The Blog

November 30th

Becoming a constant refrain. But the horses are running really well, just struggling to be the first past the post.....

Kummel Excess (4th), Double Dash (3rd) and Naxox (2nd) all gave plenty of hope that they can be winning soon. Bernie Wharfe performed miracles to stay aboard DD after a last hurdle blunder, but this lovely old fashioned type clearly has an engine. And Naxox, reverting to the Flat after a few struggles over fences (travels strongly - stops to nothing very quickly), will hopefully have garnedred plenty of confidence from his spin around Downtown Dunstall...

Personally, I was unable to attend any of the Racecourses on Saturday. A gang of Ghurkas wandering around the "Baker acre" in Sussex needed some entertaining - and so C handled Lingfield, whilst Patrick and Valerie did a superb job ensuring that Dash's antics at Ludlow (largely the fault of the tack shop tarpaulin blowing off and getting our boy hugely revved up...) were not repeated....

The weather kind. A very wet Friday night, a mercifully dry Saturday - before the monsoon reappeared through Saturday night. I can rarely recall seeing so much water on the ground at home in Sussex - farm tracks turned to rivers, small brooks bursting their banks....

Still very poignant and difficult without Dad. Whilst he could sometimes infuriate (what parent does not - ask Barney and Tallulah !!), he adored the tiny bit of England that has been in our family for several centuries - and I still expect him to come around every corner or a hedgerow, or squelch through a muddy gateway with another "instruction". Visiting the family vault in Northchapel Churchyard yesterday morning to finalise the quote for the stonemason was an especially poignant moment....

It has been a tough few weeks on several fronts. The professionalism of my team has been a massive comfort for, whilst my eye has been on several balls at the same time and I may not have made the occasional telephone call as swiftly as perhaps I should, I know that everybody here has "stepped up to the plate" in the most exceptional way. I owe them a massive debt of gratitude for helping to keep the show on the road. I am proud and privileged to have such a dedicated team - but also a gang of people who laugh at each other's jokes, who (at least to my eyes....??!!) love being part of what we are building - and who share our aspirations.....

The laughter and banter that accompanies each lot as they head out to the gallops is a fantastic thing to behold. We have created a happy team. We all get on - we can all talk, we can all take the occasional "bollocking", we can all bounce from the inevitable disappointments....

I have said it before. But without this exceptional group of people, headed up by Patrick and Valerie, we have nothing. They have made our business the success it is. I owe them a massive, massive debt of gratitude....

Now all we need is a winner.....   

27th November

Ben Hanbury and Steph Ashetton here for 2 lots yesterday morning. Steph aboard the legend that is Jungli second lot, Ben dispensing some sage and pertinent advice. And my brother-in-law James Berry with us as well, on the cusp of beginning to work with our Director and massive supporter Jim St Johnston in London. A blustery morning. A chill in the air. But some pleasing work, and hopefully some pretty potent bullets to fire at some good targets in the weeks ahead.....

And then to London and The Dorchester for the Peter O'Sullevan Charity lunch. Guests of David Heath who works for BGC, one of the main sponsors of the event, and consequently our table in pole position. C on one side of me, Venetia Williams the other, the table completed by Howard Spooner and his girlfriend Nicky, Maxine Cowdrey, Alan Brazil with daughter Michelle, and William Jarvis.

A hugely popular event. And the Voice of Racing still sending the shivers down the spine whenever he opened his mouth. His commentaries a massive part of my life. "Dessie's beginning to get up....." "The mare's beginning to get up"....."It's hats off and a tremendous ovation for Red Rum...."etc etc etc

The auction conducted in his own immaculate and inimitable way by Goff's Nick Nugent raising over £100,000. There are a lot of these Racing Award lunches and dinners. This one, alongside the Cartier Awards, head and shoulders above the rest....

To Aspinalls for an hour or two afterwards with the Findlays and Guy Sangster (and, thankfully, not going anywhere near a card table or roulette wheel), before heading back to the Dorchester for "one for the road" with D.Heath. A long but enjoyable day. London on the edge of looking Christmassy (is that a word???). A month today. Barney and Tallulah drawing up their battle plans for a raid on Hamleys. I am looking forward to that as well !! 

November 26th

A day away from the "office" yesterday. A windswept but primarily dry day in the depths of the Oxfordshire countryside. Great company. And a brace of partridge (my second favourite game bird to eat - just behind grouse) for the dining table.

And Ben Hanbury (multiple Group winning Trainer) and Steph Ashetton (Racecourse Steward) with us last night, and due on the yard in a minute to see first lot. First lot pulling out a little later (7.45) as the nights get ever longer.

