Roughing Off

Its the 'official' end of the 2017-18 jumps season this coming Saturday, with the traditional curtain faller at Sandown's end of season card - featuring the fairly new Celebration Chase and the hardy perennial Whitbread Gold Cup. I mean, Bet365.....Either way, we've sent out our last runner before the jumps season's break ....of a whole 6 days!
The 2018-19 NH season starts on Saturday 5th May at Uttoxeter & Hexham (ignoring Cheltenham's Point-to-Point fixture the evening before).

The following horses are being roughed off - Baby Ticker, Big Bad Dream, Dali Mail, Eternally Yours, Keyboard Gangster, The Paper sisters, Side of the Road, the unraced Stainsby Girl and a couple of our unnamed 4 year olds too. Now, where did we see an empty field or two.................

But before they went off to grass for the summer, a couple of our bumper winners this season were schooled in our hurdles lane. Paper Promise had been jumping for the last few months but was running so well in bumpers that we delayed her hurdles debut till next season. On the other hand, Dali Mail was introduced to poles and small jumps out at Bonchester only last week.
But over the weekend and into Monday, both horses were run through our hurdles lane. Both horses delighted us, Paper Promise from the off really, but come Sunday and Monday we were impressed with Dali Mail, great attitude and jumping well.

End of season schooling : Paper Promise (Milky) & Dali Mail (Callum)

But we're keeping going with one or two.......

You may have noticed that a couple of our unraced horses have been named and registered with the BHA - Accordini and The Boo Box. These two, plus Danced Every Dance - who missed her Sedgefield due to ground conditions -  will be aimed at a bumper probably some time through to mid June.
Night Comes In had a wind op several weeks ago, so has had a mid-Winter break of sorts. He's back in regular work and looking for a run in about a month's time. And er, well, lets hope this allows the likeable gelding to finish his races.

Not sure yet about Tomahawk Wood, who may have another race in the next couple of weeks.

There are a couple of horses for the flat season too, Les Dodd's favourite mare Wor Lass plus an unraced (as yet) 4 year old filly.

The updates over the next few months wont be as regular, but look out on here for how we fancy our chances should a runner appear in race declarations the next day.

Keyboard Gangster (Pinky) provides a lead to Night Comes In (Callum)