Only 5th, but a fine run all the same

Yes, we were delighted with Baby Ticker yesterday, and but for meeting the 3rd last on a wrong stride as she was chasing the leaders, she may have just reached a place.

Tackling Class 2 company for the first time, Baby Ticker was running in the Mares Final of the Challenger Series with £50,000 added in prize money and a very competitive contest. Callum settled the mare in mid division on the inner, saving ground but expecting to be chasing Baby along in the second part of the race.
And so it proved, and turning for home with a wall of horses in front of her, the pace had really quickened but Baby met 3 out on the wrong stride and lost several lengths and momentum at a vital stage. Never daunted, once balanced Callum drew the mare to the middle of the track and she pinged the last two and ran on well after the last passing several horses to reach 5th place.
There may not be much of Baby Ticker, but she has a heart of a lion and her performance brightened up Easter weekend for owner/breeder Chuck Whillans and all at the yard.

In the spirit of the day......

Our long-standing owner Al Duncan has continually been amazed by the number of people that know Helen Whillans, wife of The Trainer and Hawick primary school teacher assistant. It is astounding that everywhere Al has been recently with the couple - Hawick fine dining, Edinburgh's finest shopping - the number of people who stop to chat for a few moments with Helen is remarkable.

This led Al to suggest to The Trainer that anywhere you would go in the world, Helen would be recognised.

'Rubbish' retorted The Trainer, which, to be fair, is his normal reaction to any opinion of Al's. Suitably chastised, Al didn't give up though and suggested that even the most famous people in the world would know Helen.
'Ok then' says The Trainer in an attempt to close out the discussion 'The Pope wont know who she is, will he?'

Rising to the challenge, Al sent an email to The Vatican requesting an audience with The Pope for Helen, and was delighted to receive a prompt reply suggesting the following Sunday Morning in Vatican City, Rome. The email stated that '...His Eminence will be quite busy that morning but would be pleased to spend some time with Helen. Oh, and can she bring some of her homemade scones and jam......".

So, that was how it transpired on that Sunday in St Peter's Square with The Pope celebrating mass in front of tens of thousands, with Helen standing on the central balcony of the resplendent St Peter's Basilica, that from amongst the gathered crowd Al was able to show The Trainer that indeed everyone in the world knew his wife.
However, not beaten yet, and with a self-contented smile, The Trainer turned to an Irish visitor to his right and asked "Tell me, do you recognise anybody up there on the balcony?'

At which, the Irishman replied 'Ah well, I don't know who the feller with the big hat is, but he's up there standing next to Helen Whillans'