What a wonderful Aintree meeting and a fantastic race for Tiger Roll to win the Grand National on Saturday – just goes to show that horses don’t have to be big as he was the smallest horse in the field. Super for Davy Russell too and we all loved his post race interview – he mentioned helping his father cut the grass as a child at this time of year and making Aintree fences to jump….I know two other young boys who have spent the week jumping aintree fences on foot (and one on a Shetland too!)! Through ITV’s coverage hopefully other children might get the racing bug too and be encouraged into this wonderful way of life one way or another.
We’ve had no runners whilst the ground has been so wet but our grass gallops and schooling ground have stood up to the rain well and we’ve therefore been able to do plenty of schooling. We now have 10 flights of hurdles spread out alongside the second half of our carpet and grass gallops which teaches our young horses so much more. We schooled most of the string on Saturday and were schooling again this morning – something I believe in so much as horses must arrive at the track well schooled and knowing their job as best they can.
This morning Sporty Yankee, Morning Herald and Solstice Star jumped the fences. 2nd Lot we took Enforcement (Tinks) and Matravers (Harry) to Jon Trice-Rolph’s and both really pleased me and are learning with every schooling session. I’ve said it before but Jon is a fabulous teacher of horses and riders too and Tinks and Harry benefit so much from the sessions and that can only reflect on us positively too.
Jon Hughes, our Chairman, has been here all morning and was also pleased with his Enforcement who will go juvenile hurdling soon. We met with Kay Scriven from Spillers who brought cakes for all the team. We had a very worthwhile meeting and we look forward to working more closely with Spillers in the future. Farrier Nick Partridge, Physio Maggie Turner and our vet Jeremy Swan were also in this morning and we finished the morning with a Team Meeting making lots of plans!
A runner tomorrow! Our first of the month when Lerichi Belle goes to Exeter under Harry Stock for The Transporters.
Well done to Max Comley, who rides out for us most Saturdays, for riding his first winner at Andoversford Point to Point yesterday, a day he’ll never forget.