Friday 29th August 2008 - Cropredy Lawn Update

BIG SATURDAY LOOMS!
We are taking a leap of faith, pitching AUSTRALIA DAY into a 100k handicap at Sandown, but conditions could not be more suitable for a 'Don Quixote tilt at a windmill'. Ground, trip, track, weather, draw and jockey are all spot on. Just is he good enough? Unlikely is the most probable and logical answer, but as the saying goes..........' A faint heart never f***** the cook.' What we all know is that the horse is extremely well and will try his best.
ROBERT THE BRAVE also looks in splendid form, but this 'Fegentri' race for European amateur riders is bound to be full of 'imponderables' as we are assigned jockeys, rather than chosing them. This a valuable race for a 0-75 handicap and it fits well in 'ROBERT's' preparation for the Jewson Novice Hurdle final at Cheltenham in mid-October. This horse would have won at Bangor last time, but for moderate luck in running and giving himself a nasty injury over his joint.
FULL HOUSE makes his comeback at Newton Abbot from the spinal injury he somehow suffered at Chester in early May. Just to have him back is good, but to have him back in the form he is showing at home, is very encouraging. The weather has been good for him this week and we held back from running him at Newmarket last week, in the hope that 'the Atlantic High' would eventually reach south-west England. The first few fences will tell us if 'HAROLD' can cope, so if you can bet 'in running', I would.
As the T.V. chefs would say, STRONG SURVIVOR will be 'garnished' with a visor on saturday! The addition of this 'appliance of equine science' had a suitable effect when tried on wednesday. He is up against an odds-on favourite but will get closer than the 'morning line' might suggest.
A fantastically exciting day ahead at the end of a busy week. Tuesday and Wednesday were spent driving up and back to Doncaster sales, buying yearlings as the seedcorn for next years adventures. The M1 was closed on the way north on tuesday which was the usual inconvenience. The M1 was again closed on the way home on wednesday, what a bloody pain, all the usual cursing at having to take inventive diversions to avoid some bloody nightmare.
Then on thursday morning the news filters through that the reason for our 'slight inconvenience' is that the accident contained friends and aquaintances. I didn't know Tim Corby well, but we've probably said 'Good Morning' at the sales for the last twenty years and I always felt that if I was bidding against Tim, I was probably doing the right thing as he was a very 'solid' judge. You do need me to tell you what a legend of a man Mick Channon is and thankfully remains to be.
We all get so wrapped in our business, trying to watch an extra lot of horses work before whizzing off racing or rushing back from the sales to evening stables, everything is just such an exciting 'hamster wheel', until something like this strikes.
An absolute tragedy has happened, every wish goes out to Tim's family right now and for years to come, his legacy will live on and on. Thank Goodness it wasn't worse.
Tomorrow is a massive day for us, but let's hope that everybody and every horse is safely tucked up at home tomorrow night.

Monday 25th August 2008 - Cropredy Lawn Update

Two runners today at Huntingdon.
SHAHNAMEH makes his re-appearance after 449 days, having had wind and leg problems. He has schooled extremely well and his breathe is fresh, sweet and hopefully in good working order now! The racecourse is the 'litmus' test of the success of wind operations as no amount of work at home can simulate raceday pressure and exercion. If all is in good working order, he'll finish in the first four but will struggle presumably to beat Levera.
INWAAN makes his debut over hurdles over which he has also looked very willing and able. This horse has has proved impossible to win with, despite trying most alternatives on the flat. Rather like the cricket captain, who is failing to take a vital wicket during a long stand, the only thing to be done is to 'change the bowling'.
Whether he'll get the trip, who knows but we can only try.
We have no runners until what i hope will be a big weekend. Hopefully the weather will dry to make conditions suitable for AUSTRALIA DAY and ROBERT THE BRAVE at Sandown and FULL HOUSE and STRONG SURVIVOR at Newton Abbot.
I will be at Doncaster St. Leger Yearling sale on tuesday and wednesday, trying to find some horses that will make 'sharp' two year olds. The plan being to win with them at Royal Ascot and then re-sell for fortunes, to race abroad.
INTERESTED IN JOINING IN WITH US? Call me please.

Saturday 23rd August 2008 - Cropredy Lawn Update

No runners saturday and sunday, but plenty of drama and thrills at Cropredy Lawn.
This is always an exciting time of year as the jumping horses start or step up their cantering. We always have more 'empty saddles' in August as the young N.H. horses flex their muscles that have developed and strenghened over the summer. After a week's trotting in the indoor school, they are sent out to trot and hack steadily around the farm before starting to canter gently up the gallop. They look an impressive bunch doing this type of collected exercise, just hope they look as good going quicker in weeks to come.
We witnessed something pretty amazing yesterday. EDGEBRIAR
was being ridden by Chris Ellis, a very good horseman and a tremendous new addition to our team. 'TOBY', as this horse is nicknamed, suddenly 'looped the loop, then turned himself inside out', and almost nobody could have sat through such an equine imitation an Olympic gymnast's medal-winning floor display. Chris sprang to his feet while 'TOBY' revelled in his freedom and headed back to the yard. He trotted into the yard and then disappeared! We sped back to find the team searching for the horse, as they all heard him come back, but where was he?
A couple of seconds later, TOBY appeared, calmly walking out of the Swimming Pool building................soaking wet! He had trotted building through the entrance, walked into the pool, swam himself straight through and then walked back out, exactly as he would have done if he had been led and supervised by his attendant!! Creature of habit or what. Chris then worked TOBY through a penance of 25 minutes trotting in the indoor school to get his own back and no harm done.
Dominic Elsworth rode out for the first time since June and had the tremendous pleasure of schooling FULL HOUSE over both hurdles and fences. They both seemed to have a lovely time and this horse is ready for his comeback. I decided not to run him at Newmarket as showers were forecast and there are two suitable, valuable races over both hurdles and fences next weekend at Newton Abbot, if the forecast is correct and the West Country dries up enough.
Saturday morning was a really glorious one, with RADAR LOVE, KEY CUTTER, TRIBE, KENTMERE, ROBERT THE BRAVE and AUSSIE BAY all completing 'nice work'. AUSTRALIA DAY also did a lovely 'solo breeze' with headman, Trevor Heath on board. Both 'ROBERT' and 'SKIPPY' (A.DAY) look in rare form for their targets at Sandown next saturday.
Second lot was not quite so smooth. Two hundred yards short of Chris' accident black spot, MERCHANT RED copies EDGEBRIAR's gymnastics and poor Charlotte Simms, Chris' girlfriend hits the deck. Charlotte hit the ground flat on her back and really feels the impact of a fall from a great height. Thankfully she's fully conscious but is in pain and shock. This all happens right in front of my truck and with us is Simon Packer, a highly trained first aider. In these circumstances the important thing is to stabalise the poor rider , keep her absolutely still and calm. Charlotte is worried about numbness to her left leg and is in considerable discomfort. My children are despatched back to the office on their ponies to ask Suzanne to call an ambulance, which arrives with paramedics, in double-quick time. They are concerned about the numbness and so summon the Air Ambulance, which duly sweeps from the skies, remenicent of classic episodes of M.A.S.H. within 15 minutes. Charlotte accompanied by Chris, is airlifted to the John Radclifffe in Oxford and there the x-rays reveal a small, non-displaced chip to a low vertebra. Not long-term serious but terribly uncomfortable. Thankfully all is calmer around here now, but the last couple of days are a reminder of the daily dangers that surround a racing yard and also just how fantastic this team at Cropredy Lawn is, not only 'day in, day out', but especially in a crisis.
Suzanne even remembered to take the sausages out of the aga for the owners, before they carbonized....what attention to detail!

Tuesday 19th August 2008 - Cropredy Lawn Update

The 'dregs' of the Trainer have returned from Bergerac, having successfully celebrated his 50th birthday. The only other time i've reached fifty was in my last innings on 'Upper Club' before leaving Eton, a very long time ago!
The weather in Bergerac was identical to that which has resulted in the remarkable cancellation of York today! We could all do with a bit of that nice Global Warming around here, especially for our poor farming neighbours, whose wheat is beginning to turn black and is still soaking wet. The Ebor meeting rained off, what is going on?
Just a little advice......Think hard before booking with Fly Be. On saturday we were about to board their plane home, when we were advised of a small delay. Three hours later they admitted that our plane had sufffered a 'bird strike' on landing and need to be checked by an engineer. In that part of France, a bird-strike should have resulted in a large plate of neatly sliced fois gras surrounded by delicous flavoured aspic jelly! Sadly it was not a goose, but a tiny sparrow that had met its messy end on our plane's leading edge. The main problem was that despite Fly Be operating five flights a day from Bergerac, they did not have a single man available in France and had to fly somebody out on their own flight from Gatwick! This genious arrived, walked around the plane once, didn't hit it with a hammer and pronounced it fit to fly. A ten hour delay.... a great way.... to spend a saturday! (poet or what).
Enough chat about holidays, shouldn't be allowed them anyway, i hear you say.
RED BIRR ran very well at Sandown to be a fast finishing third, beaten a nose for second. He tries his little heart out, but don't tell the French, because they'll rip it out and have it sizzling on the grill before you can say, 'Mon Dieu'!
There are races to be won with this little gem and the way he is staying on nowadays, gives us hope that he'll get the trip better over hurdles when we resort to that idea.
I'm sorry i hyped up STRONG SURVIVOR'S chances erroneously, as he disappointed at Bangor on saturday. To me he didn't stay, but William Kennedy still thinks he does. I feel we should come back in distance, put on the cheekpieces and ride him more handy. We'll see, but it would also make sense to wait for a novice handicap now.
HARD TO RESIST goes to Folkestone on wednesday. He will be trying his best, but will benefit from this further experience. He was surprised and slow to learn at Windsor and should show big improvement in what is a much weaker contest.
If the weather relents and allows the wind to whistle across Newmarket Heath to dry out the ground, we could see the return of FULL HOUSE on the July course on friday. This horse mysteriously damaged his spinal cord before or during the Chester Cup and was very wobbly behind for three weeks afterwards. With time this tough soldier has recovered and is back to his usual snarly aggressive self. It looks a suitable comeback race and the fact that the race is a little under 2m. might be a good thing, first time back after injury. It would mean everything to have him back and for him to run well after such a career-threatening incident.
Let's pray that summer returns for just long enough.....some hope!!

Sunday 10th August 2008 - Cropredy Lawn Update

Last week was quieter than intended due to a couple of non-runners. If I was a football manager, I would have been 'gutted' by STRONG SURVIVOR being balloted out at Worcester on friday and it is fortunate that we don't have a cat to be kicked around here! We felt this horse to be in the form of his life, but we have to admit that Distiller did win well. His next opportunity is at Bangor next weekend, in 2 1/2m. maiden hurdle.
The weather forecasters were so accurate this week and it became obvious by thursday that Haydock would be too soft for
AUSTRALIA DAY. Newmarket also looked dodgy, so we are saving him for Sandown on 30th August, where there is a perfect race, a 1 1/4m. handicap with a prize of £100,000.
Our runners were limited to HARD TO RESIST and INWAAN, and to be absolutely honest they both ran exactly as expected!
'FRANK' was making his debut at Windsor and having jumped out of the stalls sharply, ran a predictably 'green and gormlous' race.
He did stay on and Ted Durcan said that there is plenty of hope and scope. He will come on much quicker now that he's had a race and will need further as well. There is a real shortage of 1 1/2m. maidens coming up, so he may have to have another run over an inadequate distance.
INWAAN finished sixth from a bad draw at Yarmouth on thursday and again his jockey, Richard Hills, held out some hope for him. We've tried most ideas, distances and tactics with this horse, so like the Cricket captain whose team cannot take a wicket, we will change the bowling and run INWAAN over hurdles next, at Huntingdon on 25th August (bank holiday). He has done plenty of schooling and enjoys that, but whether he'll get the trip, I cannot guarantee.
Our next entries include RED BIRR at Sandown on thursday. This horse was slow away at Goodwood last time and David Probert had to 'sit and suffer' around the bend before coming ten wide down the straight. 'BIRR' ran on very well and was only beaten 7 lengths. Nine furlongs at Sandown should be ideal, but we have to remember that the handicapper has him on an 'all time high' of 79.
STRONG SURVIVOR goes to Bangor on saturday and as mentioned before, this is a maiden hurdle in which he should stand a great chance, he's so well right now.
The other event of the week is the trainer's 'eightfurlongstone'
birthday on wednesday, which he is going to try to come to terms with in Bergerac, far from rude reminders. Seems a good place to drown sorrows, celebrate and then draw up battle plans for the next twenty magnificent seasons ahead.
The remains or dregs of me will report in next weekend.

