there is anything wrong with the rules, jockeys just need to learn to stick to them.

Whilst words flew on racecourses about the new rule, many of racing great and good were at Tattersalls October yearling sales, looking for the stars of the future.
The market was incredibly strong considering the financial climate and, although there were some lovely looking individuals, I feel a lot of people could have got more for their money. Knowing this, I waited until the last day of the five-leg auction to make my move and, as a result, I think I got a real bargain.
She is a bay filly (below) by top two-year old stallion Bertolini and is related to many other juvenile winners.

I hadn't gone to the sales to specifically buy her but she really caught my eye and I hope she can emulate Red Hearts, a two year old we did really well with this summer - in the space of six months, we bought her for £6000, won a maiden with a £10,000 bonus, won another race and then sold her on for a profit. This filly looks just the type to be as successful.
Shares are available at £600 per 10th or £5500 as a whole. The majority shareholder gets to name her.

As if there aren't enough things to go against you in racing, the weather well and truly scuppered our only entry this week. When I entered Entrance for Redcar last Saturday, the official going was Firm yet come race day, the north had suffered enough wet weather to make the ground Good to Soft, Soft in places. As the filly loves top of the ground, we had no choice but to not run. Luckily we knew early enough so there was no wasted journey.

The horsebox may have had an easy time of it recently but it will be earning its fuel this week as we've got a few runners.
As already mentioned, Blackmore goes to Pontefract tomorrow with a great chance. We've managed to get Paul Hanagan to ride him and I'd love to help Paul win another jockeys' championship as he is a true role model for youngsters in the sport to follow.

We're double handed at Yarmouth the next day as Exopuntia comes back from a short break. She might just be a bit short on fitness due to a few small problems but she usually goes well fresh and if the ground has some cut in it, she should run well. Likewise with Dolly Bay who makes her handicap debut. We think her new handicap mark is generous and five furlongs is her trip so it looks like she should run well.

Khajaaly must be the only living creature around that loves going night racing to Wolverhampton but he seems to always run well at the track and heads back there on Thursday. He went up a few pounds for his win last time but is in great form and a bold bid is expected.

It looks likely that Bavarica will end her racing career this season and then be put in foal so I hope she can run well at Newbury on the weekend even though she doesn't really owe us anything. Shelley will ride her and if they can do the same as the last time they paired up, I will be delighted. Sail Home will also be entered just in case the race splits and she is really coming back to form. Her coat is one of the best in the yard at the minute as some are getting a bit woolly for winter and her second place last time was a step in the right direction.

Usually I would take Ross to the races so he could drive the horsebox back home but I'll have to do without him now as he jets off to Dubai to start work for the Dubai Racing Channel during the winter. He was meant to go out at the start of the month but the country's strict visa regulations have meant a delay in getting things sorted but he goes tomorrow looking forward to the challenge ahead.

Whipping Up A Storm

There has been plenty said in recent weeks about the new whip rules that came into effect today but, despite all the criticism it has received, I'm in favour of the ruling.
It's surprising how many of my horses do not like having the whip used on them - Sancho Panza changed from Master Moderate to Mr Consistent just because we found out he didn't like being beaten up and, more recently, Sail Home has improved her form with stick-less riding.
These two maybe pretty honest and give 100% anyway but thinking back to the lazier types I've had (Night Orbit for instance) he ran in three-mile hurdle races and wouldn't travel with much enthusiasm but I always told the jockeys not to hit him immediately but just push out with hands and heels to encourage him.
It's not because whipping horses hurts them - the equipment used nowadays is fully padded and the kids say it doesn't hurt when I give them a good crack round the ear hole!

What the whip is good for though is educating young horses to teach them to run straight and behave. Talking of inexperienced horses, I have just sent three off to be 'broken in'. For those that don't know what this term means, the horses will basically be taught how to have a rider on their back and a bit in their mouth. They left the yard as pretty wild beasts and will hopefully come back as proper racehorses, ready to begin their careers.

The fixture list has been a bit sparse for suitable races for the horses recently and Entrance is our sole representative this week at Redcar on Friday. She loves firm ground and the official going is 'firm' there at the minute so if it stays that way, I think she'll have a great chance. My daughter Shelley takes the mount and seems to get the best out of her so everything looks in place for a good run.

We did have some disappointing displays this week that very much had that 'end of season' feeling.
Emma's Gift put in a lacklustre effort at Nottingham on Wednesday and Jimmy Quinn said she needs a pair of blinkers to help her concentrate.
He also rode Automotive two days later and our hopes were high for a decent show after he had been working impressively. Unfortunately, he just didn't fire and looked as though a step up in trip is what he needs. He definitely has ability though and when we find the key to him he should be winning.

Another one for the future is Dolly Bay. She had her third run at Windsor on Monday and now qualifies for handicaps. I don't think she'll be rated very high and is perfectly capable of winning a five furlong race somewhere.



Three To Follow Update
1st - Richard Salmon, Shelley Birkett 44 points.
3rd - Maureen Youngs 38 points
4th - Peter Darlington 36 points
5th - Adam Beschizza 34 points
6th - Jim Cannon, Martyn Clark 33 points
8th - Rita Aspland 30 points
9th - Ross Birkett, Bill Aspland 28 points
Six others on 23 points, 2 on 22, 1 on 21, 6 on 20, 3 on 18, 2 on 15, 1 on 8 and one entry on five points.

