Marsh Court showed a step up on her previous form this season when she finished 2nd yesterday at Plumpton in a mares handicap hurdle over 2m5.  We decided to put her back over hurdles, having appeared to loose her confidence over fences after her fall at Ffos Las earlier in the season.  We put David Bass up as we thought the mare would benefit from his 7lbs claim in heavy ground, and we put her in blinkers for the first time in order to concentrate her mind.  She ran a far better race and was not beaten far. I'd say we'll try to keep her to mares handicap hurdles for the time being, and then pop her back over fences in the spring.

We run Knighton Combe tomorrow at Folkestone in the Kent National.  Unfortunately he has top weight, but then he deserves it as he's run so well this season.  The ground will be pretty testing, but he's very tough and genuine, and should run another sound race for us.  Daryl is unable to ride him, so we have a very able substitute in Tom O'Brien, so fingers crossed we can give him a winner....

Yesterday was a big learning day for Sultan de Touzaine.   As the tapes went back he was jumped into and he shot off with his head in the air. Once he saw daylight he proceeded to run blindly whilst holding his breath for the first mile of the race.  Needless to say he finished and was a little bit wobbly.  However, he recovered quickly enough, and is A1 today.  We know he is a better horse than that, and the occasion just got to him. Next time we'll drop him right in, and settle him, once settled, he'll relax, and breathe, and therefore be able to run a race.  We've just got to draw a line through that and go again.

The band wagon rolls on to Doncaster tomorrow, where we run Knighton Combe in the big staying chase over 4 miles.  He is in super form having won 4 of his last 5 races, however the handicapper has had his say and he is now 20 pounds higher than he won his first race.  Lets hope the handicapper hasn't cought up with him just yet.........

We had a fun day at Taunton yesterday as Horseshoe Reef ran in a hot Novice Hurdle - having his first run for us.  He jumped brilliantly out in front, and was just touched off when finishing third (only beaten 2 lengths). He was a good horse on the flat in Australia, and is a natural jumper, so his career should blossom now. He is part owned by the Horseshoe Inn (our village pub), but half of him is still for sale - so do let me know if anyone is interested. 

Marsh Court ran last week, and disappointed. The fall she took at Ffos Las seems to have shaken her confidence, so we'll pop her back over hurdles and then we will step her up in trip on better ground.  Mista Rossa ran today at Exeter in a bog.  He ran well enough considering the ground was so terrible, and he'd missed a bit of work due to a stone bruise in his foot.  I do like him and I'm sure he'll have his day on some better ground once handicapping.

Tomorrow we head to Wincanton with our first 'home grown' youngster.  Sultan de Touzaine makes his racecourse debut in the bumper, he is a lovely type who will be a smashing horse in the future.  We rate this horse highly, but whatever he achieves this season will be a bonus as he jumps brilliantly.  It will be an emotional day for Judy (his owner), and all her family, so I hope he runs nicely and comes home having enjoyed himself.

We have been back to normal now for a week, and have put some serious work into all the horses.  Marsh Court was all set to run at Newbury on Wednesday, but that was snowed off, and so we declared her for Ludlow on Thursday - only for that to be off too!  As a result we have yet to have a runner in 2010.  All that is set to change tomorrow as Too Forward is running at Wincanton in the big 2m5 (0-125) Handicap Chase. He finished third for us last season at Cheltenham off a mark of 135, and the handicapper has given the old boy a chance by dropping him to a mark of 125.  We are claiming off top weight with Jimmy Derham (claims 7lbs), so theoretically he is off a mark of 118.  He should have a very good chance, given the heavy ground is in his favour- fingers crossed....

Today we took two lorry loads of bumper horses to Kempton to give them some experience away from home.  Horseshoe Reef acted as a lead horse, and we took Graduation Night, Sultan de Touzaine, Valoroso, and an unnamed Snurge.  It was a serious bit of work, and was very beneficial.  Graduation Night and Sultan de Touzaine are ready for their first runs, and will go in the next week or so, as will Horseshoe Reef.  The other two worked very well, but are a few weeks behind, and will be out later in the season.  It is so nice to have a good bunch of young horses, as they are the future - and it looks very promising....!

The snow is still here and its still cold, but we have managed to clear a route up to the "all-weather", and cleared the snow off the loop of the gallop.  Therefore we have got all the horses out and hacking around the loop.  It is not ideal, but at least they are ticking over.  All the staff have worked very hard, and it hasn't been easy, but I am sure its the same for everyone.  I'd actually say that we are probably very lucky to be able to get all the horses out and exercised.  If the forecasters are correct then we are in this 'big freeze' for another 10 days, so I cant see there being racing on for a good couple of weeks.  We'll take each day as it comes, but fingers crossed we have a good system in place now.

In the meantime, do have a look at our Horses In Training page, as I have recently updated it, and there may be some interesting new horses for people to look at.....!?!

This snow is now proving a little bit frustrating...!  We have managed to get all the horses out each day so far, but with temperatures dropping to -7 again last night, on top of a covering of snow we are starting to struggle.  The last thing we want is an accident to happen to either horse or jockey.  The horse walker is proving invaluable at a time like this.  Its been on since 6am this morning, and will go til 6pm this evening.  Every horse will be on for at least 2 one hour sessions today - which equates to 10 miles of walking a day, as its set at 5mph.  When the sun rises later on, I will see if we can get a few horses out onto the gallop, but at the moment its not looking likely.

