Massini's Caps Manic Week!

It was also a week to remember for stable jockey Tom Scudamore who rode his 500^th career winner under rules at Wetherby on Friday. Tom joins a select list of jockeys to have achieved that milestone, including his grandfather (and hero) Michael Snr who rode 496 winners in this country (including 1959 Grand National winner, Oxo) as well as four more overseas. I know that Tom was delighted, so well done Scu – that’s three generations of jockeys from the same family that have ridden 500 winners…I wonder if that has happened before?

Speaking of successful jockeys – they don’t come much more successful than A P McCoy, and I am pleased to add my support to the Facebook Group that is currently calling for the champion jockey to receive more public recognition by lobbying for him to be BBC Sports Personality Of The Year. A P is a great ambassador for our sport, and if his domination were in a more widely recognised sport, the man would have won the award years ago. Anyway, add your support by joining the group “AP McCoy for Sports Personality Of The Year 2010!

You may recall that I mentioned that Ben Newton paid us a visit a couple of weeks ago to conduct the Racing Post’s annual Stable Tour. Nowadays the pullout in the newspaper is accompanied by a video, and if you go to our “Media Vault” you will see that we have added their excellent tour of the yard. To see the footage, including the horses in action on the gallops and an interview with me talking of my hopes for the new National Hunt season, click here.

Talking of the Racing Post, when is a racehorse trainer not a racehorse trainer?...When they are posting comments relating to stories on their website! Sounds a little odd, right? Well, I recently found myself a little shocked and bemused to see that someone going under the name “davidpiperacinguk” had been commenting on the day to day stories appearing on www.racingpost.com – worse still, some of these comments had caused offence to other users of the site, so I would just like to address this matter. The views and opinions of the individual using that name are not in any way representative of me or anyone connected with the yard that I know of, and I would like to offer my apologies to anyone who has been offended by the comments of this person. The Racing Post have been very co-operative and have now suspended said user’s account, so hopefully there will not be any reoccurrences.

I spent three days at the Newmarket Sales last week and we have a few new recruits to look forward to including Togiak who should be an exciting recruit to the jumping game – he was placed in a couple of Derby Trials on the flat, and was second last time out in a handicap from a mark of 92. Looking to the week ahead, I will be sifting through yet more bloodstock catalogues to find some more future jumps superstars as the Doncaster Bloodstock Sales begin on Wednesday. If anyone would be interested in purchasing a horse, please feel free to contact me via e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or telephone 01884 840715 for an informal no obligation chat to discuss your requirements.

As I am sure you can make out from the picture at the top of the page, it was Halloween last night (Sunday), and mum and dad put on a great party for friends, family and staff members at the Ilminster Stage in Culmstock. They had spent a lot of time in the pub (decorating and creating a really spooky atmosphere of course(!), as well as providing a free bar) and it all paid off – guests really pushed the boat out with their fancy dress costumes (there are a number of pictures in Chester’s column) and a great time was had by all. I would also like to thank Norma for her help with the excellent spread of food on offer, which really helped the evening go off with bang. There are a few sore heads around the yard this morning, but I am pleased to say that there is no-one absent from the register!

Finally, I would like to inform you that we have this afternoon made the decision to retire Our Vic. He has been an amazing horse for me, my father and the Johnson family throughout the years, but he is now telling us that he is ready for retirement. He will be a teenager in January, and his joints are giving him a little trouble and after all he has done for us, it is time for us to look after him. Our Vic was campaigned at the highest level throughout his career and won on no less than fourteen of his thirty-five starts, including the Ryanair Chase (Grade 1) at the Cheltenham Festival and the Totesport Bowl (Grade 2) at Aintree where he got the better of an amazing tussle with Gold Cup winner Kauto Star. He will be extremely difficult to replace, but he has earned his rest and we all hope that he enjoys the long and happy retirement that he so richly deserves.

Our Vic beats Kauto Star in the 2008 Totesport Bowl at Aintree

Picture courtesy of Bill Selwyn