10 degrees here today and such a difference from last week! Harry Stock and Kai Lenehan in this morning and although most cantered, we did work a few including Robsam, Eclat Des Mottes, City Never Sleeps and Enforcement and I was pleased with all four.
Two runners today and the first one is at Hereford – Batsford Stud Racing Club’s Miss Antipova under James Best. Alan & Anna Varey’s mare hasn’t run since September and although she’s a busy mare at home and Vicki does very well on her, I think she could just need the run. She did very well, as you would expect, going home for a break after her last run, her chasing debut, and has been back here since Christmas. It will be great to get a run into her though and I don’t think she deserves to be quite the price she is!
Then over at Kempton on the all weather David Parry’s mare Dariya runs in a mile 1/2 handicap under Callum Hutchinson, who rode her last time. I was impressed with Callum, whose father Wayne won on Wolf Moon at Cheltenham for us, as his video de-brief was very good and he rang me up the next morning to find out how Dariya was too which really impresses me.
I’m possibly very ‘old school’ with that but I think it makes a huge difference when a jockey goes to the trouble of calling the Trainer the next day to find out all is well and to discuss the race, if need be too. It only takes a bit more effort than a text but to me means so much more. Hopefully she’ll build on her run last time – we are running her on the all weather as there is no point running on the turf at the moment as it’s far too wet.
Happy Birthday to Paddy Berkins today who is our Travelling Head Lad (although I think ‘Person’ is the PC word these days!). He’s got the week off so hopefully, although he obviously can’t go anywhere, he’s enjoying putting his feet up for a few days.