Nigel McAllen, Roger & Rosemary Sollis and Paul Davis were yesterday morning to watch the horses on the gallops and catch up with the team. Belinda & I weren’t back until 2nd lot after staying over in Warwickshire after the Foxtrot Racing Annual Party but more about that later. Harry Stock, Miranda Theobald and Violaine, a vet from Cheltenham Equine Practice were all in to ride out and Freddie was keen to ride out too.
With some horses working on Friday, just a few worked yesterday including Fiddledi Dee, Mahanakhon Power, Mr Mafia and Back On The Lash. The rest just cantered and we have even brought two of our three year olds, Kalibrate and Genovese into work and they cantered on the loop gallop. We’ve had them since foals and so it’s great to have them in the yard and they’ll be soon going out with the whole string. How time flies!
So a fabulous night celebrating Foxtrot Racing’s brilliant season of 22 winners so far and Dan Abraham does such a great job and there were over 100 of their syndicate members there having a great night too. Supper was delicious and we had a fun table including our Compere for the evening – Luke Harvey and we enjoyed entertainment during our supper from a fantastic Magician.
Belinda was smugly telling people beforehand that I had to go up and be interviewed whereas she could simply enjoy the evening so she was in for a shock when Luke Harvey invited some of the Trainer’s wives up to speak so he could find out far more about us Trainers! She reluctantly joined Grace Skelton and Sally Randall, partner of Fergal O’Brien and she did really well and the audience loved listening to the girls – and we unsurprisingly received a bit of banter too!
Luke was brilliant, as always, interviewing all of us Trainers too and, whilst we didn’t win the famous Foxtrot quiz, a great night was had by all. Somehow we got back before 2nd lot as she wasn’t going to give up riding Mafia or Sarasota Star, Harry needed to be organised to leave for football by 9am and I was aware owners were in as well that I was keen to see. No rest for the wicked!
One of our two Foxtrot horses runs today – Witness Protection in a Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase at Newton Abbot. (The lovely big mare Pay The Woman is our other Foxtrot horse who has won both her starts for us). Witness is, as usual, partnered by James Best and, despite there only being 4 runners, it’s a red hot little race. We swerved Chepstow yesterday over hurdles because I was a bit worried about the ground and the recent rain at Newton Abbot has resulted in good, good to soft ground which should be ideal. He will come on for the run but should do himself justice today too I hope.
We have a few Team Keighley birthdays today so a huge happy birthday to Ollie Ryan, Martin Jones and Sue Wilson with apologies for any I’ve inevitably missed out! Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone.