News

A date for the future. We will be hosting a visit on Sat 16th September as part of National Racehorse Week. See https://nationalracehorseweek.uk for details. We have had several new arrivals. Due to the retiral of Paul Henderson from the training ranks, we have been sent a couple of horses by John Finch, those being…
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When I last updated, things were pretty civilised at Shovelstrode. I was in a box next to Harry Hazard and all of the other horses were out in a field, busily proving my point that they really cannot be left unsupervised. The optimal situation is one with me being the supervisor, obviously. The good aspect…
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We had a couple of third places over the end of May bank holiday weekend. On Sunday Monty’s Award was not totally comfortable with the good to firm ground at Fontwell, but he looked after himself, as he is inclined to do, and emerged unscathed and in the frame. A day later we took Harry…
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Went to Plumpton in the rain. It sounds like it is a folk song, but it is actually something that I did. If I am going to be honest, it was a more pleasant day out than I was expecting, but the pressure was on. All the time that I was looking to hold on…
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The new season began rather well with GODOT winning a very competitive handicap hurdle at Kempton on May Bank Holiday. After his sound round of jumping at Plumpton, he repeated the dose here, apart from a slightly less fluent than ideal attempt at the last, but he had the energy in reserve to hold at…
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GOLD CLERMONT just failed to make it her third win of the season at Plumpton. She was a lot happier there than she had been when beaten at Hereford, and put it a gutsy display to worry an in form winner all the way to the line. With the last day of the season coming…
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Here we are in April and it was getting dangerously close to me having to take part in a race, but just when I heard people using offensive language like “he is more or less fit enough” then we had a few days rain and that should keep me snug and warm at home for…
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A nicely productive Easter time, without having to make any reference to eating of chocolate eggs. Oops. The highlight was an overdue success for GODOT at Plumpton, with Stan Sheppard riding. Back tackling maiden company rather than handicaps, he got his act together with his jumping, and was consequently able to make the job look…
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At this stage I was hoping to expand on another glorious triumph for Monty-kind, but Monty’s Star failed to win the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival despite some very vociferous support from my corner of Shovelstrode. I am not always sure that people realise how importance it is to give a horse a strong…
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A smashing day at Plumpton built into a proper crescendo. To begin with DEN THE DIVA was fourth against a couple of tasty opponents, demonstrating that she is gradually finding her racing legs. Next up was FLEMEN’S TIPPLE, in a slightly longer race than last time and  battling to finish second, beaten half a length…
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