News

The first runner since the previous update was the returned GOLD CLERMONT, who went to Exeter for the Devon National as she became unqualified for the Eider Chase due to Mr Vango declaring. We had to set off prior to the morning inspection, the existence of which was fairly good news, because splashing around in…
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Suzy Wood: How did your second hurdles run go? Monansunu: We should change the subject. The race was spoiled by our chesnut enemies. S: I checked the racecard and thirteen of the fifteen in it were bays. M: You would not believe the trouble that the other two caused though. S: The form book says…
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Apparently St Scholastica, the founder of the Benedictine order of nuns, is traditionally invoked against storms and rain. The message from early 2026 is that she might have taken her eye off the ball a little in that respect.   On to the horses. The next runner to appear after the last update was MONANSUNU,…
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Today’s update commemorates Saint Devota, who is the patron saint of Corsica and Monaco. Her body was being transported from Corsica to North Africa for burial but the boat ended up in Monaco, so she ought also to be the patron saint of poor navigation. A barmy few days at Shovelstrode since the last update.…
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Today would have been the 138th birthday of folk blues pioneer Lead Belly, in the unlikely event that he were still alive. YASMINA makes it into her second update of the week. We sent her to Windsor as she had come out of her previous race in tip top nick and there was a hefty…
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Suzy Wood: Word on the street is that you had a race over hurdles. Monansunu: Yes. It’s a bit of a weird thing to do, isn’t it? S: Not really. Only a weird horse would find it strange. This is not the first weird thing that you have said whilst denying any weirdness in yourself.…
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A generic header, as 12th January 2026 covers both the 150th birthday of Jack London and the 50th anniversary of Agatha Christie’s death. So very much a swings and roundabouts moment, depending on how broad your literary tastes may be. Since the last update we had a festive spell without runners. Given there being plenty…
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As everyone surely knew, 16th of December is the Day of Neutrality, at least it is in Turkmenistan, when everyone wears beige or light grey and defers making a decision on anything to 17th or later. There are other conventions, but that pair are the ones that matter. The update on recent runners is broadly…
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Suzy Wood: I have spent a lot of time lately musing on the nature of sporting identity. Monansunu: Why? S: Because it underpins the nature of success. After I found out that there is no need to go as fast as I possibly can from the moment that the flag falls, it is apparent that…
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Yes, it is the 115th anniversary of the first public demonstration of neon lighting. Astronomers everyhwere heave a mighty sigh of despair. And that was something we sort of did on Monday at Plumpton. BIRDMAN BOB returned to the scene of his recent success and failed narrowly to follow up. He jumped excellently in front…
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