Feeling hot, hot, hot

It's October and we've just had a barbecue. As unbelievable as it sounds, whilst in previous years England would be fighting off early-morning frosts and chilly nights around now, we have been experiencing some extremely warm weather and I'm not complaining.

Longchamp in Paris today looked like a great place to be for the Arc and the Brits had some top results, most notably with David Simcock's Dream Ahead narrowly beating the champion mare Goldikova. Many people felt disappointed after Danedream won the big race but a quick look at her form shows you that she had won her last two German Group 1s very easily so maybe she wasn't the outsider we thought she should be.

Despite the sunny times meaning the ground is a bit too firm for some horses, I think we should make the most of the current temperatures because it won't be long before we don't see the mercury rise much above zero.
Even more extraordinarily, it was actually warm at Newcastle on Wednesday. Many have said that Tyneside doesn't get very hot but we were positively sweltering at Gosforth Park.
It was great to see loads of Blackmore's owners make the journey to see him run but it was a shame that the race didn't go as planned and he found himself in the wrong place when the pace quickened.
We don't go to racecourses further than three hours away from home very often and this result didn't do much to tempt us again!

Luckily the journey to Warwick the following day was a lot shorter and we got a better result too. Ross was pretty confident that Sail Home would win and even though she came second at 10/1, it was good to see her run well after some disappointing efforts. We seem to be finding the key to her too as she does get quite worked up at the races so we are finding ways to keep her as calm as possible.

Dolly Bay at Windsor kicks off the week tomorrow and even though she needs just one more run to qualify for handicaps, she might just be good enough to nick a place. She is probably one of the fastest horses in the yard but that is also her downfall - last time she went off too quickly before falling in a heap. If Adam can restrain her early on then hopefully she can finish with a dash.

Also with a place chance is Emma's Gift at Nottingham on Wednesday. She has struggled since winning at Ascot earlier in the year but has come down the handicap as a result. Helpfully, the track's watering system has not been working lately so she should get the lightening quick ground that she loves.

The most exciting horse of the week though comes on Friday when Automotive (below) goes to Wolverhampton.

We bought him from France in July and he had only had three runs. When he came to us, we couldn't believe he had raced even that much as he was very colty and unfit. Since then we have gelded him and his work, after a slow start, has been getting better and better. He might be a big price when he runs so is definitely worth a bit each way. Whatever he shows this time he will improve on next time too.

Sancho Panza (above, nearest) is getting towards the end of a long season but goes to Goodwood at the weekend back over two miles which should be right up his street. It is a flat race but for jump jockeys and I'm hoping to be cheeky and get Richard Hughes as he does hold a jumps licence and would really suit the horse. No doubt he will be in high demand though but whoever rides him, I hope he has enough left in the tank to land a place.

Three To Follow Update

Sail Home's second place didn't alter the scores of the main protagonists but it meant that a number of people are now biting at their heels after moving up the leader board.

Khajaaly and his love of Wolves

I may be a bit under the weather with flu at the minute but luckily the horses are feeling in tip-top shape as Khajaaly proved with his win at Wolverhampton last night.
He must be the only soul on Earth that enjoys going to the place as his record there now reads three wins and four places from seven runs. He doesn't take his races very quickly so will be given a bit of time off before his next run but there are plenty of races to keep him busy over the winter at the track.
It was also a great win for many of his owners, for whom it was their first taste of success since the syndicate was renewed last month.

No strangers to success are the owners of Blackmore and I hope they'll keep up the taste of winning when he goes to Newcastle on Wednesday. We don't usually travel that far north but Tyne side is about the only place in the country that has some decent ground at the minute and that's just what the horse needs. He's in at Ascot too but we're due to have a very warm and sunny week which will make the ground there a bit too firm.
Blackmore has been ready to run for a while now and I hope he can put in a good display and make the trip north worthwhile.

Sail Home (below) seems to be really coming back to herself in the last few weeks and the improvement has come just in time for her run at Warwick on Thursday.

Ross (who will ride her) is pretty confident she will win so we know who to blame if she doesn't!

Entrance is entered in the same race but I'm hoping it will split so they are in two different divisions as she too has a great chance. Shelley will ride her and the pair seem to get on well together after being placed everytime they are partnered. I hope that is the answer as professional jockeys have been struggling to get a good run out of the filly.

Automotive, who we bought from France in July, put in a really decent gallop on Saturday morning and I'm desperate to run him. He's in on Wednesday at Nottingham but the ground is very firm and I wouldn't want to risk him at such an early stage of his career. We are keeping an eye on the weather but the chances are that he won't run.

Another who has been going well on the gallops is Beseech (below). She has just come back from a six month holiday and has physically developed better than I could imagine. She has got a bigger backside on her now (no bad thing for a female horse but I wouldn't want one!) and is showing great enthusiasm in her work. As I said before the break, all her previous owners are welcome to retake their shares at no additional cost as I think she could be a lot of fun this winter.

Three To Follow Competition

Khajaaly was a popular selection among many entries but not those at the top and the standings remain the same with Richard Salmon and Shelley Birkett sharing the lead.

1st - Richard Salmon, Shelley Birkett (44 points)

3rd - Maureen Youngs (38 points)

4th - Peter Darlington (36 points)

5th - Adam Beschizza (34 points)

Four others on 28 points, 1 on 25, 6 on 23, 2 on 22, 1 on 21, 3 on 18, 7 on 15, 1 on 13, 1 on 8 and one entry on five points.

