On the open bridge of a giant cruise ship…

Whilst navigating through the notorious Drake Passage in high and wild seas…

Incessant and torrential and very very wet….

Weather Gods, you were ‘aving a larf….

Rain and parades go hand in hand. But parades go on, whatever the weather, and whilst the giant cruise ship that is the Epsom Grandstand tottered and billowed as the rain buffeted her sides, races were run and great fun was had…

Despite the “incessant”, this was a million times better than the desolate, dispiriting and depressing 2025 renewal. And if the sun had shone, which it will do on the first Saturday of June in 2027, we would be reflecting on a masterful sea change of perception and positivity…

The monsoon and “Christmas Day on Derby Day” and a bonkers BHA bizarre “non runner” call captured the headlines, but huge credit is due to those who turned a ship away from crashing terminally into the rocks of disaster…

It will take more than one wet Derby. And some who joined the trail of cars that were leaving the sodden hill as runners headed to post for the second race will need some persuading to give it another go. But the whole look and the feel of the build up was tens of furlongs better than in previous times, and the Epsom Derby can and will rage back to be the centrepiece of the sporting world on the first Saturday in June. Or Wednesday, Thursday or Friday…??!!

Benvenuto Cellini. Derby favourite. Deemed a non runner by the raceday stewards. Because, in the words of Steward Shaun Parker, “he left the stalls on three legs.” Sure, he was slowly away – but hardly in a “game over” manner, and plenty have won races from far worse starts…

Can of worms time methinks ?! Tex left the Leicester stalls a month or so ago on two legs. Rearing badly as the stalls opened. Up on two legs. Losing many more lengths than BC did in The Derby. Beaten an agonising neck at the line when he should clearly have won. Was he deemed a non runner on the day ?? Of course not, and the thought that he could be never crossed my mind…

This was one of the most bizarre and bonkers and, to my mind, flawed and misguided of BHA calls that I have witnessed. Sadly, “BHA” and “bonkers” and much more slip all too easily into the same sentence. I look forward to speaking to Mr Parker when our paths next cross about a few of our’s that have been compromised at the start…

I’m not ending on that note. Back to the positives. We hosted a picnic in the Derby Stables car park. I imagined a flapping gazebo and a die hard handful of friends. Not a bit of it. We were undercover in the old stable block as the rain lashed and the wind raged, and our friends turned out in force. It was not perfect because 25 degrees and blue skies would have been perfect – but it was fun and funny, and the lovely comments through yesterday from those who attended made it clear that this is most certainly for repetition…

Derby Day 2026 did not represent a sea change – because it felt for most of the day as if we were in the midst of a storm on the high seas. But it was most certainly a step firmly in the right direction, and huge credit to those who have run with the challenges and who will take the positivity forward…

Of Spain…

Is mainly where the rain falls. Apparently and allegedly…

Annoyingly, rather a lot of it is falling on Epsom Downs right now…

“Rain rain stay away, come again another day….”

A shame. Especially given the efforts and the positivity and all the hard work….

But this is Derby day and it is still going to be special, unique, extraordinary and brilliant…

And whilst the weather is not ideal, a small but extremely progressive step forward has been made in the past few weeks as the greatest race sneaks back into the national psyche…

Bonkers busy here with folk at every turn and corner – which is exactly how this place should be on this morning…

Come racing…..!!!!

And London…

And Lords…

And lots of wickets…

Late home to Sussex last night after a fantastic drinks party at our sponsor Charles Tyrwhitt’s flagship store in Jermyn Street. A happy gathering of great friends. Oli Bell, Martin Dwyer and I led the assembled astray with our Oaks and Derby thoughts…

Venetian Lace each way in The Oaks today. And it’s hard to get away from the favourite tomorrow. Seemed to be the gist of it…

Good fun. Tills ringing. Corks popping. Drink flowing…

Our Owners get a very significant Charles Tyrwhitt discount online and in store. Another fabulous and excellent reason to launch into racehorse ownership…

Lords. England lame with the bat. Ashes gloom revisited. But then brilliant with the ball under leaden skies. Aftertiming I know, but laying the draw at a little bigger than 2/1 was not my worst move of the day…

Eyes on the skies in North London through the day, and blustery here in Epsom right now. Tomorrow’s forecast is fragile at best. Picnics planned – and they tend to go better when there is not a monsoon involved. We shall see. But those Weather Gods playing silly games…

Goodwood later. MUST BELIEVE (Ryan Kavanagh up). A winner on his first start for us. Here’s hoping that he can go well again high on that Sussex hill…

1970. Vast crowds. Lester in his pomp…

“Pushing through. Throughout the day….”

