Paul Webber Racing

2010-12-01T23:32:00.000-08:00

MORE PHOTOS FROM ARCTIC.

We freely admit that we have so far got off so lightly compared to other parts of the country. Life is cold and inconvenient in Oxfordshire, but nothing like as dreadful as in Yorkshire and Scotland. Our horses trotted indoors on tuesday but were back to normal cantering exercise yesterday as we have missed out on the snow to very large extent. Martin Archer spends hours on the tractor to keep the gallop in good order, while John and Daniel, a new member of our ground team are salting the yards to avoid accidents.

COIS FARRAIG's win at Newbury last week, fantastic that it was, seems an aweful long time ago already! It will be a quiet weekend and we hope for resumption of N.H. racing next week, but in the meantime it's the usual winter routine.

2010-12-01T23:15:00.000-08:00

BRRRRRRRR..........

BLUE WITH COLD AT CROPREDY LAWN !!!

2010-11-21T12:39:00.000-08:00

Not a good day. Two runners left yesterday for Kelso, because the races looked just right for both of them. Ku and I got home an hour ago and the horsebox has finally completed the 320 miles home after the A1 was closed. We jog the horses up the yard when they get home, to check how they are, but tonight there is only one to trot up.
MRS. TRELLIS jumped the hurdle fine, but two strides later she went 'wrong behind'. Dominic Elsworth hopped off her straight away and held her tight. We got to her as soon as we could and the tremendous Kelso veterinary team had the situation in complete control. 'MRS. T.' has a very serious pelvic fracture and the only and kindest thing to do, was to set her on the quickest and least stressful path to horse heaven. Jeremy Dougall, Liz Clark, Willie Watt and I bred and owned this mare together and have all been so damn patient to give her every chance and then this lightening bolt from the sky takes her out.
There is nothing worse for a yard than when a horsebox comes home a little bit 'empty'. Poor Amy, who has always 'done' this filly, is going to miss her badly and it's a long, sad day for even wonderfully experienced and grown-up men like Jerry Walsh and Alistair Stewart. But we all have three runners tomorrow to hope for and look forward too. Maybe these will help banish the thoughts that will spring to mind for quite a little while, as everybody walks past 'MRS. T.'s' old stable. It is for Jem, Liz and Willie that we feel most sorry and upset for, as more patient and understanding owners and 'partners', you could not find.

2010-11-19T23:07:00.000-08:00

STILL FOR SALE.... STILL FOR SALE.... STILL FOR SALE.... STILL FOR SALE.... STILL FOR SALE........

No apologies for putting up another picture of TINDARO. He's settled in very well and has the most perfect temperament. He's a very good mover and each moment resembles AUSTRALIA DAY more and more. Unless somebody snaps him up in the next few days, we intend to syndicate him in 10 shares. The price of a 1/10th share will probably be £7,000 + v.a.t. and this will include his purchase, shipping from France and insurance. Come on, "ROLL UP" and give me a call.

2010-11-16T09:29:00.000-08:00

FOR SALE......FOR SALE......FOR SALE.......FOR SALE.......FOR SALE..

Just arrived this afternoon from yesterday's Arqana sale at Saint Cloud is Lot 13, TINDARO (FR).

He is a 3.y.o. grey gelding by Kingsalsa - Star's Mixa (Linamix). He has run eleven times, winning twice and being placed a further six times. His last win, two starts ago, was in a highly competitive Tierce Handicap over 1m. 2+f. at Saint Cloud, where he came from last to first. He looks an absolute star 'dual-purpose' horse and does he not have the look of a certain Australia Day ? I paid 65,000 Euro for him 'on spec', so you can tell how much we loved him when Ku and I saw him in Chantilly, a week before the sale. He stands a fraction under 16.1 hands but has the scope to grow another inch in time. He is a lovely well-balanced mover with great limbs and a lovely temprament.
HE has it all.......in order for YOU to have HIM all......Just call ME, (A.S.A.P.!).

2010-11-13T02:38:00.000-08:00

Well, TIME FOR RUPERT came through Cheltenham yesterday with flying colours. When you watch the replay, you really wonder at why we got so nervous and worried, as 'RUPERT' and Will Kennedy put in a faultless round together. They know each other so well and look to have great faith in their partnership. What i admire is 'RUPERT's' determination and willingness to eye up and then attack that Cheltenham hill.
SCAMPI BOY's run was disappointing and puzzling, i have no answers yet but have a sneaking feeling that he is not suited by the track and should run next on a flat track. DANVILLA was unlucky as her effort was left a bit late, but she did also hang right a little and may be better suited by a return to Kempton.
EDGBRIAR has a mountain to climb this afternoon in The Paddy Power Chase. He has improved from his winning start at Cheltenham last month and with a 8lbs rise in the weights, he have to have done and more. I hope the ground has not softened too much, but feel that he'll run a big race, but he could do that and still finish fifth today!

2010-11-11T23:33:00.000-08:00

When I buy a young unraced horse, a question i always ask myself is, 'Could you see this horse galloping up the hill a Cheltenham?' When we bought TIME FOR RUPERT in December 2007, it was not difficult to envisage him galloping up the hill as he's already 'breezed-up' it that morning before the sale! This is the day that God made RUPERT for, his first run over steeplechase fences. Although he has already proved himself to be a bit of a star, today is the day that will prove whether he can continue improving and become the top-class chaser we hope. This is the day we are ment to savour, but as the moment gets closer our nerves will struggle to hold and the binoculars are sure to be rather wobbly! As 'RUPERT' circles at the start, i will say to myself, 'why on earth to we do this?'
His preparation has gone very smoothly; a lesson with Yogi Breisner, two excellent schooling session by kind permission of Towcester Racecourse and a good piece of work on the Edgcote grass gallop last week. Having said all of that, 'RUPERT' will benefit from this race, as we are building him up towards the big targets of the season. I think he is fit enough to win if he is superior enough, but this could be in doubt as today's race is billed in the Racing Post as the best novice chase of the season!
Before 'RUPERT', we have another future star in his own right, SCAMPI BOY running in the handicap hurdle. He is also by Flemensfirth and is another chaser in the making. He ran really well when needing his first run of the season a month ago at Cheltenham and has come on plenty since then. It looks very competitive but we expect him to go very close. Don't let Cheltenham overshadow the All-Weather at Lingfield, where DANVILLA looks to follow up last week's win at Kempton. We think she's an improving filly who stays well and has a big chance today.
By 4.15pm this afternoon our finger nails will be well-chewed and nerves frayed to shreads, but I keep reminding myself that....It is for days like these that we all battle with this job !

2010-11-10T23:26:00.000-08:00

The Three "A's" didn't quite 'bring home as much bacon' as hoped at the weekend, indeed with the shining exception of DANVILLA, it has been a slightly under-achieving three weeks. ALASI and APPLEADAY both ran perfectly respectable first races of the season and will both be close next time, indeed Mr. McCoy said, 'Iwould not be at all surprised if Apple won next time.' There you have it, straight from The Champion's mouth. AUSTRALIA DAY was never his rediculously mad self and his record-breaking excertions of Kempton had left a little scar. He is now on his holidays and will miss Cheltenham in the spring and be trained for a Maytime comeback, probably at Punchestown? DANVILLA romped home at Kempton and he hope the handicapper has not got her measure yet with a 7lbs. rise in the weights.
Hopefully the current tempest will relent later today and things wont be too miserable at Ludlow. CARBON PRINT would not appreciate too much rain but needs to run, RAJMAGAN will come on from his Kempton debut, while KEY CUTTER is our best chance in the handicap chase. He ran well on his first start over fences at Ludlow and has a good chance today, as long as the ground has not gone too soft.