Picture Perfect

Despite our only runner of the week finishing second, there was a winner in the yard after I won the local newspaper's (Newmarket Journal) photography competition with this snap of the swallows that always nest in Khajaaly's stable:



The birds have now gone on their migration to South Africa and gone too are the vouchers that I won for the local organic food shop La Hogue.

Like I said, King Columbo was our sole representative over the past seven days and he ran right back to form by finishing a narrowly-denied second. I'm pleased he is getting in the money again now (a) because I own him! and (b) because it had been a long time since he had shown anything worthwhile. He's in again on Saturday at Wolverhampton and, if he likes the polytrack surface, should be in the shake up.
Khajaaly will be going with him too and he has a great record around the track. He was a bit disappointing last time but that was on soft ground and the return to Wolverhampton should see him return to form.

We'll be at the same track earlier on in the week also. Red Hearts looks to have a great chance in her race and, after her win last time, we would be down in the dumps if she didn't finish in the first four.
Good old Sand Repeal is entered too but as he's rated so low at the minute, he might struggle to get in the race with 44 entries. As you will see from the photo below, he is working well at home though.

Left to right: Automotive (Ross), Blackmore (Adam), Sand Repeal (Rob)

It's sod's law that we had Blackmore entered twice during the week but he couldn't run because the ground was too firm and the next day at both tracks it poured with rain. He's in rude health and will be entered again very soon.

Verona Bay returned home today from the vet's with his leg in plaster after he fractured his ankle late last week. It was a shame to happen now as he had really improved for his first race and was due out again in the coming weeks. He has to have one month's box rest and then a month on the walker before he can start proper exercise again. It's very unfortunate but he is a big horse and should improve a lot over the winter as he grows and develops.

Hoping Blackmore can blow them away

It's been pretty windy recently and is set to get worse according to the weather forecasters as we are hit by the tail-end of the hurricane that has just battered America.
Leaves are falling off the trees too so my husband John is going to have his work cut out picking all them up!

Luckily the temperature has been mild enough for the horses to keep their coats as I was worried last week that some may start to go hairy. Bavarica didn't look too bad at Wolverhampton on Thursday night but she's a tough old mare who wins whether it's high summer or deepest winter. The only thing that does stop her though is the handicapper and she's in his grip at the minute but she'll be winning again when her mark drops a couple of pounds.

Scarily, the yearling sales are upon us already and although we haven't been bidding for any yet, I had a good look at a few on a visit to Plantation Stud just outside of Newmarket. It's funny seeing the youngsters again as you can't imagine they'll be transformed into racehorses in over six months time. Most of them were set for the sales but I managed to walk away with the one horse who really stood out.

He's an unbroken two year old colt and looks like he could be a nice horse. He's half brother to Obama Rules, a filly who won a Group 3 in Ireland last year and is now rated 101. He is built like a tank and seems like a real bargain.

Hopefully he'll be racing in a higher grade race than King Columbo is tomorrow at Brighton. I think I've found one of the worst races of the season for him as it's a selling handicap for apprentice riders. Columbo is coming back into form now and the ground is in his favour plus we've got a top jockey for the type of event in Lucy Barry who seems to win all these races. If he's not in the first four, I think we'll leave him there to give kids rides up and down the beach!

One with a bit more on their plate is Emma's Gift in a listed race at Yarmouth on Wednesday. She's been struggling over a mile recently so we thought we'd try her over a bit further and, judging by her piece of work over a longer trip yesterday, it should see her in a better light. If she can get placed and earn some black type on her pedigree, we will be delighted.

After having the summer off due to his preference for soft ground, Blackmore is entered up to run on either Thursday or Friday, depending on where conditions are most suitable. He looked like a really progressive horse before running a stinker at York when his back was all out of alignment. We've got him going sweetly now and, providing he's a s fit as we think he is, he should continue on his upward curve of improvement.

Hearts keeps us out of the Red

She may well be the smallest horse we have in the yard but she is definitely one of the toughest. Red Hearts is still only two years old but managed to record her second victory on her 10th race of the season at Folkestone on Wednesday.
It does annoy me that the Racing Post are always so negative about her in the newspaper as they reckon (because she won a maiden on her second start) she should be running in higher class races than she does but the truth is, she was an early developing two-year old who looked good at the start of the year but now her peers have caught up with her, she doesn't look so talented. I can honestly say she is no better now than six months ago but with this type of horse you need to make hay while the sun shines and, thankfully, we have.
It's great for her owner Dick Creese who has been with me since I started training. He is a terrific sport and it paid for his year's racing when she won the £10,000 yearling bonus at Brighton in May.
Red Hearts is in the sales next month and it's probably the right thing to do as she will not improve much over time.

Talking of time, I can't believe how it has flown by and we're already in September. The leaves are starting to fall off and there is a definite chill in the air in the mornings. The yard doesn't seem to mind though as the change in conditions usually sees an upturn in our fortunes and from now until the end of the year is usually a profitable time for us - in November and December 2010 we had nine winners.

Hopefully the horses can keep their summer coats for a while longer as it really does mean winter is upon us when I have to get the clippers out. Bavarica's coat is usually the first to give way and it is showing some early signs of getting fluffy.