I guess we are getting to the point where tomorrow’s Oaks runners might well be headed standside. There will be plenty of poking and prodding with going sticks ahead of racing, and photographs of Aiden in his shades surrounded by the covey of Ballydoyle jockeys as they walk the course…

Showers that might be downpours but might miss the place altogether but could be torrential…

“Who would be a Clerk Of The Course ?” Good morning Andrew….!!

Our Desert Cop and The Dash plan scuppered. He loves it like the road. And they are not going to switch The Dash from the turf to the trackside road…

The Oaks. Amelia Earhart around the 5/2 mark. Legacy Link solid. Money for Thundering On who is into 5s…

The Derby. Ryan sticking with Benvenuto (obvs), but plenty of good judges putting up the “second string” Pierre Bonnard as conditions continue to ease. What fun it would be to go into a race like this with a second string that good…..!!

Another day and another talented Trainer calls time on his career…

James Ferguson drawing stumps to pursue another career, and now Noel Williams. Two talented guys. Lost to our ranks for varied reasons. Noel citing the financial pressures as costs rise across every single board…

The move to the spectacular Downs House in Epsom has reignited our business, and no licences are being tossed anywhere by me for many years. But it is unbelievably tough on the coal face right now as costs spiral and prize money continues to be of the “chocolate cake and rosette” category….

We have bucked the trend of being down on numbers in the past two years which is the case for many. We have many more horses on the place than a year ago. Because we have some fabulous long standing and loyal owners with us every step of the way, and because our move has seen us attract wonderful new supporters into our fold. Without them, we are nothing, and I am eternally grateful and humbled by those who have tied their flag to our mast..

But our sport’s ice is thin, and there are plenty of cracks in the paper…

There are still those who sit in gilded towers who consider prize money a dull irrelevance – heads need to come out of the sand very quickly, and we must have strong governance and leadership now. Others, sadly, will follow James and Noel to pastures that might well be greener…

I do not know Nick Alexander for whom Tallulah has been riding out, but he summed it up on social media…

“Another day and another good trainer packs up. Sensible for Noel but sad for the sport, the only way to turn the sport round is radical reform of prize money to create sustainability at all levels. Noel’s last winner would have earned £1917 for the Owner….says it all, completely unsustainable and the horses simply won’t be there in the future if this doesn’t change”.

Radical reform of prize money to give those who provide the product a chance….

We move on. To London yesterday for lunch in his Farringdon flat with TV pundit Dave Nevison. A very happy gathering of racing hacks and rogues. And Dave is some cook…!!

Lords later. In the rain probably. And then a happy gathering this evening at our sponsor Charles Tyrwhitt’s flagship Jermyn Street store. You know where to go for all your racing suits, shirts, shoes and ties…..!!

1986. Agony….

And mainly nonsense…

A fun time in our fabulous Owner’s Room here at Downs House. Yesterday lunchtime…

“Lights, Camera, action…..”

“Stan and Oli. On the road…”

Tom Stanley. Oli Bell. Martin Dwyer. Chatting. Unscripted. Derby build up. A tale or three. On Racing TV later today. Apparently. So if you are struggling to get to sleep later..

“Epsom ground softens significantly after 30mm of rain” – it certainly rained here, and some of it was of the biblical and torrential and monsoonal (is that a word…??) variety. Rain and parades eh…??

I bumped into Andrew Cooper walking his course in the middle of one of the “torrential” bits. Rain dripping off our caps. “Who on earth would be a Clerk Of The Course ? Who on earth would be a Racehorse Trainer….??”

Forecast variable. Showers and showery. But more than a glimmer of hope that yesterday was the worst of it and that Friday and Saturday will not see cataclysmic rainfall that would be catastrophic for the bigger picture. Here’s hoping. Blustery and grey but dry right now as First Lot pulls out under scudding clouds…

Derby and Oaks declarations this morning. 10.00am deadline…

Amelia Earhart drifting on the Exchanges for the fillies’ Classic. Out to around 9/4 and a tad bigger. Precise has taken a massive walk and can be backed at 16/1 which implies that the “torrential” has scuppered her dual Classic aspirations. A dubious stayer on fast ground, she would not get home in the horsebox on rain softened. She won’t be declared…

Egg on my face if she is. Not for the first time…!!

