I am thinking of doing this for the whole of next season and just wondered what everyones thoughts were.
Thursday 20th September
In work for 6am and finished getting all the gear ready for my trip to Ayr with Sundae who is due to run in the Silver Cup on the next day. Set off at 7am for the long trip to Scotland with Laura who is taking the horse and we share the box up there with Geoff Wraggs 2 lads and horse Ivy Creek which runs on the Saturday. We arrived at the stables in Ayr at about 3.30pm and get the horse stabled and settled then have a little wander up to the track to watch the last couple of races from the day. Then at 5.30pm get the horse lead out for 30mins to stretch his legs and then feed him and leave him till the morning.
Friday 21st September
Up at 6.30am and in the yard at 7am to again give Sundae a 45min lead out and get him fed and check he is ok and eaten up, the horse is bouncing around and loves going overnight as he did at Newcastle on his run before. At 3.30pm we start getting him all ready for his big race, he looks fantastic and we are hopeful of a big run as he has been going well at home too. 4.40pm and they are off he gets a nice run up the stands side but is not quite good enough for the hot favourite Utmost Respect but finishes a very creditable 3rd taking on the older horses. Then at 6pm we give him another lead out for 15mins just to check for any stiffness and then feed him and leave him to settle down for the night.
Saturday 22nd September
Up at 6.30am again and check the horse is ok and eaten up which he had, then after his 45min lead out it is a day off for him and us. We have the whole day off as Geoff Wraggs horse runs today and we are travelling back tomorrow, we get dressed up and head to the track to watch some good racing and Ivy Creek finish 3rd behind Anna Pavlova. Then we head to a screen to watch our runner at Newbury, Premio Loco, who we actually thought might need a run and probably not be good enough to beat Big Noise but shocks us all and wins very nicely at 14/1. Then at 5.30pm same again for Sundae a nice lead out and feed up.
Sunday 23rd September
Up at 5am and loaded on the box to leave at 5.30am on the trip back home, it took us 10 hours after the A1 was shut but we are back at 3.30pm and i have had plenty of sleep on the box so head into town to meet the lads and watch Man Utd vs Chelsea at 4pm.
Monday 24th September
In work at 6am and clean my gear from the weekend and sort my gear for today. Ride out 1st lot on Royal Rock who is entered to run at the weekend at either Ascot or Haydock. He is in fantastic form jumping and kicking the whole way during the first canter before pulling up and realising he had lost a front shoe. I rode him back in and get Grand Vizier ready with Mool who looks after him and load up at 9.30am and head to Leicester. After arriving at Leicester find out the canteen is out of order so they have a burger van for the lads, cheers. And then discover there is no showers or hot water for the lads to get changed, shaved or showered! Oh well at least our horse should run ok, but no he goes and runs a stinker and comes in without even sweating or blowing, blinkers next time is the shout. Home at 9pm.
Tuesday 25th September
In work at 6am only to be told Royal Rock is lame with a bruised foot and wont run at the weekend! Argh. Ride out Call Me Rosy 1st lot who is keen and a tricky ride and also not very good. Then 2nd lot ride Regal Cheer who is a nice ride which makes a change for me. Then head off home at 10.30 to get my gear ready for my overnight trip to Goodwood. Back in at 1pm to get Luminous Gold ready with her lad Sergei for the trip and leave at 1.30pm. Arrive at Goodwood at 4.30pm which aint bad as it is a pain in the arse to get to and once again lead her out for 30mins at 5.30pm then feed her and leave her for the night.
Wednesday 26th September
Up at 6.30 and as usual in the yard at 7am and lead out and feed the filly. Then with it only being her second run as a 2yo we are not expecting a great deal but in the first race of the day runs an absolute blinder finishing 6th in ground that was soft and probably not staying or just getting tired in it. Then setting off find out the M25 is closed with traffic everywhere and it takes us 4 hours to get back and finally finish at 8.00pm
Thursday 27th September
In the yard for 6am and clean yesterdays gear and get the gear ready for my trip to Haydock later today and the runner Desert Master tonight at Wolverhampton. Ride Call Me Rosy again 1st lot and then Wake Up Maggie 2nd lot, her usual rider Faye had fallen off the day before and injured herself and i usually ride her when im there and Faye is away, she is moving much better than before she run at Doncaster, 12pm Go on transport to Haydock with Sergei and two 2yo colts that are both going for their first runs Addwaitya and Ministerofinterior one on Friday and the other on Saturday. Arrive at Haydock at 4.30pm and again lead them both out and get them settled and fed. We then head into town to watch or runner at Wolverhampton, Desert Master who is a bit of a monkey but always gallops well and he goes and wins nicely at 10/1. That is now 30 wins this year and Chris Wall's best of 32 looks reachable.
Friday 28th September
Up at 6.30 and tacked up and ready to ride out Ministerofinterior on the track along with Broughtons Revival from Willie Mussons who also runs tomorrow, we do a nice canter down the back straight and both are fine. Whilst doing this the other had been led out and both mucked out by Sergei so i just feed them both and leave them to settle. I ring one of the lads from the yard to find out how the mornings gallops went as we gallop ours on a friday, i was told that the yecatchers of the morning were Vives Les Rouges, Cnoc Moy and Night Cru. Addwaitya then makes his debut, he has not been showing a great deal at home and is slow away but stays on nicely and passes one, oh well not bad for a first time and we learn a bit more about him. We then watch Curzon Prince our other run of the day running at Ascot where he is too coming back from a break and just gets a bit tired but runs ok. Lead the other horse out at 5.30pm and then feed them both and leave them for the night.