Incidentally, Bavarica is our only runner in what will be a quiet week. As I wrote about a couple of weeks ago, she won her 11th race under my daughter Shelley at Folkestone and this is her first run since. She went up three pounds in the handicap for that win which now means she is rated 73 - a mark she usually struggles to win off but my son Ross, who rides her everyday, says she is in the form of her life so I hope she can win a bit of prize-money.

We had a busy week just gone and I'm glad we at least got one winner.
Sancho Panza was a bit disappointing in the Amateur's Derby at Epsom on Monday but he's been coughing his head off since then so may have just been a bit under the weather. It has cleared up now though so he will be back in action soon.
The following day, Sail Home showed a bit more than she had done recently. The one thing I did notice though was that she got very wound up by the loud-speaker in the parade-ring and it upset her quite a bit. I would put ear-plugs on her next time but she is very funny about you touching her ears so we will try a hood which Sir Henry Cecil uses quite a lot to good effect on his fiery fillies.
Another female who lost the plot a bit was Entrance at Brighton on Friday. She has been disappointing since winning at the start of the season but I'm just going to change her routine a bit at home and I think it will help her tremendously to get her mind back on the job. On the same day, King Columbo ran well to finish fourth. He's finding some form now after a long spell in the doldrums and looks likely to win again before the year is out.

We are still looking for a home as a riding horse for Dakota Hues. He was retired from racing in the summer but is a great big horse who would make someone a lovely eventer. On the chance that anyone is interested in him, do not hesitate to contact me.



Three To Follow Update
No-one included Red Hearts in their lists so standings are as before.

Soft Going Keeps Us Grounded

As I said last week, the weather was going to be a major factor as to what we did over the next seven days and so it proved. Having geared myself up for a busy one, it turned out to be a much subdued period as various runners couldn't take their chance due to the soft ground.
The ones that did run, however, put in decent displays.

Luckily, the pain in my hip has ceased so I'm back up and running but I've had x-rays done and it looks like I'll be back on the operating table. There's no let up for me in the meantime though as I'm leading up at Epsom tomorrow!
Sancho Panza runs there in the Amateurs' Derby and I hope he can improve on his fourth place over the course and distance last time. He's gradually coming down in the weights and the jockey, my son Ross, has promised a Mickel Barzalona-esque celebration should he win - that would definitely be a photo for the mantelpiece!

One of the major headaches for any of us when we head south is the M25. It is such a nightmare and, as I'm sure you all know, you just can never guess what it is going to be like - on Friday it took me four hours to get to Brighton (a journey which usually takes just over two). I was tempted to turn around and come home but even the opposite carriageway was at a standstill!

We'll be braving it anyway on Tuesday when Sail Home travels to Goodwood. After promising to be an improving animal at the beginning of the year, she has disappointed on the last few runs but she seems in great form at home and she's sure to bounce back to form soon.

We took a chance with Red Hearts at Yarmouth on Tuesday as the ground was on the easy side and, as she is only a tiny filly, we thought it wouldn't suit her. To our surprise, she ran a blinder in finishing second so I wouldn't be too worried if the ground is good at Folkestone Wednesday when she runs again. The race doesn't look too great so she should be in the money again.
Dolly Bay goes with her and has come on a great deal for her debut a few weeks back. She worked well on Saturday and could win some money if there aren't any fancied horses from big yards against her.

Brighton is on the agenda again at the end of the week with Entrance and King Columbo. Both horses might not go together though as Entrance wants the ground firm and Columbo quite the opposite. Whichever one does run, we have quite a lot of success at the track and I hope they can both add to it.


As most of you probably know, we turn a lot of our horses out in the paddocks on a Sunday to let them unwind and stretch their legs. They really do love it and I think it's how we keep the older horses going year after year without them becoming sick of racing. Although they get some fresh grass in their bellies, the main benefit comes from the social interaction with other horses. I manged to catch Blackmore (left) strutting his stuff to Spirit of Sharjah this morning:

Bavarica Does It Again

Well, the signs were there that we were a due another winner and it came at long last thanks (as ever) to the magnificent mare that is Bavarica.
On her 101st career run, she recorded her 11th victory and, to add to it all, it was also the first winner for my daughter Shelley. To say I was emotional would be an understatement!
Remarkably, Bavarica also landed first wins for my son Ross and nephew Adam - she is definitely one of the family. I never thought it would happen though as Shelley had ridden the mare twice before and things hadn't exactly gone to plan so we thought we would let her have another ride and, if she lost, at least she would drop in the handicap - how wrong we were!

It was a busy week for Shelley as she was riding over the following two days and finished fourth on both. Sancho Panza was running in the ladies' derby at Epsom and plugged on well but the rain came too late to improve his chances. The same can be said for King Columbo as the going was nowhere near as slow as the 'soft' description but he also landed some prize money.

The weather will be playing a big part in the plans this week as we're due a heavy shower tonight/tomorrow so wherever it lands will dramatically alter the going.
Should it arrive at Yarmouth tomorrow, Red Hearts won't be running as she needs the ground rock hard. If she does take her chance, she would have an each way squeak but my only worry is the seven furlong distance as she finds it a bit too far.

Rain could also affect Khajaaly's participation at Brighton on Friday. He needs it firm but would also be in with a shout should things fall right.

