A busy weekend, 3 places tomorrow, and an update re Dom

Stormy weather with heavy blustery showers and gales, enough to knock the power out last night – fortunately back on this evening.  A heavy fall for Dom at Musselburgh this afternoon, still awaiting assesment in A&E but certainly has a broken collar bone – hopefully nothing worse, I know he will be very disappointed with several nice rides coming up and we all wish him the speediest of recoveries.  He missed the ride on Maillot Blanc which resulted in him carrying 10lb more than we planned, don’t think he’s have been any better than 4th as the trip/track/ground combo just a bit sharp for him.

A busy few days now with runners at Doncaster, Newcastle and the Hexham point to point tomorrow, Carlisle on Sunday then Ayr on Monday.  Just an Artist left at lunchtime for Doncaster and runs in the Mares Novice Hurdle at 12.57 and the ground should be good to soft.  She won nicely at Perth on hurdling debut last month and that form was well advertised at Musselburgh today, she steps up in trip and class tomorrow and ought to be competitive especially if allowed her own way in front again (unlikely I’m afraid!) – Bruce rides and 8 run.

At Newcastle the ground is also described as good to soft and our first runner is Scarlet Jet in the “French Furze” novice hurdle at 12.50, a Class 2 race that always attracts good horses.  He is certainly entitled to run well based on his Perth win in April, the pace of the race found him out as much as anything at Kelso last time and if this is run at a true gallop tomorrow then he ought to outrun his odds – 8 run and Jamie Hamilton rides.

After a tremendous renewal of the Fighting Fifth Hurdle,  Ginger Mail takes to the stage at 14.35 in a tight little 2m 4f handicap hurdle.  He lost his way a bit latterly last season and didn’t appear to stay 3m when tried at that trip on his seasonal reappearance.  Tomorrow sees him back to his last winning trip and handicap mark, he seems in particularly good fettle so hopefully can put up a bold show – 6 run and Danny rides.

The Northern Area point-to-point season kicks off with the Border Hunt fixture at Hexham racecourse, Jess rides her old ally Not the Chablis in the 12.30.

On to Sunday at Carlisle where the ground is soft with heavy places on the chase track and good to soft places on the hurdle track.  We have four runners starting with Half Track in the 12.15, a conditional jockeys race in which he was 2nd last year off 10lb higher… I’ve no idea why he ran poorly last time so this will be a good benchmark – Dom was due to ride him, substitute to be confirmed, 10 run.

We have opted for the Beginners Chase at 12.45 for My Kiwi Girl rather than a handicap at Ayr on Monday – I just feel that she needs a confidence booster having had a tricky time on chasing debut last time out.  She’s had a minor wind operation since then and has loads of potential – 5 run and Brian Hughes rides.

Eagles Cairn runs in the 1.15 having been 3rd in a bumper here last time out.  He’s a lovely horse for the future and whilst the penny is slowly dropping it wouldn’t surprise me if he was a bit green and backward on this hurdling debut – Bruce rides and 12 run.

Finally, also on a confidence boosting run, we have Eloi du Puy in the 1.45.  He was a little sticky over his obstacles on chasing debut last time at Kelso prior to having to take sudden action to avoid a faller resulting in parting company with Bruce.  We are moving him into open handicap company on Sunday in the hope that he will learn off the experienced handicappers – Bruce rides and 10 run.