A Duo of Winners!

Thanksforthehelp Wins for the First Time in his Career!

There was a fantastic Saturday double for the team with Thanksforthehelp and Bashful Boy wining their respective races impressively. Thanksforthehelp was winning for the first time in his career under Kevin Brogan and he couldn’t have done it any easier. He had always shown us a lot at home but it hadn’t quite come together on the racecourse until now. After a disappointing seasonal reappearance at Wetherby over Christmas he subsequently underwent wind surgery and this is has obviously had an emphatic result. It was also his first try at three miles which he seemed to relish. He travelled comfortably in midfield for most of the race before Kevin brought him through to track the leader from three out. He was cantering and could be called the winner some way from home barring accidents and it was an eye catching performance. The handicapper is likely to have his say and I could see him being put up perhaps 14lbs for this win. This was a qualifier for the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham next month and he would need a rise in the weights to stand any chance of getting in. We will see what the handicapper does tomorrow but fingers crossed there is more to come and he may head to Prestbury Park in a couple of weeks time.

Bashful Boy put in a super display on the flat at Lingfield as well. He ran nicely last time on the all-weather which was his first try on the flat for us and we were hopeful on Saturday but his performance was even better than we could have hoped for. Trying 1m7f for the first time, jockey Rob Hornby have him a lovely waiting ride and when he said go the pair quickened well clear inside the last couple of furlongs for an easy victory. He really seems to have enjoyed his outings on the all-weather and he seems  ‘happy’ if you can tell a happy horse!! I think there is more to come from him on the level also, we will see how the handicapper reacts to this win tomorrow but we do have him entered back at Lingfield on Friday over the same trip so we could run him again under a penalty.

On Sunday both our runners, Abaya Du Mathan and Duc De Beauchene ran okay to be placed without setting the pulses racing. Both picked up prize money and ran with credit.

There are no runners for the stable today but there is jumps racing at Plumpton and Ayr and they race in the flat at Wolverhampton this evening.

I am very happy this morning as my team Manchester United won the League Cup Final at Wembley yesterday beating Newcastle 2-0. It wasn’t the most exciting game but the result is all that matters and this is the first silverware we have won for six years. The team look like a team for the first time in a few years and hopefully there are more trophies to come this season.

New Zealand have fought back a little bit in the cricket test match but England are still in a strong position. After being all out for 209 in their first innings they had to follow on and are currently 202 for 3 in their second innings. They still trail England by 24 runs however and hopefully England can have a good day with the ball on day 4 and get them all out for not too many runs.

In the Six Nations rugby there were wins for Ireland, England and France at the weekend. Ireland are the only team unbeaten in their three games and head the Six Nations table with 15 points and England, France and Scotland all have 10. The next games take place on the weekend of the 11/12th March.

Yesterday I read an article about the dangers of drinking too much… It scared me so much that I have decided not to read it again!! Happy Monday!