29th April 2013

Our second season at Folly House draws to a close and we have finished 70th in the trainers championship with an 11% strike rate, and 50% of our horses finishing placed. We had 14 winners amassing over £91,000 in prize money, with 11 of our 30 horses winning.  It has been a good season, but we just dipped below last seasons totals, and I must say the weather hasn't helped in that aspect.  However, we have had an awful lot of young horses this season, and we look to have built up a decent squad for next season.  We are now beginning to rough off a lot of our 'winter' horses but will have about 10 or so horses for the summer months.

We have had a busy last couple of weeks, and I was chuffed that Jamesson won last Friday at Plumpton.  He broke his back last March, and it has been a long road back, but Gavin Sheehan gave him a fabulous ride to the letter of our instructions, and I am as pleased for the horse as I am for his owners who have showed an awful lot of faith and patience.

Jamesson flying the last at Plumpton on route to winning.

Of our other runners, it was great to get Tea Caddy back onto the track at Wincanton having had over a year on the sidelines - she ran a lovely race to be third.  Jean Flemming ran her heart out under a penalty to be 2nd at Fontwell under a tough Richard Johnson ride - she will make up into a smashing chaser next season after a summer holiday. Houndscourt ran another cracker to be 2nd again in a novice hurdle - he's a touch unlucky to have bumped into another decent sort, but his time must surely be just around the corner.  He is another who will make up into a gorgeous chaser..... Ixora ran well on her comeback run to be 4th in the mares final at Cheltenham - it poured with rain for a couple of hours prior to her race, which certainly didn't help her - but I was pleased with her run, and she should be able to pay her way again over the summer months.  Royal Macnab ran well enough in the bumper at Huntingdon yesterday - he's not a bumper type, and we probably made too much use of him early on.  I think he'll turn out to be a very useful prospect when sent jumping.  It was a shame Breaking Bits came to grief at the 4th flight at Ludlow yesterday - I think he would have gone very close, and he too should lose his maiden tag before long.