Unfortunately I couldn't make it to Folkestone with Entrance yesterday as I was rather lame. Having had a hip replacement back in January, I had waited (as the doctor advised) until mid-August until I could ride out again and after a week on a trotter, I rode a bit of work on Saturday. As soon as I got off though, I knew things weren't right - my hip had gone but not the new one, it was my other one that hadn't been replaced that was causing the pain. I've been to the doctors and go for an x-ray in a few days but the likelihood is that I'll need a new hip which does worry me after the complications I went through with the other. However, I can't have any excuses left when it is all done - unless something else gives way!

Back to Entrance. She was a bit disappointing on Sunday but it was the first time she had tried running over a mile and half in a while and, after racing freely early on, I don't think she quite saw out the trip. That's not to say she didn't stay but if she is to get the distance, she needs to relax more early on. I've got her in again on Saturday. It is at Redcar, a place we don't travel to very often, but the race is for amateurs and the filly has run some of her best races in them so it should be worth the journey.

We're busy on Sunday with quite a few in at Yarmouth. Exopuntia won this race last year and is in similar form this time around. She's had some excuses the last few times but if the ground has some ease in it, she should go well. The same applies for The Ducking Stool who hated the undulating track at Folkestone last time and she is miles better than that effort. I've entered Sail Home there too as the race looked week. She was the horse on whom my ill-fated piece of work took place on and I didn't get injured because I was pushing her, far from it - she was pulling my arms out and flew up the gallop. She's been a bit below par the last twice but we're going to try holding her up instead of making the running to see if it has a positive effect.



Three To Follow Update

Shelley Birkett was obviously trying hard to win as her victory aboard Bavarica puts her joint top with Richard Salmon.

1st - Shelley Birkett, Richard Salmon (44 points)
3rd - Maureen Youngs (38 points)
4th - Peter Darlington (36 points)
5th - Adam Beschizza (34 points)

Building On The Promise

It was billed as a week full of promise and luckily it did not disappoint despite us not getting the winner we were desperately after.

Khajaaly got the ball rolling on Monday with a solid second and then Dolly Bay made an encouraging debut at Yarmouth when finishing fourth. The same day, Exopuntia baffled us - she had ran a corker in a tongue strap first time out but then on Wednesday she seemed to resent the gadget and held her head very high in the finish even though she came fifth.
Thinking that she hadn't had too hard a race, we ran her again at Newmarket on Friday but I could tell from an early stage that things were not 100% - the filly seemed very lifeless in the preliminaries and I told the jockey not to be too hard on her if she had no chance. As it turned out, she never even got into the race after rearing up in the stalls when upset by a horse next to her. It was disappointing but she will be back another day soon.

The biggest and most pleasing surprise was King Columbo finishing third at Yarmouth. He hasn't won in two years and is pretty inconsistent these days but he ran a great race and, to be honest to him, it is the first time Columbo has had the soft ground that he really loves. It's a shame we don't get it more often but if you see him running on it in the future, he is definitely worth backing.

Verona Bay also made his debut this week. He is a very big horse and is likely to fulfill his potential next year when he has had time to fully grow but he was ready for a race and didn't fare too bad in what is traditionally a very strong contest (Frankel won it last year!). He has come out of the race in good order and wasn't beaten too far by some highly regarded horses - the winner is now prominent in the betting for next year's Derby.

We were back at Newmarket the following day with two runners in one of the world's most unusual races - the grey horses only handicap. Our main hope, Quarrel, was a decent two year old but hadn't shown any form in well over a year. It was his first run for us and he bounced right back to his best by finishing third despite the distance being a bit too short for him. The owners wanted to have a bit of a gamble and, although we're not interested in betting, they manged to have a good bit on at 40/1.

Quarrel (number 8) nabs third spot in the grey horses race at Newmarket

Emma's Gift hated the ground and found the trip a bit sharp too but, as this is the only race of its kind, you have to take the chance of running.

I'm hoping the decent form can carry on into the next seven days.
Thing don't kick off until Wednesday when my two children, Shelley and Ross, go head-to-head once again in an amateur race. Ross currently holds the bragging rights with the score 2-0 in his favour and I'm afraid he will enhance that lead at Folkestone. He rides The Ducking Stool who surprised us by running so well when fourth aster a 18 month absence and since then she has improved even more. The 1m4f distance might be a bit too far but if she can see it out, she should win.
There are no such worries for Shelley's ride, the ultra-tough Bavarica. We were disappointed with her run last time at Windsor but she had a very strong blow afterwards and probably needed it after a short break. Shelley hasn't really got the hang of riding her yet but if things fall into place, Ross could have his sister breathing down his neck!

We do pretty well at Epsom and we're there the following day. Red Hearts has been struggling since winning a maiden earlier in the year but this will be the first time she has raced in a handicap. I thought there would be little runners but there are plenty of entries so it might turn out to be a tough race. Likewise for Sancho Panza who runs the same day. I think the track will be to his liking and the more rain that comes, the better.

Folkestone is on the agenda again on Sunday with Entrance and Canning Vale. The latter ran quite well on her debut last time but will probably need another run. Entrance has been very consistent this season and hopefully she can be rewarded with another victory.

