The Blog

July 30th

Goodwood never really doing "Glorious" yesterday......

Damp, windy, dark - but apparently better than most of the country. The afternoon ended under an umbrella on the lawn of the Turf Club, putting the world to rights with Bobby McAlpine and Charlie and Pip Hills. Charlie obviously disappointed with Ghanaati - but moving swiftly on as all Racehorse Trainers have to do......

Many of our Owners in attendance. Harry's box a great viewing base, lunch with Michael Watt, a post-TV duties drink with Alice Plunkett, a sea of faces, sadly no blizzard of winners backed by me - but we can sort that out today......

A pint or two with Bobby in The Noahs Ark in Lurgashall (a fantastic pub), Charlie Methven joining us, staying with my sister, delicious fish pie - and a bit of a lie-in !!       

July 29th

To "Glorious" Goodwood today. The forecast (here I go, talking about the weather again) pretty average, but most of the serious rain looking likely to be further North....

I love this meeting. Fantastic racing, a great atmosphere, serious sport on show. Sadly no runners for us - but we are gradually raising the level of our horses and, who knows, maybe next year we will have a runner or two. 

Half the team here moving into the house to look after the dogs and the beer whilst we are down South. Bobby McAlpine staying with us tonight - we have already planned a couple of stops post-racing to sample some Sussex Ale in a couple of excellent hostelries.....

Anthony Fortescue-Thomas and his wife Angela here yesterday morning. Anthony was formerly a massive cog in the Godolphin wheel in it's embryonic days - and is now a big part of Team Findlay and Bloom (which reminds me that we have lunch at Goodwood today with H - a chance to toast the recent win of the mighty Guga..). Anthony has been very supportive of us - and it was great to be able to have the chance to show him around, and for him to run his eyes over Harry and Tony's horses here. Some very wise words imparted - and taken on board.....

Worcester wet and wild last night. A long chat and banter with the legend that is Tim Vaughan. What a huge success story he is becoming - but great fun with it. He trained four winners yesterday. We seem to have the same approach to this game - leaving no stone unturned in our quest for winners, but having some proper craic at the same time, and it is always refreshing and fun to spend time together at the races. We were agreeing last night how lucky we both are to be genuinely "living the dream" - I hope that we are still having as much fun, laughs and success in the years ahead.......  

July 28th

Genuinely thrilled with our runners yesterday - but obviously a little frustrated at hitting the crossbar with two of them as we go in search of our 50th winner.....

Guga travelled much better than he has ever done, and looked all over the winner turning for home - until a cast back through the field picked up the favourite moving ominously well. A decent second placing from this son of Rock Of Gibraltar who got the important job done last time out at the same track. We will fiddle away with him at this level with a medium term view of putting him over a hurdle in the Autumn.....

And Thistle ran well over a mile, his first Flat outing for many a moon. The rationale behind this change of tack was to get him to finish a race and enjoy the whole experience - he has been travelling really well in his hurdle races before stopping quickly at the business end, but yesterday he ran all the way to the line and was delighted with himself afterwards. A possible for another Flat race, this time over a mile and a quarter, at the weekend....

A mad dash across the Nottinghamshire countryside to Uttoxeter, the colours for Sparkling Montjeu grabbed off poor Chris Hough's back almost before he had dismounted. And a fine run from this game, game horse. Incredible to think that when she arrived here a year ago, we questioned her resolution and her appetite for the game. But she has, within her limited sphere, gone from strength to strength....

Clear three from home, the lack of a previous run just began to tell close home and she was collarred close to the line. A gallant effort - and we have brought her home despite there being aggressive claims in for her. But an offer came in for her last night that we will have to accept unless I can find some Owners to keep her in the yard - a couple of our Owners have expressed an interest in having a bit of her, and I will be spending a busy hour or two on the telephone later trying to secure her future with us. But if I cannot sort something out through the day, I fear she will be on her way to pastures new (07889 514881 if you feel like giving yourself an early (!!) Christmas present).

Wayne Hennessey, the Wolves goalkeeper, and his father Paul with us at Uttoxeter. Their recent purchase from Germany in transit as I write. I guess last night, and the drama of the final few yards, has only further whetted their appetite for the game. Both incredibly excited about their new acquisition, and Wayne even expressed the belief that he will be more nervous when his horse lines up at the start than he will be in front of 70,000 at Old Trafford....!!

Jane Allison, Paul Roy's Racing Manager, with us yesterday morning - and more Owners on their way today. Thankfully the freezer seems to be very well stocked with the most delicious sausages - the massive upside for me being that when there are Owners here to see their horses, I get to have breakfast with them. Come on down, y'all.........!!!!    

