Although we’ve had a quiet week runners wise there has been plenty to do around the yard and on the gallops/schooling ground so we have had a busy week work wise and looking forward to a bit of a family day tomorrow after the Tuesday declarations have been sorted.
This morning was really busy as we had Richard Johnson in to school along with James Best, Lilly Pinchin and young Fern O’Brien too and, with a few of our team away today and wanting to school as many as possible, we persuaded some old faces back to ride out. Ollie Garner, whose Cotswold Forage company supplies us with our haylage and bedding was back in to ride old favourite Solstice Star, Ollie was a Conditional Jockey here quite a few years ago now. Alice Smith, who has ridden out regularly until the beginning of the year, was back in and re-united with one of her favourite horses Debden Bank and she was thrilled how well he felt. We also had Chris Dee, Jelly Nolan and Harry Greasby in too which was a great help.
Warren Marston was in to ride fast work on Zara Tindall’s Cut And Run who came back this morning ahead of coming back into training in the next week or so. She worked really well with Sarasota Star (Belinda) and looks an absolute picture. We also had HRH The Princess Royal’s Cloud Formation in to school over fences and he looks a picture too and has really matured and strengthened up since he was here running in bumpers.
I’ve been spiking and watering the schooling ground for 72 hours and the recent rain over that time too has been a huge help so I was pleased we were able to school on the grass as nothing beats it. I’ve rebuilt some of the fences this week too as with plenty of use they were a bit worn in places.
We schooled Miss Antipova, Enforcement Ben Buie, Found On, Eclat Des Mottes, Capricia, Dreamsundermyfeet, Lord Condi, Solstice Star, Back on the Lash, Reve, Cotswold Prince, Debden Bank, Cloud Formation and City Never Sleeps. Paul Davis, who runs our Racing Club and our Syndicates, brought sister Wendy and niece Nathalie to visit us for the first time – they couldn’t have come on a much more exciting morning!
Unfortunately youngest son Harry plays football matches on a Saturday morning so we struggle to watch him play and are fortunate that his friend Archie’s plays and his parents Tracey & Neil very kindly take him for us. Today they were playing against Eastcombe near Stroud and it was great having WhatsApp messages after each goal – he scored 4 times to help them win 9-1 or 10-1 dependent upon who you ask! A great win either way and Harry is buzzing. Brother Freddie is in action tomorrow and is new to his team so hasn’t scored for them yet and the pressure is on….!