Golden Oldies!

It was a good day for the oldies yesterday as a couple of ten year old's won at Wincanton, while at Towcester there were races won by a nine year old and a thirteen year old.  The thirteen year old was the evergreen Victory Gunner who stayed the three miles extremely well.  A P McCoy had just the one ride on the card and it duly won - they say that you should always follow jockeys that have made the trip to the races for just one ride...I don't know who says it - I am sure the jockeys would get more rides if they could, especially AP!

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I see that Ludlow racecourse have increased the prize money on offer for their two maiden hurdles and they have been rewarded with plenty more entries.  Philip Hobbs is among the trainers to have added horses to the race since the extra money was added to take the class 4 event over the tariff levels set out by the Horsemen's Tariff.  At least it seems as if a little progress is being made with regard to funding levels.  Even so, there is still plenty that needs to be done - champion flat trainer Richard Hannon has just returned from Barbados and branded prize money levels over here as "pathetic".

Indeed, Hannon went on to say that Garrison Savannah puts us to shame "Barbados is an island about the size of Salisbury yet they are offering more prize money than Britain".  It certainly sounds good to me - the only problem I envisage is the transport costs involved in getting the horses to Barbados!  Having said that, I am sure the weather would be good...a lot better than standing on top of Telegraph Hill on a cold and foggy afternoon anyway!

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Talking of fog, it was a murky, grey day earlier in the week when I captured the following images from the gallops.  While I was down there I managed to get a couple of snaps of Kempton winner Kazzene with The Tatkin,as well as Gentle Ranger and Minella Four Star.

  
Above left: (l-r) Kazzene and The Tatkin, and right: Gentle Ranger and Minella Four Star on the gallops