July 27th

Another damp start to the week. July disappearing into the "very disappointing" file as regards "Summer" weather. It seems a very long time ago, back in the Spring, that we were promised a Summer to rival 1976. Maybe August will be glorious - anybody holding their breath...???

Talking of "glorious" reminds me that one of my favourite meetings, Glorious Goodwood, starts tomorrow. We are unlikely to have runners - but hopefully we will be able to head down there at some point. Some spectacular sport at surely one of the most beautiful tracks in the world - plenty of hard luck stories, for sure, as the big field handicappers drift down onto the far rail. "Fast and wide" is the place to challenge at GG - watch Ryan Moore who is an absolute master at riding this quirky course......

Low key fare for us today. Two at Southwell, and then onto Uttoxeter for the seller. All with each-way chances - and I will be thrilled if I am sitting here tomorrow having trained a winner.

And the rest of the week dictated by (guess what...) the weather. A couple who need fast ground are ready to go - we will have to be patient....

July 25th

A gaggle of Owners yesterday morning - and I managed to provide unburnt sausages for once.....

John Guest and David Botterill here to see Kenyan Cat, their One Cool Cat 2-year-old who continues to please. And Alex Smith-Maxwell here with boyfriend Tom to watch her Pastoral Pursuits 2-year-old. Alex is Assistant Trainer to Henry Daly and is about to head back to Downton for the build up to the National Hunt season. Training for somebody else's Assistant Trainer - no chance of coming up with any novel excuses as she has heard them all before......!!??

Massams Lane a creditable third at Southwell on what was ultimately his final start for us. He was claimed by Mrs Ikin - and it was clear from chatting to her post-race that the old boy will be heading off to a happy yard in the heart of Leicestershire. He has done us proud. Arriving here with literally "nil" form, he has turned into a fine stamp of a horse. And he had his moment of glory one balmy evening (remember those...??) at Fontwell, and ran with credit on several other occasions. Another case of my exceptional team turning a horse's career inside out......

I have absolutely no problem with losing horses out of claimers - and those that do, or mutter mischievously behind their hands, should wake up and smell the coffee. Sellers and Claimers mean exactly what they say on the tin. And thankfully there are still enough people out there who cannot grasp the concept and enter horses at entirely unrealistic levels, effectively making their horses run off disadvantageous terms as compared to handicaps.....

Newmarket this afternoon. Mile High Lad ready to run - but could be a little ring-rusty after a break. We shall see.....  

July 24th

Yesterday was a long day. A mixed day. But ultimately a good day.....

First, the average. Ghufa inexplicably poor at Bath. Darragh and I standing speechless in the unsaddling enclosure, shaking our heads at each other. After a while, this seemed a pointless exercise and we headed in our separate directions....

Lady Lam not much better down at Sandown. And so a day on the racecourse from which we learned very little - and which clouded the mind a little more....

The morning visit from The Thoroughbred Breeders Association altogether more fun. An eclectic and knowledgeable gathering. Mercifully clear skies. The walk out to the gallops ressembling the retreat from Moscow, stragglers dropping off the main peloton at regular intervals, but thankfully I do not think we lost anybody. Having said that, I cannot discount heading out to the gallops in a second and finding some eminent breeder searching for his way home...

And then last night the largest Rolls Royce I have ever seen (we are very nearly talking "stretch limo"..) purred up the drive at just after eight o'clock (about an hour after my bedtime...). And three hours later it purred off back down the drive, a deal for us to train a couple of very exciting horses secured. Two exciting additions. And the last couple of hours of the day securing it as a "good" rather than "average" one......  

July 23rd

Wet and wild as Barney and I pulled into the car park at Leicester last night - perfect.....

Phoenix Enforcer had shown at Nottingham last Friday that soft (very squelchy in places) held no terrors for her, and she did so again under a masterly ride from Darragh O'Donohoe. The step back in trip was not ideal - and it was only in the final few strides that she got on top of the Barry Hills trained Rockson. But she is definitely going the right way and last night showed real battling qualities....

I am very hopeful that these wins at a lowly level will do a great deal for her confidence and, whilst she is not yet a "Saturday horse", I am convinced that she will continue to improve.

The Leicester Executive providing no prize (not even a charming little Leicester Racecourse tumbler), but providing plenty of cakes and biscuits for Barney Baker in the "Winning Owners" box. 

A couple of happy calls from some of our Owners who had managed to back her, a barrage of texts, a quick glass of champagne, and home by 9. These "local" tracks have massive plus points....

And up this morning to feed under a pretty cloudless sky. Phew ! The prospect of 50 plus TBA members in a monsoon was not an alluring one. Still a logistical exercise to manoevure all of them from coffee, to gallop, to yard, to champagne without losing any of them - we will do our damnedest....

