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Richard's Blog
The cold weather has arrived but still managed to school a couple of horses this morning despite a bit of frost and Sean Quinlan did the honours.
Jeff McCarthy popped in to see Motou. Jeff has had shares in horses with us over many years including the legendary Noble Lord. Looking forward to Motou's chasing career.
Pricewise goes for Menorah in the Arkle. Admittedly 16-1 is a big price if he jumps round but it is a strong race this year. I think Cue Card could be the each way bet at 9-1 as the trip seems to suit.
Fascinating watching re-runs of Cheltenham Festivals of the past of RUK the other night. Peddlers Cross looked as though he needed every yard of the 2 miles 5 at Cheltenham as a novice. Although he was second in the Champion Hurdle last year, I've got a feeling he needs a trip. Interesting to see The Giant Bolster and Finian's Rainbow just in behind him that day.
I
saw Binocular's Champion Hurdle victory, how good a race was
it that year I ask looking back.
Excelsior Academy ran with credit on Saturday but will definitely be better on decent ground over a longer trip.
I had an entertaining evening at Sarah Holman's on Saturday night. Sarah is a great character and charity worker. She has been organising the countryside race day at Cheltenham for many years and invited some of her two thousand god children to dinner on Saturday.
Also in attendance was Dion Dublin the ex footballer, who is a great bloke and I'm delighted to say will be joining us at the Adlestrop Club Question Of Sport on the 1 st March.
We schooled a few yesterday and then I spent the afternoon in the Lambourn area visiting the infamous Queens Cottage in Sparsholt, and was rewarded with cups of tea from Michael Caulfield and Gee and Mark Bradburne. It was good to catch up with Cornelius Lysaght at the Bradburnes. He is a font of knowledge and some it is even useful.
The staff and horses are fresh and well this morning with 17 year old Dark n Sharp leading youngsters and setting a very bad example.
The
only thing that can beat Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle
is an injury by the way he won in Ireland yesterday. A great
day's racing at Cheltenham on Saturday. Delighted to see The
Giant Bolster bolt up and I expect Philip Hobbs will be on the
phone to me if Yogi Breisner is busy by the look of Captain
Chris's jumping.
Excelsior Academy runs tomorrow in the maiden hurdle at Uttoxeter. There is an 8am inspection but hopefully if it gets the go ahead, he should put up a good performance despite the ground not being ideal, as it will be riding on the heavy side. The form of his hurdling debut is working out well and Sean Quinlan takes the ride again. However I am sure he will be better over 2 ½ miles on better ground.
Interesting picture on page three of the Racing Post today. Richard Johnson on Inga Bird. The photograph was taken by the very talented Edward Whitaker, however it is described as ‘an impressive jump' which says a lot about the knowledge of a few of the employees of the Racing Post. Take a look and see if you agree.
Looking forward to a few visitors in the morning on route to Cheltenham . Colin Pocock is coming to see Mister Newby who is entered in the bumper at Towcester next week. The form of his last race is working out well and let's hope he can carry a penalty.
A schooling morning with John and Pat Cantrill coming to see Great Hero jump fences under Peter Carberry.
Drussell has been declared at Huntingdon tomorrow in the 2 miles 5 handicap hurdle with Richard Johnson onboard. He appears in good form and hopefully has freshened up since his disappointing run at Uttoxeter. It is a competitive enough race but hopefully he will run as well as he did when second over course and distance in December.
I
had lunch with George Irvine and David Bradshaw at Cecconis
in London yesterday. A lot of celebrities eat there, so obviously
the staff were pleased to see us. George and David I have known
for a
Saturday's
Argento Chase is shaping up into a good race but disappointing
that Grands Crus does not run there. Good
to see McCoy back today. He has come in for a lot of stick thanks
to a stupid headline in The Telegraph at the weekend. Don't
worry about him, he will only give up when he has to.
A busy work morning at Adlestrop stepping up the tempo on a few. Hopefully we will have some runners at the end of the week.
I went to the West Berkshire Racing Club Quiz last night – the big racing quiz of the year where all the anoraks attend. Thanks to our win last year we were in the Premiership division. Our team of John Hamner, Gordon Clarkson and Tom Symonds were in form and led for most of the way before finishing a gallant third.
The winners were the West Berkshire Racing Club Team A, who took this year's title due to the fact they had taken a year off work to revise. Other strong competition came from the Racing Post and Raceform.
Hamner was his usual entertaining self. His incredible memory for the fifties and sixties makes up for the fact he can't remember where he lives.