Sunday 3rd August 2008 - Cropredy Lawn News

LAISH YA HAJAR is a non-runner at Newbury today. His Tracheal Wash was not good enough to risk running him. It is only a slight infection, probably brought about by the stress of running frequently in recent weeks. He will resume his campaign in three or four weeks time.
HARD TO RESIST makes his debut at Windsor in a 1 1/4m. maiden on monday night. He has required plenty of time, but is ready for his introduction. He has grown, matured and developed since a two year old.... just like his owners Carolyn Waters and Eddie Jordan!! He will change a great deal yet and become a good dual-purpose horse in the future. To finish somewhere mid-division on his debut would be all that's expected of him.
INWAAN has a suitable looking entry at Yarmouth on thursday, where he is in a 6f. maiden handicap. He is proving difficult to place as his rating is pretty lowly, but he did run well in a claimer at Folkestone last time. He has schooled over hurdles very proficiently and this might be the route we take if we cannot win on the flat very soon.
STRONG SURVIVOR is being aimed at Worcester on friday where he is entered in a 2 1/2m. novice hurdle. He is in excellent form and should benefit from stepping up in distance. It is time he won and this could be a good opportunity; the dangers include Distiller, who only beat Robert The Brave three lengths last week at Bangor.
AUSTRALIA DAY will be entered at Newmarket and Haydock on saturday. He remains very fresh and happy, so he will give him the chance of stepping up in class now that he has a rating of 90.
A typical week, 'Chances but no Bankers!'

Wednesday 30th July 2008 - Cropredy Lawn News

This is a test.

Wednesday 30th July 2008 - Cropredy Lawn News

I've always been a beiever that if the herd are meandering in one direction, it is often worth exploring an alternative route and exploring one's own path. Of course this sometimes means falling into the jaws of the crocadile, but occasionally you reach the green pastures before the maddening crowd. So as Parliament has headed into its long summer recess, I thought it was time for this writer to come out of my 'recess' of self-imposed literary hibernation!

I dont suppose you've missed my contributions to the site and indeed you may all be financially better off by not following my advice about the stable's prospects!

The real reason for my return to this keyboard is to coincide with the launch of our re-vamped web-site. This has been delayed by all sorts of frustrations but big thanks are due to Ian Piper of Equine IT, for getting the job done.

I realise that people who follow this site have a voracious hunger for news and that I will have to feed this starving beast at regular intervals in order to avoid a 'feast or famine' routine. It is for this reason that we aim to take the updating of the news and photgraphs, 'in house', to keep things more relevant and fresh. As most of you know, when it comes to grasping the wonders of this 'I.T.' world, I am even more Deplodicus than Dinosaur and could become extinct very shortly! However please bare with us, as we old dogs are taught new tricks. There are still plenty of photographs to update and both Harry Rhodes of Tudor Photograhy and our own 'snapper' Martin Archer are always producing new masterpieces. Also the vital 'Horses for Sale' file that you all so anxiously waiting to devour and purchase from, is coming very soon!

I do undertake to give you an honest insight into the happenings of the yard and its prospects at the races, but you must all realise that nothing can appear on these pages that has not already been first discussed with the owners. If I appear non- commital it is because I cannot say more or just dont know!

Like rust, Cropredy Lawn never sleeps (great album, agree?) and although the news may have dried up, activity has been pretty frantic around here. No lying on the sunbeds here, damn it. All the summer tasks have been attended to and the rooms made spick and span for their returning guests, a large percentage of which have already returned to this hotel.

Despite this non-existent summer (until this last week!), the horses have returned looking well. We fed them a little more whilst in the field to try to encourage them to eat good 'hard' feed, rather than filling their bellies with copious amounts of wet grass. I think this has led to them coming in looking harder, with more muscle retained across their backs and slightly smaller tummies. There are always some that will require more muesli than 'fry ups', but on the whole they look tremendously well.

While the bulk of the string have holidayed, a hard core have kept us busy enough on the racecourse. We have purposely not aimed many at summer jumping as we have not had that many to suit. ROBERT THE BRAVE has been our best and is developing into a future star. He won well at Uttoxeter and was unlucky at Bangor last week when he got "struck into" and will need a few weeks to recover. There may however be a silver lining to the dark cloud of this run as he has now qualified for the Jewson Hurdle final at Cheltenham in October. Finishing third last week, rather than winning, may give us a better chance in a handicap so possibly we have just lost a battle but not the war?

STRONG SURVIVOR was third over hurdles at Uttoxeter and looks a winner in the making. It may be time to step him up to 2 1/2 miles and he could go to Worcester in 10 days time. Sadly ONE SCOOP and SLEEP TALK have not progressed and so go to the Doncaster Sales next week.

The flat horses have been raging for the last 5 weeks. AUSTRALIA DAY has benefitted from his winter break and goes from strength to strength. He won so well at Windsor that he went up 13 lbs but still won easlily at Sandown last week. Jimmy Fortune did finish fourth on him and said that he should bowl along in front over 1 1/4 miles and he has been proved so accurate. Martin Dwyer and Ted Durcan have reaped the benefit, as sadly Jimmy has been unavailable on both occasions. AUSTRALIA DAY has been raised another 9 lbs this week to a mark of 90 so we will have to step him up in class now and he could go to either Newmarket or Haydock on 9th August.

LAISH YA HAJAR won at Warwick and then again at Newmarket last Friday. This was an amateur race where he was ridden by Peter Jones who had been with us for about a year managed to win on this, his first ever ride. Two others of our team, Ben Brackenbury and Danny Hannig have also given this horse great rides, so it is a real team effort. LAISH YA HAJAR is entered in amateur races at Newbury on Sunday and Windsor on Monday night where it will be Ben's turn to ride him next.

RED BIRR won on the same day at Warwick as LAISH completing our first flat racing double. This great achievement probably slipped under most people's radar as it was Yeats' Gold Cup day at Ascot! BIRR has now risen to a life-time high rating of 79 and ran very respectably at Goodwoood yesterday when missing the break and having to come very wide in the straight. I'm sure we can find another good opportunity for him soon, as he is in tremendous form at present.

Most of the jumping horses are now in and those that are not have already started their prep work elsewhere before coming back in the next couple of weeks. As I said earlier, despite the inclement summer, they have done well and benefitted from the extra feed.

We have been busy at the sales and with talk of the recession in everybody's ears, have bought some lovely horses at proper value. The Doncaster and Tattersalls Sale in Ireland have provided us with 8 new store horses which are all going through the breaking process at the moment.

In these times of economic uncertainty and doubt, the trainer has stepped up to the mark and bought his most expensive horse "on spec" ever! Sound business practice or what? He is the most lovely 4 year old gelding by FLEMENSFIRTH, sire of TIDAL BAY. I have taken the view that despite all the talk of doom and gloom, the Chelteneham festival will still go ahead and we need to have runners there with winning chances. When we go to buy horses we try to imagine if we can see the particular horse we are looking at has the potential to run on up that "heartbreak" hill at Cheltenham. This horse has the looks and the pedigree to achieve that. You will be able to see more of this wonderful beast in the 'Horses for Sale' section very soon.

We have also bought geldings by FLEMENSFIRTH (again) SAGAMIX and WINGED LOVE as well as fillies by KAYF TARA, DEFINITE ARTICLE and MANSONNIEN. Plenty of new ammunition to look forward to.

I hope that you are now back up to speed and that we will have plenty of winners to alert you of and report on in the months ahead.

Invitations to the Owners Day on 14th September will be sent out in the next few days, in fact just as soon as I have finished writing this!

Hope that you are glad that we are back in communication but I am wondering as Roger Waters said.... "Is there anybody out there?"

Friday 2nd May 2008 - Cropredy Lawn Update.

We are already well into the new season, having kissed a fond 'good-bye' to the last one, twenty four hours before starting the new one! KENTMERE was our last winner for 2007-8 when staying on bravely to get up in the last strides at Towcester last monday. He at last, got the ground he likes and will win again once the ground dries after this showery week.
Ludlow nowadays hosts the start of the 2008-9 season for us, and like every trainer we all love to get 'that vital early goal'. I'm sure plenty of us save up a nice horse to strike with at the first meetings of the shiny new season.
MERCHANT RED made a foot-perfect debut over fences, but again found just one in front of him at the winning post. He really did jump beautifully and he is going to be a pretty good chaser, once he has fully matured.
TIME FOR RUPERT has always look something special, indeed we had him flagged up as our horse for this season's Cheltenham bumper until a series of irritating aggravations kept delaying his debut. If there had not been such hype about Mr. Henderson's horse, ridden by A.P.McCoy, we would have attacked the 12/1 on offer. As it was, it was so special to see 'RUPERT' stay on so well in what looks a hot race. This is the first owned by Littlecote Racing Partnership and how they roared him home, indeed one
heavily-tweeded member of the Shropshire and Ludlow gentry was over-heard saying that our owner's cheering was a little 'over the top' and vulgar!! 'RUPERT' came from D.B.S. Cheltenham Breeze-Up sale where i bought him from Goldford Stud for 40,000 gns. I know that is a lot to spend on any horse but it proves that it is possible to compete with the fantasically expensive horses coming into N.H. racing, if we scour the sales very carefully. Goodness knows what this horse is now worth!
Indeed the search for the best raw material to fill the yard takes me to Argentina next week. There i'll be looking at yearlings and older horses to bring back to the U.K. to make bumper and jumping horses in a couple of seasons. With the dollar as it is, there should be value around, something that is so hard to find around here. The advantage of the Argie horses is they are just so damn tough, having been raised in an environment where the mantra of 'the survival of the fittest' is still rigourously adhered to. The weaklings don't survive the 'herd' upbringing and just look at what the Argentine horses have been winning in South Africa and more especially Dubai. Indeed my main competition may be that absolute genius, Mike de Kock!!
Closer to home, it's up to Bangor tonight. Having said that, with the M6 on a friday, it might be quicker to go to Buenos Aires!
LASKARI looks to have a good chance if further showers stay away and he goes left-handed. Andrew Tinkler believes he will and i hope he's right.
On saturday, APPLEADAY has a good chance in a valuable chase at Uttoxeter. The ground will be soft and he handled that well when winning at Newbury last time. Dominic schooled him yesterday and was delighted with the progress this horse is making both mentally and physically.
Ten horses have either gone home or have been turned away for their holidays at Cropredy Lawn, in the last few days, but there are still plenty of jump races to be contested and the flat string is beginning to step up their work. A good start to our seasons is important, so there is no slacking of the pace around here.

Tuesday 22nd April 2008 - Cropredy Lawn Update.

For a change my prediction of 'new dawn' proved a little more accurate than usual, in that APPLEADAY scampered home at Newbury and then STRONG SURVIVOR was beaten the shortest of short heads at Wolverhampton. This was followed during the week by the highlight of our jumping season, ONE GULP's fantastic win at Cheltenham. This was a 'listed' race which means she has earned winning 'black type' for her pedigree. She really is a special filly, as she tries so hard and also absolutely loves jumping. Her performance at Cheltenham was so brave, particularily as she was nearly knocked over the rail on the approach to the last hurdle. She has now finished for the season and is enjoying the sunshine in her paddock as i type! At last we
have a warm spring-like day that means we can begin to turn the horses out for a few hours without rugs, to begin the process of 'roughing them off' for their summer holidays.
Summer is obviously arriving, not because the weather has improved significantly yet, but because the evening racing program has begun!
Towcester tonight is our first evening venue where KENTMERE has at last got the quickening ground he prefers. He has schooled well and looks to have an excellent each-way chance.
RADAR LOVE did not seem to get the trip over 2m 5f at Towcester last time and reverts to 2 miles tonight. I can see her running well to finish third, fourth or fifth, but this looks quite a hot mares race for the time of year. She will make a lovely chaser for next year and i hope she finishes her season on a bright note tonight.
Wednesday sees the return of racing to Worcester after it suffered so much damage from the floods of this and last year.
SPACE MISSION is back in action after a lay-off and has been working well. He is a chaser for next season, indeed he is a half-brother to the high class Bellator, but has the ability to win his second race over hurdles. NEFETARI and LINAGRAM both run in the mares only hurdle and both seen in great form. NEFETARI will appreciate the step up in distance and LINAGRAM showed good form in bumpers when trained by Alan Swinbank last season. She has schooled well but may benefit from the experience and is another to look forward to when going chasing.
Keep an eye on this filly/mare as there may be some shares become available in her as her owner Linda Lamyman is in the process of starting up an exciting racing club, further details of which will appear here soon.
On thursday we visit England's newest racecourse, Great Leighs. TRIBE has been unable to run on the flat yet due to the soft ground but is bouncing and 'needs' to run a.s.a.p.
This race is only 1m 6f., but this horse will run very well and improve for the race. His aim is the Ascot Stakes which he was balloted out of last season, leaving it at the mercy of his stablemate, FULL HOUSE!!
Fontwell on thursday sees the debut of MARLEY ROCA in the bumper at Fontwell and his work has been encouraging. He is a fine leggy horse who will develop into a lovely jumping prospect in the autumn. I've said before that our young horses are a more backward bunch, but that does not mean that we think any less of them, just that they have needed a little more time than usual and have not been such precocious bumper animals.
The runners for the end of the week will be flagged up later in the week, as i feel this is plenty to get on with for now. Four evening meetings in a row is quite a prospect, but better than the dreadful head-aches that will be constructed at Punchestown this week, now that is a real marathon! Maybe next year?