On another rather annoying point - Knighton Combe went up a further 2lbs in the handicap on Tuesday for just standing in his box....!  Gentle Ranger, who finished 2nd to us at Newbury, went out to finish 2nd again at Cheltenham on New Years day, which has meant that the handicapper has decided we are better than a figure of 127, and bumped us up again to 129.  I appreciate it is his job to reassess the horses, but I think really the rule should state that he can only reassess them when they next run.  Heyho, lets just hope he proves them right next time he runs, which was going to be the North Yorkshire Grand National on 14th January, but with this snow hindering our progress slightly, we may have to take a rain check on that one.  There is a race at Haydock on 23rd, or I might pop him in a 3m3 Novice Hurdle at Fontwell on the 25th. 

Another wasted journey yesterday - this time we went to Haydock with Horseshoe Reef.  Haydock passed an inspection at 8am, and we set off for the 5 hour trek to the course.  It was only at 12.30 that Haydock decided that they couldn't race, and we turned round and came home - thats a 10 hour drive for nothing...!  Now I know we have had some bad weather, but I have some new owners involved in Horseshoe Reef, and they are left with a sour taste in their mouths after some poor decision making on behalf of these clerks of courses. 

It was a cold morning yesterday - I knew that when we were feeding at 6am, I knew an hour later when we were out on first lot, I knew it was when we were on the way up to Haydock.  Now I'm no genius, but if I knew it was a cold morning, why didn't anyone seem to notice at Haydock, or at Folkestone 4 days earlier....?  The picture in the paper this morning was of two jockeys standing on the last fence at Haydock.  If its frozen at 12 noon, don't tell me it wasn't frozen at 8am!  The owners are left to pick up the costs, and the racecourses just roll over and move on.  If punters get their money back if the race is off, then why don't owners.  Without owners there is no racing, and owners should be looked after.

Knighton Combe (aka Conkers) has done it again - another win on a Grade 1 track.  This time he won at Newbury yesterday over the Henessey course and distance. Again we all had our hearts in our mouths as he won by a neck....!  He is such a star, as he just tries so very hard, and has a tremendous will to win.  Providing the handicapper doesn't have too harsh a look at him, then I am looking towards the North Yorkshire Grand National at the end of January.

Marsh Court ran at Newbury yesterday as well - and she finished 3rd.  She seemed to drop herself out of the race at the start, and didn't jump with much zest (presumably remembering her fall at Ffos Las), and then she ran on and came with a wet sail at the end, and could have gone round again....! 

After yesterday's great day, it was apt that we had our yard Christmas party last night as well.  So we all went up to The Horseshoe Inn, for our turkey supper.  It was a fitting way to end a fun day.

Our luck today had rather run out.  We had Xtravaganza running at Exeter, and after her good 2nd at Towcester last time, we thought she had a good each way chance again.  However, she gurgled turning into the straight, and finished mid div.  We'll get her examined this week by our vet.  Saddlewood ran at Ludlow, and she gurgled as well, so the same applies to her. It was her first run over hurdles and she jumped really nicely, and would prefer better ground as well - so I'm sure we'll see her in better light once the sun comes back out.....!

We've had a couple of new arrivals today at Manor Farm.  Harry Findlay has sent us a 4 year old filly by Montjeu called Mount Lavinia.  She is rated 81 on the flat and has won 3 times over trips ranging from 1m2 to 1m6, so she should be a fun recruit to jumping.  We have also received a 7 year old mare called Briteside who has been placed on 4 of her 6 starts in Point-to-Points and has run in a couple of Novice hurdles.  She has just had a wind op, so fingers crossed we might find a little handicap for her at some stage this season.

We had a weekend without a runner, so we decided to send a couple out hunting as they were meeting in Bowerchalke.  Kate went on a very nice three year old we have called Sultan de Touzaine, and Lucy went on Horseshoe Reef.  They had a fun day with lots of jumping, and it will have done them both a lot of good.  There is still one leg still available to buy of Horseshoe Reef, he is ready to run, so if anyone wants to enter into our pubs little syndicate then let me know.

We run Mista Rossa tomorrow at Fontwell, he only had a school around last week, so hopefully we'll learn a bit more about him tomorrow.  I'll keep you posted.

Quondor Noire ran yesterday at Hereford and finished third. It was over 3 miles 1 which was always going to be a slight question mark.  He ran and jumped well, but just didn't stay.  Daryl gave him a good confidence giving ride, and advised us to drop him back in trip.  There are a couple of options over the next two weeks, so fingers crossed we can get him into the winners enclosure.

We ran Mista Rossa for the first time yesterday as well.  He came to us off the flat where he was rated 70, and had won over 1mile 2 to 1 mile 4.  He has jumped well for us, and I was hoping for a nice run.  However, we were brought to a standstill jumping the second flight, and so Daryl popped him around for the experience.  He'll be a nice horse for us, and I hope we can get him back onto the track in a week or so.