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Richard's Blog
We have declared Crystal Swing for Doncaster tomorrow and Richard Johnson takes the ride. He appears in good form and we are hopeful that he will run a good race in a competitive event.
Worked a few horses this morning including some youngsters. It is always pleasing when young four year olds begin to show promise on the gallops and hopefully I saw a couple of future winners this morning.
Great to see Kauto Star on the front pages of the newspapers. The British public love animals and the more we can sell animals to the general public, the more they will follow horseracing.
Talking of animals, Barnsy came this morning to book his lift to Doncaster tomorrow. I never mind giving him a lift because thanks to his hearing aid, it is like travelling on your own.
I watched Tottenham win last night. I have been a Spurs fan all my life and have trained for quite a few as well. manager Harry Redknap has horses with Alan King and Charlie Longsdon, but there again he bought Peter Crouch so he can't always be right. I don't know which horse got the bigger reception – Kauto Star after his famous win in the King George, or Stop The Show after his excellent third in the three mile chase at Towcester. Quite a few of the Adlestrop Club turned up to see Stop The Show back to form and let's hope he can get his head in front soon.
Tiger Line ran her usual game race and now will be retired to the paddocks. Let's hope she breeds a horse as tough as her.
A busy morning schooling and all going to plan with Excelsior Academy , Whichever, Motou and Fair Breeze all jumping well and ready to make their hurdling debut's soon.
I watched Kauto Star's win from Towcester where I have never know an atmosphere like it on a racecourse when he went past the post. Everyone on the course was applauding and it was a memorable moment in National Hunt history.
I am pleased I backed Grands Crus for the Gold Cup in the morning at 16-1 - as I have a hunch they will go for the Gold Cup with him. But I still think Long Run will take some beating as he looks a thorough stayer to me. Rich Buddy has been declared for the three mile two novice hurdle at Huntingdon on Boxing Day will Andrew Thornton onboard. Hopefully the trip will be to his liking as he ran a pleasing hurdling debut at Warwick .
At Towcester we run Tiger Line and Stop The Show, both ridden by Harry Skelton. The trip may be on the short side for Tiger Line but there are few options for her at present. However, her stamina should come into play. Stop The Show will hopefully also appreciate the stiff track and has run well around the course in the past.
I went to Caroline and Raymond Mould's drinks party last night and saw lots of mates all in good form. Among those present was my doctor John Disney, who I'm delighted to report looked less well than I did, but he can reverse those fortunes by inviting me to his cider tasting in the very near future. John's son Guy, who you may have seen in the papers thanks to his enormous courage since losing part of his leg in Afghanistan , will be returning to the said country next March. As you can imagine, his mother is not keen.
Watching 1976 edition of Top Of The Tops, have only just realised that one of our staff Faisal, is the spitting image of Johnny Mathis. Have tried to get him singing ‘When A Child Is Born' this morning, but he is not keen.
Worked a few young horses this morning and good news all round. Had visits from Ray and Jane Bailey, Marcia MacLeod and Walid and Paula Marzouk. The Marzouks came to see Amore Mio who is now back from hospital following his neck injury. Touch wood, things are going as well as can be expected.
This afternoon we had the annual lunch at The Kingham Plough that was first initiated by Rhydian Morgan-Jones some years back. It is safe to say that the guest list does not include any Labour voters and that I, along with Charlie Gordon-Watson are the only participants whose father was not a Lord. However it is always great fun and my only regret is that I bought the opening round. Saticon ran a cracking race at Ffos Las this afternoon on ground he would not have enjoyed. He looks to be on the way back and hopefully there will be a nice race or two in him before the season is out.
Pak Jack thought the combination of the revolting ground and fast pace was not for him and we will have to look for better ground.
In the bumper at Ludlow Ata Boy did not improve for a cross nose band and we will now investigate his breathing apparatus. He gave Timmy Murphy a lovely feel and I am sure once it is sorted, he will show his class.
We had a visit from Tot Calver, Geoffrey Howson and Matthew Houldsworth this morning. Geoffrey is a very knowledgeable bloodstock agent, which he should be at his age. Whilst Matthew will get the call up for my quiz team at some point. Tot was pleased to see Whenever had come out of his Ascot race well and is looking forward to the next Dozen Dreamers outing.
The Hepworths popped in with their Christmas pressies as well, so it was a busy morning before setting off for Ludlow .
We have had Kieran Shoemark riding out this week. As previously stated Kieran's family is steeped in racing history and he was allowed to school Stop The Show over baby fences yesterday. Hopefully that will suffice as his Christmas bonus. Pak Jack and Saticon are declared for Ffos Las tomorrow. Hopefully Pak Jack will run as well as he did the last time he went to this racecourse and with a smallish field hopefully will be up with the pace and go at his speed. We are trying Saticon out on the soft ground as he ran well at Sandown. He appears in good form and it will be interesting to see how he gets on if he does act in the conditions.