Saturday 12th April 2008 - Cropredy Lawn Update.

A beautiful dawn heralds a new and exciting day. Horses screaming for exercise and Horseboxes revving up their engines in the sheds. Time to put all the bad luck and dissappointment of the last few weeks into the muck trailers and drag it away!
PRESSGANG looks a worthy favourite in the first race at Uttoxeter and Jerry, who looks after him, is brimfull of confidence. The horse schooled with Dominic yesterday and is bursting out of his skin. He has had plenty of niggling agravations but his vet, Buffy has hopefully quietened those down. He is next season's novice chaser but it would be good to win with him over hurdles first, to give everybody even more to look forward too and reward the massive amounts of patience, shown by all concerned.
APPLEADAY has a good chance at Newbury, where he ran so well last time. It is a little bit further than when he was second and he also should great exuberence and vigour when schooling yesterday. STRONG SURVIVOR runs at Wolverhampton tonight in preparation for going hurdling when the new season starts on 27th April. His work has been good, but he needs plenty of it and may just benefit from the race tonight.
Three good solid chances, we just need the faces of the Gods to crack into the slightest smile rather than their frowning scowl of late. As we say when photographing the children, "Say cheese and sausage!!"

Sunday 6th April 2008 - Cropredy Lawn update.

Remarkable pictures of Comply Or Die and Timmy Murphy adorn the papers this morning and can there ever have been a more fitting result. Timmy a complete artist in the saddle, showing what can be done with 'a little help from my friends' and massive talent. David Johnson deserves this so much having supported N.H. racing so strongly for so long and David Pipe and his team for continuing his family's legacy so smoothly and successfully. A typically enthralling Grand National, jump racing at its very best. With the success of the Cheltenham and now Aintree festivals the quality of National Hunt racing can never have been higher.
The other thing to greet us this morning is over two inches of SNOW! The daffodils are doubled over under it and the lambs look pretty amazed skipping on top of it. All very pretty and picturesque....until it melts!!
Anyway a phonecall to Southwell just now gets an unexpected answer........'What snow? The ground has quickened up to good to firm, good in places!' This world is becoming one of ever- increasing contrasts.
After watching the 'killer whales of steeplechasing' jump around Aintree and Cheltenham, we send smaller fish to Southwell. But we don't forget that little fish can be both sweet and if they survive the dangers of the deep, can grow into big fish to grace bigger stages at a later date.
SENIOR WHIM won an appalling race at Plumpton last season and it is time for him to do the same today! The ground will at last suit him and although he is only rated 72 i think we can win with him. MERCHANT RED has recently chased home Whiteoak and Greenbridge (great placing i hear you cry) and now steps back up to 2 1/2m on fast ground, which we think is what he most desires. JULY JOHNSON has had plenty of problems but will hopefully run better on today's ground. LET'S CAST AGAIN returns after an absence of 866 days, during which he has had most of the problems that can incapacitate a racehorse. Having said that, this horse has always had ability and looks to have preserved a large proportion of it. He is not a forelorn hope and should go off at tempting odds. As my father used to say (and no doubt a few others)...."What's the point of temptation if you don't give in to it!" So go on, after all, our luck is about to change.

Friday 28th March 2008 - Cropredy Lawn Update

Cheltenham seems light years away now, although the memory of all the anticipation, postponements and wonderful moments are still fresh in most people's minds. The Cheltenham team deserve such a huge 'thank you' from everybody for creating two remarkable days' racing from the shock of having to cancel wednesday. And as for Denman, his stablemates and Paul Nicholls: it has all been said, but what a spectacular acheivement for all concerned. First Martin Pipe and now Paul, National Hunt racing has been taken to another level by these two, and it's getting mighty hard to keep these people in our sights, let alone keep up!
When living on Racing's Cold List, life is not a barrel of laughs. It can eat into the trainer's confidence, but he's the last person who is allowed to show it. There are always so many factors that prevent horses winning and when just one or two of these reasons co-incide, it seems there is a mountain range between the yard and the winner's enclosure. We have been quiet during March and the reasons have been manyfold.
A lack of seasoned soft ground handicappers has kept us away from the feature saturday races, a lack of soft ground horses, sadly some moderate disappointing ones that maybe i had over-enthused about at he beginning of the season. Add to that the worrying occurence of a slightly above average number of horses 'bleeding' either at the races or at home. I try to be as straight-forward as possible on this site and do not try to obsure you from the reality of a racing yard. Also, i know what a competitive business we are in and owners and especially their friends (or as Dudley Moore said, "Fiends more like, nothing but a bunch of fiends!") want to be associated with a successful yard not an under-performing one. But these things happen and despite the yard being smoothered in exhausted staff and racked brains, sometimes winners are harder to come by.
But we have a team of young horses who have been more backward than usual and have demanded more patience than in previous seasons. Our bumper horses have not been as sharp, but that does make them any less exciting prospects for the future, and you will see some of them in the next few days.
Newbury today witnesses the debut of LUCKY PARKER, a first runner for Dave Carrington who has evolved as an owner through the Auctionair Partnership. This horse came from the Scarvagh House Sale in N. Ireland last september and should run well. See, there's a difference, when the yard is in form, i would have said, "will run well!" APPLEADAY could be well-handicapped, but we did not want the rain that has fallen overnight and i hope that EDGEOVER will show his true colours in the handicap hurdle although his mark of 117 looks a bit harsh on his acheivements so far. You might think that these races look a bit hot for these two, but alternatives on reasonable ground are impossible to find and Mr. Allen has taken a box today and quite understandably wants to see his horses run when he can be there.
On saturday, we run three in the Doncaster Bloodstock Sales Bumper, which is confined to the graduates of their Spring Sale held in May 2007. EDGEBURY ran a nice 'prep' race at Huntingdon two weeks ago which was designed to stand him in good stead for this race worth £50,000. AUSSIE BAY is a big raw type of horse who is a future chaser but should give a good account of himself. He is a real trier and Simon and Liz Packer are so looking forward to their first runner in their own name.
EDGEVINE completes the trio and this well bred daughter of Grape Tree Road carries only 10st 3lbs and has done two nice pieces of work on the grass. Sadly no certainties amongst this group, but all horses with futures to look forward too.
And that is the story of the trainer's and owner's life: "something to look forward too."

Monday 10th March 2008 - Cropredy Lawn Update

'All was quiet, not even the horses did stir, for it was the eve of...............The Cheltenham Festival. The final touches are being put to everybody's preparations. Trainers anxiously prowl around evening stables trying hard not to show the tension that is eating away inside; their nearest and dearest ensuring that the supplies of drink and/or Night Nurse have not yet been exhausted. Head Lads and stable staff are on tenterhooks and owners dread an unusually timed phonecall from their trainer or worse still, a message asking them to phone.
Horseboxes leave that little bit earlier, racing equipment is polished that extra time and the horses are prepared and look their absolute 'cat-walk' best. To have a runner 'great', a contender 'special' and a favourite 'excruciatingly exciting'.
Despite our version of 'Hurricane Prestbury', that special cheer will erupt from the stands as the runnners for the first race jostle and inevitably charge the tapes for the first race.
Competition is felt in life in so many different ways, but i think if you want the true essence of competition, try 'owning' that position of third or fourth 'down the paint' in any race at the Cheltenham festival. Spot who is always there and your looking at the masters of their craft.
As a trainer who has not tasted the allegedly sweet taste of success at the meeting, i both love and dread the whole four days! We strive each year to 'crack the nut', knowing that with perseverence and support, our turn will come. However the fear of leaving the course after the County Hurdle, winnerless, with the accordion player launching into my parents favourite, " They said we were not too young", becomes a little aggravating over time!
For us this year, runners are thin on the ground, partly due to the ground! Simon Claisse, the Clerk of the Course, has had the devil's own job of sorting through the most reliable weather forecasts and has been rewaded for his troubles with a cross between a hurricane and a tempest. No doubt all will be alright on the day, but the conditions never suit everybody and you do not win any race at the top level without everything being absolutely in your favour.
Our best and possibly only hope is ONE GULP on friday. This is a special filly and one who just loves soft ground. Her two wins were on soft ground and she looked impressive. Her third start at Doncaster was a third to Battlecry on good to firm, a great effort. By friday, conditions should be ideal. I agree she has a lot of ground to make up, but you could not have a tougher or more genuine filly to carry your money. I am not qualified to judge on such matters, but when her jockey, Dominic Elsworth has twice said after schooling her, that he'd like to marry her, one hopes that she's more super-model than scrubber!!!
On wednesday, we will sneak of to Huntingdon in search of delicously sweet little fish. NEFETARI has been schooling so naturally over hurdles that she gives great encouragement for her debut. RADAR LOVE also looks in graet form but may stuggle to survive the ballot. In the bumper, we loose off the first of what i hope will be a wave of nice young horses. RETURN OF THE KING is a beautifully bred son of Nashwan and is a full-brother to a group one winner, One So Wonderful. I think he was ment to make his debut at York not Huntingdon, but with the standard of bumpers nowadays, there probably is not much difference! EDGEBURY also runs here and should go well whilst gaining useful experience for the valuable Doncaster Bloodstock Sales Bumper at Newbury later in the month.
So, a truely great event arrives, savour every second and lets hope that everyone has something very special to remember by the time the car park empties on friday night. May the journey home be very brief of many, fueled by the very pinnacle of National Hunt racing and not too dismally long for those who have less to celebrate.
Hope horses and humans get home safe and sound.

Monday 18th February 2008 - Cropredy Lawn Update.

Temprature is -8c. this morning, so at least there are no flies about! This cold snap will prevent jumping action for another couple of days until the westerley winds thaw us out. John Gregory has been on the tractor power-harrowing the gallop since 6am., so that first lot will out at the usual time, 7.45am. Not surprisingly even the stream that has become the Water Walk has iced over, but we'll sort that later in the day.
Tomorrow DREAM FOREST runs at Southwell, but he's difficult to fancy although the visor will help. He is also entered for the seller on thursday, back at Southwell, so you can tell how high our aspirations are!
The most important competitor of the week is our Jerry Walsh, who is on his way to London to meet the judges of The Godolphin Stable Person of the Year. Jerry has made it to the final three in the 'Special Merit / Hero category. Trainers nominate members of their staff and last year our wonderful head lad, Trevor (Heath) made it to the last ten; hopefully he will get the prize he deserves very shortly. But right now all the fingers are frozen but tightly crossed for Jerry, his wife Pauline and son Alan. It is fantastic that this competition throws the spotlight onto the people who deserve it the most, all the people behind the scenes, that contribute so much to making the seemingly unending racing program actually take place.
Watch tuesday's Racing Post for the results.

Wednesday 13th February 2008 - Cropredy Lawn Update

" A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen
tomorrow, next week, next month and next year. And to have the ability to explain why it didn't happen."

So said Winston Churchill; now just substitute politician with the word trainer and you'll see where i'm coming from. Last week was ment to bring winners but that was not to be. Mysteriously,STAR SHOT bled at Kempton, which is the worst kind of surprise a trainer and owner can suffer. Then PRESSGANG and LUXURIX both showed themselves to need further than two miles, now that they are competing in top company. They both ran well but probably just lack the absolute class to win a championship novice race at the Cheltenham festival. Time for plans so cunning, you could brush your teeth with them! RUBY ISABEL, although not troubling the judge, ran with great promise on her debut in a bumper at Huntingdon where she showed abilty and scope for the improvement.
A light sprinkling of runners this week, starting with KENTMERE at Leisester on wednesday. He is stepping up to 2 1/2miles and has been waiting for the ground to dry up. He has a good each-way chance. CAPTAIN'S LEGACY has been balloted out from his race tomorrow, so AUTUMN RED could be the next jumper, on friday at Fakenham, where the addition of a visor could prove most significant.

Tuesday 29th January 2008 - Cropredy Lawn Update

Two to Taunton is the order of the day, while the trainer puts his salesman's hat on at Doncaster sale where SWAYTHE goes through the ring this evening. ONE SCOOP has a good each-way chance in the bumper and AISATSU will also improve on her debut. ONE SCOOP may have lacked a little preparation and experience at Exeter and has matured and improved plenty since then. AISATSU has also got the message, but may still want a little more time to strengthen up.
Tomorrow EDGEOVER goes to Leicester for an E.B.F. hurdle qualifier and i hope that he'll be able to defy his penalty there. He steps up to 2 1/2m, as he found two miles plenty sharp enough when winning at Ludlow last time.
Sadly SWAYTHE has a niggling problem with a suspensory and it is time for her to take up her role as a broodmare. She is a listed winner with a lovely N.H. pedigree and i hope she sells well tonight. She has been a star for us and the way she dealt with Theatre Girl at Sandown last year was so impressive. She comes from such a strong 'Juddmonte' family and has a lovely temprament, so she should make a proper producer. The search is already on for her replacement!

Friday 25th January 2008 - Cropredy Lawn Update

Days don't get any more nerve-racking than today. The return of PRESSGANG after 681 days has got us all into fever pitch around here! He's as fit as we can get him, without risking one of his delicate tendons, ligaments or sinues going twang! He's done plenty of work, masses of swimming and miles of walking in the 'water-walk.' He's schooling, limited to two extended sessions, has been exemplary and impressive. Goodness knows how many man-hours by so many, have gone into his repair, rehabilitation and training. If he wins, i promise you the type of 'Oscar' speech that you've so missed during the script-writers' strike!!
KATE'S GIFT steps up to three miles today and it looks the right thing and time to do it. He seemed to resent the visor last time when second at Ludlow, so it has been removed. This looks a competitive race, probably because many of the trainers are trying to win the race in order to get a congratulatory kiss from the sponser!
KING OF CASTILE has made great progress from his debut third at Towcester, but will need to have done in this hotter contest, but he also holds a good each-way chance.

Sunday 20th January 2008 - Cropredy Lawn Update

Remarkably Noah's Ark, ladened with mud-loving National Hunt horses was able to find a tiny island in Berkshire at Ascot racecourse on saturday. There we unloaded PATRICKSNINETEENTH, who as the conditions looked ideal, ended up favorite. How i now wish the meeting had been abandoned, although saying that maybe we would have just delayed the inevitable? 'PATRICK' was given a lovely energy-saving ride by that master, Timmy Murphy and looked turning in as though he'd win like we thought he would. But as Timmy said afterwards, 'from giving him a special 'feel', suddenly things became a struggle.' 'PATRICK' pulled up feelingly and i'm so sorry to have to relate looks to have given his near fore tendon another strain. This is his third incidence of tendon problems and so spells his retirement. It's easy to look back and think of all the 'if onlys', but this horse would have been rated 150-155 if he'd been in action a couple of seasons ago. Anyway, i think we did all right getting him back to win two 25K races and i'm sure that our unique 'water-walk' was a great help to his training.
'PATRICK' will now enjoy happy retirement at Cropredy Lawn and after his rehabilitation will assume our recently departed hero, Flying Instructor as hack, hunter, school-master, bicycle and child's pony.
Noah's big boat is afloat again and will now not be landing at Leicester on tuesday which has already been abandoned. We hope that some of our horses will disembark at Huntingdon, Warwick, Fontwell, Doncaster and Newbury before next weekend, but we will have to see when our over-worked dove returns with a piece of birch in his beak.

Friday 18th January 2008 - Cropredy Lawn Update

My geography masters at school, Messrs. Cook and Town would be justifiably proud of their pupil 'Webber' this week as our interpretation of the weather has not been very far wide of the mark: mind you the Met Office has been pretty spot on while we still see the existence of that curious phenomena, the over-optimistic Clerk of the Course !!
Our anticipated week has been whittled or waterlogged down to a couple of aspirants on saturday. If Ascot and Haydock can survive, then two of our specialist, mud-wallowing hippos will bravely set off to race in the swampy conditions. LUXURIX steps up a couple of grades at Haydock, but should cope or even hopefully revel in the conditions. I think this horse is making good progress and is gaining in confidence and improving with experience. PATRICKSNINETEENTH (seems a stupider name ever time i type it!) goes to Ascot for a race that looks ideal, in that it's right-handed over his proven distance. Let's overnight rain does not arrive and we can enjoy a big saturday.

Sunday 13th January 2008 - Cropredy Lawn Update

There is a howling wind blowing across Cropredy Lawn tonight and the weather looks likely to get wetter still through the week. Plumpton tomorrow must be in some doubt and hopefully we'll know before Jerry has to release the handbreak at 7.30 on monday morning. CAPTAIN'S LEGACY is due to have his first start for us and the desperate conditions will allegedly be in his favour. He has had a few little interuptions to his work, but is ready for his comeback and although carrying top weight in atrocious conditions will be difficult, he looks a real genuine stayer. LADY BERNIE dissappointed at Kelso when she shared the journey with the victorious PATRICKSNINETEENTH. She handles soft ground but may stuggle to win over hurdles until she is eligable for novice handicaps.
Tuesday will hopefully see AISATSU run in the mares maiden bumper at Folkestone. She ran a surprisingly 'dreamy' race at Newbury, but has worked well at home since, assisted by a visor on a couple of occasions. I think we have got the message through to her and so will leave the 'blinds' off on tuesday. Her work would indicate that she should finish in the first five in this type of race.
Newbury beckons on wednesday for SPACE MISSION and KING OF CASTILE, but the ground maybe becoming pretty testing by then. 'SPACE' loves his jumping and looks very natural. We were unsure about him on soft ground last year, but that may have been due to weakness more than anything else and i think we have to try. His sire is Kayf Tara and his off-spring are winning everywhere on soft ground at the moment. 'SPACE' also looks very genuine and i hope he'll run very well. KING OF CASTILE has grown up significantly since he was third at Towcester on his debut two months ago. This is a four year olds only bumper again and he should cope with the conditions as well as any.
The weekends entries will include the confirmed 'mudlarks', LUXURIX, ONE GULP AND 'PATRICK', but more news of them nearer the time as they may all be aboard Noah's Ark by then, searching for dry land.

Tuesday 8th January 2008 - Cropredy Lawn Update

It is with genuine APOLOGIES that i make an attempt to re-start our news page. I do not offer any acceptable excuses except to say that 'Life at the Lawns' has been nothing short of flat-out hectic. I have often said how damn lucky i feel to have this job and we are always fortunate to be kept busy, but in the last couple of months my absolute focus has been on getting these horses into winning form, communicating with our owners and keeping the team in good and optimistic form.
The problem with having a web-site is that you immediately creat a demanding, voracious creature that desires feeding more often than a young child. This web-site in an extra service to our owners and interested people. From the number of enquiries into the 'whereabouts' of our site in the last couple of months, i do understand that it is surprisingly appreciated by many people. To the owners and supporters of the yard, i'm sorry for it's absence, but i know that you will understand the work that goes on here. To all the other people who log in to hear my little insight into our business, i'm sorry if you have been inconvenienced, but don't forget that to you this is free information that you can sift through at your discretion. You
will quite posssibly bankrupt yourself if you follow my words too closely, but if you do happen to start winning money, don't forget all the hard work that has gone on in the yard to produce that winner, let alone the fact that you were given a hint of its possible occurence on this web-site.
The contributions to our Staff Christmas Box from our owners was yet again fantastic, as it is every year. No matter how good or bad a time we are having, our owners are just so appreciative. Funnily enough we received not a penny from anyone who supposedly, 'really enjoys the web-site and follows the stables runners really carefully.'
The other crucial thing to remember about this public display of what is a private business, until our horses reach the racecourse, is that before any piece of informatiom is put on this site, the owner has to have been told about it first. That often procludes saying too much too soon, but that is the way it should and always be.

After a slightly frustrating time through November, the tempo picked up well through December and we are unveiling some very promising horses. Not every horse can be ready to win first time out, despite the demand from many quaters to do so. In recent weeks you will have seen how LUXURIX and EDGEOVER have been brought along and having gained experience and are now growing into exciting prospects. ONE GULP looks to be as good a novice filly as there is around and her half-brother, Venalmar won a grade two hurdle in Ireland at the weekend. What a broodmare prospest she represents. PATRICKSNINETEENTH won well at Kelso and though deprived of a couple of opportunities recently, is definitely in as good as form as ever. The bumper horses, who so many of you watch out for are also beginning to appear, with more 'bubbling under' at home. There are so many to look forward too and this weekend could feature the return of EDGEBRIAR, who was second on his last three starts last season. Others entered this weekend include, AUTUMN RED who will benefit greatly from the visor that has had good effect at home; KING OF CASTILLE who has come on well since his debut third at Towcester. ONE GULP is also entered and looks to continually improve.
All these lovely prospects used to be carefully watched on the gallops by not only the trainer but his truely remarkable hack, FLYING INSTRUCTOR OR "BUGSY" as he was known to many.
This horse ran 64 times, won 14 and was placed on about another 35 times, but the most important statistic was that he tried his heart out 64 times. He may not have been the very best, but he was the bravest, kindest and most honest horse to look through a bridle. He won at the age of fourteen and loved every minute of every day whether racing, training, in the field or just being ridden around the farm by the tens of people who were lucky enough to sit on him. "BUGSY" suddenly didn't look himself about two months ago and cancers quickly spread. He still greeted everybody lovingly but his physical vigour diminished too quickly. He ment so much, the last horse that both my father and i trained. Watching him gallop towards the third last, looking flat out, then magically 'pricking' his black-looking ears was a wonderful sight, because you knew 'BUGSY' had something left and was about to deliver it. 'BUGSY' and Jimmy McCarthy were the first combination to carry the 'jockeycam' to victory at Aintree in 1999 and that recording should be part of every racing academy syllabus. His last thought was gazing across the farm he loved, munching grass and being he being held by his trainer, who was completely in awe of him.

Saturday 17th November 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

Just one sharpened arrow to throw at the National Hunt dartboard today. Whilst Cheltenham holds centre stage, we are on a retrieval mission with MAGIC CLOVER at Uttoxeter. The horse seems none-the-worse for his unfortunate and much-chronicalled experience at Hereford last sunday and the aim was to find him a race with a smaller than maximum field. He is 5/1 for this 20k Introductary hurdle race and as he was the 9/4 fav. last week in a terribly weak race, this is not a bad spot to be running him in. We were exceedingly hopeful of winning last week, so this time i would be equally hopeful of being in the first three. As previously mentioned, third seems to be a usual result
but with seconds also now proving more tangible. Maybe that winner is close to being within our grasp!

Tuesday 13th November 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

The week-end was not quite as productive as planned. STAR SHOT met Pepperoni Pete on a good day and although he did not match his opponents exhuberance, jumped well and ran on well to get within a couple of lengths of the winner. A really promising run, so mark STAR SHOT down as the future winner of a good chase. We will try to find a beginners race for him to win and a long term plan could include the Jewson novice chase at Cheltenham in March.
The trainer has many roles to play, but one of the most crucial is the 'placing' of his runners. On sunday i thought i had found at Hereford, probably the worst novice/maiden hurdle that will be run this season. MAGIC CLOVER loves the very quick ground on offer at Hereford and the race look made for him. All his owners attended, including one delaying his return to the States especially. MAGIC CLOVER is backed down to favourite and jumps the first perfectly only to get 'torpedoed' on landing by some mad brute that jumped the hurdle sideways, coming in from the outside wing. I don't know what schooling that animal had done and it's no good worrying now, as it did exactly the same at the second, unseated its rider, fell, broke a leg and is now dead. I rang MAGIC's owners as the horsebox went up the drive on sunday morning to say that all was well, but now it was all out of my control, how true that proved to be.
I admit to feeling there must be better ways of making a living as i drove home on sunday afternoon. But thankfully the talk of Remberence Day on the radio and the reminders that 1.6m people lost their lives in the two World Wars and the thoughts of how may million more lives were changed horribly by those dreadful times, made our personal little upset pale into complete insignificance.
So onward to a couple of uneventful runs by LAISH YA HAJAR and GOLANO yesterday and today two nice prospects at Kempton. AUSTRALIA DAY is a very atheletic animal who schools very flamboyantly and naturally, however he is very keen and needs to settle to get the trip. He won over a mile for Charles O'Brien and i hope the horse gives himself a chance today. MISTER PAN is a chaser-in -waiting and still needs to strengthen up further yet. He worked better than he ran last season which is a sure sign of weakness, but schools well and will run a good race, if not a 'judge-threatening' one!