Whichever made a fine hurdling debut at Leicester this afternoon. Challenging the leaders at the second last, Jason Maguire did not pressure her approaching the last and she finished a very creditable fourth behind a talented winner. Hopefully on slightly better ground over a further trip, she will be getting her head in front for us in a few weeks time.
I went to Doncaster today to oversee Phardessa go through ring due to the dissolving of her partnership. She has won some nice races over the years and we have decided to buy her back for 1600 guineas, possibly put her in foal and run her until the end of the season. She should be an interesting project and anyone interested in getting involved in such a syndicate, please get in touch. We were also lucky enough to make another exciting purchase and details will follow.
The vice chairman of Doncaster Sales, Michael White retired today. There was a presentation made to him from company chairman Harry Beeby. Michael White, better known as ‘Mouse' has been in the company for thirty five years having joined them after leaving school. This news came as a surprise as we never thought he went to one. Mouse is a great character and runs the Doncaster Sales golf tournament in Scotland every year. As he pointed out today, hopefully he will be able to catch up with us bandits, now that he will have more time to play the great game.
Ascot 's horrendous ‘own goal' putting orange stickers on race goers who did not dress to standard on Saturday, has come in for a lot of publicity. Although I feel naked not wearing a tie at the races, the customer is always right. I was taught at a very young age that if you lay a table properly, people will always behave. Perhaps if the new stand at Ascot was not made out of so much concrete and glass and did not give you the feel of an airport, perhaps people would be inclined to dress a bit smarter.
Motou ran as expected at Towcester yesterday, he jumped well and will need further. The Lansburys had a nice day out thanks to Towcester's hospitality.
Whichever has been declared at Leicester tomorrow in the mares only novice hurdle. It is a competitive race but a starting point for her over hurdles. She jumps well and will step up in trip following this initial run. Jason Maguire who so nearly won on her at Ludlow last time, takes the ride again.
With Faisal (pronounced similarly to Basil) having only one name, we have been trying to think of a surname for him in case he wins at the Stable Staff Of The Year Awards. Current favourites are either Brush, Fawlty or as he plays so cricket so well, D'Oliveira.
An
active morning of cantering and schooling. We have declared
Motou for Towcester on Sunday in the novice hurdle with Sean
Quinlan onboard. Motou has shown promise in bumpers and hopefully
he will make a hurdler and chase
I saw Barnsy and Warren Marston in the Fox last night, the latter is still yet to buy a round in 2012 but there is still a long way to go.
We
are all delighted that Faisal has been long listed for the Rider/Groom
category in the Stable Staff Awards this year. Faisal has been
with us for four and a half years and let's hope he can not
only win a Johnny Mathis lookalike competition.
19th
January, 2012 We had two runners today with Bold Identity not going to Lingfield thanks to an abscess in his mouth. Fair Breeze jumped and travelled well on ground she would not have liked and I am sure she will be fine once on the right going.
Whenever finished fifth in a competitive handicap hurdle at Ludlow. Peter Carberry said he did not like the ground and again I am sure once it dries up a bit in the spring, he will be getting his head in front again.
I saw ex racehorse trainer David Loder at Ludlow where he had been asked for lunch by racecourse chairman Willie Jenks. This was Loder's first visit to Ludlow and only an Etonian could point out he has only been to three other courses in the last three years, Ascot , Aintree and Meydan. Undoubtedly Ludlow has the best views.
A busy morning in Adlestrop with lots of owners in attendance. Amongst the visitors were Colin Pocock, Doug Pocock, Tot Calver and Willie and Camilla Murdoch.
All went to plan and it was nice to see our bumper winner Mister Newby getting ready for his next run in early February. I went to lunch with Colin at The Kingham Plough and enjoyed my Stowell Park venison burger – I wonder if Sam Vestey knew anything about that.
We have three runners tomorrow. Fair Breeze and Bold Identity run in two mile and two and half mile novice hurdles at Lingfield. Both will appreciate better ground and I am sure will be fine in the spring. Whenever runs in the three mile hurdle at Ludlow with Peter Carberry onboard claiming five pounds. He ran well at Ascot last time and should run well in a competitive handicap.
I spent the afternoon watching a wind operation at Ben Brain's surgery just outside Bourton on the Water. Always fascinating to watch and much easier to understand problems once you see surgery being performed on them.
Looking forward to the frost disappearing from Adlestrop as it is becoming annoying. The string are in good form and the great thing about the cold is that viruses hate it.
This week's entries look on track to get on the course and Whenever's impersonation of Olga Korbut this morning proves he is in good form.
