90 Winners On The Board

It is great that the yard continues in such good form with the Cheltenham Festival now less than a fortnight away.  Yesterday we notched another across-the-card double courtesy of Qalinas at Lingfield and E Street Boy at Wincanton (pictured above courtesy of Steve Kemp) taking our seasonal total to 90.  I must pull jockey Michael Heard to one side though after his post race quote - the young amateur said 'He won well.  He was going so well for me, all I had to do was get him home'.  Now what Michael should have said was 'I gave him a great ride - it took all of my skills to win on the six year old and I don't think he would have won without me in the saddle!'  I'm sure he will learn!

Above: E Street Boy en route to victory at Wincanton yesterday (Photo: Steve Kemp)

It is great that the yard continues in such good form with the Cheltenham Festival now less than a fortnight away.  Yesterday we notched another across-the-card double courtesy of Qalinas at Lingfield and E Street Boy at Wincanton (pictured above courtesy of Steve Kemp) taking our seasonal total to 90.  I must pull jockey Michael Heard to one side though after his post race quote about Qalinas (pictured right) - the young amateur said 'He won well.  He was going so well for me, all I had to do was get him home'.  Now what Michael should have said was 'I gave him a great ride - it took all of my skills to win on the six year old and I don't think he would have won without me in the saddle!'  I'm sure he will learn!

Most of our runners performed well yesterday - Big Occasion finished second and Alderluck fourth in the inaugural running of the Surrey National at Lingfield, while at Wincanton Grand Exit finished runner-up in the mares' race, Laflammedglorie ran a promising race when fourth behind E Street Boy and Home Run was unlucky to unseat his rider when just hitting the front at the penultimate hurdle.

Today there are four meetings taking place with two jumps cards at Taunton and Ludlow and two all-weather flat meetings at Southwell and Kempton.  The stable has runners at Taunton and I thought that Irish point-to-point winner Garryleigh looked interesting.  He finished runner-up on this course on his only start for the stable in a bumper last time and can improve for that first run since 2011.

I see that it is travelling head lad Craig Wylie's 43rd birthday today.  I always refer to Craig as Marks & Spencer as he can normally get hold of anything you need!

You will see below another video from last week's Cheltenham Festival Press Day...this time we have Close House, who has an engagement in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Final at the Festival meeting.

Close House Press Day 2013

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I was amazed while watching the cricket in New Zealand to see that the match was being played in the middle of a mountain range.  No wonder there was no-one watching, you would have needed to be Edmond Hillary to climb the mountains!

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I see that Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez had a right go at the fans last night and I have to say that I agree with him - he doesn't seem to have been given much of a chance by the supporters.

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Thought for the day...When God created the world he made Adam before Eve.  He didn't want any advice on the matter!  Sorry ladies, have a nice day!