Saturday 10th November 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

Third is still our preffered finishing position for some of our runners and it would be good to kick this habit over this week-end. KING OF CASTILE showed himself to be a lovely prospect for years to come (God willing) when staying on into a close third on his debur at Towcester. As feared, he lacked the experience of a piece of work on the grass but showed just the right sort of game attitude that we wanted to see. SPINAROUND disappointed at Huntingdon and looks to have given his back some sort of strain. His home-work has been so much better than his effort at the races so i really hope we find an acceptable reason for his poor run. SPANISH NEEDLE behaved like a proper madam at Wolverhampton where she was reluctant at the stalls and unco-operative from them on! There were massive fire-work displays around the racecourse all evening which did seem to alarm her, but as she's known as the 'Pocket Rocket' at home, that should not have upset her! Sadly she looked more like a damp sparkler.
Today dawns (not yet as i write, you note!) another new day.
STAR SHOT and Sandown is a combination i like the look of. Of course i'd be happier if Pepperroni Pete were elsewhere, but i think the track and ground should be ideal. We will step this horse up in trip soon, but hopefully the Sandown hill will bring stamina into play. Tomorrow i look forward to MAGIC CLOVER running over hurdles for the first time. As he's an Argentinian import he should cope with what will be very quick jumping ground at Hereford. It does not look the hottest race because of the ground and i think he'll go close.
MARINE LIFE has his first run over hurdles to see whether we should go to the extent of operating again on his wind or not, a watching brief is advised.

Thursday 8th November 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update.

You 'each-way shrewdies' have had a couple of worth-while investments lately, but i have told the horses that it is time we started rewarding the bold 'on the nose' brigade. For other words, although all the horses have been running well, third is no longer good enough, winning is all that counts!
Today SPINAROUND attempts the daring feat of safely negotiating the first fence for a change, and what a welcome change it would make. We have and always do, 'school the a**e' off this horse and i just hope he deems to remember his lessons at Huntingdon. If he jumps around well, i would venture to say that he'll win. KING OF CASTILE makes his debut in the 3.y.o. bumper at Towcester today and will at least boast the best pedigree on show, as he's a half-brother to no less than Classic Cliche and My Emma!! With the firm ground this horse has not had the benefit of a gallop on grass, so i hope inexperience does not find him out. He is more mature than ONE SCOOP who ran a very 'green' race at Exeter.
On friday night SPANISH NEEDLE attempts to break her maiden in the 19.55 at Wolverhampton before going to the December sales. This race looks a little more competitive than her last, but she has definitely sharpened up for that outing and let's hope she can finally get her pretty little head in front.
Week-end plans are still not certain, mainly due to the continued dry spell, but i will update plans on friday.

Friday 26th October 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

Last weekend's results proved a little mixed but did at least reveal the presence of a new budding talent in the stable. FULL HOUSE got predictably stuck in the Newmarket mud where the forecast of 3.4mm of rain actually produced at least 34mm! The great Frankie Dettori soon realised the situation and minded 'Harold' most sympathetically, he also made my daughter Sophie's day by giving her the most enormous Italian hug. Sophie had a proper day as she also met her two other racing heros, Aidan O'Brien and Jean-Claude Rouget!
ROBERT THE BRAVE won well at Wolverhampton late on sat. night and then followed up over a furlong further on monday afternoon. Two wins by the same horse in under 48 hours, a new achievement for us. This looks a lovely prospect for the future as he stands nearly 17 hands and could be a very exciting juvenile hurdler in the very near future. STAR SHOT showed good promise when a running-on second at Hereford over an inadequate trip and RED BIRR ran as well as he could to be fourth, as it looks as though he may struggle to get the trip. As his best trip on the flat is 1m - 1 1/4m, it is perfectly possible 2m. over hurdles may be beyond him. MORE TROUBLE unseated his jockey at the fourth last thus preventing any worthwhile conclusions being drawn as to his willingness and merit and SENIOR WHIM was both outpaced and lazy! ONE SCOOP found the ground too quick and also ran 'greener' than expected at Exeter, he will have to wait until the ground softens. INWAAN got a rather ineffectual ride at Bath but did run on in the last furlong. He will win before long, but it will take a braver and more accurate man than me to say where and when, but it will happen. GOLANO ran well to finish third at Wolverhampton on thursday and needs to step up to two miles now that he's reached the grand old age of seven!
SPANISH NEEDLE has a good chance at Wolverhampton on friday, she really only has to reproduce the form of her debut to win. She has always worked well at home but may been more backward than we thought. She's entered in the Tattersalls
December sales, so we dearly want to make her a winner first.
This weekend looks busy with more horses making their seasonal debuts. FULL HOUSE has his first run over hurdles for many seasons at Stratford on saturday where he runs off a hurdles mark of 120 that compares favourably with his chasing one of 143. If the rain could only stay away, he'd have an excellent each-way chance. KENTMERE has his first run for 800 days and also makes his debut over fences on the same card. He has always schooled well and is as fit as we can get him 'first time.' Off a mark of 97, he also has good chances.
On sunday SPINAROUND runs in a very competitive handicap chase at Aintree, but he looks to have thrived physically through the summer and should run a big race. I just hope that the track has not received too much water, in order to encourage Kauto Star to run and that the forecast rain doesn't sweep south too soon. At Towcester on sunday, SENIOR WHIM will wear blinkers after his lack-lustre effort last week-end and RADAR LOVE has her first run over hurdles. She has grown into an imposing mare and has schooled very naturally, if she repeats her home work she'll go close.
So plenty of action and i'm sorry if there does not seem enough time to describe it in greater detail, but thankfully there seems a hell of alot going on round here!!

Sunday 14th October 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

We look forward to firing off our opening salvos of the real N.H. season this week, whilst realising that the guns of the big battleships of our enemies are already piping hot from the opening skirmish. Some stables have already had more than 200 runners, which shows just how important summer jump racing has become within the traditional 'year' of National Hunt racing.
We feel a bit like 'Arkwright' (Ronnie Barker), flicking his shop sign to 'Open', knowing that the neighbouring Tesco has been open for 24/7 all summer! But as our guru Sir Mark Prescott has always said, it is not of any concern what our competitors do, our job is to train our string to the best of our and our horses capabilities.
The string has had a good preparation over the last month; the weather has been pretty settled with no great variations and the horses have been working consistently. The only hold-up has been the lack of consistent rain to make the schooling ground safe enough for significant jumping practice. I always suspect that because rain falls upon our owner's gardens, they assume that even more has fallen upon our schooling grounds and the pressure increases to produce runners!! The temptation to school too soon, before the rain has really soaked in below the top inch or two of the surface, has to be resisted if damage is not to be done by being too anxious. Five hundred kilos of horse landing at 30 m.p.h. causes quite an impact and needs forgiving ground.
Our group of faster ground horses are ready and have entries planned for this week. These horses, added to a couple of possible all-weather runners make up our entries for this week:
MON. WOLVERHAMPTON.--- --GOLANO.
Seems to have come out of his come-back race really well where he was beaten a short head for third at 33/1. He has top weight here, but if he runs a similar race will go very close over this slightly longer trip.
TUE, WED, THURS. ------RETURN OF THE KING.
A really well-bred gelding by Nashwan out of Someone Special, so a full brother to group one winner One So Wonderful. This horse has been gently nurtured for us by no less than Signori Luca Cumani and looks to be mature and ready for action now.
I hope we can reward his owners' and previous trainer's faith before too long.
FRI. WOLVERHAMPTON------STRONG SURVIVOR.
Had to have a splint pin-fired quite soon after his third at Salisbury and looks to have strenghtened during his enforced rest. Looks well capable of winning on the flat before going hurdling. There is a lack of suitable contests for him in the next few weeks and i just hope that 1 1/2m on the all-weather isn't too sharp for him.
SAT. NEWMARKET-------FULL HOUSE.
If the weather would only hold and the forecast rain for tuesday could fizzle out before reaching Newmarket, then our hero 'Harold' will run a big race. His work has been equal to anything he did before winning at Royal Ascot and as Jimmy Fortune is now committed to Samurai Way (bought by P.W., damn it!), we have the honour of booking Frankie Dettori.
With a sensible draw unlike last year and a shedful of luck, FULL HOUSE is good and brave enough, to do the rest.
SUN. HEREFORD-------SENIOR WHIM, MORE TROUBLE, STAR SHOT.
A three-pronged attack into Herefordshire is the plan at the moment. STAR SHOT is also entered at KEMPTON and will choose the easier option. All these have schooled well, if only at gentle paces, but each did plenty of jumping in the spring before their holidays. You will also see entries for KENTMERE, who is also ready to run and could be on an acceptable mark of 97, but i fear that the ground will be too quick and he will have to wait a little longer.
So hopefully, from now on we are, 'OPEN ALL HOURS'...

Wednesday 26th September 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

Just before heading to Kempton, via the M40 which is nowadays challenging the M25 as the road to hell, i must make mention of tonight's runner, GOLANO. This horse is making his comeback after more than 600 days, but looks in excellent form at home. He does have a sence of humour this horse and looked to get fed up a couple of seasons ago, however since then he's been freshened up at Dennis Yardy's farm and seems re-juvinated. I do not recommend a massive investment but i also do not wish to be accused of not giving any encouragement to back him at very long odds. A little at 33/1 doesn't seem the rashest idea, because if he does run as he's been working he will not be far away. Sorry to be vague, but this does seem to be a rather inexact science sometimes!!

Friday 21st September 2007 - cropredy lawn Update

You'll have heard or read of recent attempts by Russian fighters to enter British airspace and having to be chased off by our brave boys, scrambling up to meet them. The russian attempts to sneak under the radar failed dismally, whereas Jerry stealthily drove RED BIRR to Wolverhampton for the 8.50pm last night, which he duely won....without any of you even knowing he was running!!!
RED BIRR had a pretty interupted passage and two furlongs out no radar would have picked him up, let alone suggest he might win. He pulled out wide and galloped home a snug winner at 13/2, so hope you all 'filled your boots'!! Sorry about that, but there are only a certain number of hours in a a trainer's day and i promise i did not back him myself, honest.
Anyway it was great news and shows that the horses are getting pretty fit and are healthy and well.
MAGIC CLOVER makes his debut for the B.V.R. Racing Partnership at Newbury today. This horse had reasonable form in Argentina and won over 1 1/4m there. We think that on his home work he is quite harshly handicapped, but we'll have to see this afternoon. The English, Dubian and Argentinian handicappers all hundled together to come up with a rating of 85, whereas we were hoping for 70-74! We'll see who is nearer the mark later on.
We had another great day for the Owner's Day and again heart-felt thanks to absolutely everybody at Cropredy Lawn for putting in such special efforts. A good crowd and especially lots of new faces, many of whom are new owners to us and some looking as though the will soon become victims! Equine IT have promised that the video of the day will soon be up on this site. We just have to edit the film, not because of the trainer's language but to eradicate the 'wind noise' caused by such a blowey day. Hopefully the whole site will soon undergo plenty of updates to keep you as well-informed as we can or dare let you be!!

Tuesday 11th September 2007 - Cropredy lawn update

Here's a genuine "letter from America", an update written from the Keeneland sale ring as hip 281 goes through the ring! I'm here for just a few days to attend the world's largest sale, that of over 5,500 yearlings. They sold 250 in 8 hours yesterday, a great example to our pedantic european auction houses. The market remains solid if not spectacular, as the financial instability caused by the 'sub prime morgage' worries is having an effect. Thankfully these worries will be of no concern to Duke of Buckingham at Uttoxeter tomorrow. He is re-united with James Davies and equipped with a tongue-tie for the first time in order to get a crystal-clear opinion of whether he has retained his racecourse enthusiasm. His fellow elder statesman, Kew Green is trotting off into the twilight of retirement after not being able to reproduce his class of old anymore. Tomorrow will tell us if 'BERTIE' is to join him at the five-star equine retirement establishment that they both so deserve.
On friday at Sandown we introduce the newest recruit to the Auctionair Racing Partnership's string, LAISH YA HAJAR. He is a nicely bred three year old gelding that we bought out of Mick Channon's yard in July. He used to very keen, both at home and on the racecourse, so we've spent our time teaching him to settle. We think we've made good progress, with the use of a 'bit-less bridle' and the delicate riding skills of Danny and Pat. this looks a competitive race and 'laish' will no doubt benefit from the race, but we think he has an each-way chance.
Meanwhile preparations continue apace at home as The Owner's Day approaches this sunday. It is always such a special day and i hope that many of you will be able to attend. For those who cannot, we hope to put video of the day on this site soon after the event. I must head back to the ring now as while i've written this, they have sold another fifteen yearlings!