To London later for The Peter O'Sullevan Lunch at The Dorchester. Guests of David Heath. He has organised an eclectic and entertaining table. Unlikely to be a "light lunch"....

November 25th

A pretty difficult couple of hours with the BHA yesterday morning. Two extremely friendly guys - but a difficult experience being on the end of a recorded interwiew for the first time in my life. I know that myself and my exceptional team have not put a foot out of line. But through a degree of naievety, I have allowed us to become embroiled in an unsavoury episode....

I bought and ran a horse in good faith. I had no reason to look for a "back story". I still know nothing about Mondego save that he arrived here pretty fit and, having worked him at Wolverhampton with some higher rated horses, a mark of 55 appeared attractive to say the least.

It may well be that we have been used as a conduit for other people's gain. Apparently there was an inordinate amount of money in Ireland for the horse on the morning of it's debut for us. Frustratingly, there appears to be a lot of investigations to complete before a definitive answer is reached. Not much fun having this hanging over us - and hopefully it will not drag along for too long.....

To Lingfield with the fantastically named (unless you are a commentator...) Keckerrockernixes. A decent National Hunt crowd, at a guess at least the double of a midweek allweather fixture. So many of these allweather fixtures, and especially Kempton, attracting tiny crowds, made up primarily of connections. Betting shop fodder is all these fixtures are - and at Kempton nowadays, the only area they seem to bother opening is "The Owners and Trainers Bar" and The Panoramic Restaurant for about 5 diners. Whatever happened to the trainloads of City workers who were going to enliven the place with their laughter and, importantly, their cash? It must be a soul destroying place to have to turn up to work on a daily basis - looking forward, each and every day, to their one day in the limelight on Boxing Day....   

November 24th

"Effing Far over the Severn" it may be. But a triumph of will power to create such an excellent Racecourse from scratch - and puts to shame those involved with the farce that was "great" Leighs. I am sure the management at Ffos Las learnt a lot from the debacle of the Essex egos - but from the management team downwards (clearly anybody with aspirations to succeed in this sphere needs to employ Mark Kershaw) it is apparent that here are a team proud of what they have created and proud to be involved....

An excellent crowd for a Monday, Mark pinpointing the local farming and rural community, previously starved of racing on their doorstep, as the backbone of his paying clientele. A raging success. A very fair racecourse with hard luck stories (Seamus Durack's slipped saddle apart) few and far between. And ground, although on the soft side, perfectly raceable despite the downpours of recent days.

Pleased with our two runners. Bugsy's Boy possibly finding it a bit soft under his welter burden, and in need of a little help from that extremely nice and magnanimous handicapping fellow. The chasing option draws nearer.

Several off down the drive already to downtown Dunstall. I have got to leave them to it this morning as the BHA are on their way to discuss Mondego. I have been looking forward to seeing this matter progress, and I have to admit that I have been marginally surprised that it has taken nearly 5 weeks since an investigation was announced for anybody to come and see me.   

23rd November

The highlight of the weekend being "The Emeralds and Ivy Ball" in Battersea. Hosted by Ronan Keating in aid of The Marie Keating Foundation and Cancer Research, this was a massive fund raising event for a charity that touches us all.

We were there as guests of our great friends, Dean and Alex Atkins, and it was certainly an evening to remember. A room full of the "very famous" (and just a few "were once famous"), and an auction that raised tens of thousands of pounds.

Unbelievably, we could not find a hotel room in Central London - and so it was back down the M40 at silly o'clock...

Romantic Queen finding all sorts of trouble at Lingfield on Saturday. With a clear run, she would have gone very very close. But a 5th placing is all she ended up with for her efforts. And Phoenix Enforcer 3rd at Towcester having looked like the winner at the bottom of the hill. Patience, GB.....

Ffos Las today. The Ffos standing for "effing far over the Severn". Not quite sure what time we need to leave to get there for the first, the 12.40. Probably last night...  

Saturday 21st

"Weather Warning - Heavy Rain and Gales". An alluring weather forecast to wake up to....

But Lingfield on the allweather this afternoon will be fine - and I just hope that Towcester does not become waterlogged for tomorrow's meeting.

Downtown Dunstall last night, by way of the "Wing Wah" Chinese Restaurant. A scary place. Mountains of food, a chocolate fountain (Barney Baker's favourite), Matthew and Valerie doing justice to the "as much as you can eat" buffet, myself a little more choosy having demolished a Pizza with C at lunch time.

To DD in time for Fairmile's race. I thought he had a great each way chance, but he was a little too keen and, in retrospect, the mile and a half trip was just too far.