I came back from a brilliant (if a bit boozy) weekend in Ireland yesterday and straight away could definitely feel a upbeat atmosphere in the yard.
John and myself don't go on too many holidays but our son Ross managed to hold things together back at home and was even rewarded with a decent result after Khajaaly was only beaten a head when second at Wolverhampton on the day we returned.
I think that result could be the sign that the horses are coming back to form after a quiet spell recently. I do hope so because we have some great chances coming up.

But first I must mention the Irish visit. It's something that we have done annually for a while now and it's great to catch up with old friends and also to see what yearlings might potentially be coming our way in the autumn.
On our travels we also go to the legendary Dingle races which is Ireland's premier pony racing festival. With a first prize of over £3000 for the feature event, The Dingle Derby, it puts our prizemoney for thoroughbred races to shame!

Lost in translation? Dingle's 'Weigh-In' Weighing Room.

Rose Of Mooncoin is an extremely successful broodmare who has bred several winners for us, including Emma's Gift and Ocean Legend.


Dingle Races: You've got to see it to believe it.


Breeder Donal Cummins inspects some of his potential superstars.

My batteries have been most definitely recharged and we'll be hitting the next seven days with gusto, starting with Yarmouth tomorrow.

Dolly Bay is making her debut and hopefully she can at least be placed. She does go quite well at home and the race isn't particularly strong so I do feel a top four placing is not too much to ask.

Equally, Exopuntia should be in the money later on in the day. She is extremely consistent and loves Yarmouth. The softer the ground, the better. The same can be said for King Columbo. He hasn't raced on genuinely soft ground in ages so I hope that if he does get some, he can show that he is a very well handicapped horse.

Good old Bavarica couldn't quite make her 100th career start on Monday a winning one but maybe she can on her 101st race. She runs at Catterick on Friday and I think she should fare better than last time.

Also on Friday we have Verona Bay making his debut. He has needed plenty of time to fill his big frame and still isn't quite there yet but he is ready for the run and will come on for the experience.

With any luck, Acer Diamonds will run in the same race if he is not balloted out. He has been going very well at home and hopefully will get the soft ground he loves.

The grey horses only race at Newmarket on Saturday is a fantastic spectacle and I'm proud to have two runners in it this year. It is a race I'd love to win as it's one of a kind and I do think I could this year (at my first attempt, I must add). Emma's Gift is an ideal candidate and although six furlongs is a bit too short for her, I hope that the notorious uphill finish will draw her stamina out. Quarrel is in the race too but he hasn't raced in a while and is running just to give the owners a nice day out.

Three To Follow Update

Khajaaly's second place shook up the rankings lower down the pecking order but Richard Salmon still leads the way.

1st - Richard Salmon (44 points)
2nd - Peter Darlington (36 points)

3rd - Adam Beschizza, Shelley Birkett (34 points)

Some snaps to keep you occupied...

I'm going to Ireland for a relaxing weekend so won't be able to write a post until I get back on Monday but in the meantime I thought I'd show you some of the pictures I have taken on my new camera.

I definitely needed my debut run with the piece of kit but I manged to get them (mostly) in shot and thank God it has auto focus!

One of my birds

New purchase Automotive (Ross Birkett)


Khajaaly (Ross Birkett) with Dolly Bay (Adam Beschizza) hiding behind

Bonnie the fallabella on the loose

Blackmore (Shelley Birkett) looking good in preparation for his comeback

Acer Diamonds (Rob Summers) just ahead of Verona Bay (Dean Smith)

Dreaded July... We Survived!

Thankfully dreaded July is out of the way and we can now boot home some winners.
As I said last week, the seventh month of the year is never a profitable one for us with all the horses having various excuses for not winning - most of them being due to the handicapper.
We're hitting this week with full force though as we send out a fair few runners in the next few days.

Today, my son and daughter, Ross and Shelley, have a score to settle at Windsor after racing against each other at Newbury yesterday. Ross, riding a horse for John Bridger, won whilst Shelley finished fourth on Entrance. Whilst it was a shame our filly couldn't win, it was a victory of sorts.
This time, Ross is on Bavarica who is having her 100th career race and the Racing Post have done a nice tribute to her in today's paper which is worth a read.

It looks as though Shelley may be extra busy this week as she is down to ride for Gay Kelleway at Brighton on Thursday. Gay is notorious for her post-race hairdryer treatment of unsuccessful jockeys so let's just hope Shelley can follow her orders to the letter!

Although not as vocal as Miss Kelleway, I'll be pretty peeved if Sail Home can't show some form at Southwell tomorrow. She has been a bit disappointing the last two runs but I'm hoping a return to the track where she has won and re-spark her. Also there is two year old Canning Vale who makes her debut. She has taken a while to come to herself and will need the race for experience.

On the other end of the scale, despite also being a two year old, the multiple-raced Red Hearts goes to Lingfield. She won a maiden at Brighton but hasn't really improved that much but she was competitive in a seller last week and I think this is an easier opportunity.
I won't be there to see her though as on Friday John and I fly off for our annual visit to Dingle in Ireland. It's a great place with a lovely hotel and we'll be watching the pony racing there as well as visiting Donald Commins' stud where the likes of Spirit of Sharjah and Emma's Gift came from. I've just bought a very professional camera as well do if I can get the hang of working it, there'll be plenty of photos to see.

That means I won't be at Newmarket on Saturday to watch Exopuntia. The filly is really consistent at the minute and loves the track. She is best on soft ground but is running well on the firmer stuff so she has to have an each way chance.


