The weather has made life very difficult in the last couple of weeks. We’ve had so much rain that the place has been flooded and it has been very difficult to work with the dogs at home.
So we made plans to send some for trials and had the worst overnight frost of the winter. The trial session still went ahead and although the track was quite firm, I don’t believe there were any injuries.
But after the run that we’ve been on, we didn’t risk the pups who were put back in the van.
Thankfully we did eventually manage to get a couple of trials at Dunham schooling track. It’s a decent circuit, albeit a four hour round trip.
I like to give them all at least four sprint solos before they have a mixed four-bend trial and it could take a while to get those in if the weather gets worse.
We only have plans to enter in one competition this winter, the Coronation Cup at Romford with Swift Carter.
He is a cracking little dog who ran well to finish third in the Eclipse but really needs further. I think the 575 at Romford will suit him down to the ground.
Ascot Woodie is three and a half so there is little point in laying him off over the winter, but we will probably only race two or three dogs until the spring.
Even if I was a regular at Sittingbourne, the date for the Trainers Championship would mean it would be impossible to compete in it.
We are currently fourth on the table and would expect to qualify, but all the kennel stars will be on their beds in mid-February.
It is a shame because the two nights when we have competed have been thoroughly enjoyable.
Jimmy Wright is currently in the sixth qualifying place and being based where he is, will probably face the same issues. That’s a shame because it should be something we could all look forward to.
We had mixed news on the three dogs injured at Belle Vue. The worst prognosis was with New York Cityboy.
He had what vet Daniel Doherty described as ‘one of the worst hock injuries he had ever seen’ with breaks to the central and fourth tarsal.
He will never race again which is heartbreaking for such a young dog with four open race wins from his only six races.
Thankfully, the management from a Midlands track phoned and offered to put the dog through their retirement scheme which was a fantastic gesture and gratefully received.
The news on the other two, Aero Inferno and Peerless Trio was altogether more optimistic.
They both had hairline cracks of hocks and should return as good as new after a couple of months on their beds.
I am gutted that they have missed their chances in the Laurels and Oaks, but pragmatically, after that, they would probably have been laid off for the winter anyway.
I have been following the developments in horse racing in the Racing Post with great interest.
For anybody not following the issue, basically, horse racing has said it doesn’t want sponsorship from any bookmaker who doesn’t contribute from their overseas internet betting operations.
It’s a very brave move by the horse people who must feel confident that they can force the issue.
The exceptions to the non-sponsorship agreement are the companies who are ‘preferred betting partners’ who do pay up.
And who do you think is among them? The parasites at Betfair!!
They won’t pay into the BGRF, but suck up to horse racing.
I really hope the Government steps in and sorts them all out.
