Colder than an exceptionally cold thing on a very cold day. Colder than Alaska. Layers of clothing required to contend with that annoying "wind chill factor". The "allweather" gallops longs odds against to be "allweather" this morning. A "some weathers gallop" is what we are having to contend with at the moment....
And plans to gallop a few of the jumpers at Lambourn on hold. Good Old Paul, Oscar Close, Not So Sure Dick, Baldadash and Belle de Fontenay all with options in the coming weeks. But they will not be going anywhere until the weather relents, and certainly not to the races a gallop short.....
A pleasant surprise yesterday. Aqua Ardens foiling the 1/8 (yes, eight to one on...) shot Derivative. At Southwell. "Never be scared of one horse" is an oft heard racing cliche. And so it proved. Aqua Arden's sire Nayef's progeny have a pretty remarkable record around Southwell. And we added to that positive statistic yesterday, Stephen Craine giving our horse a fine ride to see off the favourite....
And the promise of more to come. Plenty more. 6 furlongs on a conventional track would not have been an option, but Southwell, with it's unique surface and stamina requirements, was worth a crack.....
I am more than hopeful that Aqua Ardens will step up considerably on this once put over a longer trip, and I am very hopeful that the Khan brothers, who are great friends and supporters, have got another decent horse on their hands.....
The yard beginning to fill up as we head towards the start of the Flat season "proper". Mount St Mistress, owned by William Asprey and his daughter Emily, is back with us having been on her holidays. Her form was pretty limited last year, but she needed to grow up, physically and mentally, and has done so.....
A couple more due in by the end of the week, and an unraced Sakhee 3-year-old of Bobby McAlpine's on it's way down from Willie Jenks' Shropshire farm today.....
And a fine looking grey (pedigree questionable...) arriving last Saturday. "Rubble". Slightly lacking in scope, and struggling to lay up with the string at present. Barney and Tallulah's new pony. A very generous gift from Candida's parents, Richard and Libby, and much enjoyed over the weekend. "And here comes Barney aboard Rubble........" Priceless....
No runners today. Or for a while. Good to get that monthly winner under the belt. 27 consecutive months. Not that I am counting.....
No snow here. But I headed to Sussex last night, and was nearly caught out by the amount of snowfall on the hills. There is a road that heads out of Midhurst over Bexley Hill, dropping down onto the Lodsworth road. "The alternative tourist route". I suddenly found myself headed into alpine conditions. Deep snow. Drifts alongside the road. Black ice. Dramatic. And very beautiful by the light of what appeared to be an almost full moon...
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