Rain, rain and more rain! Work morning and lots working as so many still to run. Warren Marston and Harry Greasby both in to ride out this morning. Great to see Neville and Pam Statham too here to watch Weyburn, Young Phoenix and Sporty Yankee work. Nev has recently had a heart operations so it was brilliant to see him looking so well. Third lot John and Claire Abernethy were here to watch Mr Mafia and Hartshorne Abbie work and were pleased with them.
We also worked Brillare Momento, Back on the Lash, Ballymountain Boy, Cut & Run, Lerichi Belle, Pomme De Nuit, Morning Herald, Oscar World, Ask Alice, Chequered View, By Sulanami, Enforcement, Dr Dunraven, Solstice Star, Reve, Buckle Street, Raving Bonkers, Madame Fiona, Sugar Storm, By Presenting, Lord Condi, Matravers and Primogeniture. All the rest cantered. Frankie Kelly was in for the morning to help out on her Easter holiday and was rewarded with a walk and trot on the loop on Champion Court.
After fourth lot John and Claire took myself, Belinda and the boys to The Hollow Bottom and they treated us to a delicious lunch – lots of fun. They too are looking forward to a dry spell so their two horses can re-appear!
We were pleased to see Pete Wilson evening stables and especially Freddie as Pete called up to see us and gave Freddie, not only a photo book from his exciting pony race at Cheltenham recently, but a huge framed photo and some separate photos too – very generous and kind of him and we are so lucky to have him as a friend of the yard and as part of our Racing Club.
Yesterday RSN Services arrived with our supply of shavings and haylage too – this time the lorry was driven by Ollie Garner’s father Sebastian who hasn’t visited the yard before. Sebastian is the Chief Steward at the Royal Windsor Horse Show and Olympia and is the guru behind the Shetland Grand National that raises so much money each year for The Bob Champion Cancer Trust. Bizarrely at the very same time that Seb arrived, a shetland pony called Billy arrived for Freddie to have a sit on. What a dude Billy is and Freddie’s confidence has been boosted hugely from two Pony Club pony races so they had good fun jumping the mini hurdles we’ve got! The Shetland Grand National circuit looks a lot of fun with the ponies racing at all the big shows during the summer from Badminton to Royal Windsor to Gatcombe etc – lifelong friends made and so much fun I’m sure.