Ata Boy has been declared for the bumper at Ludlow . Timmy Murphy rides and hopefully the ground will ride well as Ludlow appears to have missed a lot of the recent rain.
We have made entries for Boxing Day to include Huntingdon and Towcester. Boxing Day can be a bit of a nightmare and very difficult to gauge what is running and where the jockeys are going but hopefully this year we have kept it simple.
I see Brendan Powell rode a treble yesterday. He looks to me the best young prospect I have seen for a while. Luckily he has the looks of his mother, he gets his work ethic from his father whom I first knew some thirty years ago when he sat by the corner of the bar of The Greyhound at Letcombe Regis. He was drinking cola, with a horses in training book and the phone by him which had no ‘beeps' but registered how much you owed after finishing a call. He would ring up for every ride that no one else wanted to sit on and luckily has not passed on his riding style to his son. On the way back from Bangor where Phardessa travelled well, until a developing wind problem stopped her in her tracks turning for home and I think she may be off to the paddocks now. She has done us well and owes us nothing and I am sure she will breed some good horses. Persistent rain proved too much for Great Hero and the heavy ground simply did not suit him.
On Friday King Jack ran very well to be second under a good ride from Peter Carberry, proving that three miles and soft ground suit him these days. Whilst Captain Tidds travelled well for a long way and his wind is now under investigation. Drussell could not build on his excellent second from the week before and race came too quickly for him.
The drama on the day was Amore Mio's fall at the second last in the handicap hurdle, when he would have been placed. He took a nasty fall and fell on his neck. Although not out of the woods yet, he is recovering at the Pool Veterinary Clinic near Uttoxeter and should be back with us very shortly. He has a similar injury to chasers Moorcroft Boy and Tricky Trickster who both raced again and lets hope Amore Mio can do the same.
Although I am sure many animal rights activists would make a case that horses should not be made to jump any obstacle, I can assure that you if that can see the time and effort that went into helping racehorses following their injuries; they would have a different perspective on the sport.
Many thanks to everyone who helped with a very difficult situation and let us hope Amore continues to recover and makes as quick a recovery as possible. We have five runners declared for tomorrow. Whenever goes to Ascot with Richard Johnson onboard. Captain Tidds and King Jack run in the handicap chase at Uttoxeter whilst Drussell and Amore Mio run the 2 ½ and 3 mile hurdles. There is snow forecast for Uttoxeter so lets hope it is on. The runners at Uttoxeter should go on the ground. Hopefully Captain Tidds has come on for his first run whilst King Jack will undoubtedly come on for this outing. Drussell wears cheek pieces for the first time whilst Amore Mio wears a tongue strap.
A busy morning with John Cantrill, Ian Dunbar and Dave Mason visiting their young four year old Tenor De Guerre and seeing him go through his paces on the gallops and over obstacles.
I had an enjoyable day yesterday at Sharron Murgatroyd's Christmas lunch where the star of the show as ever, was Steve Smith-Eccles, the former ‘Del Boy' of the weighing room who came out with the best line.
“I know I am not the most educated and I make the odd parfait”.
To which Jim McGrath replied, “do you not mean faux pax?”
A fruitful work morning with many horses pleasing in their final piece before running at the end of this week or next. Hoping the ground at Uttoxeter will suit our runners on Friday.
On my way to Newmarket to join Sharron Murgatroyd for her annual Christmas lunch. Around ten of us have been getting together now for the past twenty years. Regulars include Francome, Jim McGrath and Smith-Eccles. New additions include Neil Doughty, Vince Smith and Michael Caulfield. It is always a jolly affair and I normally provide a quiz for the guest's entertainment. No doubt I will report more on this subject tomorrow.
Note with interest there is Kauto fever at Kempton with the news he will be going for the King George. Where are all the people who said he should have been retired after Punchestown? No doubt they will resurface if he doesn't run well at Kempton – hopefully he will run a blinder. Will be interested to see how Master Minded gets on over three miles as he has been looking like a stayer to me for some time.
Watched Life's Too Short last night as Francome keeps telling me I would love it. Very funny and right up my street. If you find Ricky Gervais offensive there is something wrong with you. A busy schooling morning and thanks to a downpour, the schooling ground was riding very well. Mr Quinlan and Mr Carberry did the honours and it was good to get some youngsters off the ground.
Last night was the Adlestrop Club Wine Tasting Evening thanks to the Oxford Wine Company and Neil Gladding. A fun night was had by all and the reds appeared particularly popular as none were left.
We made entries this morning for next Monday at Bangor and Plumpton.
I didn't see Waley-Cohen's incident at Fakenham but as Warren Marston said, “would you trust him if he was your dentist?” but when you look at Marston, maybe Waley-Cohen was his dentist.
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