A text from Doncaster Racecourse yesterday afternoon….
“EARLY CLOSING RACE REMINDER. Please note entries for the Lincoln Handicap close noon tomorrow, 20th Jan. Please refer to Racing Admin for full race conditions.”
20th January….??!!
How the hell….??
I know I was a bit puffed out after Christmas, but to sleep for 3 weeks is a little excessive…
Somebody somewhere has wandered past a button and pressed it….
Bitter cold. And getting colder towards the end of the week. There is a heater in this office. But because I did not complete a biophysics degree or enrol on the “Young Astronaut” course at NASA, the heater has flashing lights but no heat. It cannot be that hard – but I promise you it is….
Some decent National Hunt racing yesterday. Lossiemouth and Brighterdaysahead a Leopardstown highlight, whilst No Drama This End was workmanlike in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury. The best celebration of the day from Paul Nicholls as his Minella Yoga beat Act Of Innocence. The last named, owned by Gordon and Su Hall, moved from Paul to Nicky in the “close season.” A recent article emphasising that this loss from the yard along with others had cut deep…..
Paul looked like a striker who had scored a winning goal in front of a packed away end. And he did not look a million miles away from raising a finger or two towards the runners-up spot…
We will all lose horses as Owners head for the perceived greener grass – perception that can either work out or be a mirage. I don’t know Gordon or Su – but should somebody not point out to Su that she’s missing an “e”….
Heater update. Working…..!!
Bahrain declarations this morning for Friday’s card. A bit of trumpet blowing for which I apologise. Some eye watering prices paid for some at the “Horses In Training Sales”, but we consistently buy decent horses at a realistic level. That go on to perform on the biggest stages, both here and abroad….
A horse called GET IT at the top of the list. 40,000 Guineas at Tatts HIT Sale, and now a Stewards Cup, Bahrain, Racing League and Wokingham winner as well as other successes along the way…
CEMHAAN, £32,000 at Goffs. Winner of a £100,000 Heritage Handicap at Newmarket on Guineas day, the historic Rosebery Handicap at Kempton, and 3rd at Royal Ascot behind two pretty good ones in Vauban and Absurde….
DESERT COP, 4th the other day in Bahrain, a winner of the local Grade 1 Chairman’s Cup in the Spring, and consistently placed in Turf Series races. Runs Friday. 55,000 Guineas from Tatts…
NESTHORN, an imperious winner of the Al Muharraq Cup in Bahrain ten days ago. An unexposed 3-year-old with huge potential. 60,000 Guineas…
There have been plenty of other purchases that have climbed the grades having joined our gang…
Not an exact science, and of course plenty have not gone so well. Inevitably…
But whilst others have King’s and Shaikh’s ransoms to throw around, we don’t do too badly with the less bulky wallets. “Trumpet blowing” over….