In The Derby betting, Benvenuto Cellini touching 5/2 as stablemate Pierre Bonnard keeps being chipped away at. Ryan’s not jumping from ship to ship is he….??

Fascinating. And some clarity a couple of hours away…

The Oaks. 2007. Not a dry eye in the place as Sir Henry returns to the spotlight. And none of us knew that Frankel was just around the corner…

Which is no real surprise as rain has been in the forecast for several days…

According to the local gallops report, plenty has fallen “in the past couple of hours….”

Puddles. Flooded road at the bottom of Langley Vale in a hollow that is always flooded when the rains come. Tough for cyclists navigating the early route to work…

No movement amongst the caravans and mobile homes. Heads down as rain lashes…

Ground changing ?? Or of no real moment on fast turf…?? We shall see..

Plans and declarations and entries to mull and consider. Entries made yesterday with Epsom described as “Good to Firm, Good in places”. And therefore impossible not to enter fast ground horses…

We shall see what this day and other days bring. Shortly before 7.00, and rain stopped…

Declarations for The Derby are tomorrow morning. Wednesday morning for Saturday’s race. A good idea from the media perspective as this gives an extra 24 hours of clarity on running and riding plans…

AMELIA EARHART a strong favourite for Friday’s Oaks at around 2/1. And a more robust staying pedigree than stablemate PRECISE. Amelia could easily be 5/4 come post time…

In The Derby, mixed messages on the favourite BENVENUTO CELLINI’s pedigree. He will probably stay – but PIERRE BONNARD has a deeper pedigree in that respect, and 8/1 has some each-way appeal…

Unexpected news out of Newmarket. One of the young battalion of trainers who are doing so well, James Ferguson, is calling time on his seven year training career…

He’s a good man and will make a success of the next chapter for sure…

No runners for us today…

Racing TV with us later this morning. An unscripted chat with Martin Dwyer, Tom Stanley and Oli Bell. What could possibly go wrong….??

1974. A 50/1 shot stuns the “crowd of more than half a million on The Downs….”

Perhaps this will be another year for a long shot ?? You have to be in it…

“Bloody Hell….”

Midsummer sporting mayhem at every turn…

The Derby. Lords. The World Cup is under way next week. I have not quite got my head around the timings and the kick-offs, but that can be next week’s conundrum..

“Low pressure dominating….”

Not the Derby week forecast that we have been hoping for, but not cataclysmic. And “better by the weekend” seems to be the gist of it. Weather Gods, we need you onside please. As ever…

The stage is set. An infinitely more energised scene this time around. Stages and bars and high towers and vast marquees spread across this Field Of Dreams. Expectant. Ready. Now all we need is for the people to come and for Derby day to begin the long trek back towards being “slap’ and “bang” in the sporting public psyche….

More and more talk about the great race eventually sliding back from the weekend to a weekday. The Saturday Derby a flawed misjudgement that has led to sad decline, but those charged with rebuilding and revitalising are not just making the positive noises – they are pushing hard on all fronts, and here’s hoping that they are rewarded by two fabulous days of sport and fun…

The “how much rain falls” scenario will determine how many runners we have on the big day..

One runner for us over the weekend, and a bold and brave run from Naranka to finish an excellent second at Lingfield under a strong ride from Jason Watson. A big step forward on his previous form, but not a surprise to some good judges here. We will step him up furthur, and he will have his days for his wonderfully patient owners Gary and Phillippa Edwards…

Constitution River was superb in Paris. It would be cool and fun and hugely entertaining if he was turned out again at Epsom on Saturday. But that ain’t happening…

My sporting weekend revolved around a golf course with Barney and Tallulah. Tallulah and I paired up in a competition at West Sussex Golf Club yesterday – and daughter carrying father to a respectable second place (tied) finish. We won two golf balls. Both of which I will lose very soon…

No runners today. Or for a few days…

I cannot remember if I have posted this one recently. But even if I have, it is one that I could watch a thousand times…

Is what you say under your breath. When you are giving those around you the nod that they should be careful what they say….

Live and learn eh….??

