Perfect Patient?!

It's a quiet day for the yard on the racing front with no runners today and our next racecourse representatives coming tomorrow at Southwell.  In the meantime there are plenty of interesting stories doing the rounds, not least the fact that Gee Bradburne (AP McCoy's personal assistant) says that the champ is a brilliant patient!  Personally, I'm not convinced that she isn't winding us up - I bet he is a right pain as a patient, all he will be wanting to do is to get out of bed and start riding again.  When he was riding for MCP he was one of the most impatient people I had ever met - all he wanted to do was get on board the next winner!

It's a quiet day for the yard on the racing front with no runners today and our next racecourse representatives coming tomorrow at Southwell.  In the meantime there are plenty of interesting stories doing the rounds, not least the fact that Gee Bradburne (AP McCoy's personal assistant) says that the champ is a brilliant patient!  Personally, I'm not convinced that she isn't winding us up - I bet he is a right pain as a patient, all he will be wanting to do is to get out of bed and start riding again.  When he was riding for MCP he was one of the most impatient people I had ever met - all he wanted to do was get on board the next winner!

These jockeys will go to almost any lengths to get back in the saddle - I remember Ron Atkins injured his shoulder many years ago and when it came to passing the doctor, he showed him his other shoulder.  The doctor didn't check his injured shoulder and Ron was cleared to ride.  I remember a similar instance with Peter Scu a few years later that involved a wrist - I think the doctors are a little bit more thorough these days!  Anyway, we hope that you make a speedy recovery AP - the game just isn't the same without you.

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It was a good day for stable jockey Tom Scudamore yesterday at Folkestone when he rode a double aboard the Jim Best trained pair Mangonel and King Of Castile - they won by a combined 30 lengths...Tom should be embarrassed to take his riding fee as I reckon I could have gone close on those two!

Looking back to New Year's Eve, unfortunately we were unable to bring you a picture of Lady Cricket's daughter Swing Bowler after her Warwick success, but due to the wonders of modern technology we have a picture of our impressive dual bumper winner (right) this morning.

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Many happy returns to Gail Harrison, our senior secretary (I use the term senior in it's broadest possible sense!) celebrates her birthday this afternoon.  I won't reveal how old Gail is, but she is very much part of the furniture at Pond House, indeed, she has been here since David was in short trousers!

It's also Robert Bellamy's birthday and I don't mind telling you that he is 45 today!  He was the Scarlet Pimpernel of the yard when he was working here - noone could ever find him!  These days Robert is the clerk of the course at Towcester racecourse.

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Finally, how did Arsenal manage to get beaten 2-1 by Fulham last night?  I bet the Arsenal manager blames the referee!