Three To Follow Update

As we are now halfway through the competition, now is your chance to add another horse to your selections to boost your chances of winning. To keep things simple, instead of substituting one horse for another, just add a selection to your current list of three so you end up with four horses.

All points already scored by an added horse will not be added to your current score but any points from August 1st onwards will. To make a selection, simply leave your name and choice in the comment box below or email to: rbirkett1989@hotmail.co.uk

Here is the list of horses to choose from and their current points in brackets:
Emma's Gift (10), Entrance (13), Sancho Panza (18), Khajaaly (3), Sand Repeal, Exopuntia (3), Automotive, Sail Home (10), Verona Bay, Blackmore (5), Pyjoma, Acer Diamonds, Spirit of Sharjah, King Columbo, Angel Of Mercy, Red Hearts (16), Bavarica (13), Premier League (10), Canning Vale.

Lies, Damn Lies... and Statistics

It's an extremely frustrating habit to have but every year July is never a great month for us winners-wise.

Annoyingly, we hit the crossbar again this week when Exopuntia came third at Newmarket on Friday night. Take nothing away from the filly, it was probably a career best run, but it was yet another runner without a winner.

It came after some disappointing runs from a few horses and although it's easy to say the yard is under form, I think it's far from the case.

As a small yard, a lot of our horses tend to win early in the year and come the middle months, the horses are rated too high after a successful period. By August, the horses are back to winning marks and get their heads in front. I looked up the statistics on the Racing Post website and was surprised to see such a trend - last July we had 22 runners without a winner. Although we're only up to 12 runners so far this month, I'm pretty sure it's nothing more than coincidence.

I say this because we've got a great chance of success tomorrow at Yarmouth. I don't run many horses in selling races but Red Hearts goes down into that grade as she has already won a maiden but, as a result, is rated far too high to win a handicap so a seller is her best option. There is the worry someone may buy her afterwards as she has the best form in the event but she is a tiny horse and I hope that puts people off her as she could win a few more races of that type.Pyjoma also runs and we're hoping she can show a bit more promise than she did last time.

We won't be racing until Sunday after that when my two children, Ross and Shelley, ride against each other for the first time at Newbury. They are at either ends of the experience scale with Ross having ridden ten winners and Shelley yet to score but the signs look good for her; Ross rode his first winner at Newbury in the same colours that Shelley will be wearing - those of Entrance. The filly ran a bit below par on Friday after being in such great form but I do feel that the ground may have been a bit soft for her as the jockey said she never picked up after travelling well. I do hope that is the case as Entrance has a great chance.

Ross will be riding a new horse to us called The Ducking Stool. She's a big filly and will probably need the race after not running in a long time but she does work OK at home.

If there are scores to settle from this Newbury encounter, the rematch comes the following day at Windsor. Ross is on his favourite horse, Bavarica, who he has won five times on. It is also Bavarica's 100th career race so it would be amazing to make it a winning one and we'll be doing everything we can to make sure. However, I won't be too upset if she is denied by Shelley's mount Sand Repeal. He won the same race a few years back but has been injured since. He is slowly coming back to form and hopefully he can run respectably.

Three To Follow Update

As we are now halfway through the competition, now is your chance to add another horse to your selections to boost your chances of winning. To keep things simple, instead of substituting one horse for another, just add a selection to your current list of three so you end up with four horses.

All points already scored by an added horse will not be added to your current score but any points from August 1st onwards will.

To make a selection, simply leave your name and choice in the comment box below or email to: rbirkett1989@hotmail.co.uk

Here is the list of horses to choose from and their current points in brackets:Emma's Gift (10), Entrance (13), Sancho Panza (18), Khajaaly (3), Sand Repeal, Exopuntia (3), Automotive, Sail Home (10), Verona Bay, Blackmore (5), Pyjoma, Acer Diamonds, Spirit of Sharjah, King Columbo, Angel Of Mercy, Red Hearts (13), Bavarica (13), Premier League (10), Canning Vale.

Lady Luck Is Running Late

We've had our fair share of bad luck over the last few weeks and if the law of karma is correct, we should be in for a good period soon... and I hope it is going to be the next seven days.

I mention our luckless spell as on Tuesday we were dealt with another blow after it emerged that Generous Genella had suffered a tendon injury. Luckily, we had caught the tear in the early stages so she should make a 100% recovery given time off but it is a real shame as she had just run the most promising race of her career when finishing third at Pontefract, despite the jockey putting up three pounds overweight.

Thankfully, her superb syndicate of owners have stuck by her during this injury and I'm in no doubt that their patience will be rewarded when she returns to the track next year.

Also out for the rest of the season is one of the two French horses we bought at the Deauville sales last year. In truth, Argante Claudius had never really been in proper training as he came to us after being broken-in and then suffered an ankle injury two days later. After recovering from this, he suffered a severe bout of colic and only had 24 hours to live but he pulled through that and we have decided that there's no point in running him this year after all he's been through.

He's a giant, grey horse and I think having his juvenile season off could be a blessing in disguise come the future.

The other French horse we bought at the same time as him (Verona Bay) is starting to show plenty of ability on the gallops and will be running in the next few weeks now the one mile races for two year olds are about.

