We have two left in the Derby going into the third round and I’ve unpacked the budgie smugglers just in case!

It’s a long story going back to last winter when Kevin Heilbron, the owner of Newinn Yolo had a holiday in the Bahamas. He was telling me what a fantastic place it was and then suddenly said ‘tell you what – if Yolo wins the Derby, I’ll take you there myself’

I think it might be a bit premature to buy any suntan lotion but I couldn’t be happier with the dog.

Gary Matthews, the Wimbledon racing manager, said before the first round that Yolo’s heat was one of the hardest. It was a similar story in the second round, but he came through both unscathed.

I thought his win in the second round was possibly the best of his career. We have always known that he has top class early pace, but he doesn’t show it every time.

He has drawn three with Farloe Blitz in red and track record holder Eden The Kid in four. Blitz did 27.99 last time out, Yolo did 28.03 and Eden The Kid recorded 28.15.

I can’t expect Yolo to lead, but he generally traps well from three. If he ever gets his nose in front, I would be quite confident. Or to put it another way, I would love to train a dog that could come from behind him.

Its tough, but I don’t see any point in panicking and putting extra pressure on ourselves. Yolo doesn’t know who he is up against and we certainly aren’t going to change anything in his routine. I think there is a temptation to try to interfere as a trainer, but whose benefit are you doing it for – yours or the dog’s?

We also have Ascot Woodie through in heat four. He ran great to qualify after finding early trouble. He outpaced every dog in the field along the backstraight and only just failed to hold off Droopys Ward.

We know he is probably on bonus time but we has been a welcome distraction for owners Alan and Tony Newitt. Alan’s wife died within the last fortnight and although they haven’t been able to come to the track, they tell me that Woodie has given them some form of relief.

Sadly, we weren’t so fortunate with Swift Hoffman who went out in the last round when virtually poleaxed at the first bend.

We always knew that it was the one place that he was vulnerable and he ran brilliantly to finish fourth beaten under seven lengths.

I am a little concerned that it might affect his confidence and we are keeping our options open for his next race.

He came off sore anyway, and although he appears okay by this morning (Monday), he really did take a hell of a whack.

The long term aim would be for the Select Stakes at Nottingham (July 21) – if invited. I would also like to think that Yolo could take part in it too.

 

Extremes of weather play havoc on going allowances and unfortunately track preparation still varies a lot more than it should.

In the winter we worry about frozen tracks. In the summer, the dangers are from tracks that are too dry.

For the next few weeks, I will be avoiding certain tracks because they dig them up too often and can’t then keep them damp enough during racing and trials.

You can see it on the dogs when they get back to the paddocks, absolutely caked in sand. Then all the way home, you can hear them coughing up sand.

Wimbledon is generally excellent, apart from their Wednesday morning trials sessions which I would rather avoid.

These days though, I think Newcastle probably set the standard. William Hill spent a fortune on resurfacing their tracks a couple of years ago and it was money well spent.

Perry Barr is also superb and I run my dogs there throughout the year. I would also have to include Nottingham on my short list.

In the winter, it can be variable on a Monday night, when they are trying to protect it for Tuesday morning BAGS, but in the summer it is as good as anywhere in the country.

The biggest frustration is that some tracks take great exception to trainers questioning what they have done.

I don’t think tracks should be criticised in the press or the paddock, but if a trainer politely and privately explains his or her concerns to the management, they shouldn‘t be penalised for it.

The dogs should always come first and assuming the tracks are preparing the tracks for the welfare of the dogs – which they undoubtedly are – what is wrong in drawing attention to a racing manager if they have got it wrong?