Monday 13th August 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

I'm sure everybody rightly envies the glamourous life of the trainer and every member of our trade would be pushed to argue that we have a pretty spoilt role compared to many. Well, i sit poised over this key-board, two fingers ready to spill the beans on our rather humble acheivements, while the M&S Macoroni Cheese spoils in the oven due to lack of culinary attention. The look i'm getting from my adoring lurcher Pasha, reminds me that we're sharing, as it's her supper as well tonight! And this on MY BIRTHDAY. Yes, thank you all for the presents and cards, our poor postman has retired for the week with repetitive visit syndrome.
Somehow yesterday, i was presuaded by the charms of one Ed Dunlop, to come out of what should have been permanent retirement, to play the noble game of cricket for Newmarket XI against the Racing Post XI. After five overs of moderate first-change bowling, that for the first time in my career i felt lacked penetration, i can only say that i'm suffering a little today! The feeling resmbles that of the morning after a day at Hereford in 1980 when, as the leader, mine fell and the other nineteen seemed to play 'Subbuteo' with me. It is difficult to decide which part of the body is staging the first recovery! Permanent retirement beckons.
It must be a great encouragement for for all my owners to think that i'm a year older and therefore undoubtably a year wiser. Rest assured i agree with you all and feel that this, my fiftieth year is going to be a proper one on the racecourse, if not on the crictet pitch or the kitchen.
The last three runners have not required the judge to reach for his magnifying glass. I tried tried to convey that it may be time for KEW GREEN and DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM to clip-clop through the winding canyon into the sunset of retirement. Due to wonderful owner-devotion and a few mitigating circumstances they have both had their bus-passes refused and will have to pay for one more ride to compete upon the great stage. TRIBE looked to have a real each-way shot at Newmarket on saturday but managed to produce an unexpected white rabbit from a top hat that the Magic Circle themselves, would have been proud of. His first stride of the two mile race was magestic, sadly his second wasn't quite so graceful, as he stumbled like an elephant negotiating a deeper than expected river crossing. His nose hit the grass and Richard Hughes did very well to sit tight. After that the horse never travelled and hung right before tailing off tamely. Endless post-race examinations revealed little, as when the adrenilin is still flowing, these animals can mask many injuries. The truth usually comes to light in the morning, and sure enough TRIBE is lame. I fear he's hit or tweaked something which will explain a nasty disappointment.
This week will be silent on the racecourse but there's plenty going on at home as more and more horse start cantering. Our next runner will not be until 25th August when KEW GREEN will go back to Newmarket to prove once and for all whether he can defy 'Anno Domini' any longer. The trainer is off to Deauville sales for the weekend, another tough part of his daily grind, but it's just got to be done. This is the first of the European Yearling sales and although it comes early and the horse are often more backward, it has a tremendous record of producing Group horses at realistic prices. Yet again, it's a case of looking at three hundred horses just in case the 'Golden Nugget' slips though other people's scrutiny and into my grubby prospector's fingers. Have no fear, i'll be back by monday to oversee the little cherubs residing at Cropredy Lawn.
Sorry, but Pasha is gnorring at my chair leg and the kitchen is aflame, better GO!

Saturday 11th August 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

Very sorry, but i'm late setting off to Newmarket where TRIBE runs at 2.15pm. Just to say that i think he has a better chance than the Racing Post suggests, he has definite each-way claims.
Beware of our ex-inmate Decisive, or 'Eric' as we knew him. Peter Bowen is an extremely gifted fellow and i know he's pleased with him. More news tomorrow. VROOOOMM!

Friday 3rd August 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

It's Veteran's Weekend for us.
Tomorrow KEW GREEN will tell us whether he still has the ability to be competitive when he runs in a conditions race at Newmarket. You would assume that it would be an easy task for the trainer to sum up this type of horse's ability by watching him work at home, but that is not always the case. The wonderful thing about tough, older horses is their enthusiasm for training is often completely undiminished and all they want to do is gallop in the mornings. However there must come a time when dragging themselves through that pain barrier in the afternoon does become too much of a struggle. Although KEW's race is not a handicap and he'll be 'wrong at the weights' with some of his opponents, this looks a good opportunity for us to judge his future. At least the ground will be back to his liking, so we are hopeful of receiving a pleasent surprise.
DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM will also have his favourite conditions at Market Rasen on sunday, as 2 1/2miles, right-handed on fast ground is exactly what 'BERTIE' has always liked best. It should become obvious as to whether 'Anno Domini' has caught up with him. Judgement Day has arrived.

Sunday 29th July 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update.

At last radio silence is broken. I wish i could say that our transmittor was damaged in the Great Flood, but to mention that as an excuse would be too flippant, considering the havoc that lies across so much of the country. We had just the four inches of rain that friday and we have photos of the children swimming in a pool that gathered above our all-weather gallop! Thankfully the water gathered and then despersed again over-night without taking the gallop with it. It seems that the polytrack-type surfaces may be a little more stable than fibresand or woodchip, or maybe we were just incredibly fortunate to just have to do a little cosmetic refurbishment. By lunchtime on friday i'd placed an order for a couple of 'topping-up' loads, but it seems as though these will not be required yet. However watching these new weather patterns makes it seem likely that we will get hit worse before too long. You are no doubt used to or bored of me relating little quotes or words of wisdom uttered by my father, but his advice of living on a hill rather than in a hollow has never seemed wiser. He certainly would have doubted the sense in building on flood plains. wherever possible!
Anyway good news approaching or at least a little relief for so many people trying to cope with the floods; as i write this the Countryfile Weather reports that Goodwood will indeed live up to its name as Glorious and at last the much needed and longed for
high pressure system is about to break through those troublesome and persistent 'Atlantic lows.' It's always good to hear a tale of somebody doing something so silly it makes you smirk secretly for days, so hears one........Which trainer, in his haste to get to the yard at 5.30am the morning after the flood, to check the damage to his gallop, got his car marooned in the flood? This trainer had to escape out of the window and then wade to safety. This trainer has subsequently learned that his poor Saab is probably beyond repair, so who is he???????????
Yes you guessed, it's that pratt, Paul Webber. I've done a few silly things in the past, you'll all agree with that, but this ranks as about the stupidest. Not many mitigating circumstances about this one, except of course an underlying determination and dedication to get to the bridge of the threatened, plunging ship to steer her away from danger!! Of course the ship would have righted herself without my intervention and sailed on quite happily, but it is important to think that we are invaluable, even if others know we are not!!
So after four wonderful days with Sophie and Hugo down in Cornwall at Trevose, what a special place, we are back at the helm.Time to plot great voyages of success as the good ship 'Cropredy' is readied for the busier times ahead. The steam-cleaning,painting and tidying is nearly finished and the majority of the jumpers have also finished their holidays. Most of the young ones have been broken and returned to their fields if they are not required before christmas time.
Recent runners have been sparse due to the rediculous summer weather. STRONG SURVIVOR ran fine to be third at Salisbury, where Ryan Moore reported him to still be backward and a lttle weak.
He also came back with a bang on a splint bone which may have been a contributary factor. TRIBE was undone by a false slow pace and possibly an inadequate trip at Newmarket and Duke of BUCKINGHAM not surprisingly found the ground far too soft at Bangor. He hadn't run for a while and some of his owners were keen for him to have an outing where no harm has been done.
This week we hope to get FULL HOUSE back to the races for the first time since his epic win at Royal Ascot. He looked as well if not better than ever this morning, and would have run by now if the ground had suited. He has top weight on wednesday at Goodwood, but still must have a good chance if the ground dries up enough for him. TRIBE will wait until the following week and entries for the weekend could include, KEW GREEN, INWAAN and DUKE of BUCKINGHAM.
Let us hope that with the dove finally returning with the twig in its beak, the waters will subside for all those suffering such hardship and we can return to some proper summer fast ground.
Seems pretty bizarre and selfish that we are worrying about the state of the ground, when the people of the Midlands and Yorkshire can't even see theirs.

Saturday 14th July 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

It's saturday night and as binge-drinking begins throughout the land, we will be at peaceful, serene Salisbury with our first runner for three weeks. The un-seasonal, but soon to become seasonal (?) weather, has really interrupted some plans, but at last the ground looks suitable for STRONG SURVIVOR tonight. This horse ran well on his debut for us at Newbury in mid May and looks in good form. The majority of his opponents could be a little exposed, whereas we hope for improvement from 'MAMBO'. He looks to have a good sporting chance tonight.

Wednesday 4th July 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

The rain keeps falling and our hopes of racing action are being washed away. At least that's all that's being washed away, as our predicament is pretty insignificant compared to so many flood victims. No longer is it scenes of the Yangtze, the Ganges or Central Africa, now it's Sheffield, Doncaster and Tenbury Wells. This world seems to be changing a trifle rapidly for me when this morning headlines read, "Those who cure you, will kill you." Harold Shipman was shocking, but nothing compared to the fiendish recruitment of doctors to become the next terrorist threat. Whenever i get depressed or distaught about the 'form' of our stable, please don't hesitate to remind me that one of the safer and most lovely places to be in this troubled world is the top of the Cropredy Lawn Gallops. Each day we are reminded how so many people 'have to' make that daily journey which just isn't quite as predictable, calm or safe as it used to be.
At the top of our drive is a little hut where when we were children, we used to wait for the school bus. It now resembles a sentry box for ex-flat jockeys, too vertically challenged to become guardsmen. Despite being vandalised on a few occasions by some particularily useful members of Banbury society, a pair of swallows have nested there for years. When collecting the papers early in the morning, Mummy and Daddy Swallow are usually lying-in and often don't take the blindest bit of notice at my intrusion into their private space. Just imagine the excitement this morning when as i enter, the first family flight takes off from the nest and re-groups on the gate! There they gather to congratulate each other, how proud Mr. and Mrs. Swallow must be! Then the whole family follow my car for a little way, before one of the parents does a 'fly-past' to say 'good morning', maybe 'thank you'and then sadly too soon, 'good-bye'. No matter what goes wrong today, the world looked in good shape for that all too fleeting moment. How luck am i to have witnessed it and my thoughts are for those standing on the over-crowded 05.45 into Waterloo.
For an insight into what i'm meant to be doing, training horses, you'll have to wait as we have no runners this week. For many horses, their holidays finish this week, as many have been out long enough and this persistent wet time doesn't help them thrive. Radar Love, Pia Jane and Lady Bernie all came in yesterday and as the steam-cleaning continues a pace, another six will be in by the end of the week. 'Yorkie' is devouring paint like an insatiable drunk and is doing a really excellent job, the place is looking pretty damn smart.
I will update with next week's plans in a few days, my tip for the weekend.........Authorized coupled with Roger Federer, though the second leg may not run until next week at this rate!

Tuesday 26th June 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

All quiet on The Cropredy Front after the heady excitement of last week. The freak weather that devasted a swaythe of the country yesterday has probably confirmed a quieter week than we would have wished for. Sadly on sunday, the 'good to soft' ground reports from Pontyfract proved a little wide of the correct mark. I must have rung the course ten times upto sunday, including five minutes before the box left to take TRIBE up there. They consistently said that it had dried and was no worse than the stated 'good to soft'. Depressing then, when Jimmy Fortune, after three rides considers it 'soft and heavy'! The horse has travelled 150 miles, the owner has hired a helicopter and the stewards have entertained us regally, not easy to withdraw the horse. Anyway we do our best to warn the punters of our grave doubts about the ground and these views are re-inforced by those very shrewd judges Luck and Willoughby, who take careful note of the race-times and conditions. The end result is that TRIBE wallows, Jimmy looks after him in a professional manner and the lesson is learned.
So too wet this week for KEW GREEN, DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM and probably FULL HOUSE at Newcastle. So it's off to Ireland for the trainer to unearth some possible future stars at the Tattersalls Derby Sale. This is always a strong sale and a difficult one to work as there are 280 horses catalogued each day. Careful study is needed to reduce the 'viewing list' to managable quantities so that we can concentrate on the possibles rather than waste time looking at unsuitable horses. On a good viewing day it is possible to see about 100-120 horses, depending on the weather, vendors efficiency, telephonic interuptions and the trainer's concentration. I shall report my findings at the weekend.

Thursday 21st June 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

I know that many say, "Time only matters when you are in jail", but take a moment to ponder this observation! We have just winessed a really wonderful performance by Yeats in The Ascot Gold Cup, a really authorative performance. Massive credit must also go to the second horse, Geordieland who could not have finished any closer to The Champion Stayer. Take a look at the winner's time, 4m. 20.78secs carrying 9st 2lbs. FULL HOUSE's
winning time, carrying 1lb less and possibly on marginally faster ground.....4m. 18.29secs, a full 2.49secs faster!! I'm just off to give 'HAROLD' even more carrots. Thank you to all the many kind people who have sent faxes, e-mails, text messages and carrier pidgeons, ladened with congratulations, the yard remains on Cloud 9. 'HAROLD' himself seems his usual snarly self in his stable and was fresh, both at exercise and in his paddock today.
He is studying the acceptors for next saturday's Nothumberland Plate and has taken great pleasure in his role of igniting Jimmy Fortune's flame which has burned so brightly since!