2010-11-06T00:45:00.000-07:00

We launch The Four "A's" today..... ALASI, APPLEADAY, AUSTRALIA DAY and A.P. McCOY!
A very big and important dawn has just arrived, along with the cameras from Sky Sports just to add to the tension, hype and pressure. All three horses have excellent chances, but AUSTRALIA DAY's manic style of racing always makes for nervous viewing. He broke the track record at Kempton last time and with two other front runners in this field, the Wincanton record may be in danger today. ALASI has thrived through the summer and looks to have strenghtened significantly. She is better off at the weights with Banjaxed Girl and is in tremendous form. We never seemed to have APPLEADAY quite right last season, but could never identify any reason for his below-par achievements. I'm sure this horse should be rated near 140 on everything we see at home and for some reason, again one i cannot put my finger on, he fills us with confidence at the moment. He has always run well at Sandown and i think he'll give 'A.P.' a great ride.

2010-11-02T14:34:00.000-07:00

COIS FARRAIG ran a very pleasing race at Ascot on saturday, finishing third in a race that had very solid Cheltenham 2009 form all around it. The winner had been second at the festival as has the second, while the fourth had won there! Not bad for a Beginners Chase. 'FARRAIG' is a very serious horse for the future. GTAAB also ran a cracking race at Kempton yesterday, finishing a close fifth in a solid looking novice hurdle, he's really come on for his debut run at Plumpton and will continue to improve. Unfortunately he got 'struck into' behind, so may need three or four weeks before he can run back.
ASHAMMER has looked a total natural over fences and if he'd put his best foot forward, would win his first novice chase tomorrow at Warwick. He won on the bridle at Sedgefield, but inexplicably disappointed us at Wetherby last time. He does love jumping and hopefully the twelve fences of a novice chase will appeal to his 'sense of humour' more than the mere eight flights of a hurdle race......... is that 'clutching at straws' or what!
AUTUMN RED deserves to win a race nearly as much as his owner, Richard Dodson does. 'DAVE' has so much more ability than that we can extract from him on the racecourse, he's become a frustrating but loveable rogue! Tomorrow looks just ideal for him, but it is just plain upto him!

2010-11-02T14:26:00.000-07:00

APPLEADAY in his new rug!

The Edgcote Grass Gallop.

Autumn at Cropredy Lawn.

2010-10-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

After the terrific excitements of EDGBRIAR, AUSTRALIA DAY and FIRM ORDER winning on succesive days, it has been back to meagre reality for the last few days. LASKARI struck into himself below his left front joint at Aintree and is very lucky not to be heading into retirement just quite yet. Another couple of mm. deeper and it may have been curtains. He never looked happy on the softened ground and with the trainer at Stratford and both owners and jockey arriving late due to a horror accident on the M6, so unable to fully assess the conditions, it may have been a mistake to run. CITRUS MARK disappointed and has been found to have hurt his sacro-illiac joint quite badly. MARLEY ROCA was a little too keen, then outpaced and then stayed on again to be fourth, so ran a confusing type of race! KRISTALLO jumped well at Stratford yesterday, his first run over fences but was outpaced. He will win races on better ground, but that will mean waiting for next spring and summer, so he will now go the Doncaster November Sale next week. There he will be joined by ETERNAL CITY, who ran well for a long way to be third on his debut and only start at Ludlow last week and ROCKSTOWN who looked pretty one-paced today at Wetherby. In these days of paltry prize money for ordinary races, it's so important to be realistic and truthful with the owners of horses that will struggle badly to make significant contributions to their training costs. It may mean an empty stable of two, but it still has to be the correct approach.
One horse that I think will make tremendous contributions to his training bill is COIS FARRAIG who makes his chasing debut at Ascot tomorrow (sat.). We make no secret of how much we think of this horse and he schooled and worked very nicely with TIME FOR RUPERT at Towcester this monday. He will appreciate the slight step up in distance and will hopefully show himself to be way above average tomorrow.

2010-10-23T04:18:00.000-07:00

The Record-breaking AUSTRALIA DAY in full flight at Kempton last sunday. Poetry in Motion.

We attempt to keep our current run of form going today at Stratford and Aintree. MARLEY ROCA has a much better chance than the papers surmise as he was nearly carried out by a loose horse last time. He has schooled very well for Sam Jones a couple of times since Bangor and looks in tremendous form. CITRUS MARK needed his race at Huntingdon much more than the trainer had estimated and i expect him to improve greatly today. He has an outside each-way chance. LASKARI runs in the Veteran's race at Aintree and is re-united with Dominic Elsworth, who knows him so well. I don't think this old (!) horse has ever been moving so well or in such fresh form, but he sure is going to need to be to successfully carry top weight. Nonetheless as long as ther is not too much more rain, he has a good each-way shout. ROCKSTOWN is a non-runner at Chepstow.

2010-10-17T23:07:00.000-07:00

"SKIPPY" did it!
AUSTRALIA DAY broke the Kempton course record by 0.32secs, as it only took him 3.40.40 secs to fly around the track. It's difficult to evaluate this win as both Katchit and Noble Alan were not as 'ready' as "SKIPPY" and will no doubt have bigger days in the future, but all he could do was 'beat the clock'. To make all his own running and win by ten lengths, makes it a pretty remarkable performance. No predictions about winning Champion Hurdles from me, that it a very much more difficult mountain for him to climb. However, i feel he's earned the right to attend base camp and then see if the conditions are right for him to make an attempt on the summit.
RAJMAGAN needed his run more than expected, but SUSSEX SUNSET was in the process of running a super race when falling at the last. She has never gone that fast in her life, jumped the last a little too big and boldly and just could not organise her under-carriage in time! She had a pretty heavy fall but was unscathed, poor Denis O'Regan got a fair kicking, but thankfully eventually walked away. RED BIRR ran on from a hopeless position to finish fourth and now probably needs to step up in distance. So a bit of everything, but at least a wonderful winner!
GTAAB and FIRM ORDER set off for Plumpton any moment now, not a great journey from here on a monday morning. Dominic Elsworth has his second ride back on GTAAB who ran better than it appeared on the flat at Ascot after a two year absence. This horse enjoys his jumping and ought to go close in this moderate looking contest. FIRM ORDER is maturing and is ready to step up in trip, i just hope the track is not a little sharp for him. If he is able to travel comfortably enough through the race, he must have an excellent chance.

