Cold again today and the same sleety showers on a bitter easterly, change due later this week.  Cold down at Doncaster as well and there is a 7.30am inspection for tomorrow’s fixture.  If it goes ahead, which I hope it will, I’d expect loose sort of good to soft and we have two declared runners; unfortunately in the same race at 3.20, 16 run so not quite the 18 that it would have taken to divide.

Lucky Soldier

Lucky Soldier (Bruce) ran batter than the bare result at Newcastle last time, he should strip a little fitter tomorrow and the step up to 3 miles should also help round a track that should suit well so hopefully he can run a big race.

So Ladylike

So Ladylike (Tash) ran very well to be 4th at Wetherby and should also be a bit sharper so can also run a good race especially if she can get into the sort of rhythm up fron that she has done for her last two runs.

A memorable day at Musselburgh on Sunday with Dom riding his first jumps winner, I was absolutely delighted for him as he is dedicated, professional, hard-working and talented so thoroughly deserves a successful career.  Elsewhere on the card Not in Kansas finished strongly to be a close 4th and Anamanda a close 3rd – both undone by the pace of their races in different ways,  Unfortunately Split Stone burst a blood vessel and was pulled up early.

We will be back at Musselburgh on Thursday with six horses to run in schooling bumpers, 5 of which are unraced, an excellent initiative.

Our weekend succeses were very much kept in perspective by the dreadful news that broke on Sunday morning. Irish jockey Michael O’Sullivan had passed away in the early hours of the morning at Cork University Hospital following injuries sustained in a fall at Thurles on 6th February.  Michael was 24yo and a hugely talented rider at an early stage in his career, somewhat poignantly he had ridden our Saturday Haydock winner Dubai Days in his first two point-to-points before his cousin Maxine took over for his bumper.  Maxine and her father Eugene were incredibly helpful to me in the early days of managing the headstrong Dubai Days, so generous with their time.  It is impossible to rationalise such a tragedy other than to say he died fulfilling his dreams; the racing world draws together at times like these and our hearts go out to Michael and his family who are very much in our thoughts and prayers.