Wednesday 20th June 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

I've often tried to explain how at least 126 things have to go right in order for a horse to arrive at the races in peak condition and then how at least another 241 have to happen in the correct sequence for a horse to win!
Royal Ascot yesterday was just one of those amazing days when each piece of the jigsaw just miraculously fell into place. FULL HOUSE looked immaculate trotting around the farm yesterday morning and as he can be very unsettled in the racecourse stables, requiring Katie or Jerry to stay with him the whole time, we decided to send him to the course late. 'HAROLD' had a cooling swim before getting on the lorry and Jerry cruised in as the first race was being run, thus avoiding any traffic. The horse arrived in the paddock in the most relaxed state we've ever seen him. There followed the most perfect, low-risk ride from Jimmy Fortune who always had him in the most perfect position. Off the bend there looked as though there was a chance of a fairytale unfolding, and when Jimmy asked 'HAROLD' for his maximum, they both gave that and a whole lot more. It seemed an endless last furlong but neither of them was going to let anything past by then! Wonderful scenes unfolded, it really is a special moment, the very reason why we are all addicted to this business. Wet, cold winter mornings seemed light years away from that winner's enclosure! Special congatulations to Katie Branson and of course to Jerry Walsh for turning the horse out so beautifully that he won yet another 'best-turned out award'. Also special thanks to the Addiscott and Chamberlein familes for their constant support; never has a special day been more deserved.
A fabulous day for all the Team at Cropredy Lawn, our owners and supporters. Let's
hope this will he;p to fill our boxes with loads more superstars like 'HAROLD'.

Tuesday 19th June 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

Very difficult to find a moment to write this news item this morning as preparations for Royal Ascot are occupying a lot of time. It's not easy finding the perfect rose for the button-hole that will match today's tie. How i long for Henry Cecil's classic touch, both with horses and roses! FULL HOUSE has a good each-way chance in today's Ascot Stakes, despite being penalised 8lbs for his Goodwood win. We don't think he's ever been in such good form, but then he's going to have to be to prove equal to the task ahead. Hopefully the ground will be fast enough for him and we pray that for his sake and for that of the
picnicing hoardes, the rain stays away. Sadly, due to the reduction in the safety factors at Ascot, TRIBE was balloted out of this race and so will either run in the Queen Alexandra on Saturday or head back to Pontyfract on sunday, do not miss him wherever he goes.
Last week's runners, DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM and INWAAN both ran very respectable races, despite not picking up prizes. 'BERTIE', even though he is now eleven years old, pulled far too hard in a slowly-run race. He looked like being the winner at the third last, but a combination of his refusal to settle and the softening ground ment that the petrol ran out. Tom Doyle seems convinced that the engine is still there and we get the same impression at home. It would be ideal to run him right-handed again and it looks as there may be an opportunity to do so at either Market Rasen next friday or Perth the following week. INWAAN missed the break a little and was unbalanced leaving the stalls at Lingfield. However he ran on well to be fourth and Pat Dobbs has joined the rapidly growing club of people who say and believe that he will win very soon!! Ever heard that before from jockey or trainer?
Sorry, can't write much more, time to get dressed up like a penguin.... wished i'd auditioned for Happy Feet !

Wednesday 13th June 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

Usually, when the cat's away, the mice play like fury and produce a winner for the trainer to drink a toast to whilst he's in some foreign land. Sadly the old magic didn't work last week and we had a couple of dismal displays and one non-runner, not a productive week. Richard Quinn gave KEW GREEN a slap down the shoulder on leaving the paddock, which lit up the old horse, who promptly ran away with him! This clearly put the wind up the jockey as he was heard to be asking all sorts of worried, panicky questions of his colleagues down at the start. Anyway, 'KEW'
got into a right state and ran no sort of race. All best forgotten about and we'll give the old fellow one more go, with a jockey who knows him well, before deciding whether it's time for retirement. MORE TROUBLE let us down at Uttoxeter and didn't look too concerned whether he hurried or not. His jumping, in what was his first chase was good early on, but seemed a little pedantic when he was ment to be getting stuck in. The ground was definitely looser than he would have prefered but whether that is a fully legitimate excuse, i'm not sure. The trainer and his owners are still scratching their collective heads in an effort to sort out this disappointment.
It's back to Uttoxeter on thursday night where DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM looks to have a good chance, although it may be difficult to beat Bagin, who won well last time after a long absence; one to test the much talked about, 'bounce theory.'
INWAAN is due to go to Lingfield on saturday night to see if he can break his maiden after plenty of good efforts. We thought he had a good chance last time, but for some reason was a little quiet that day, let's hope he's in rampaging order on saturday night.
During the trainer's all too brief visit to Tuscany, he went to walk the course of the remarkable Palio race in Siena. Now that does look something very special and the search is on to find the right competitor from our stable. The track is a quarter the size of Fakenham, so a sharp sort may be a necessity! I think an important lesson was learned by your trainer whilst studying the strategy for this race. It has come to light that all the horses due to run in the Palio, are taken to church the night before the race.
Don't be surprised to see, 'Horsebox charge, transport to St. John's, Banbury,' on your next bill. I'm sure that you'll agree that we should leave no stone un-turned in our pursuit of winners!

Monday 4th June 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

Sunday was a 'scorcher' at Cropredy Lawn (as my father's favourite newspaper, The Sun, would say). Oddly enough though, the closer we got to Hereford, the gloomier the day became. Twenty members of the Auctionair Racing Partnership were coming to support SHAHNAMEH and so we did our best to organise some hospitality. Hereford offered us a table in the restaurant at £35 per head before any drink taken with a three course lunch, but naturally not everybody wishes to be chained to the restaurant all afternoon. They did also offer to put up a marque at the bargain price of £50 per person, not inclusive of a sip or a bite! What an offer! The end result was a spectacular picnic lunch provided by the syndicate manager, Ku Scott and and a wide-ranging bar provided by the trainer. His mystery cocktail seemed to do the trick even if the horses didn't! COUNTRY AFFAIR was a little disappointing, but it may be that we rode him too close to the slow pace and that he is better ridden to pass other horses. He had beaten yesterday's winner last time, so it does not look as though he gave his true running yesterday. SHAHNAMEH ran a lot better, Dominic Elsworth reporting that he could not hear any breathing problem, rather that he could not hear any breathing at all as the horse seemed
to tense to do so! This is probably a confidence thing and we will have to convince him to relax and believe that his problems are now behind him. He jumped very naturally, and we have probably made a small step forward, but many more are needed yet. Strangely after leaving Hereford without a winner and feeling as gloomy as the weather, we only had to drive ten miles to be back in brilliant sunshine. In the wrong place at the wrong time, except for the picnic. At Southwell, JAOKA DU GORD travelled into the straight and we all just began to get excited when his petrol gauge dropped to empty rather abruptly. He just does not seem to get many yards over three miles and he's becoming a bit difficult to win with.
This trainer is escaping tomorrow (tues.) to Tuscany for five days to re-charge the batteries and let a little culture flood into my phillistine brain. In my absence, Trevor, Caroline and Suzanne will be in complete control and will hopefully deal with all eventualities without have to rely on too many executive decisions from me, what's new i hear you cry! KEW GREEN is declared for Nottingham on wednesday in a fairly warm conditions race, but he has a chance of a place as he continues to look and work well. The ground will be much more suitable than on his last two starts at Ascot and York. MORE TROUBLE makes his debut over fences at Uttoxeter on saurday night and has been delighting us at home. Being by Zaffaran, chasing is what he was designed for and he looks pretty confident at home.
I do remember saying the same things about him at the beginning of last season and he promptly had a nasty fall over hurdles, so nothing is guarenteed! If there's a Ladbrokes in Sienna, then i would be tempted from out under my olive tree to watch this one, but i fear a bottle from the nearby cellars of Camposilio may make that journey too tricky to risk! Next saturday night, STRONG SURVIVOR returns to the scene of his promising dedut at Newbury. He was fourth there and this race is over an extra furlong and a bit. Pat Dobbs is very keen to ride him again and we think he has come on for that first race for us. So a few little chances through the week, enough to keep the team out of mischief whilst i'm away, or so the theory goes! Then it will be full-throttle into Royal Ascot and the Derby Sale at Fairyhouse:
Not a lot of peace for the sometimes-only-a tiny-bit-wicked!!!

Saturday 2nd June 2007 - Cropredy Lawn update.

With one eye on the Derby, i bring you news of tomorrow where our runners are at those tracks equally exotic tracks,
Hereford and Southwell. One day we'll be at Epsom, indeed there's something in the top yard right now who just might fill the bill, but you'll have to wait a little longer for more detailed information than that.
COUNTRY AFFAIR and SHAHNAMEH run in the first race at Hereford. I hate running two horses in the same race as one team of owners always imagine that the other is being favoured in some fashion over the other! COUNTRY AFFAIR seems to have grown in confidence since his hurdle debut when third at Huntingdon. He had proved disappointing on the all-weather, but has always impressed on the grass, whether galloping or jumping. The Champion, Mr. McCoy was available and it seemed a little silly to leave him riderless in the weighing room. I hope the horse will prove worthy of the jockey booking, we certainly can't fault or question his performances at home. SHAHNAMEH
has proved a disappointment on the track so far, as his home galloping form has always given us plenty of encouragement.
He has schooled with great zest and the fast ground will certainly suit him better than the heavy winter ground he could not manage. I hope that he leaves his previous form well behind and rewards his owners' great patience by finishing in the first four. At Southwell JOAKA DU GORD tries to re-polish his tarnished reputation in a 0-90 chase, which represents the
easiest opportunity he's faced for a while. He has dropped down the handicap to 77, and also wears a tongue-tie for the first time.
I hope the combination of these conditions, added to the needed ladel of good fortune could produce a nice surprise.

Sunday 27th May 2007 - cropredy lawm update

Well, that was a week that was!
Sunday, monday and tuesday were spent in deep concentration and study at the Doncaster May Sale, searching diligently for the horses that will become our future winners. As my former guv'nor, Jeremy Hindley said, it doesn't matter how good a trainer you are if you are not able to source the better horses to train in the first place. It is still difficult to make a silk purse from a sow's ear, despite all improvements in facilities and training techniques, so it's important to start off with the most talented individuals you can find and possibly afford. On monday i bought a real bargain, a lovely King's Theatre three year old filly out of a Darshaan mare, who has already bred two winners over hurdles. She looks just the type for mares only bumpers in the early spring and is a lovely individual. She cost 20,000 gns and it's first come, first served. I also bought a very nice Clerkenwell four year old, who was snapped up yesterday morning. The next National Hunt sale is at Goffs in ten days time and then it is on to The Derby Sale at Fairyhouse which takes place the week after Royal Ascot. We also bought three stores for David Allen including two beautifully bred fillies and a full brother to Edgeover, of whom we think so much. It's a great boost to have already found five lovely new prospects for the new season.
Wednesday started with two full lots at home then a long day in the car. First stop was Lingfield where INWAAN was a bit disappointing and came back a bit 'jarred' for some reason. He also seemed a little quiet before the race and despite all tests we cannot find a reason for this. It could be that he had one of those inexplicable 'off-days'. Next stop was Huntingdon where DARIAK looked to have a favorites chance, but came up against an unexpected and unexposed easy winner of Ben de Haan's. It may turn out to be no disgrace to have tried to give this winner weight. I also feel that the ground may have been a litttle too firm for DARIAK and that after a holiday he will be very effective on better ground and over a little further. The last leg of the road-trip was back upto Doncaster to prepare our horses for the sale. A long and under-acheiving day!
Meanwhile down at Goodwwod on thursday, FULL HOUSE 'strutted his stuff' in impressive fashion and 'hacked up' at remarkable odds of 20/1! He had to be withdrawn due to the soft ground at Ascot a fortnight ago, where he was due to be second favorite behind his stablemate and fellow non-runner, TRIBE. I never imaginred he'd go off at such odds and apologise for not handing out enough encouragement. Jimmy Fortune was very impressed and will have a quandary to sort out at Royal Ascot, where the pair are due to run in the Ascot Stakes on the opening day.
At Doncaster sales, HILLY GALE made 42,000gns, which was a big price for a horse rated only 100, even though he looks a certainty in his first novice handicap chase of that mark. Watch for him on his debut. Our draft for friday included DE SOTO, SPUD, NO FULL and ROYAL CRYSTALCADOU. It was always going to be a difficult day and saying goodbye to De SOTO was always going to be the worst part. This is such a special horse, he's always had such a superior attitude and didn't he show it every time he was pulled out of his stable and that must have been nearly seventy times. It was a big shame that this horse had to be sold as the original owner, Peter Deal was a very reluctant seller but his racing partner, Pat Delaney was keen to sell. The only way to resolve the matter was through the ring
and 360,000 later the matter was resolved in some style! This is the second highest price for a National Hunt horse sold at public auction. I had done my best to keep the horse in the yard but it was not to be and he was bought by Jonjo O'Neill on behalf of Mrs. Gay Smith.
I feel rotten for Peter Deal, my head lad Trevor Heath who looked after and adored this horse and also for everyone in our yard, as it is a blow to lose such an exciting animal. We are all over it now and the search is on for the next 'star' like him. I bought him at the Breeze-up sale for 20,000gns and its not often that such a good bit of business can be done with a national hunt horse. SPUD also proved a successful sale, making 90,000gns to Aidan Murphy on behalf of an owner of Phillip Hobbs'. He'd cost us 8,000gns, so did us proud, but i do think he'll really develop into a very good novice next season. We have proven we can spot the right type of young horse and look forward to finding more of them, as the market for this type of young horse is just remarkable at the moment. All we need are some more willing
business partners or better still, owners to hang onto them!
SENIOR WHIM ran well in a first-time visor at Stratford on friday night, possibly being too keen for his own good. We will drop him back in trip a little more when he returns to the track in August,after a short summer holiday. DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM showed all his customary enthusiasm but definitely needs a bit further nowadays. His run at Stratford was encouraging despite the rain affecting the ground more than he would have prefered.
We will see what the handicapper does to him this week before making another plan.
This week is a quiet one and with the rain forecast it may prove to be one without any runners. We will have entries at the weekend and will publish those later in the week.
I must pay a big and special tribute to my team: I have never seen our horses, whether at the sales, races or at home look as well as they are right now. We know what a difficult time we've been through, but i feel that Roger Waters was right when he said, "That the tide is turning."