As if Argante hadn't been in the vets enough, we also had him castrated on Tuesday along with our new purchase, Automotive. I cannot believe that the latter horse, who we bought from France, had run three times before we got him as he is very colty and his mind could not have been on the job when he was racing. I think this operation will be the making of him and he'll be a much more successful horse now (shares still available - plug, plug!). He has been looking good in the few canters we have done with him already.

As I said, I hope a change of fortunes come our way this week because we've got some runners that I quite fancy.

On Tuesday, Exopuntia should get the soft ground she loves at Yarmouth. She has won at the track and has a jockey who knows her in Tony Culhane. All is in place for a great run.

At Southwell the same day are two of the yard's most inconsistent horses, King Columbo and Premier League. Columbo still has plenty of ability but never seems to get the soft ground he loves nowadays. This is his first try at the course and I think he'll love the deep fibresand surface there. Likewise, Premier League seems to already like the place but he did run poorly there last time. Things are in his favour so he must have a shout.

Acer Diamonds is in the following day at Leicester but with 50 entries in the race, he will need his share of luck just to get a run. If he does, and the ground is soft, he should put in a career best effort.

Although some of our horses need the ground soft, Entrance at Newmarket on Friday night doesn't. The filly is in flying form and must be in with a chance of winning her second race of the year on only her third run.

I think I've found a weak Listed race for Emma's Gift at Ascot on the same day. The aim will be just to finish in the first three to get some black type in her pedigree that will boost her value. Looking at the entries, I do think we've got a chance of doing so.

Three To Follow Update

As we are now halfway through the competition, now is your chance to add another horse to your selections to boost your chances of winning. To keep things simple, instead of substituting one horse for another, just add a selection to your current list of three so you end up with four horses.

All points already scored by an added horse will not be added to your current score but any points from August 1st onwards will.

To make a selection, simply leave your name and choice in the comment box below or email to: rbirkett1989@hotmail.co.uk

Here is the list of horses to choose from and their current points in brackets:

Emma's Gift (10), Entrance (13), Sancho Panza (18), Khajaaly (3), Sand Repeal, Exopuntia (3), Automotive, Sail Home (10), Verona Bay, Blackmore (5), Pyjoma, Acer Diamonds, Spirit of Sharjah, King Columbo, Angel Of Mercy, Red Hearts (13), Bavarica (13), Premier League (10), Canning Vale.

Birthday Blues Disappear Thanks To Adam

They say racing is a great leveller and I couldn't agree more after the events of this week.

Tuesday night, it's my birthday and I'm evening racing at Southwell after our two runners put in disappointing displays. I won't be back home until midnight and to cap it all off... it's raining. To say there were other places I'd rather be was an understatement but come the end of the week, I was on cloud nine.

As I always go on about, my apprentice Adam Beschizza is also my nephew (sister's son) and since he was ten years old we have believed he would make an outstanding jockey. His debut season couldn't have gone any better last year with over 40 winners and a second place in the apprentice championship. This year things had been a bit slower and even though he had ridden 14 winners this term up to yesterday, he wasn't as in demand as in 2010. What he needed was a big winner - and boy did he get one!

The John Smith's Cup is the most valuable handicap run in Europe (£150,000 in prize money) and, as a result, is one of the most competitive. Luckily, Adam had manged to get a ride in it (his only one of the day) on a horse he had won on before but had run badly at Royal Ascot last month. The rest, as they say, is history.

The horse (Green Destiny) won by over three lengths and Adam showed a rare bit of emotion when punching the air as he crossed the winning line - it obviously meant a lot to him. We were screaming at the television for him and his mother was crying at the result. I hope this is the springboard that Adam has needed to really send him to the next level. He has now proven himself on the big stage and hopefully others will give him the opportunities he deserves.

The July Sales at Tattersalls are always a happy bargain hunting ground for us and we came away with what we think is another steal on Thursday.

We've had a lot of success with buying Juddmonte horses from France (Sail Home, Dance World and Spruce) and hopefully we've got one that can be even better than those three.

His name is Automotive, sired by Beat Hollow and out of a winning mare. As you can see, he's the spitting image of Blackmore and Spruce and after two runs in France, he looks ready to lift off here in the UK. We're going to geld him on Tuesday as he is pretty colty at the minute and then we will be straight into action with him.

He's available for syndication in 10th shares at £2000 (inc VAT) per share plus £180 per month all inclusive training fees.

I like him a lot and hope he could be the next star.

With various things going against us in the next few days, we will amazingly have no runners apart from Sail Home at Lingfield on Saturday. It will be her first try on polytrack and at the course but I can't see why she shouldn't like the two and hopefully she can bounce back to form.

As to last week's runners, I've already mentioned we had a bad night at Southwell after Premier League and Pyjoma were slowly away and never got competitive. That's the thing about Southwell - if you are not fast away, you're chance is over from a very early stage. It's worth forgetting these runs as they are much better than that.

Sand Repeal made his return to the racecourse after a year off through injury. He got pretty tired but at least came out of his race in good shape and he will be a force to be reckoned with next time over a bit shorter than the two miles he raced over on Thursday.

Khajaaly surprised many people by running so well at Brighton on Monday. The track is very unique and not many horses like it but he seemed very happy there and held on well for fourth. He's a consistent horse and will soon be getting his head back in front.

Three To Follow Update

No scorers this week so results are as before.

Next week the substitution window will open so get your thinking caps on to sort out your lists. Full details will be given next time.