Sad News

It was with great sadness that we had to break the news that Bobby Ewing died yesterday.  He collapsed and died of a heart attack on the gallops while doing his normal routine exercise on Saturday morning.  Bobby held entries in the Champion and World Hurdles and although he had not run for the yard and had been off the track since 2009 we were eagerly awaiting his return at the Festival as he had been working extremely well and had been pleasing us at home.  He will be sadly missed by us all as he was a true gentleman and a pleasure to have in the yard and sadly we will never know how good he could have been. 

With the Cheltenham Festival coming up trainers want to get runs into their horses but they do not want to run them too close to the Festival itself as you have to allow the horses time to get over their races.  It is good to see that Newbury have rescheduled their meeting for Friday having lost the meeting yesterday and the trainers can get a proper race into some of their horses if they need to.  Lets just hope the weather allows it to take place and remember it is free entry into the track so make sure you have a day out!

Unfortunately Hereford also fell victim to the weather and their meeting for today had to be abandoned after an inspection yesterday.  Exeter are inspecting this morning so keep an eye out to see whether racing goes ahead.  I think it is good they have arranged some jumpers bumpers on the all-weather courses.  At least it gives trainers an option if they want to use it to give the horses a good blow out and give them a day out, the jockeys to!

There was a great photo in yesterday's The Sun newspaper of Buena Vista.  Pro punter Dave Nevison says he has a strong fancy for our runner in the Pertemps Final at the Festival as he is on a handy mark again.  Lets just hope Dave is right!

I have a couple more photos of the horses on the gallops and weather permitting The Tracey Shuffle will run at Ayr on Tuesday.  He finished second on his hurdling debut and the winner has gone on the frank the form since so we are hopeful of a good run.  He is pictured upsides Presenting Ace who may also run this week and holds entries at several meeting so we shall just have to see what the weather does.  Two horses who have been in good recent form are also pictured upsides.  Wincanton winner Consigliere worked upsides Hereford winner Quinte Du Chatelet and both horses seem in great form.

  
  The Tracey Shuffle & Presenting Ace              Consigliere & Quinte Du Chatelet

There is a good local derby on in the football today.  Wolves play West Bromich Albion at 1.30pm.  Wolves have looked unlucky to me this season and they have played well without getting the results they have deserved.  At 8-5 they look a bet.  The other Premier League match is Aston Villa versus Man City but I am hoping there is some jumps action to watch on the telly from Exeter as well.  Fingers crossed