Saturday morning on the gallops

Such a nice morning, and a whole host of Saturday Morning Gallop Watchers (aka TSMGW) were out in force. Eileen & Ron Smith were first on the hill to see The Paper Sisters (Roses & Promise), joined by Mouse Young and Al Duncan.
As their horses were now undertaking faster work twice a week, another couple of groups were in position for Lot 3. The Denholm boys (Jake, Jimmy, Squeak and Stuart) watched The Boo Box while the Shiels family (Raymond, with both his father and his son) has their eyes trained on Lucarno Dancer.

Anyway, a bit ahead of ourselves so here's a more detailed summary of the morning's work plus a couple of videos too.

Lot 1 were out before the crack of dawn.

• Our 3 runners in the last week (Baby Ticker (Laura), Eternally Yours (Georgina) & Big Bad Dream (Kingy)) had a gentle stretch of their legs on the gallop. We find this helps to reduce the build up of lactic acid - which can lead to tying-up - prior to getting back into the normal morning exercise.
  All three are in fine fettle after their racecourse endeavours.
• The newly named Honda Fifty (stable name 'Adam') & Ryan worked nicely with 'Jean' & Rebecca . This was Jean's first piece of faster work this season, and both horses went nicely.
• Also recently registered with a racing name has been Bushmill Boy (Rob Bewley's 'Henry') & Callum and he completed a couple of medium paced canters to bring along his fitness.

The sun had just appeared over the horizon to greet Lot 2 at the head of the gallop. This bunch consisted of 5 horses who were put through their paces to varying degrees. After an initial steady gallop for the five, the following work routine was undertaken -

• Dali Mail (Callum) and Stainsby Girl (Ryan) did a nice piece of faster work
• Paper Roses (Georgina), Side of the Road (Rebecca) and Danced Every Dance (Kingy) did a further 2 gallops at a steady pace

Lot 2 video is available to view

Stainsby Girl (Ryan) and Dali Mail (Callum)

With a couple of our flat runners having been roughed off, there are 15 horses in full training at present  Of course, the empty boxes will soon be filled by some newly educated horses returning to the yard for an initial spell in training and also in the next month or so, Eternally Yours' 3yr old half sister.
So, just the 3 lots and like the previous bunch, Lot 3 had a mixture of work exercise too.

• After a steady gallop once up, The Boo Box (Callum) and Lucarno Dancer (Ryan) did a nice piece of fast work, in what was their first of the season
• Having been further forward in anticipation of a racecourse run but thwarted by lack of rain, we've just eased back a couple of the string a touch in terms of morning workload, so Keyboard Gangster (Kingy) and Paper Promise (Leah) did a couple of solo canters

You can view a video of this gallop

 
Lucarno Dancer (Ryan) and The Boo Box (Callum)

What's in store this week.....

Well, not a lot to be honest!

Lack of rain has put paid to any plans we might have had for Hexham on Wednesday or Catterick on Thursday. And even Haydock next Saturday (a potential target for Keyboard Gangster) is looking doubtful. A week tomorrow, Musselburghgoodtofirm will probably live up to its' name which is a shame as these quartet of tracks provide nice jumping settings in the north - we just could do with a little more precipitation.

So, looking ahead it would seem Ayr on the 29th of the month may be the venue of our next foray to the track. And we'll have a whole host of horses stacked up for a run in December.

Of the three hat ran last week, Baby Ticker is being prepared for Northern Lights Series Finals day at Carlisle on 2nd December, with the 2m 4f mares handicap hurdle her target.
Eternally Yours may well return to Newcastle (where she won her novice hurdle in April) for a 2m 4f mares handicap hurdle.
Big Bad Dream will run in another novice hurdle in about 3-4 weeks time, preferable on ground more to his liking than the 'heavy' of Ayr on Wednesday.