I just hope that they are not expecting a Darley-esque set-up (the venue for one of their recent visits). Horses are arriving by the day and to accomodate them we are still very much "work in progress" - mud everywhere. If they turn up in their fashionable shoes, more fool them....     

July 22nd

The weather. When most of one's life is spent outdoors as a hostage to the elements, I guess it is no wonder that we get a little obsessive. For most people, the weekend forecast is just about the only one that matters - for us, the daily forecasts rule our lives and determine our plans...

Hoping for a dry and bright one tomorrow (the BBC man has just been reasonably encouraging...) as we have 60 odd members (and by that, I mean "about 60 people" as opposed to "60 extremely strange people" - I hope) of The Thoroughbred Breeder's Association descending upon us for third lot. We are still very much "work in progress", not quite as clean cut and pristine as some of the places they will have visited - and I hope that they bring their wellies....

The house back to it's tumultuous best with the return of C, B and T yesterday afternoon. Great tales of body surfing and all-round damp Cornwall fun. Not much sun - but when you are in the waves most of the day, I guess it does not matter one jot....

And Jane Starkey kindly here last night with hanging baskets and flowers galore to add a touch of colour to the place ahead of tomorrow. Don't tell the TBA that it does not look like The Chelsea Flower Show around here all the time....!!

To Leicester tonight. Phoenix Enforcer, a winner last Friday, seemingly in good order - and we thought we should try and strike again whilst this dodgy weather prevails. She went through the bottomless at Nottingham last week - I therefore do not mind if Leicester gets all the forecast showers today....   

July 21st

England have beaten the Australians at Lords ! 75 years after it last happened, a Freddie inspired England have nosed ahead in The Ashes. Many a twist and turn ahead, methinks......

Much to the relief of Valerie and Matthew, I was unable to pick up the ball-by-ball commentary on the long trek out across the Anglian steppes to Great Yarmouth. The town and Racecourse have the slightly spooky feel of a 1950's film set  - plenty of faded paintwork, a spectacularly grim looking Greyhound stadium on the approach to the Racecourse, a Butlinsesque holiday crowd whose demographic appears not to have changed in years....

On one trip there last year, we were early and ended up on the seafront. I thought they only did seafront promenades like this in the movies - lashing rain, slot machines galore, a fish and chip shop every third building, children hidden behind mountains of candy floss, bar stools and benches from which much gossip was being dispensed. And best of all those machines that topple two and five penny pieces over the edge when you get your timing spot on - people captivated for hours, searching, normally in vain, for that 25p windfall....

An improvement from KitKat in the maiden, albeit from the low base of his Warwick debut. He has improved recently at home and this was more encouraging. And a much better run from the Israeli champion Vanilla Bally who travelled infinitely better than she had done in the depths of a dark Dunstall Park evening back in January. A run that definitely gives us hope that this sporting adventure can have a happy ending....

And Patrick up at Beverley with Kidson. I have made no secret of my affection for this horse, and he continues to progress. Some hurdles and a trip will be the making of him in time, but last night's second placing was another encouraging run. Two of his Owners, Michael Watt and Bobby McAlpine, are especially enamoured by staying types and I am thrilled that Kidson is making steady headway into that bracket.....

No runners today. Paperwork mountain to address. The return of the Cornwall team much anticipated. Looking forward to the tales - and to the house, horribly quiet without them, returning to normality. I had better just do that washing up..... 

July 20th

A sporting weekend and a half ! More televisions needed to keep track of all the action....

But a distinct feeling of anti-climax last night as Tom Watson's remarkable Open challenge faltered at the final hurdle. Stewart Cink or Tom Watson - we did not get the result that 99% of viewers must have been hoping for....

And at Lords an England victory still in the "probable" column. But as I lunched with Messrs Bailey, Charlie Hills, Fernandez, Morecombe et al, a victory had seemed inevitable. Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin typically dogmatic - the dangerous Mitchell Johnson still to come. A nail-biter ahead....

Jamie Goss and Three Lions had a fine spin around Stratford in the handicap hurdle. This was a fine comeback from the 12-year-old veteran and he showed that the fire still burns in the belly - a drop in class is now the plan, and hopefully Jamie and he will have some fun in the weeks ahead.

Yarmouth and Beverley today. Not exactly on the doorstep - but, as stated on many occasions, we will head anywhere for the right contests......

C and the kids squelching around the beaches of Cornwall. Leaving me to cook breakfast yesterday morning for Wayne Hennessey, the Wolverhampton Wanderers Goalkeeper, and his parents Paul and Diane. The bacon burnt, the sausages just about passable, the fried tomatoes perfect - I just hope that Wayne's imminent Premiership debut is not scuppered by food poisoning. He has bought a horse in Germany that is on it's way here - I hope that a few trips to the Racecourse will act as the perfect release from the pressures of Premiership football....