- Tuesday, 21 December 2010 08:21
- Written by Chester Barnes
It is great news to hear that we have racing at Southwell and Kempton today after a total wipe out yesterday. It is a strange card at Kempton with all seven flat races for National Hunt horses. My only concern is that all the runners can actually make it to the track! Pond House has 8-10 inches of snow but thankfully yesterdays hard work of digging some tracks meant that our lorry was able to get out this morning and is safely well on the way to Kempton. There is a 10 year old running on the all-weather this afternoon and I am sure it will be an experience for some of the older horses,it will definitely sharpen them up at least! I imagine that several trainers will not have been able to do that much fast work with their horses at home recently because of the bad weather and it will certainly be interesting watching this afternoon. I would just like to say a big well done to Kempton and the BHA and whoever else was involved in getting this fixture arranged last minute. With the weather causing such havoc it is great to have some racing taking place. Fingers crossed the weather improves as it would be great to see some proper jumping action on Boxing Day.
- Monday, 20 December 2010 08:02
- Written by Chester Barnes
At long last the public voted correctly in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. AP's win gives racing a big boost and he is the first jockey to win the award since it's launch in 1954. I even agreed with the runners-up spot, darts legend Phil Taylor, although personally I think that golfer Graham McDowell should have been third. The racing industry and public really got behind AP and he really deserves this accolade - he is a great ambassador for our sport.
- Sunday, 19 December 2010 00:00
- Written by Chester Barnes
If you did not know already, tonight is the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards which are being held in Birmingham. Vote AP! It would be fantastic if the great A P McCoy could win the prestigious trophy after all of his achievements and it would be brilliant for the whole of racing as well. I shall be tuning in at 7pm and casting my vote and every one counts as he will have to see off tough competition from darts player Phil 'the Power' Taylor, golfers Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood and cricketer Graeme Swann amongst others.
- Saturday, 18 December 2010 07:30
- Written by Chester Barnes
The snow has really hit the West of England overnight! Where I live in Brixham some of the roads are impassable for the first time in thirty years. I have never seen it so bad down here and even the all weather meetings are struggling to be on at the moment. To keep you informed of today's action, there is no Jumps racing and while Southwell goes ahead they are looking again at Lingfield later on to see if they can race. They are raceable at present but are checking again due to the weather they are forecast for this morning and they have already delayed the start time of the first race by 10 minutes.
- Friday, 17 December 2010 08:17
- Written by Chester Barnes
It's like a winter wonderland down here in the West country again! I was watching a photo-finish at Towcester yesterday and when they showed the print, it was almost impossible to tell which horse had won as the picture was covered in snow. Edward Whittaker has taken a great picture on the front page of today's Post as runners at Towcester compete during a snow storm. Southwell also ran their meeting in blizzard conditions and it was amazing just how quickly the snow had settled on the ground.
- Thursday, 16 December 2010 08:20
- Written by Chester Barnes
I bet that owner Stuart Mercer had his heart in his mouth as Dan Breen blundered his way through the last fence at Bangor yesterday. Up to that point our five year old had jumped brilliantly and had the race in safe keeping from a long way out. Fortunately the partnership remained intact and they came home to a decisive eleven length success ahead of the 137 rated Hollo Ladies. We were all delighted for Stuart who has been a firm supporter of the yard for many years - he missed his firm's Christmas dinner to attend, so it was a good result for him. Tom Scudamore went on to complete a double aboard Bellflower Boy so it was a good day all round.
- Wednesday, 15 December 2010 11:37
- Written by Martin Pipe CBE
Monday 13th December was a very sad day at Pond House stables when we learned of the passing of Neville Harrison at the age of eighty-five. Neville was the father of our long serving secretary Gail and her brother Martyn.
Neville was an eminent vet who had a practice at Ashburton and also used to conduct the veterinary dope testing at Newton Abbot and Devon & Exeter racecourses as well as the other local tracks when required.
