As they say, "Where there's muck there's money!"

After surviving an early morning inspection after severe overnight rain and further outbreaks during the morning and while racing, Plumpton went ahead and provided Kayflin with the opportunity to put her disappointing Leicester run behind her.  This she did in good style despite the conditions.  Ridden by Tom Garner in the two and a half mile contest she was settled, as instructed, towards the rear but in touch.  Jumping well she stayed there for the first circuit and a half, ignoring the mud flying around her.  She made good forward progress down the hill on the final circuit, still jumping well, to challenge the all the way leader rounding the station bend.  Entering the straight the leader had saved a little and pulled clear leaving Kayflin to battle on to hold on to second place and more prize money. Mind you most of it will be spent cleaning the silks and tack!

This is Tom Garner after the race, imagine what Kayflin was like!

Earlier on the card Dick Churcher saw his Indispensabelle have her first run over hurdles and was delighted with her jumping and finishing position of 5th.

 Dick, Tommy Dowling, Linda and Karen before the race.

Indi shows she can jump.

Double Dashed.

Clonusker was quickly turned out again today at Lingfield, only seven days after his Plumpton win.  The 7 pound penalty that he carried was likely to be less than his future rise in the handicap, and with only five declared it was an opportunity not to be ignored.  Again ridden by Tom Garner, he was settled in third place for the early part of the race.  He was moved into the lead going to the top of the hill on the far side and he held onto his advantage into the home straight.  He had one other horse beside him up the home straight as they pulled clear of the rest, but after jumping the last together the other horse proved just too strong on the day and Clonusker finished 2nd, one and a half lengths down.  It is possible that if he hadn't had to take this chance so soon after his victory that the outcome might well have been different.

Clonusker after his 2nd place.

Saturday Starts In Style

This morning saw a good gathering of owners to share a champagne celebration breakfast, following Clonusker's Plumpton win earlier in the week.

Many of them then went out to watch three horses on the gallops, splitting into groups to be with their horse while they had a pick of grass afterwards.

Better By Far

Owner Tony Betteridge enjoyed his day at Fontwell today when both of his runners got him into the unsaddling enclosure and earned their first prize money.  Mab Dab ran in the National Hunt novices hurdle.  Ridden by Tom Cannon in the five runner field they followed the leading pair for the first half of the race.  Rounding the bottom turn for the final time Mab Dab made third place his own and although he could not get in a blow on the leaders he kept on to keep his third place, 17 lengths behind the winner.
Hab Sab ran a very similar sort of race under Jack Sherwood, this time finishing 4th of the 7 runners in the concluding bumper.

Mab Dab          

 Katie introducing Hab Sab to Tony's daughter and grandchildren. 

Patience Pays Off With Clonusker.

Three years after his last win Clonusker rewarded the patience of both Linda and his owner, Mr David Yeadon, by winning the 2 and a half mile novices handicap chase at Plumpton today.  Jockey, Tom Garner, had him prominent from the off , and jumping well he travelled in third place for the first circuit and a half.  Going down the back straight for the final time Tom seemed confident that he could pick off the leading two whenever he wanted and he moved into the lead after the open ditch. There was a small battle with the eventual third rounding the bend until the second last fence where Clonusker asserted his authority and then cruised to an easy victory.

Clonusker clear at the last.

This was a great effort considering that it was only his second chase, having suffered an unlucky fall in his previous attempt, 

A Bit Bleak But The Show Must Go On.

Breakfast was very welcome this morning (sausages, bacon, white pudding, scrambled eggs, hot chopped tomatoes, toast, tea/coffee, sponge cake and flapjacks) as it was cold with a damp snow falling outside.  Nevertheless the elements had to be braved as the horses needed to maintain their fitness and progress.