Shades of Midnight heads down to Cheltenham on Thursday (Pertemps Final)

Every day at Dodlands Steading is exciting, but this week is a bit special with the thought of a runner at the Cheltenham Festival (our first ever) looming on Thursday.

And what a special day it promises to be for The Potassium Partnership!

Their home-bred horse Shades of Midnight qualified for the Pertemps Network Final (Class 1 Listed 3 mile handicap hurdle) when he finished 5th in a Carlisle qualifier back in December. His last two runs have shown a consistent level of form (4th and 3rd) - over 2½ miles - and he will be suited by the 3 miles on Thursday. His ideal ground would be good to soft/soft and this will be the first hurdles race of the Festival on the New Course, but the forecast for the week is dry weather, so we hope he's not taken off his feet in the early stages by the normally fast pace.

We'll set off with Shady on Wednesday, which will mean a night away from the stables for the gelding but we did the same earlier on this season when he ran at Newbury. Much the same travel and accommodation scenario for the Potassium lads!

This is a very competitive race, and we're under no illusions as to the task ahead, but the gelding is in good form at home and with a little luck in running, hopes are that he can run a competitive race.

Best of luck to Nick, Rory, Ian, Colin, Keith, Bob and Anne, Belinda and the rest of the gang, and enjoy the day, win lose or draw!

Shades of Midnight leads a couple of stable companions

3rd place for Julie at Ayr on Saturday

It was quite a muddling race, to be honest, and with only 5 runners and no one willing to make it, Callum elected to jump off in from and set a very steady gallop in the testing conditions. Never an easy ride at the best of times, Bollin Julie jumped well but didn't pick up when joined by the first two 3 out, and was outpaced after 2 out.

Side of the Road seemed to improve a little from her initial run at Musselburgh in January, but although keeping on right to the line found herself outpaced. She'll be suited by further, and will now go down the hurdles route, with one maybe two runs before the end of he season.