Clondaw Robin blog – April 2026

Apologies if this blog does not make sense. Suzy Wood went off on her summer holiday and just dumped it on me with the instruction “do the blog and don’t ruin it.” I mean, as a mission statement it is a bit vague and I have had to put up with Wait In The Wings complaining that he should be the blogger. Grumpy Young Horse it would probably be called.

{Fear not, assistance is available – Ed.}

When you say “assistance” do you mean “do all the work for me” and will I get to keep the blog permanently?

{Possession, they say, is nine-tenths of the law – Ed.}

Maths is not my strong point, is that a lot?  Anyway, I saw a news story in the Racing Post that the sprinter Oxted was due to make a comeback after five years off because he was bored with being retired. All I can say is that the horse is a fool. I have not been retired long but I would say it is great. I get to spend all my time in a field, with an oaf in tow to perform all my mundane obligations for me. Every time I think the field is looking a bit the worse for wear or a change of scenery is due, someone comes and moves us to a new field. They do like to tease us with the threat of going into a stable, but I have found that if I put on a bit of a spurt (a walking pace spurt, but a spurt nonetheless!) as we go through the yard, that danger is soon behind me.

{So no plans for a glorious comeback? – Ed}

I decline to get involved in any activity that will involve me travelling in a horsebox.

{What if Andy builds a new racecourse on the gallops? – Ed}

Too far to walk, would need a horsebox, so off of the agenda. I am channelling my competitiveness into playing chess against Privatearing. The good thing about this is that I always win because he is only interested in moving the knight around the board in repeating circles. You may congratulate me on my excellence as Bath Field Chess Champion if you wish.

<pause>

Nothing? OK, have it your way. If I get bored with chess, I have an idea for a television programme, which I will call “Horse Vs Food.” The premise is that Andy gives me enormous amounts of hay, which I eat as quickly as possible. At various points there will be digressions for tasting notes on the grass in various fields. It cannot fail.

I am also advised that I am expected to answer questions that the general public have sent in. From my initial reading there is a lot of paranoid nonsense about chesnut horses taking over the yard. Absolute balderdash, and nothing should be read into me being the new controller of the blog. Nothing should be read into it. Nothing.

Question of the month comes from a Mr H Kane of Munich, who suspiciously seemed to know ahead of time that I would be running the blog. He asks: “You came over from Ireland to race in Britain. Did you ever have moments when you regretted it? I have occasionally felt a pang of guilt about leaving Spurs.” Well Mr Kane, as soon as I was unloaded from the horsebox all was well in the world, and I was quite happy to stay at Shovelstrode as long as they did not make me go further afield than Plumpton and Lingfield. As for your connect to Spurs, whoever they are, don’t worry as I am sure they will have been fine since you left.

See you all next month.