Requires hours of poring through several programme books, discussions with owners, weather apps aplenty, calls with jockeys agents and clerks of the course…
Never an exact science – but all we can do is make plans that give our horses and our owners the best possible chances of maximising their potential…
To all of the above, we now need to add psychic powers…
Cheltenham, Chelmsford, Brighton and now Epsom have abandoned or postponed meetings for various reasons in the past few weeks. Meaning that plans for many have been thrown to the wild winds…
We have a mare who was due to start her season at Brighton this afternoon. When that meeting fell foul of the pesky insects, the cunning plan switched to our doorstep next Tuesday. Until that plan went awry as well. A remarkable set of contrasting circumstances that you would struggle to make up…
We will regroup and go again – and that Programme Book is becoming extremely well thumbed. Although I guess it is quite hard to “thumb” an online fixture list…
A runner today. Just. And thankfully….
“Just” because Epsom on Tuesday was the most likely plan. Until considered thought (and a touch of the “psychic”…?!) led to a Newbury declaration at the 11th hour. A 26 runner Maiden !! Which feels like a throwback to some of those monster fields that appear on those Pathe reels…
FIZZY BEAR pleased us on debut at Kempton. Jack Mitchell on board again today. Another step up that learning curve. And with 25 others bouncing and boring their way up the Newbury straight, Fizzy will certainly learn plenty….!!
An excellent card at Newbury, but a bit of a shame that the Fred Darling and The Greenham are the first two races. TV scheduling I guess. I will leave that one right there….?!
A Scottish Grand National as well…
Remember this fellow winning it…