I learned yesterday. From my mate Charlie Cooper. Who has arrived on the Downs with his camp and his camp followers. Setting up camp. For ten days. Part and parcel of the Derby tradition…

“A few scallywags – but they are a good bunch Georgie….”

I also learned that Weather Apps sometimes do not tell the tale that you want to read….

Next week at Epsom…

Monday 5.2mm, Tuesday 24mm, Wednesday 7.3mm, Thursday 9.1mm, Friday 5.1mm…

If that is true, damn and drat and damp and disappointing and darn it….

Here’s hoping that the Gulf Stream does a U Turn – can it…??

Who would be a Clerk of the Course ? Good morning Andrew…!!

Let’s see what happens. And hope beyond hope that the App is messed up, and that there is no end of week rain on one of racing’s greatest parades…

No runners today….

London last night. Hot in the City…

1988. Khayasi. A great mate (Good morning Pete…) had set aside a lump to put on Luca’s horse. But then we went to Sandown – and the lump disappeared into a bookie’s satchel. And the intended bet was reduced from substantial to negligible…

Hey Ho…

Warmth in the early hours, but not the raging heat of the past few days…

Change is in the wind. Variable weather patterns and the Gulf stream doing Gulf stream stuff…

Driving over The Downs just now, and past the soaring marquees and stages, we said how perfect it would be if Derby Day were to dawn like this…

Weather Apps busy – but who really knows this far out what that Gulf Stream thingy will do…??

Kempton last night. One of those bags that were mixed….

Good. Bad. Confusing. Annoying. Promising. Frustrating. Encouraging. Eye catching. Eye watering. Highs. Lows…

The way of it…

And five runners were always likely to bring the full range of contrasting emotions…

Sid Waddell. Commentating on the darts and Jocky Wilson. ‘His face is a kaleidoscope of contrasting emotions as he strides to the oche…’

We raged through several contrasting emotions last night…

The rolling of the eyes and the skywards glance…

But also plenty of good. And plenty to look forward to…

No runners today..

Colonies of worker ants hard at it across Epsom Downs. Ladders. Scaffolding. High towers. Wood fences. Signs and posts. Those mowers mowing hard. A week more…

I backed Benny…

High twenties…

Only…?!

Marginally cooler which is definitely good news for boys and girls and horses that are about to gallop…

A gallops morning here at Epsom yesterday for a few who are going to be big stage players at the end of next week. Favourable and complimentary ground reports. But weather changing early next week, rain around but how much, who would be a Clerk of the Course, Good Morning Andrew…?!

Epsom’s massive stage….

A marginally different “stage” for us later. Kempton Park. A “stage” that comes alive for one day only at Christmas. A “stage” that is threatened by the architects and the planners and the starter homes and the flawed “deals” struck nearly ten years ago. The advice given and taken and options offered – muddled would be polite…

I love the place. A lucky track. A fine place to introduce young horses. Fair and galloping and the “cut away” and not too many hard luck stories. And a great venue for away mornings to freshen the minds of young and old horses…

TIME OUT – workers pulling out….

TIME OUT OVER – workers went well. A thrill to see GET IT on the Polytrack at speed. Straight to The Wokingham. An easy crown to defend….

Back to Kempton and this evening and five runners. Hopefully after the full cauldron heat has been and gone…

TEX in the opening Apprentice Handicap. A horse who has found several ways not to win a horse race. He will have his days. Today would be cool. A first ride for us for the very promising young Harry Vigors…

Next up is ALICE ROCKS, a 2-year-old daughter of Kameko, in the Fillies’ Novice Stakes. Up against the very expensive and the regally bred. But that is the way of it nowadays, and a good starting point as she has worked at the track under today’s pilot Charlie Bishop…

DON PABLO COLINA (Neil Callan) next up. Encouragement in his Lingfield debut, and this is another step along his way…

Then a gap until the concluding way past my bedtime handicaps…

MAX MAYHEM (Charlie up) was extremely unlucky to pick up a tic borne blood infection in Bahrain. What the hell was that all about ? Comeback trail time…

And GOOLOOGONG in the hopefully lucky last. Neil up again on this stylish last time out winner. A couple of hurdlers with winning (including Swinton Hurdle winning…) form, and a step up in grade…

A busy night. Busy is good. Sometimes. Here’s hoping that this one falls into “sometimes…..”

1987….