2010-10-17T01:01:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it appears that there is a merciful God...... yesterday he showed his powers at Cheltenham. He combined with a brave horse and a very brave man to produce one of those moments that I think of all sports, National Hunt Racing is best at conjuring up.
The papers will have detailed the terrible head injury Dominic has overcome and he himself will bravely try to put this all in perspective by playing down his troubles, against the horrors of International disasters in Haiti and Pakistan. But no comeback is easy and all of us at Cropredy Lawn are so thrilled for him and will admit, very proud to have been able to help in some small way.
EDGBRIAR, or "Edgar Briar" as Derek Thompson managed to call him yesterday, looks to have thoroughly enjoyed his day and all the very special attention he was given! Charlotte Simms, who looks after 'TOBY' so devotedly, has enjoyed her day in the limelight that she so deserves and is so thrilled to see her horse's picture in the Racing Post. Plans for 'TOBY' are yet to made as although The Paddy Power is an obvious choice, i would think it a difficult task to 'double up' in that race, as the handicapper will no doubt have his hefty say! No horse has achieved this double since 2001, the paper tells me. The other thought is that TOBY may benefit from his races being spaced apart a little more than last year. Also his preference may be for better ground, so we may have to plan around a mid-winter break.
SCAMPI BOY also ran well yesterday and 'blew' for a good five minutes more than his mate TOBY. He did not have a smooth passage and also ran a bit keenly as he was feeling very fresh. He should be absolutely spot on next time.
To Kempton today and with a larger swarm of butterflies on board than usual! For one thing, The Fates were so kind yesterday that we know that They can desert us just as soon as they have arrived! Also AUSTRALIA DAY wears his heart on his sleeve every minute of the day and does everything absolutely flat-out with very little or even no margin for error. Everything is in his favour today and that only makes it even more nerve-wracking. He is a summer horse, so i hope that last night's frost has not depressed him; now you can see how i'm looking for ghosts! If all went smoothly, keep an eye on the Kempton 2 mile track-record being in danger.
RAJMAGAN makes his debut for us and has schooled exceptionly well (Fates listening?).
He'll need the experience but i expect him to leave his French form well behind. SUSSEX SUNSET also makes her hurdling debut; she has done two very good piece of work on the grass and also loves her jumping. Disregard her bumper run as she was barely ready to leave the yard that day! RED BIRR hacked up at Huntingdon two starts ago, but was dropped out too far out at Bangor last week and never really got involved. He will run alot better than that, as long as Sam Thomas can keep him interested but not too keen early on. It is a delicate balance to have this horse in the right place, but the small field and flat right-handed track will help his task.
Just watch out for those fickle Fates........ they are omni-present you know.

2010-10-16T02:08:00.000-07:00

ICY COLT (ARG) going clear to win at Wetherby on wednesday.

ICY COLT winning this week gave us all particular pleasure. His owner, Robert Kirkland has not enjoyed the best of racing luck in recent seasons. He owned the promising Star Shot with us, who sadly went on a downward spiral after winning his bumper and novice hurdle impressively, even one of those 'Welsh Wizards' could get no tune from him! Then Robert had the real misfortune to loose a lovely horse, Pop, who was trained for him by Henry Daly.

Three days after i returned from Argentina, where i had just bought ICY COLT as a yearling at the Bullrich yearling sale in Buenos Aires, Robert stepped upto the plate and bought him off me. That was quite a leap of faith, as although Argentine horses are proven to be a great success all over the world, this idea of buying unbroken N.H. stores was a new one. This horse is six months younger than his contempories and so has needed the time to catch up. He has really begun to strenghten and thrive since the spring and has always loved jumping, something they never do in Argentina! He was quite impressive in a modest contest at Wetherby, but will only continue to improve and will develop into a decent novice chaser next season, on good ground.

We have our first two Cheltenham runners of the season today and think that both are fit enough to do themselves justice. EDGBRIAR is Dominic Elsworth's come-back ride after his fourteen month absence from the saddle due to a horrible head injury. These two have looked in tremendous form when schooling together in recent weeks and both look ready to go well! SCAMPI BOY has improved so much physically that he barely resmbles the horse we had in the spring. I hope he's leniently handicapped at this stage, but will improve for the run. In these competitive eighteen runner handicaps, we'd be pleased to be in the first five.

2010-10-15T08:36:00.000-07:00

APPLEADAY auditioning for the lead in film version of "War Horse".
Veterinary science moves on apace and today we had the chance to use the "Over-land Scope" to check the horses' wind-pipe and breathing capability whilst actually galloping in their usual environment. We have told you of many occasions that runners have disappointed only for us to discover or not discover that they have a wind affliction. This machine can help us diagnose problems before they lead to racecourse disappointment.

2010-10-13T00:42:00.000-07:00

Not the most productive trip to Bangor on saturday, to say the very least. RED BIRR rather 'missed the break' and failed to get involved at any stage of his race. He has done this before a couple of times on the flat and so it was not a surprise as his jockey was warned that this can happen. I think Sam was just a little over-confident having won so easily on him last time. Hopefully we can retrieve the situation at Kempton this sunday or Ludlow next week.
DE SOTO has decided that he's had enough of competitive racing and has been retired. Peter Deal and Mike Silver have very kindly given him to my Head Lad, Trevor Heath and his son Matthew, to hunt and point-to-point. We've had great days and 'nearly' days with this horse, and i still cannot believe that we got 360,000 guineas for him once! MARLEY ROCA was enjoying his chasing debut when he was very nearly carried-out by a loose horse, which unsettled his rhythm. Anyway he successfully completed his education and will go close next time.
We go back up the M1 today on another northern foray with ASHAMMER. We are not going as far north as his last race at Sedgefield and it shows in the more competitive nature of this race.
Right now there are no end of maiden hurdles but no novice ones except for a valuable one at Kempton and we're trying to build this horse's confidence with a gradual progression. He is top weight off 125, so has no easy task, but does seem to remain in excellent form. ICY COLT has improved for his first run of the season when third at Uttoxeter and should again reach the frame today.
This long day has already started with great excitement with the first visit to Cropredy Lawn by The Bicester with Whaddon Hounds, for about 13 years. It was wonderful to have first lot cantering up the hill, serended by the wonderful cry of a hunting pack. I guess the foxes were a little surprised, they've had it pretty easy around here in recent years, devouring our chickens at will!

2010-10-09T00:57:00.000-07:00

What a frantic week, commuting between Cropredy and Newmarket yearling sales. As racing manager to H.R.H. Prince Faisal bin Salman, it's part of my job to help the Denford Stud team sell their yearlings. Thankfully the Denford draft is pretty high-class and basically sells itself most of the time. This week the four colts made a total of 1.14m guineas, not too bad in a market that is re-adjusting itself right now.
Our racecourse activity amounted to two seconds and two thirds from five runners. BLACK ANNIE needs to have her wind re-examined, despite already have had a hobday operation, as she does not seem to be getting home in her races in the successful manner she did earlier in the summer. KEY CUTTER ran and jumped very well in his first chase to be second. SPACE STAR ran as good as he is, at his advanced age. BACKFROMTHEBRINK seemed to lose his confidence in the same novice chase that AUTUMN RED was beaten a very frustrating 'head'.
We're trying to have a 'lovely day' at Bangor today with three hopes over fences. RED BIRR has a favourite's chance and remains in extremely fresh and fierce form. DE SOTO has to prove that he still loves the game enough to remain in training, but the way he was travelling so well when falling at Stratford last time, gave us plenty of encouragement. MARLEY ROCA has the most difficult task in a competitve novice chase and will definitely benefit from the race. I've always looked forward to the day this horse made his chasing debut, but i fear that he is one good gallop short. A clear round and a yellow or green rosette would do fine today!

2010-09-29T09:27:00.000-07:00

STARS OF OUR OWNER'S DAY!

That's TIME FOR RUPERT and AUSTRALIA DAY, with of course, Danny H., Me, Trevor and Lou !

I'm sure you are all anxious to see more photographs from what was a really wonderful Owner's Day, but as i mentioned before we've had a few glitches recently. Also we are in the process of changing and updating this web-site and that has co-incided with a really frantic time at Cropredy Lawn.

