26th March 2012

I cannot really believe that its March - the temperature is incredible, and it feels like summer is here.  Unfortunately, that has meant that the ground is drying up everywhere, which is not ideal at this time of year. 

Despite missing a few vital bits of work, we decided to run Miss Milborne at Newbury on Saturday in the listed mares novice hurdle final, and she ran a cracker to be 4th.  She adores soft ground, and relishes the mud, and unfortunately the ground was drying all day, and was officially good, but was riding on the quicker side.  So to be a touch short of peak fitness, and not have her ideal ground conditions, I think it was an awesome performance, and shows what a tough mare she is. 

Marodima ran again at Newbury on Saturday, and was 2nd.  He ran another stormer, and was beaten only 4 lengths.  I am not sure Newbury is really his course, as he doesn't get very high at his fences, and you cannot really get away with that at a grade 1 track, and so it proved.  However, he has been a star for us over the last 2 months, and deserves a little break now.  His problems are well documented, but at the moment we seem to be on top of them.  Fingers crossed it will rain in April, and we may get him out then, before a summer holiday.

"So that is what Daddy is training!" 

Lettie doing her 'homework'......