The horses are running pretty much as I would expect them to be. Those prominent in the betting are performing accordingly. But we are just not getting that little bit of luck that makes the difference between a decent placed effort and a winning one. Patience will be rewarded.....

And the sense of perspective that I so often allude to increasingly important as we climb that dreaded Racing Post "Cold List". A couple of pixels on a photo finish print and we would not have our name up in "lights". Of course a losing run becomes dispiriting. But it would be a whole different ball game if the horses were unhealthy and that was the reason. They are looking fantastic in their coats - and winning huge numbers of best turned outs (and not all of them the George Baker tenner..!!)  

And the children a fantastic tonic. Barney with us last night - and making us giggle. And Tallulah asleep on our bedroom floor when we returned. And beside me now as I write. "Mummy, Daddy's going to put me on the blog. He is going to say how gorgeous I am." That is exactly what I was going to say.....  

Friday 20th November

Headley's Blue, our cheeky but much loved greyhound, has, as you may remember, a particular penchant for Hedgehogs. For bringing hedgehogs into the house and leaving them on our bed or on the bedroom floor. Many a night has been disturbed by the sound of a hedgehog scuttling around seeking an escape route....

Well, finally it appears that they may have won their battle to hibernate. As I open the doors each morning, The Blue Dog storms off to the hedgerows in search of his prey - but for about a fortnight now his hunt has been fruitless. Hopefully, the little creatures have secured a suitable "drop zone" for the Winter. But there is just the niggling worry at the back of my mind that we may not have found all of Headley's hiding places, and that one morning I am going to put on a different pair of Wellington boots and get a nasty shock....

The Flat season already a fading memory, and proper National Hunt weather about. Judging by the forecast, many places not far north of here might well struggle to race this weekend. "Significant" rain around - and our plans will be made accordingly....

Downtown Dunstall tonight, a bit of Lingfield all weather tomorrow - and then a squelchy Towcester on Sunday is where we hope to be... 

Thursday

SatNav ?? Sometimes a great help. Sometimes infuriating. Yesterday the latter.....

Having picked up Valerie from Brackley, we joined the A1 at Huntingdon and headed North. Now I know exactly where Market Rasen is but, foolishly and just in case "Madam" had a better idea, I put the Racecourse into the Satnav. Cue a charming trip through the flatlands of Lincolnshire, culminating in a traffic jam in the centre of Lincoln itself. A fine view of the awe inspiring Cathedral. But I prefer to keep the "culture" for days when I have not got to saddle horses....

Just time for a delicious Gammon roll before saddling Friendly King. He ran all right - but is suffering a bit at the hands of the handicapper and is going to need a bit of respite....

Back in the car (armed with Jelly Beans, Fruit Pastilles and Mint Toffees) for the trek to Kempton Park. I am 100% sure that Valerie and I were the only people to take in both meetings yesterday. Madness, perhaps, but we are still new to this game and want to be present, if possible, when we have runners. I completely ignored "Madam" as soon as we drove out of Market Rasen as, almost immediately, she seemed keen to show me the bits of the "flatlands" that we had missed on the way up....

A pretty painless trip to Sunbury on Thames, despite Valerie managing to break the tuning on my radio in her attempts to find her "perfect" music. And another excellent effort from Via Mia to finish 3rd. This filly is progressing well and will not be long in winning for Stuart McCallum, Michael Brown (both present) and Jason (absent in Israel..).

A long day behind the wheel. But the horses still running well. Via Mia another to hit the crossbar rather than the corner flag. A winner around the corner....?? Hope so.

Via Mia won about 300 quid. My cut probably paid for the petrol in that Lincoln traffic jam...

November 18th

A howling gale out there. But still pretty mild. The first proper frost still to arrive. Rob and Kay Barnett with us second lot yesterday morning to watch Crime Dont Pay work, and Rob passed on a very true weather adage - "In the New Year, when the days are longer, the frosts get stronger...". January and February do always seem to be the toughest months - but once they are done, Cheltenham is with us...

Jo Mann here to watch her Midnight Legend 3-year-old canter under the excellent Jamie Goss, and my mother here with John Carleton Paget (who has a bit of an Invincible Spirit yearling) to see Kummel Excess. Kummel Excess one of the multitude of placed horses we have had in the past 3 weeks (Dontbugthebunny adding her name to the list at Southwell yesterday). But a wise old head told me the other day that we must, on no account, change anything. "Your horses look fantastic and are running really well. That they are not winning is of course frustrating. But they are all running to form, and just be patient...." We will remain so.

One of those "airmiles" days today. I have no doubt that Valerie and I will be the only people racing at both Market Rasen and Kempton today / tonight. Friendly King out over the Lincolnshire flatlands, Via Mia in the Capital's suburbs...