This is also the time of year that both Trevor and Suzanne, so that's both Head Lad and Secretary, take their much needed and so enormously deserved two week holiday! That means that The Trainer really does have to multi-task, but thankfully we all know how good Men are at that! I have to admit that there is still some wierd part of my horseman's psyche that makes me really enjoy getting up early to feed the horses. There is a lovely calm to the start of the day, the problems have yet to manifest themselves and most importantly, the horses are pleased to see me, because i'm their Room Service waiter!

Every N.H. trainer in the land is excited at this time of year and is eulogising about the marvellous team of horses he has for the coming winter! We are delighted with our good start, highlighted by AUSTRALIA DAY winning one of the Summer Season's highlights at Market Rasen in July. This prompt start has been gently continued and then moved up a gear at Sedgefield yesterday with a double from our two runners, ASHAMMER and PENNY QUEEN. The last runner we had at this track unseated his rider at the second last, when looking pretty certain to win at odds of i think, 4/6. Remember the horse's name?...............that wonderful servant, BUCKBY LANE. Since then we have sent three horseboxes all the way to Sedgefield and racing has been abandoned on all three occasions!

Yesterday was a dream day, probably because Ku and I spent some reflective time at Rievaulx Abbey, which really does have to be seen to be believed, it's highly recommended. ASHAMMER hardly came off the bridle, whilst somehow Denis O'Regan got PENNY QUEEN rolling on down the hill, to get up in the last 100 yards. We hope that 'ASH' will progress from here, but as PENNY QUEEN is hopefully still in foal to Kayf Tara, her next appearance will be right-handed around the Doncaster Sales ring at the beginning of November!! The final achievement of the day was managing Sedgefield to Cropredy in 2hrs 55mins, my car is still blowing more than either of our runners!

2010-09-24T02:14:00.000-07:00

Apologies for lack of updates recently, this is not due to writer's block or laziness, but web-site gremlins and the like. Can't get photographs published at the moment, very sorry.
Anyway, today you ask? GTAAB makes his debut for us in a competitive handicap. He is owned by a new partnership put together by David Higgins and David Barrie and will carry Higgy's brand new colours which are making their debut. It looked more sense to run this horse at Ascot, where many of his first-time owners could get a glance of him, rather than go for a 0-65 near John O'Groats. He's as fit as we can get him at home and has done two good pieces of work on Mr. Cundall's lovely grass gallop at Compton, so should be able to do himself justice. A top five finish is hoped for.
MEER UND WIND did not follow her narrow defeat on debut with any style last time out at Bath. The ground was very patchy that day, but i fear she does not need many excuses to put her off! The 9.15pm at Wolverhampton is not traditionally a 'hot' contest, so she had better show some ability and willingness tonight or else.................................

2010-09-07T23:25:00.000-07:00

Bad luck struck at Stratford on saturday, with DE SOTO falling when travelling as well as he ever has, with a mile to go. He got 'a good kicking' while on the ground and has a bruised knee that has thankfully x-rayed clean. Sam Thomas was very happy with the way he was going and so let's hope he's back in action before too long. AUTUMN RED was only beaten a half length on sunday when finishing third at Worcester, where the ground had gone a bit too soft for him. He may benefit from wearing a tongue-tie next time?
The autumnal showery weather has a big effect on watered racecourse ground at this time of year and i hope it will not have gone too soft at Uttoxeter this afternoon. Just spoke to Charlie Moore who reports a further 1mm. of rain overnight, but insists that the hurdle track is still 'good'.
BLACK ANNIE has a favourite's chance in the first, but we know that she likes fast ground and i just hope that she is as effective on good. She remains in good form and schooled well yesterday with Johnny Bailey, who was preparing her for The Champion to ride today.
We are looking forward to KRISTALLO stepping up to three miles as the slower pace of the race may help him to travel easier. He has had a freshening break of 52 days as he seemed a little 'flat' last time.
JUST VICTOR has not been done any favours by the handicapper, who was quick to put him up for being second twice, but then did not drop him an ounce when he finished sixth. This looks a competitive race and i fear he'll run well, but find a couple too good at the weights.

2010-09-04T05:02:00.001-07:00

DE SOTO runs at Stratford today and has to run well to prove that he still loves the game enough to remain in training. The rain that fell at Bangor did not suit him at all, so we forgive him that run. Sam Thomas, who was the first man to win on him, gets the ride today in order for us to get a 'second opinion' on the horse's ability and willingness. If the cheekpieces help and DE SOTO can travel on the bridle, he has a good each-way chance.

2010-09-04T04:28:00.000-07:00

Obviously RED BIRR winning at Huntingdon was the highlight of our racing week, but these photographs illustrate a wonderful family outing we had to Goldford Stud. On a gorgeous day we went to pay tribute to two past heroines of Cropredy Lawn.
One Gulp and Swaythe were both lovely fillies in training and now they have developed into natural mothers.
Sophie is pictured holding One Gulp's first foal, a filly by Kayf Tara and she is now in foal to Yeats, how exciting is that! One Gulp is pictured below her foal.
Ku (partly hidden) is holding Swaythe's second foal, a colt by Kayf Tara. She already has a very strong
yearling colt by Presenting and is back in foal to him.
Both mares looked so well and happy and seeing them brought back memories of great days and few dreams of great days to be had with their babies?

2010-08-30T03:20:00.000-07:00

To Huntingdon any minute now for a couple of runners in the first two races.
LAISH YA HAJAR has his first run over hurdles for quite a while but has a favourites chance in a weak-looking handicap hurdle. I do not consider him to be well-handicapped off 104 considering that he has been beaten 20ls, 31ls. and 43ls in his three starts over hurdles! Obviously the handicapper thinks he's better than he has shown, so let's hope he's correct. He schooled very well for Denis O'Regan last week and the quick ground should be ideal.
RED BIRR was second last time out at Worcester and was put up 6lbs in the handicap for finishing a length behind a 66/1 winner. I felt this was hardly fair as he is still to win over hurdles or fences? He always runs best after a break, but we cannot wait for months while the training bills mount up so quickly. The track, ground and competition look about right, so let's hope that he'll cope with running back after only 13 days.

2010-08-23T00:39:00.000-07:00

AUSTRALIA DAY ran as well as he could at Sandown and was only beaten 4 1/2 lengths in the end. It is tough for him in the top class handicap grade now, so he'll be freshened up for a return to hurdles at Kempton in mid-October.

The highlight of last week was the re-appearance of Dominic Elsworth in the yard. Dominic suffered a very serious head injury at Ffos Las, almost exactly a year ago. He has endured months of very slow recovery but is now making tremendous progress. This photo of him schooling Laish Ya Hajar last autumn, illustrates just some of his enormous talent. Although not leaving the ground over obstacles yet, Dominic rode three lots and looked in excellent form. It was impossible to tell that he has been away all this time, although we've missed him greatly. We all look forward to his racecourse return as soon as he and his doctors are happy.

DANVILLA runs in a competitve Maiden Fillies race at Kempton this afternoon. She has been green and backward but showed some promise last time at Windsor. She was beginning to stay on when she was impeded by a horse 'breaking down' in front of her which hampered her considerably. I fear things will happen a bit quick for her on the All-Weather today, but hope to see her staying on.

