A Return To The Ice.

Linda has sent two horses to St. Moritz for Kim and Keith.  Kafeel should run in the Grand Prix and Mishrif, leased from John Jenkins, should run in the mile event.  Both races are next Sunday 22nd February.  The horses set out four days ago driven by Paul and his brother James, while Karen and Sam flew out today.  Karen will do the exercise riding leading up to the races.  There will be further updates when news of progress gets in.

Thankful For Third

Kingscombe returned to his favourite course, Southwell, today and finished 3rd in a 2 mile handicap.  Connections must have been thankful that he got a run as he bucked his jockey, Rab Havlin, off when playing up at the start.  Rab demonstrated fine gymnastic skills by actually landing on his feet and was none the worse for wear.  The field set off with Kingscombe on the inside at the back.  He seemed to want to move up in the straight for the first time but was trapped behind horses, so Rab pulled him to the outside going away from the stands.  A couple of runners dropped away down the back straight and Kingscombe turned for home in 4th place.  He went past one into third but was never going to get close to the two in front who were well clear at the line.

Eye Catching Double

Karen won the "Best Turned Out" prize with both horses that Linda sent to Plumpton today.  "I'm Lucy" and "Born To Be Free" both looked a picture and deservedly won the awards for her.

Improving By Degrees

Just a couple of degrees warmer but what a change from last week.  We didn't need to remember the hill gallop, we could use it!  Paul and Dick worked on it, rolling and filling,  before the horses did their bit..

Video of the gallops men.

 

Then the horses worked.

 

On The Hill

With the ground frozen outside and snow flurries falling it was good to be reminded of days on the hill gallop courtesy of a headcam video from Emmelia of Strategic Action.





Bizarre To Beautiful

The trip to Plumpton today was exciting and rewarding.  It started with Maccabees finishing third in the 2 mile handicap hurdle, but what a bizarre race.   Instructions were to try new tactics and be up with the pace.  They went off very fast and he couldn't lie up with them.  Tom Cannon niggled and nudged him from the rear into the pack going past the stands to the second circuit.  Round the top bend Tom was bumping him along but he rapidly lost ground.  He was tailed off at the back of the eight runners as they went down the back straight and we expected him to be pulled up, he was so far behind.  Then coming round the bottom of the course he started gaining ground as the rest started to die, though he was still a way behind.  He made good progress through the field but was still only a poor 4th approaching the last flight.  He kept on and took third after the last and was rapidly closing on the second at the line.

A bemused Linda and Tom confer after the race as Karen and Maccabees look on.

 



Then it was the turn of Red Anchor who had turned in a couple of disappointing performances recently.  It started well with Frankie winning "Best Turned Out" and £25 with him.

Frankie with her "Best Turned Out" prize.



Tom Cannon was again the jockey and he quickly got Red Anchor jumping well and running upsides the leader.  He was working hard on the horse with over a circuit to go though, but Red Anchor kept responding and they stayed in close touch.  There were just three left in the race turning for home and he stayed on up the hill to take a pleasing second place only a length behind the winner, and he looks like he may have found his good form of old.

Derek Thompson interviews Tom Cannon after the ride on Red Anchor.

And The Champagne Flows

The champagne flowed this morning at the yard when owners, trainer and well wishers gathered to celebrate Itoldyou's victory in the Sussex National.

 

 

Oblivious to all this, Itoldyou went out for a hack around the village.