Kelso Sunday with 7 runners, well done Mark and some sad news…

Cold again this morning but a little milder this afternoon as we await the weather’s latest delight in Storm Darragh.  We were due to have runners at Wetherby tomorrow but with the forecast as dire the paltry prize money we didn’t declare and will look for better funded races (ie £8k Class 4 Chase Wetherby Saturday compares with £11.9k Class 4 Chase Hexham Wednesday…).  Two of the intended runners have diverted to Kelso on Sunday where they have excellent prize money and I’m delighted that they have been rewarded with a really solid card of good competitive racing; we have 7 runners in total and the ground is likely to have eased from the current good to soft.

We start with Jirko in the 11.55 assuming we get there in time after the Team Christmas Party tomorrow night!  He’s a grand long term chasing prospect who will find the two miles on the sharp side but should still show a little progress on his hurdling debut last month – 13 run and Henry Brooke rides.

We are double handed in the two mile handicap hurdle at 12.25 with Ginger Mail (Bruce) and Mack the Man (Kit).  Ginger Mail improved late last season and has shown his best form over this course and distance, he seems in good order and should play a part on this seasonal debut despite his lofty handicap mark.  Mack the Man won gamely at Ayr last time and whilst the handicapper has had his say again he still looks well treated on his best form – 10 run.

Bluebell Glen finally makes her seasonal reappearance in the 1.55; she’s a lovely well bred mare who has her own mind, she’s been in good form at home and if she’s in the right mood anything could happen – 11 run and Bruce rides.

Gaillimh a Stor is on the comeback trail in the 1.30 after an injury enforced 627 day absence, he has plenty of ability but for now all we want to see is him race with zest and come home safely as he will improve for the run fitness wise – 12 run and Bruce rides.

We are stepping into the unknown by running Travail d’Orfevre in the Borders National at 2.05; he’s been a brilliant horse for us over shorter trips and, whilst on paper there is nothing to suggest he will stay this extreme distance, on pedigree and running style I think there is every chance he will stay and he deserves to take the chance to run off his mark in a prestigious race such as this.  He’s in great form – 12 run and Bruce rides.

A race off then Ozzy Cosmo makes his seasonal and chasing debut in the 3.15; he won a two mile hurdle then fell twice over the smaller obstacles, he schools well over fences and whilst he’s a big lad and I guess he will come on for the run he should run well if (and it’s quite a big if) he stays the 3 miles – 6 run and Bruce rides.  Going wise all 7 runners should be fine on soft, were it to go heavy we may have to rethink plans but hopefully it won’t come to that though Bluebell would love it!

Down at Haydock on Wednesday Artic Mann ran another fine race to be 5th, just finding the ground too deep to show his very best.  Up Helly Aa King did us proud travelling and jumping well until fitness told turning for home.  He had an interrupted preparation and should strip a lot fitter next time.

Whilst saddling Gorvennec at Newcastle last Saturday I received the dreadful news that my old chum Andrew Johnston had been killed in a car crash in the wilds of Aberdeenshire on Thursday night.  Andrew and I were in the same year at school and had a tremendous time behaving badly for many years.  We grew to share a love of many things; principally music, dogs, Aberdeenshire, the Hebrides and hills, wherever they were.  Above all we shared a love of the absurd and we simply had so much fun laughing.  He was a talented athlete, selected for the 1990 Commonwealth Games Triathlon team he took those skills to new heights when in 1992 he and his friend Rory Gibson broke the record for the fastest time to climb all the Munros. In just 51 days they climbed all 277 peaks swimming or cycling between them, that equates to 1400 miles, a marathon a day and 400,000 vertical feet – 14 times up Everest.  An incredible achievement recorded in an ITV documentary.

Over recent years sadly our paths rarely crossed but we always knew where each other were and as with all deep friendships, the bond was always there.  In recent years I have developed a love of his local patch, the eastern Cairngorms. That has been enhanced by reading the works of the wonderful Nan Shepherd who had an unsurpassed ability to describe how the mountains affect the soul.  I know he would have loved her work and I am sure he wouldn’t mind if I quote her as a personal epitaph for him – “I have walked out of the body and into the mountain.”  God bless, have a wonderful weekend everyone – carpe diem.