2010-08-21T03:13:00.000-07:00

DE SOTO........."Didn't have a lovely day, the day we (and he) went to Bangor!! The over-night rain made it too soft for him although it was perfect jumping ground. These Summer horses do prefer the good to firm stuff and any rain onto well-cared-for watered ground, does soon change things. DE SOTO is going to have to put this half-hearted well behind him, or else he'll be trotting off into the sunset and retirement.
The one thing we do know is that AUSTRALIA DAY has always done his best and tried his very hardest. We are asking him to do so again today in a typically competitive and valuable Sandown handicap. It is another tough contest but at least he's dropped 1lb. for his Goodwood run!! I may have asked Martin Dwyer to be too positive too early in that race and maybe we 'bustled' 'SKIPPY' too hard up the initial hill at Goodwood? He stayed on again to be fifth and it is also probable now that he needs abit further than 1 1/4m. However the horse seems so well and there are no alternatives at the moment.
I'm sure one day 'SKIPPY' will disappoint around Sandown, but we have no reason to think it will be today, so if all goes well, he looks a good each-way prospect.

2010-08-19T11:45:00.000-07:00

BLACK ANNIE
looking very proud after winning at Stratford last week, but not as proud as Becky who looks after her so beautifully, her owner Shully Liebermann and The Champion, 'A.P.'

2010-08-17T04:30:00.000-07:00

To Worcester this evening for two runners, both making re-appearances after long absences.
RED BIRR is at last in the right spot on the right ground and off a mark of 86 should be able to go very close in this ordinary looking contest. The only worry is that he is still a maiden over hurdles and fences and so sometimes until they win, you wonder if they can!
AUTUMN RED returns to the track after 524 days, the day he unseated at Huntingdon when travelling like a winner with a circuit to go. His owner, Richard Dodson deserves so much praise for his stoic patience and i pray he is rewarded with 'DAVE' running well tonight and most importantly, the horse's legs being hard and cold tomorrow morning. This horse is as fit as we can get him and seems more enthusiast than ever in his work, so much so that we have left the visor off today................... just hope the horse hasn't fooled his trainer!

2010-08-12T03:54:00.000-07:00

A.P.McCoy again carries Shully Liebermann's colours at Stratford today where he rides BLACK ANNIE in the 5.35pm. These colours so nearly sprang a 66/1 surprise at Windsor on sunday where MEER UND WIND was beaten the shortest of short heads. Indeed we all thought she had got up, Eddie Ahern thought he's won and the jockey on the other horse thought he was beat! Maybe we should have asked the judge to take another look at the print.
BLACK ANNIE won her bumper and then was second on her debut over hurdles at Worcester recently where she lost her confidence, after being interfered with by a wayward opponent! She
has schooled many times since and i think we will ride her closer to the pace today as all she seems to do is stay. It looks a tricky little heat, but i hope she'll improve enough to go close.

2010-08-08T03:54:00.000-07:00

Apologies for giving you too much encouragement about JUST VICTOR, who ran well below par at Worcester. We scoped him straight after the race and....... (no) surprise, surprise we found mucus in his wind-pipe and lungs.
The nasty part of the surprise was of course the fact that JUST VICTOR checked out so clean 48 hours before the race and everybody in the yard fancied him on his home work. It just shows that there is no such thing as a 'racing certainty' and why the bookmakers achieve a better, guaranteed and more reliable living than the Owners and Trainers who provide the ammunition for their Betting Shops, both on and off-shore !!
An interesting day's flat-racing awaits us at Windsor this afternoon. There will be unfamiliar colours on every runner today as it's Football Premiership Day. MEER UND WIND and DANVILLA look to have difficult tasks today on their seasonal debuts, but LAISH YA HAJAR must have a good chance in the 4.00pm, where there are also two non-runners. He probably found 1m 3+f. a bit far at Newbury last time, especially on rain-softened ground.

2010-08-06T03:46:00.000-07:00

Just off to Worcester to saddle JUST VICTOR in the 2.50pm., where he looks to have a very good chance. He seems in excellent form at home and Lou Wain, who often rides him in the morning thinks he's in the best form of his short life. He found the ground at Uttoxeter quick enough last time, so today's conditions should be kinder for him. There are some winners in the race, but 'VICTOR's rating of 114, puts him in with a big 'shout'.

2010-08-02T23:28:00.000-07:00

"All the great plans of mice and men."
Not a good start to the day, as when we trotted up CHEATINGSIDEOFTOWN before loading him onto his truck to Doncaster Sales, he was just not quite sound. He got an 'over-reach' during his race, probably when he jumped the path on the run-in, which has resulted in a deep bruise. It is no good sending a horse upto the sales, even with a plausible 'IF', as he's bound to get 'knocked' for it, as buyers are wisely sceptical and suspicious. We'll just have to wait until the next sale in about eight weeks time.
EDGEVINE and LAGO VERDE are on their way to Doncaster, where i hope they will sell alright as the can both win races without, i would think, becoming super-stars.
Then onto Southwell for the 8.05pm, where KENTMERE is a rare runner for us on the All-Weather there. The firm ground has prevented us risking 'WILLIAM', but this 2m. handicap looks a good opportinity to keep him fit and he'd have a good each-way chance of contributing to his feed bills.

2010-08-02T08:03:00.000-07:00

CHEATINGSIDEOFTOWN

Winning the N.H. Flat race at Market Rasen under A. P. McCoy, yesterday.

For a change it went according to plan with CHEATINGSIDEOFTOWN defeating the heavily-backed Mick Easterby trained favourite by 8 lenghts. He looks a tough, staying horse in the making, who will benefit enormously from a little break as he has been in since we bought him in May 2009. His pedigree says that he should need at least 2 1/2miles, so obviously this was a tremendously promising performance. He is due at the Doncaster Sale tomorrow as Lot 189 and let us hope that he makes plenty, as we'll be very sad to see him go.

2010-08-01T00:09:00.000-07:00

'PEACHES' keeps a very close eye on second lot.

( photo courtesy of Peter Bell of Economic Security Partnership.)

CHEATINGSIDEOFTOWN runs in the last race at Market Rasen this afternoon, what looks to be a weak bumper. We are very fortunate to have The Champion in the saddle and i hope that his dedication will be rewarded. A journey to Market Rasen on an August Sunday can only mean one thing, miles upon miles of caravans, or as my great friend Percy Sewell describes them, "Mobile Fornicatoriums" !!

Hopefully the 'scenic drive' up the A46 will be worthwhile, as CHEATINGSIDEOFTOWN has been working well and has improved through the summer. He ran in the valuable D.B.S. Sales N.H. Flat race in March and was i'm afraid to say, not quite ready mentally or physically for his debut. These sales races can be too tempting, with a lot of prize-money for what can be ordinary races and i was hoping rather than believing that 'BALOO' was ready. Since purchasing him in May 2009, the plan has always been to try to win and 'cash-in', as it with all of Mr. Moody's horses and this fellow is in the Doncaster Sale this Tuesday.

We are hoping that by tuesday the auctioneer is able to announce;.......... 'Lot 189, CHEATINGSIDEOFTOWN,now with a significant update in the catalogue, impressive winner of his bumper two days ago at Market Rasen!' May be i should stop by in Lincoln Cathedral, on the way to the races, to say some prayers?