Note from today's Racing Post that Champions Day looks certain to remain in mid October. Let's hope they are lucky and there is still global warming and the ground is not soft and Frankel's coat is not woolly.
Also note Pricewise's tip for the Queen Mother Champion Chase is Wishful Thinking. I thought he ran well at Kempton with Dickie Johnson using hold up tactics and I am sure his wind will be better suited by the spring Cheltenham ground. Pricewise is a guy called Tom Segal, who is a fellow Surrey boy and a much better golfer.
Gutted I missed Above Suspicion last night. Met Lynda La Plante once, nice woman and slightly mad. I think Kelly Reilly is a good actress and I wouldn't mind her taking me in for questioning.
On my way back from Plumpton where Stop The Show ran a respectable fifth in the handicap chase under Richard Johnson. Very sticky ground was not to his liking but he ran with credit and once again gave The Adlestrop Club a competitive run for their money.
A frosty weekend in Adlestrop and we have entries later in the week at Lingfield, Ludlow and Towcester.
Saturday night was a surprise retirement party for Mark Bradburne in Hungerford. It was still a surprise despite Luke Harvey relaying to a certain jockey live on At The Races the night before, “see you tomorrow night at Bradburne's bash,” to which the reply was, “that's if it is on as it is meant to be a surprise.” Luckily Bradburne was not watching.
Mark has ridden for us over the years and was not blessed with the best of luck at times. He rode Noble Lord for us in the Kim Muir one year and would have been a good second but for nearly being brought down by an Irish contender. Mark is married to Gee and will now take up the occupation of an electrician and is already known as ‘Mark the Spark.'
Saturday night's get together included a lot of his old friends and a lot of young jockeys who look about 12 years old. The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly Jack Doyle's and Peter Jon Carberry's dance routine. Whilst moving as though they had been injected with embalming fluid, every few seconds, one would crawl under the other's legs. As Warren Marston pointed out, it looked less like a dance and more like a dog agility test. I am sure Mark Bradburne looks forward to being surrounded by more sensible people.
I went to Compton to gallop a couple of horses this morning. It is a fantastic grass gallop near Newbury owned by ex trainer Peter Cundell. Quite a few trainers take their horses there for an away day and all went well.
We made a few entries for next week including Lingfield and Ludlow . Good to see the ground drying out for them.
Pleased to see in the Racing Post this morning that according to James Pyman, on times, Grands Crus has a great chance in the Gold Cup. Also see my local drinking partner, Alistair Down has written an article about racing legend, Peter Easterby. Yet to read it but my favourite peter Easterby story is when a local business man rang him up.
“Can I speak to Mr Easterby please?” “Speaking” came the reply. “Mr Bradshaw ‘ere, just sold me business for a few quid, always wanted a ‘racehoss.'” “Aye, bought a lovely ‘orse last week, be perfect for ye, twenty five grand.” To which Mr Bradshaw replied, “I was thinking of spending a bit more than that.” To which the Yorkshire man immediately quipped, “aye, that's only for ‘arf of it.”
A busy morning with plenty of visitors to Adlestrop. We have a couple of new arrivals at the yard this week and it's good to get them going.
Made a rare visit to the Lambourn area yesterday afternoon, as I had to deliver Christmas presents to my godchildren Bernard Chalk, Charka Stout and Jack Nash. The latter sadly sounds like an Indian meal. I am looking forward to them looking after me in the dotage.
Apparently the most important thing in Adlestrop today is it is Beanie's birthday. For those of you who don't know, Beanie is Jo's dog, come love child. She even got sent a birthday card by one of my owners. She is five today and is apparently having sardines for tea.
We have entered Stop The Show for Plumpton on Monday in the race he won last year. By the way he was running around the paddock this morning I don't think Lingfield took too much out of him. We had a good schooling session yesterday with Carberry and Quinlan in to do the honours. We schooled a few youngsters over fences to increase our options for the second half of the season.
I notice Pricewise tipped my each way fancy for the Champion Hurdle in Oscar Wells at 25-1. He looks obvious each way value to me especially if Hurricane Fly and Spirit Son don't make the big day.
The famous tv chef's shoplifting escapade reminded my of Humphrey Littleton's joke on I'm Sorry I haven't A Clue. ‘Anthony Worrall-Thompson has bought out his own make of sausages, appropriately the first words on the packet are ‘prick with a fork.'