Saturday 29th September
Up at 6.30 and then same a usual lead them both out and get them fed and yesterdays runner is fine. Then as we are not in till late that day i head to the tv room at 12.45pm to watch the Man City game and the fist few races from the day, i then see Willie Mussons filly win very nicely in the first at Haydock and laugh to myself that we might have a chance later. Then Ministerofinterior makes his debut now this horse is the laziest colt ive ever come across and maybe needs his nuts out so this could be interesting. He jumps well and is handy for a furlong before realising he might have to do some work and ends up a furlong behind crossing the line. Load up and away at 7pm and then home at 11.30pm
Sunday 30th September
Its supposedly my weekend off but it is my job and i do enjoy it so up at 7.30am and head in to ride Wake Up Maggie at 8am in her last gallop before next weekend, i feel quite pleased as Chris didnt gallop her friday because he wanted me to ride her so waited till i got back. Very pleased with her and she went as well as she has done all year as im pretty much the only person that has galloped her all year except for two occasions where she was ridden once by M Hills and the other by G Baker. Then finished at 10am.
Monday 1st October
In at 6am and ride Call Me Rosy 1st lot who is in good heart. Then at 8.30am head to Windsor with So Glamorous another first time 2yo runner and Mool again, we arrive at 10.30am and it is raining. She has looked very average at home so not expecting a lot but she surprises us all and runs a very encouraging race on soft ground that would not suit her. Leave at 3.30pm and once again the traffic on the M25 is shocking and get home at 6.30pm
Tuesday 2nd October
Again in at 6am and am driving to Wolverhampton at 7.30 with Cnoc Moy and his lad Bogdan and also taking Willie Jarvis's runner and the two girls from there. We get there at 10.30 and we are looking forward to a good day as Cnoc Moy is 6/4f and has been galloping very well at home. Once again that is racing and he comes in last and but very distressed, he is then scoped dope tested and had his blood take too, but all is clear so we are left scratching our heads. Willie Jarvis's runner finished last so not a very good day, we set off for the trip home at 4.30pm and find out that the M6 has been shut for 5 hours but thankfully by the time we get round it is open and flowing nicely. Home at 8pm
Wednesday 3rd October
In at 6am and clean yesterdays gear and get my gear ready for a trip back to Ayr with Regal Cheer. We set off at 8am in the owners little 2 box with Mool for company it takes 7 hours and i am now very tired, once again we lead her out for 30mins and then feed and leave her for the night. After my long drive i stay in my room which is in the hotel at Ayr and is the best racecourse accomodation for lads in the country and settle down to watch Liverpool vs Marseille, half time 0 - 0 and thats all i remember.
Thursday 4th October
Up at 6.30am and get in to lead her out and feed her at 7am and then relax till her race the first. I really couldnt understand sending Regal Cheer all that way as she is rated 53 and was getting balloted out everywhere we had to come this far but 5f was too sharp for her and she trailed in beating one. Now usually we would come back the next day but as the owner needed his box Friday morning for the sales we had to journey back after the race. We left at 3.30 and after a good run again got home at 10.30pm
Friday 5th October
In at 6am and its work day and even after my 12 years in racing i still look forward to these mornings, 1st lot i rode Keidas and led Luminous Gold who was ridden by Stephen Davies and both worked very nice and i was particularly impressed with the other filly as i was on a 3yo and she is only 2. Then we had a change over and i rode Carmela Maria another 2yo filly who is due to run soon and galloped with Addwaitya and they both came along nicely together with the colt slightly on top at the end. 2nd lot i rode Habshan who is due to run on Monday at Wolverhampton, now this horse is the best work horse in the yard and nothing can get by him. I gave him a little blow out over 4f and he was very impressive as usual. Then i had no 3rd lot so got all the gear ready for Vives Les Rouges who was heading off to Redcar at 12pm for her run in the 2yo trophy tomorrow, the boss then said i could go home and have the night off after my long day yesterday. Finished at 10.30am
Saturday 6th October
In at 6am again and 1st lot rode Sundae which i was so pleased about having ridden him all spring but lost him due to going racing all the time, we usually just do one canter on a Saturday after work day and he is in geat form but the boss says he is probably finished for the year now. 2nd lot i ride Paradise Isle who is due to run at the Champions meeting up here and she is in great form and really bouncing. There is a real buzz around the yard this morning as we have 4 good runners today with Vives Les Rouges at Redcar, Wake Up Maggie in the Sun Chariot and Ace Of Hearts and Night Cru in the Cambridgeshire. Then as they are out 3rd lot i get all the gear ready for the three at Newmarket and am then finished at 11.30am. Back at 2pm to start work on a busy afternoon. Wake Up Maggie then runs flat in the Group 1 and looks like she needs finishing for the season, Vives Les Rouges fades and finishes in mid division at Redcar and then the two in the cambridgeshire both run poorly too, Ace Of Hearts run ok but Jack Mitchell dropped his stick 4f out and he is a lazy horse at the best of times and Night Cru was never going at any stage. So after the buzz and excitement in the morning it was a miserable day just to top it off with Coventry getting beat in the last minute by Wolves makes it even worse.
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h34r: And about me being sick on another when in my room at Ayr wouldnt be great neither or getting in at 4am at weekends might not go down well if the boss ever got to read it. But i think you are all right, i should add the less explicit stuff
