Another Saturday work day...... 

The weekend updates can get a bit repetitive around this time of the season. We're probably a week or so away from our first jumps runners, but we do need a fair bit of rain to take any residual summer sting out of the ground.

Yeah, I know patience is a virtue...........

Maybe we'll have better luck with flat entries for Princess Apollo this week. She's already missed the ballot for a couple of sprints at Catterick on Tuesday, but we can only hope she makes the cut at Newcastle on Thursday evening. Now, this IS frustrating........

Anyway, Saturday morning. Before heading along to Kelso for a couple of rides, Callum Bewley popped in to ride out his dad's Malinas gelding ('Henry') first lot in which he was accompanied by seven stable companions (yes, making EIGHT all told) for first lot. Doing a couple of spins on the gallops were Danced Every Dance, 'Henry', 'Jean', 'Adam',  The Boo Box and Lucarno Dancer while Paper Roses and Princess Apollo did a couple of slightly shorter, faster gallops.

Lot 2 had six horses doing varying pieces of work.
Coming up twice, steady canter then working at a nice pace, were Stainsby Girl (Ryan) and Baby Ticker (Kingy). 'Baby' is going particularly well.
Doing 2 pieces of work at a steady gallop, then finishing off with a spin at a nice pace were Side of the Road (Rebecca), Big Bad Dream (Callum W), Paper Promise (Callum B) and Keyboard Gangster (Pinky).
We're contemplating entries for Baby Ticker and Keyboard Gangster at Ayr next Saturday, but we'll see.

Lot 2 - Baby Ticker, Side of the Road (hidden), Keyboard Gangster, Big Bad Dream (hidden) and Stainsby Girl

Which left Kingy (Dali Mail - his new favourite horse) and Pinky (Eternally Yours) to complete a steady canter followed by a good-paced gallop in Lot 3. Both went very well.

Eternally Yours and Dali Mail

Update on our youngsters 

We've got half a dozen 2 and 3 year olds who are completing various phases of their education at different locations across the countryside. Although not expected to run until at least next season (that'll be 2019-20, phew!), I thought I'd provide a little news of progress.

Of course, most are for sale.........

'Hope', our Shantou filly is now on a break having been first broken-in and then spending a couple weeks at Dodlands Steading where she joined in the morning gallop exercise. She'll now spend a few months away from the yard to strengthen and mature.
'Seb' is a Prince Flori gelding who was bought by The Buyers Club in August. He is with Brian Harding, undergoing education. He's quite a 'green' sort at this stage and will certainly need time furnish into his impressive frame. Short video can be seen
Also with Brian at the moment is 'Hill', a Mountain High gelding purchased by the stable in August. Brian really likes this horse, well that was until he gave an unexpected buck and dropped the former northern jumps jockey last week.......
Replacing 'Hope' at Gary Rutherford's yard a week or so ago was 'Mila', a Durban Thunder filly and another of the stable purchases at the August Tatts NH sale.
We'll see how Brian and Gary finish up with this trio as it may be that one or two will get a few weeks of experience at Dodlands before spending the winter months away from the yard.
'Margaret' is a Yeats half sister to Eternally Yours and she is currently enjpying a couple of months in the field - a late summer holiday.  She's been broken-in and did actually spend a couple of weeks here at Dodlands in the Spring, so we'd expect to start her off again just after New Year. Short video
And out at Bonchester under the care of Ruth Jardine are a couple of 2 year olds. 'Les' is our Pastoral Pursuits gelding who's been in training here during the summer, and should make a nice 3 year old and, who knows, maybe a future dual purpose type.
Also with Ruth is another sibling to Eternally Yours, 'Mac', a gelding by Midnight Legend who'll be going off to Gary (hopefully) to be broken-in just after the turn of the year.

Well, I mean there's no point in standing still is there?

2 year old gelding by Midnight Legend

And finally.....

The start of new jumps season has also seen the start of a new season of Racing UKs magazine programme 'Luck on Sunday'.

The content is so good that could easily leave a link on here each week.
I suspect Nick himself has a large say in the guests and topics discussed and it is normally possible to view sections of the Sunday morning show via their website.

But I couldn't let one of this morning's interviews escape your attention.
It is particular enthralling as Nick chats to owner-breeder Phillipa Cooper (of Normandie Stud) about her love of horses, owning, buying a stud & broodmare, expansion of her breeding, luck, successes, failures, trainers.....
If you have a spare half hour or so, you can view (for as long as it exists) the extract here.

Oh, and be sure to catch the last 5 minutes as it's priceless!!