King Jack has always had this temperament and although he has given us some great fun days, being on his own in front is not his favourite past time. He is related to a horse called Captain Khedive that Philip Hobbs used to train. If Captain Khedive had been human, he would have been in prison and King Jack certainly deserves an asbo. He is by Classic Cliché which is the equine equivalent of being fathered by Fred West so we should not be too shocked. However the horses continue to be in great form and no doubt one will accidentally win soon.
Saw Richard Pitman at Taunton who commiserated with King Jack's connections. I pointed out that they hadn't been lucky and wished him luck with his kidney donation. Pitman has been on a strict diet for months in order to be well enough to donate a kidney. He was not amused by my suggestion of how fun it would be if Jenny his ex wife, ended up with it.
A quiet week for runners with several to get on the track next week. We had a busy weekend of owners including Keith and Irene Rogers and Upthorpe Racing. Upthorpe Racing have both Whichever and Excelsior Academy . I saw Charlie Egerton at the races today who said that he bought Excelsior Academy as a yearling. I think that is what he said but it is often difficult to hear ‘Edgy' in a bar as he moves his mouth as much as Ray Alan.
Sam Waley-Cohen is in trouble with the stewards at Taunton for hitting his horse twice going into the last fence. Even his whip is double barrelled.
Now travelling back from the races with Barnsy in tow. Thanks to his hearing, it is like travelling on your own. More rain in Adlestrop this morning and the ground around the countryside is a bit too soft for most of ours at the moment so we don't have many entered.
Not surprised to hear Diane Abbott put the ‘twit' in Twitter. Apparently a lot of people follow me on it, but yet I have no idea how it works. Apparently Roger Charlton, John Hills and Ed Dunlop are following me. Wish they were doing the same in the trainers championship. Stop The Show has been declared for Lingfield tomorrow in the three mile chase. The ground will be heavy and hopefully if the race does not come too soon after Towcester, he should have an each way chance.
I was kindly invited to the Dorchester last night for the Professional Darts Corporation Awards thanks to Bob and Pauline Scott. Fellow trainers Caroline Bailey and Polly Gundry were also there. The irrepressible Barry Hearn runs the show and the darts boys are a great bunch and it is always good fun.
Comedian of the night was John Moloney. He opened up with a gag about the bank robber who went into the bank with a shotgun, got the customers and staff to lie on the floor. As he ran across the bank, his balaclava half came off. He said to the first guy on the floor, “did you see my face?” To which the bloke replied, “yes I did”. The bank robber shot him. He went to the next guy on the floor and asked him the same question, he replied, “yes” and the bank robber shot him. He went to the next guy on the floor and asked him if he had seen his face, the fella replied, “no I didn't but my wife did.”
A very windy morning schooling at Adlestrop but all survived. Pleased with Excelsior Academy 's run at Plumpton yesterday where he finished fourth to a decent juvenile. It was his first run for over 500 days and will benefit from better ground. He has taken well to jumping and looks a winner in the making for Upthorpe Racing.
Sue Welch collected Tiger Line today who now goes to stud following her consistent runs during the summer and autumn. I am sure she will breed winners and lets hope they are as tough as she is.
Pricewise is interesting in the Racing Post this morning tipping Captain Chris in the Gold Cup. He is a 20-1 chance and is probably a good each way bet as I am sure he will appreciate the likely spring ground at Prestbury Park . I still won't swap my Grands Crus 16-1 though and anyone who thinks it is cruel to run a novice in the Gold Cup, I think in this case, the stronger the pace the safer it will be for Grands Crus. A happy New Year to you all. On my way to Plumpton to Saddle Excelsior Academy in the first.
Crystal Swing was disappointing at Doncaster and Richard Johnson reported that he failed to settle in front and he will go hurdling now.
I was sad to hear the news that Barry Cope died. Barry provided great value food on many racecourses for twenty years. Many and owner and I have enjoyed his offerings and his salt beef sandwiches were a particular favourite.
Delighted Peter Walwyn has been given an MBE for services to racing. He is one of life's great characters and is the ‘legend of Lambourn'. My childhood was dependent on following the fortunes of Walwyn and Eddery in the seventies and I am delighted he is enjoying his retirement. There are many great stories around ‘Big Pete,' my favourite being when the vicar invited him to open the local church fete.
“Delighted too” came the reply. “Could I have your address please Mr Walwyn” said the vicar. “Seven Barrows” said Walwyn. “Is that spelt seven or written seven?” inquired the local clergyman. “What do you think this is, a blood council house” came the famous reply.
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long time and they do a great job at SIS. 
r
in time. He will appreciate further than this but there are
very few opportunities for him but it will be a good starting
point for his hurdling career.  | |
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