2010-07-26T22:51:00.000-07:00

A very busy day...................providing the rain stays away.
Heavy showers are forecast approaching from the west and if they materialise our three-pronged attack on Worcester this evening may be curtailed. Also we certainly do not want those showers getting to Goodwood before 2.10pm, where AUSTRALIA DAY is favourite for the opening race of Glorious Goodwood Week.
'SKIPPY' is raring to go again after his amazing demonstration of front-running hurdling at Market Rasen ten days ago. He was beaten just over 7 lengths in this race last year when various factors were not as favourable as they are today. Last year he was off a mark of 98 as opposed to 95, he was drawn 1 of 18 whereas he's 15 of 16 today and the ground, if the showers can stay away, will be quicker and so more to his liking. The 'Top Bend' at Goodwood is just about the closest jockeys get to riding 'The Wall of Death' on a British racecourse, but Martin Dwyer will have to have maximum faith in his horse and keep quickening to make this a very properly-run and testing gallop, or SKIPPY could be in danger of being swallowed up by his pursuers.
At Worcester, DE SOTO runs over hurdles rather than make the long, lonely and expensive journey to Perth for a chase. This looks a good opportunity and is a good stepping stone to Bangor in a month's time for a valuable chase that he won last year. This did not go right for TRIBE on his chasing debut and as feared Stratford proved a bit too sharp for him. He ended up going around the outside and gave acres of ground to his rivals. The track at Worcester should be ideal and he schooled well at Lambourn on the all-weather last week. I think he has a better chance than the paper suggests. CARBON PRINT's race looks more competitive than hoped, but he ran very well to be second at long odds last time. He has an each-way chance but if the rain does come it may be too soggy by 8.50pm (and dark!) for him to run.
So during a parched summer, (except in Cornwall last week for my holiday with my children!) we are frightened of rain.......... Funny business this.

2010-07-19T02:51:00.000-07:00

AUSTRALIA DAY 'Skippy' winning the Summer Hurdle (Listed) at Market Rasen on Saturday 17th July. Beautifully steared by Dennis O'Regan!

2010-07-16T08:02:00.000-07:00

Sorry that we could not deliver the perfect birthday present to Shully Liebermann as BLACK ANNIE finished a slightly troubled second at Worcester on wednesday; not very many fairytales in N.H. Racing, unless they involve The Grand National !
In a moment or two, LAISH YA HAJAR goes back to war at Newbury and looks to have a good chance in another weakish-looking race. My concern is the softening ground which may not help a front-runner like 'LAISH'.
For a good adrenelin boost, watch the 2.00pm at Market Rasen tomorrow and pretend that 'YOU' are riding AUSTRALIA DAY, instead of Denis O'Regan. Everything that 'SKIPPY' does is with total enthusiasm, he has always worn his heart on his saddle-cloth. Denis and him seemed to get on very well with each-other on wednesday morning and the jockey looked extremely excited by the end of first lot. It could be that the flat handicapper has a hold of 'SKIPPY' by his non-existent 'gelded goolies', off a mark of 95, but we're hoping that his jump rating of 135 may still leave a little room for manoeuvre. He does have big a task but then for 40k, nothing is going to easy.
On Sunday, KRISTALLO goes back to Stratford, seven days after his course and distance win.
As he won a conditional jockeys race, he receives no penalty for this race which looks pretty similar to last week. As long as KRISTALLO is prepared to try as hard twice running, he should go close, he certainly looks in great form at home.

2010-07-14T04:48:00.000-07:00

Off to Worcester this evening with the excitement of The Champion Jockey riding BLACK ANNIE in the 6.40pm. As if the responsibility of having A.P. McCoy in the saddle for 'ANNIE's' debut over hurdles is not enough, today happens to be her owner, Shully Liebermann's birthday. More pressure on the trainer! 'ANNIE' has done lots of excellent schooling, mostly ridden by Johnny Bailey, who is also coming to Worcester tonight to brief The Champion on ANNIE's talents. I hope we do not have too much rain as that could lessen the very good chance she looks to have.

2010-07-12T03:32:00.000-07:00

KRISTALLO jumping the last hurdle
when winning at Stratford yesterday.

(photo by kind courtesy of
Les Hurley.)

Very sadly 'KRIS's' owner Iain Watters could not be present to witness this horse's first win over hurdles, but as you can see, Sam, Becky and the horse looked very smart in his absence!
Our only worry was KRIS's enormous leap at the last which resulted in a heart-stopping 'peck on landing'. Sam Jones gave him a good forceful ride and all was well.

2010-07-11T02:58:00.000-07:00

'SUMMERTIME' WORK AT CROPREDY LAWN.

2010-07-11T02:25:00.000-07:00

It doesn't seem like a peaceful Sunday morning around here, in fact as is so often through the year-round racing season, Sunday is just like Monday. No time for family lunchtime BBQs today, as it is the slightly mundane but important-enough fare on offer at Southwell and Stratford.
When Sunday Racing was first established, it was born with the guarantees of generous prize-money and worthwhile Sunday appearance money. Both of these have since all but disappeared and yet Owners still have to face the extra labour expences of sending horses to the races on Sundays.
I am qualified to bleat about this, as i'm the proud owner of SPACE STAR who looks to have a great chance at Southwell. A bigger obstacle than any of the Southwell fences in 'PLUTO's' path, is the fact that my colours have never been carried to victory! Well that is not strictly true as the late-lamented RADAR LOVE did manage to scramble home, adorned with my colours, only for Andrew Thornton to weigh in too heavy and be disqualified! We have found the right race for 'PLUTO' and he must have as good a chance as he'll ever have, but i fear i said the same thing about LAISH YA HAJAR last thursday, only for him to withdrawn before the start!
KRISTALLO has a trickier task at Stratford and his last race was a complete mystery. He pulled far too hard at Bangor, which considering that he is the laziest horse we have at home, was a nasty surprise. Since then he ambled quietly around Newbury, ridden by Humphrey Butler and ended up only being beaten a length in a Charity Race. If runs a sensible type of race he should finish in the first four.
So instead of a sizzling Sunday lunch and a bottle or two of Johnny Goedhuis' excellent Chateau Baillion Rose in the garden, it's time for me to feed the horses their 'sunday roast' and head up the road to Stratford!
I can hear the ice chinking in your glasses!!

2010-07-08T03:43:00.000-07:00

OSMOSIA with Willliam Kennedy and Hazel Wainwright after winning at Worcester last night.
Amazing how the photographer, Les Hurley makes the 9.10pm look as though it is mid-afternoon!
Note the trainer spending the whole of his winning trainer's percentage on his phone call to OSMOSIA's owner, Shully Liebermann who is in The Maldives!

(Thanks again to Les Hurley.)

This evening's action takes us to Epsom where LAISH YA HAJAR has an excellent chance in the apprentice handicap at 6.20pm. Alistair Stewart, fresh from his 11.30pm return to the yard last night, sets off for another late one tonight, top man! Richard Hughes felt that something went amiss with 'LAISH' at Newmarket last time, but the horse pulled up completely sound and nothing came to light later. Left-handed on fast ground over 1 1/4m., should suit this horse perfectly and it certainly looks the right race as there are now two non-runners, leaving a field of five.

2010-07-07T02:35:00.000-07:00

Got a late night approaching tonight to attend Worcester and saddle OSMOSIA in the 9.10pm. I hope and think the effort will be worthwhile, as this filly is working well and did a good bit of work over 1 1/2m. on Peter Cundall's wonderful grass gallop two weeks ago. She had the same wind operation as BLACK ANNIE, so we hope we get the same improvement from OSMOSIA. It does not look an overly-hot bumper and so we think that she'll go very close.
Please feel no sympathy for the trainer attending such a late race, but do appreciate the effort that the lads, lasses and horsebox drivers put in during the period of evening racing, as it does make for very long days for so many of our staff.

2010-07-02T22:53:00.000-07:00

In a week of three seconds, which seldom brings a cheerful grin to The Trainer's face, it is nice to see someone smiling around here!