Friday 18th May 2007 - cropredy lawn update

Sadly, a bit too much rain at York for KEW GREEN, but this run should help to lower his handicap mark to a more realistic level at his age. He dropped 4lbs for his Ascot race so that as least was worth the effort! Today at Newbury, STRONG SURVIVOR makes his debut for us in a 1 1/2m handicap. He showed nothing for Signori Luca Cumani last season but has been going quite well at home this spring. He was definitely backward last year and has done physically very well in the last three months.
He is by Kingmambo out of a half-sister to Act One, so on pedigree alone he's a certainty. However we are all surrounded by both humans and horses who despite their immaculate families and upbringing can prove sad disappointments! No names please! Strong Survivor looks worthy of each-way interest but we are still a little 'in the dark' until we see what ability he shows on the racetrack.
On saturday we loose off ROYALCRYSTAL CADOU in a novice chase at Worcester, before he goes to Doncaster sales next week. He does love his jumping and could run well if he gets truely inspired. THE FACTOR stands almost 18 hands and is quite the most gentlest of giants! His owner, Ian Bare describes this horse as 'his last chance to breed the Gold Cup winner.' Well, he has done his bit, now it's upto the trainer to launch this horse's career in the correct manner to give this horse the best chance of getting to The Cheltenham Festival in 2009 and 2010!
He does his work well, but at the risk of offending the stewards,
tomorrow is about education whilst of course winning if he can.
I hope that on sunday morning, Mr. Bare's dream is still very much alive. MERCHANT RED goes for the bumper at Uttoxeter and we expect him to leave his very ordinary debut run at Ludlow far behind. There is a horse in this bumper, Working Title
of Nicky Henderson's, about which there is an aweful lot of talk, so beware.
The Trainer will be at Doncaster May sales most of next week where his phone will be permenantly switched on in order to receive your instructions to purchase new horses for you all.
This will be the 22nd consequetive year that i will have stood at the same post around the parade ring on the same sunday watching the show for the unraced 'store' horses. It's been a lucky place for me and many
of our best young horse have come from here. It's always a major challenge, but one which i secretly adore! Later in the week we have our draft of 'In Training' horses, which sadly due to various irritating circumstances include DE SOTO and NO FULL,
two horses which i want very much to stay in the yard. DE SOTO is the future novice chaser that everybody would love to own, and i so hope that somehow we can keep him in the yard as we all feel he is so special. My head lad, Trevor Heath is sure that he is the best he's been about and he was with the Rimells during the golden years of Comedy of Errors, Gaye Brief and Gay Trip. NO FULL, off a mark of 129 looks a wonderful prospect for 2 1/2-3 mile chases on soft ground. He will definitely win a big handicap or two in the correct conditions.So if you're listening out there and you're feeling under-horsed, give me a call a.s.a.p. As i said, the phone will be on!
Next week watch out for;
Wed. LINGFIELD---INWAAN, HUNTINGDON---DARIAK.
Thurs. GOODWOOD---FULL HOUSE.
Fri. HUNTINGDON---DARIAK.
This looks a pretty crucial week. Finding the new raw material and retaining the best of the existing, is so very important in building a good all-round string for the new season. Wish me luck, or better still ring me and pledge your support!!!

Wednesday 16th May 2007 - cropredy lawm Update

On reviewing my last text, i take pride in my ability as a weatherman as much as a trainer! What a total pleasure to obtain the services of The Champion jockey for DARIAK, and what a joy to watch them go about their totally professional business together. Sadly the handicapper was equally impressed and has raised DARIAK by 15lbs.! Anyway, not the worst type of problem a trainer can face. Ascot became very soft and i'm afraid that KEW GREEN got wheel-spin, he just couldn't get any grip and he's too old to cope with uncomfortable conditions any more, rather like his trainer who is probably more suited to a hotel than a tent nowadays! 'KEW' is declared for York tomorrow, but does have a little 'knick' that may prevent him running. As just about predicted, Worcester flooded as so DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM couldn't run either. The softened ground also turned 'KEW' and MERCHANT RED into non-runners on monday evening. We have plenty of entries at the weekend and there will be more written about them as plans firm up tomorrow.

Friday 11th May 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

The weekend prospects are only slowly becoming clearer, as the weather has taken a big change and dumped this previously scarse commodity, RAIN, upon us. Although this rain may only have had a cosmetic effect on your garden lawns so far, it very quickly alters racecourse ground that has been heavily watered in the last few weeks. I spoke to the Clerk of the Course at Worcester yesterday morning, to be told that they would put 6mm. on the course, whilst having a forecast of upto 18mm last night; now that could change things significantly. They are in a tricky position, because if they don't water and the forecast is incorrect, the ground will be very quick.
Anyway, our weekend entertainment starts tonight when DARIAK goes to Wincanton where, to quote Sir Mark Prescott and all those T.V. chefs, he will be garnished with Tony McCoy!
Mick Fitzgerald rides for Pat Delaney when he can, but is tonight claimed by N. Henderson, so we are thrilled to get the 'Champ'.
DARIAK was very game last time and would look to have 'come on' for his first win. I think we will have to make plenty of use of him tonight to burn the speed off his principal rivals, but we give him a good chance.
The ground Ascot is changing and we will wait until sat. morning to see if it goes too soft for FULL HOUSE and TRIBE. They both look to have great chances in the 2m. handicap if the ground remains good enough, but we will not risk them. KEW GREEN is
drawn quite high (19) in the Victoria Cup, which sometimes when the ground gets softer, is not too much of a disadvantage.
He seems to go on most ground, but is unproven on very soft. Dropping back to 7f. is also novel but there aren't too many alternatives and he shows as much speed as ever at home.
INWAAN has a good chance at Warwick, and a reproduction of his previous race would be good enough to get him in the frame over this marginally longer trip. He has definitely done the best home work of his short career in the last two weeks.
The rain at Worcester will determine which horse we win the 2 1/2m chase with!!!! Good ground, it's DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM who is in raging form for his comeback, or if it's soft, PATRICKSNINETEENTH seems so well since his win at Perth.
HILLY GALE will probably wait for a handicap in a week's time.
So plenty in store for the weekend. All the runners had lovely clean tracheal washes yesterday and all look really well....................so hope springs eternal.....

Monday 7th May 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

Many apologies for the 'Radio Silence' in recent days. There has been a change in the editorial department at The Cropredy Times. George Baker who has been such a help through the winter months, both in maintaining the great morale around the yard and representing us superbly at the races has headed off to pursue the career that he has always yearned for......that of the Racehorse Trainer. We have all done our best,
in two different stints to put George off this tortuous and stressful career, but to no avail! I'd hoped that the aggravations he has experienced at first hand, would have done something to dampen his enthusiasm, but we all wish him and Candida the absolute best of all good fortune in their new careers.
During our our little spell 'off the air', one season has ended and
ten and a half hours later another has begun. We kicked the old
one all the way down the drive and said 'good riddence' to it and then welcomed in the new one with grateful and open arms!
The season that was 2006-7 was tricky for all the well- documented reasons, but there were many bright green shoots of spring-time recovery to be seen in the closing weeks. The string was unhealthy in the autumn and with the valuable help of The Irish Equine Centre we got to the bottom of that. Then the problem was that the majority of the horses were young, backward and so could not be rushed. Suffice it to say, we just had to be patient and wait for the horses to 'come around', which they have now done with a vengence. Hopefully the patient attitude,
shown by the trainer and you the owners and supporters will reap great benefits during this new season.
Our first runner of the new season, DARIAK, won at Ludlow under an inspired ride from the not-the-least-bit-retiring Mick Fitzgerald. COUNTRY AFFAIR ran a cracking race in his first hurdle race to be third in a very warm novice at Huntingdon. For whatever reason, this horse just hasn't shown his form when racing on the all-weather, but looks a lovely prospect for the grass. He is entered at the Doncaster May Sale, as his owner is strikely a flat-racing man and i'm looking for an owner to keep this horse in the yard. All interested parties, please get in touch with me a.s.a.p. . SPINAROUND got it right at last at Southwell last week and won with a little more than a length in hand. This horse got a hairline fracture of his shin in December and we were all thrilled to get him back in the winner's enclosure, particularily as he'd gone all the way to Perth to fall at the first when getting a foot stuck ina deep hole on landing. If the handicapper is not too ferocious, 'Spinner' should be able to win again.
This week is quiet for us until the weekend, where we are looking forward to all sorts of excitements. The first rain since 9th March fell at Cropredy Lawn this morning and if we have the wet week predicted, plans may alter. Our hopes for the week-end include KEW GREEN and TRIBE at Ascot, FULL HOUSE either on the flat at Ascot or over hurdles at Haydock, INWAAN at Warwick, DARIAK, HILLY GALE and JAOKA DU GORD at Uttoxeter and DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM, PATRICKSNINETEENTH and DARIAK at Worcester on sunday. All these plans are naturally a lttle hazy at this early stage, so we will 'post' more definite ideas later in the week.

Tuesday 24th April 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

A quiet few days, but back in the swing tonight with 2 runners.

Senior Whim looks to follow up a recent Plumpton victory. Andrew Thornton is on board again, and this looks another winnable contest.

Pour Ellie also heads to Towcester, and he clearly has ability. He had an unfortunate experience at Bangor recently, but does seem fresh and well and has each-way claims.

Monday 16th April 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

A disappointing Aintree with De Soto and One Gulp under performing - but the horses are in good form.

Spud battled all the way to the line to win the Bumper at Worcester yesterday, whilst Hilly Gale was a good winner of the first at Wetherby today.

Laura Monger enjoyed her spin around Aintree on Royal Paradise in the People's Race - although she was very hard on herself for not having been handier from the start. But very well done her for getting home in one piece!

Two at Warwick tomorrow.

Inwaan looks to put a disappointing run at Wolverhampton behind him. He had run well at Kempton when just pipped the time before - and he looks to be in the right race to bounce back tomorrow.

Kew Green goes in the feature Conditions race over a mile. He is working well at home and we have got everything crossed that the old boy will put his best foot forward.

Friday 13th April 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

A big day, with both De Soto and One Gulp heading to Aintree with chances.

De Soto ran a blinder in the Supreme Novices' at Cheltenham, and we have been very happy with him since. Today's ground will be perfect, and we are expecting him to go very close.

One Gulp ran on well in the Cheltenham Bumper, but all too late to trouble the principals. She has also come out of her race in grand order and, whilst today's faster ground is a bit of an unknown, there is no reason to suppose that she will not handle it.

Royal Paradise will give Laura Monger a big thrill in tomorrow's Peoples Race at Aintree - Laura has worked really hard to get this far, and we all wish her masses of luck.

Sunday 8th April 2007 - Cropredy Lawn Update

Jaoka Du Gord ran very well for a long way yesterday at Haydock and looked to have a real chance turning for home.

His effort just flattened out on the run to the last, but this was an encouraging effort and he will surely pick up one of these good ground handicaps before too long.

Two runners tomorrow.

More Trouble heads to Huntingdon, and will be supported there by a decent contingent of his owners, Economic Security.

More Trouble has been waiting for better ground, and his recent work has been encouraging. An each-way chance.

Senior Whim