News

Was it only this time last month that the weather seemed quite reasonable for the time of year? Is this the right time of year for rhetorical questions? We took a couple of runners to a very windy Market Rasen, where the going was not the glutinous mess that the advance report implied, but was…
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Update from the barn, where the deer and the antelope roam. How has the dove become a symbol of peace when they are in reality amongst the most annoying of birds? Probably chosen by somebody who never had to live in close contact with doves. Or maybe had peacocks nearby and decided that anything less…
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After a spell of encouraging runs all round, the outings around the end of November were notable for not all turning out to be the steps forward expected. GODOT got bogged down in the copious mud at Southwell, BACKINFORGLORY found the lesser sogginess at Lingfield still a bit too taxing (she looks like good ground…
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Into winter with a winner! The goods were delivered by BIRDMAN BOB at Plumpton, with Philip Armson riding. He had been in good form on the gallops, but we did fear that the race was not enough of a stamina test, being a two miler on good to soft ground. On the railway bend, he…
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A couple of runners this week and both finished third. Wily old veteran SHAW’S CROSS made a very solid debut for us at Fakenham, just being outpaced from the second last, after he had helped scare half the opposition into defeat. He saw out the race to the line, and that should have teed him…
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In the last month the novelty of staying indoors to help the leg repairs has rather worn off. I did promise everyone that if they let me go out in a field, I would not indulge in any bucking, kicking, larking about or anything that may cause an injury setback. Obviously that promise was not…
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The November unleashing of the string took a few days extra to begin due to Lingfield being off and then BACKINFORGLORY being balloted out at Huntingdon, where they have marked a busy run of fixtures by starting building work that reduces the stable capacity to fifty-one. And seven race cards do not help chances of…
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Just a quick addition. We have yet to field a runner this autumn as the dry weather meant that we had been unable to get the horses out for an essential couple of gallops on grass. However, recent rain has meant that it has been possible to get over to the hills of Woldingham on…
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Since announcing my retirement the quest has been on to decide what my next career move should be. In an ideal world it will involve being in a field when it is sunny and in a stable when it is not. Rain is fine, as long as the sun is out at the same time.…
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A big thank you to the many people who visited for our National Racehorse Week event last Saturday. The weather was very helpful and we hope that everybody who came to Shovelstrode had a good visit – and that it carried on for those that moved off to Lingfield in the afternoon. The horses all…
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