May be not everybody will recognise the face of this notorious "Knight of the Pigskin", a term for describing jockeys in olden times. This is not a typical photo of Ryan Moore or A.P. McCoy but of Humphrey Butler about to finish third in a Charity Race at Newbury. What the picture cannot show is that 'Humph' single-handedly raised over £18,500 for the Children in Crossfire Charity, a remarkable achievement. Many thanks are due to Iain and Linda Watters who so generously lent KRISTALLO to Humph for the race and to all the team at Cropredy Lawn who have helped and coached Humph towards this great effort which was carried out in a most professional manner.

So despite JUST VICTOR, CARBON PRINT and AUSTRALIA DAY all doing their best but finishing second, we can say that our 'third' with Kristallo and Humph was the performance of the week.

2010-07-02T02:46:00.000-07:00

AUSTRALIA DAY runs at his favoured track Sandown today and seems to be in very fresh form since his good fourth at Royal Ascot. The conditions should be ideal for him, the problem lies in the shape of Verdant, who could be an improving three year old in the masterful care of Sir Michael Stoute. 'SKIPPY' ran very well in this race last year, behind the improving Fanjura and I think and very much hope he'll be even closer today.

2010-06-28T22:55:00.000-07:00

GTAAB learning The Water Walk.

During these baking hot days, it is a great benefit to our horses to have both The Water Walk and the Equine Swimming Pool. Tremendous heat builds up within horses' tendons during exercise and so we try to reduce this by walking the horses through cool water as soon as possible, to reduce the damage this heat can cause to the fibres that constitute the tendon. Also the Swimming Pool is a great way to cool the horses off both after morning exercise and with a swim in the afternoons. At this time of year all the runners have a swim through the pool just before getting on the horsebox for the races. We find this keeps them much cooler during travel and in the lead up to their race.

We have two runners at Stratford tonight. CARBON PRINT has a much better chance than The Racing Post would seem to think. He will love the fast ground and ran on well on the flat at Leicester a few weeks ago. TRIBE makes his debut over fences and although he's by Danehill who is not known for producing steeplechasers, he looks made for this game. His jumping has always been great and as long as he does not find the track too sharp, he will go very close.

2010-06-25T22:24:00.000-07:00

BLACK ANNIE winning at Market Rasen yesterday after a masterful ride from THE Champion Jockey,

A.P.McCOY.

(photo courtesy of Colin Garner.)

BLACK ANNIE travelled too well throughout this race, as her jockey described afterwards, "the chock was full out", but she still managed to find enough in a battling finish. Her jockey did his usual outstanding job and it was a real thrill to have him ride a winner for us all again.

Many congratulations to her owner,

Shully Liebermann, whose patience and faith in this filly are being justly rewarded.

2010-06-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

Sorry for posting this a little late, you'll either curse me or thank me, depending on your opinion! BLACK ANNIE returns after a wind operation at Market Rasen at 5.25pm this afternoon and is 'garnished' again with The Champion Jockey who rode her last time out. She hated the heavy ground that day and 'A.P.' diagnosed her to be rotten of her wind. If the operation has worked and we'd be pretty hopeful of that, this does not look the hottest contest and BLACK ANNIE should have a very good chance.
Later tonight LAISH YA HAJAR is one of the warm-up acts for Spandau Ballet who play after racing at Newmarket tonight. 'LAISH' has been off for a year with a tendon problem and may just need the race as his front-running tactics may expose a tiny lack of fitness. It looks a tricky handicap and i'm sure he'll run well but could find a couple of his opponents a bit sharper than him.

2010-06-23T03:41:00.000-07:00

AUSTRALIA DAY (red sleeves) finishing a close two length fourth at Royal Ascot.

(photo courtesy of Julian Herbert).

Today LAGO VERDE tries to redeem himself after a disappointing effort (?) at Bangor. The owner, me, is not travelling to watch him as i don't think i'll be needed for the presentations afterwards!

2010-06-20T00:58:00.000-07:00

AUSTRALIA DAY with JERRY WALSH and DANNY HANNIG after finishing a tremendous 4th in The Duke of Edinburgh Handicap at Royal Ascot.

You can easily see why they so deservedly won 'The Best Turned-Out Award.' Have you ever seen a smarter, more colour-co-ordinated team in your life? They are 'Simply the smartest and Simply the best!' I assure you the Owners were doing what 'SKIPPY' is doing in the photo only five minutes later!

AUSTRALIA DAY was beaten 2 lengths by the winner after setting a strong gallop and staying on very well and bravely, it was his career-best performance. I have just led him out and now he is out in his paddock, bucking and squealing. He's eaten up everything and so we'll look for another opportunity within the next three weeks.

2010-06-19T01:07:00.000-07:00

Variety is the spice of life they say, so how does a runner at Royal Ascot today and a chaser at Hereford tomorrow illustrate the role of the 'dual-purpose trainer'?
AUSTRALIA DAY is a 25/1 chance today but does have many factors in his favour. Fast ground, a right-handed track, a good high draw and Kieran Fallon all bode well for him today. As feared, Epsom was not his track, but at least he had a run and so could not be fitter for this target. He will need a career best and all the luck in the world, but so far the omens are good.
OVERSPIN goes tomorrow at Hereford in a 2m. handicap chase, trying to make up for her very unfortunate fall at Southwell last time. She has schooled well and if she travels as well tomorrow as she was when falling at the fifth last, she also holds an each-way chance.
Off to re-polish the hat!

2010-06-11T23:14:00.000-07:00

EDGEOVER, RIDDEN BY DENIS O'REGAN, "FLYING THE LAST" AND WINNING BY 31 LENGTHS AT MARKET RASEN YESTERDAY.

(Photo by courtesy of Equineimagesuk.com)

What a thrill it was to see EDGEOVER really show his full potential at Market Rasen. He settled beautifully and jumped immaculately for Denis O'Regan who gave him a lovely patient ride. This horse has always had talent, but has had to overcome sacro-illiac weaknesses that have interupted his career. He is a wonderful example of the reward that the patience shown by his owners, David and Ann Allen, can bring. He has had plenty of time back at their farm and is now going to show the benefit. EDGEOVER loves good ground and so we would hope to run him again in about a month's time.

2010-06-11T05:45:00.000-07:00

I wish i could say that this is a photograph of a horse i have for sale or a picture of EDGEOVER who runs this afternoon at Market Rasen.

No, it is a photo of as good a looking horse that anybody is likely to see and unusually for 'the perfect horse', he is also as good a racehorse as any of us are likely to witness.

Recognised him ? ...........................

SEA THE STARS.

What a complete honour it was to see him at H.H Aga Khan's Gilltown Stud on wednesday. He just looks the complete champion that he looked on the racecourse and let's hope that he proves to be a very special stallion as well.

At Market Rasen, EDGEOVER makes his return to action after having a good winter break to help him avoid soft ground and give him time to strengthen. Denis O'Regan, who is to ride more in the south this season, has schooled him on many occasions, including over six fences at Towcester ten days ago. We think we have him fit enough, although he will improve for the run.

2010-06-06T02:29:00.000-07:00

TRAINER, DAUGHTER AND PUPPY PREPARING

TO GO RACING AT WORCESTER TODAY.

(or was it Epsom yesterday?)

What a thrill it was to be at Epsom for the last couple of days even though we did not quite receive the results we were looking for. As feared and documented, AUSTRALIA DAY was never happy on this unique track and spent too much energy leaning right on a sharp left-handed track! All is by no means lost and it will be back to his favoured track Ascot, for either The Wolverton Handicap (won by Ulundi) or more likely The Duke of Edinburgh Handicap over 1 1/2 miles.

We were cheering for Midas Touch in The Derby as he was bred and is part-owned by H.R.H. Prince Faisal Salman to whom I am Racing Manager. Midas Touch ran well to finish fifth but according to his jockey Colm O'Donohue, this horse did not handle the track either! See it can happen to Cropredy Lawn as well as Ballydoyle!!

Today it is less valuable fare at Worcester, but absolutely as important to us as Chantilly will be to others! Not sure if the good folk of Worcester will attend with quite the elegance of the French scene, but you just never know. EDGEVINE has a good each-way chance if we can discount her lacklustre show at Towcester. She was a little stiff in her back after that run but i would not be sure if we found the whole reason for that dull effort. OVERSPIN was travelling well when she slipped on landing at the fifth last at Southwell. This was irritating as she'd done nothing wrong and has not made a mistake at home or during her race. Both these horses need to win and then prove themselves worthy of joining their Owner's broodmare band, as in these days of over-production, we must try to only breed from the better achievers.

2010-06-04T00:51:00.000-07:00

What a day to savour. The Oaks and The Coronation but for us, the feature on the card is AUSTRALIA DAY in the valuable handicap. The rain thwarted our Stratford plan, but conditions are perfect for 'Skippy' today, he loves sunshine and fast ground. It is a very competitive race, i think he's absolutely fit and he usually runs very well fresh. The main imponderable is the unique Epsom contours, as we have always felt that Skippy is at his best right-handed, also he's drawn a little wide. One thing that is guaranteed is that this horse will try his heart out and more. After more frustrating seconds with JUST VICTOR and DE SOTO, we don't want any hard luck stories!

2010-05-29T02:28:00.000-07:00

Bit of a panic on this morning as after two lots, i've got to wizz to Newmarket for the first race before hurtling back to Stratford to saddle three runners!
Novae Bloodstock Insurance are sponsoring the Listed race at Newmarket today and many of their team are involved in ownership with us with CARBON PRINT and FIRM ORDER. They have a very efficient and expanding bloodstock department and we wish them every success with their first sponsorship at Newmarket today. Novae also sponsor the Owners and Trainers Bar at Newmarket and that will cost them a few quid as we all know what a thirsty bunch frequent that building.
Also at Newmarket we wish all the luck in the world to a great new friend of ours, Carlo Nebroni who is one of nine people trying to win the Scoop Six Bonus today.
We hope that not too much rain falls today at Stratford as AUSTRALIA DAY makes his seasonal re-appearance and loves very fast ground. His hurdle form figures read 1F, so anything can happen! JUST VICTOR and MERCHANT RED also have bona fide decent chances, so a little each-way treble is advised?

2010-05-21T23:26:00.000-07:00

HAPPY SUMMER AT "CLIPPERTY CLOPPERTY LAWN."

2010-04-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

TRIBE being led by Sophie Webber.

The ultimate accolade given to a horse at Cropredy Lawn is to be allowed into the garden! During a 'light lunch' to celebrate his win with his owners, Iain and Linda Watters, TRIBE is brought in to join the party!

2010-04-25T22:57:00.000-07:00

TRIBE, winning at Bangor on 17th April 2010, our last winner of 2009/10 N.H. Season.

Unlike Nature, National Hunt seasons appear to merge seamlessly into each other, whereas Nature has trouble changing at all nowadays!!

Out with the old and we're straight into the New the following day, no time to reflect or dwell on the good bits, just time to crack on and improve on the less good.

I was thinking of writing a long and detailed end of term school report, but with the exception of my framed Maths reports of the Lent and Summer terms of 1974, which were epic (!), every single one has quickly ended up in the bin. I'm sure you'd do the same to mine, so we will look forwards and not backwards. Jim Steinman wrote, "Objects in the rearview mirror may appear closer than they are", so the relevance of looking back can be questionable!

We will have learned plenty from the disappointments of the season and endeavour to improve our performance. We would particularily like more and longer periods of horses performing consistently well, rather than purple patches that just last a month or so. We have had an inordinate number of seconds and thirds, with less winners than we'd like, so the aim has to be to transform the former into more of the latter.

Placing the horses is a balance between opportunity of winning and convenience for the owner; I wonder if sometimes I get this balance wrong and don't insist enough that the horse must be given preference over the quality of lunch!!

2010-04-21T23:13:00.000-07:00

APPLEADAY, ridden by Alistair Stewart leads first lot through 'The Waterwalk'.

Thank Goodness for TRIBE !

After seconds with COIS FARRAIG, ALASI and DE SOTO, it was good to watch TRIBE 'hack up' at Bangor on saturday. At last all conditions were in his favour and he won well, much to the delight of his loyal owners, Iain and Linda Watters. Iain knows a thing or two about wine, so a bottle of 1985 Krug, given to me after Ulundi won at Royal Ascot all those years ago, had to be opened when they dropped in on their way home to check on their victorious warrior! Wow that tasted good!

2010-04-09T02:04:00.000-07:00

AN 'ATMOSPHERIC MORNING' FOR WORKING THE HORSES ON THE GRASS GALLOPS AT EDGCOTE.

ROCKSTOWN, OSCAR 4G., SOMEWHAT INEVITABLE, MRS. TRELLIS, SUSSEX SUNSET and ALASI, all doing good work.

Our 'tricky' week moves onto Kempton this afternoon, where i admit to feelings of uncertainty after the reverses in fortune with APPLEADAY and TIME FOR RUPERT.

COIS FARRAIG deserves to win a race more than any other horse in training in Britain! Having been second to Oscar Whiskey and Lush Life, he must be about the highest rated maiden in the country and hope he is no longer that by tonight! DANCES WITH WAVES has another attempt to show us if she is going to co-operate and 'jump off' properly today otherwise she'll be on the boat back to Ireland. I so hope she repays her owner, Michael Lee's patience and loyalty to her. MERCHANT RED makes his comeback after 524 days and has done as much work at home, at Peter Cundell's beautiful grass gallop and at Bangor Racecourse, that he should be fit enough to go close. TRIBE and FIRM ORDER will both love the drying ground and have good each-way chances at generous odds.

Me, I just hope for one winner to get us back on the roll we were on, two weeks ago!

2010-04-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

ANALYSIS OF A 'NON-RUNNER'.

Sorry to make you all splutter over your coffee and Racing Post this morning. Yes, our big day has disappeared and TIME FOR RUPERT is a non-runner at Aintree this afternoon. You will all be aware how deeply we have deliberated over the decision to have a re-match (however one-sided) with Big Bucks and the overwhelming reason for doing so was T.F.R.'s apparent great health. 'RUPERT' has been in terrific form ever since twenty minutes after his Cheltenham race. Because of 48 hour declarations, he was 'tracheal-washed' after exercise on tuesday morning before the 10am deadline. His throat and larynx looked crystal clear, no sign of our three enemies, mucus, blood or inflamation, however the liquid extracted from his lung was very slightly cloudy, or at least 'not quite water', as we love to see. Tuesday evening revealed a total white cell count of 400, well within our contented range of 1000, but the percentage of neutrophils was 24%, higher than normal. Why, was the question that left little chance of sleep on Tuesday night. On Wednesday morning, 'RUPERT' was mad fresh and his devoted lad, Danny Hannig, who could not know this horse any better, volunteed that his horse was 'stronger and fresher than before Cheltenham'. Everthing looked set for Aintree. When our vet arrived we discussed the 'cell count' and i felt that considering the task ahead, we should not just trust our 'eye' and re-scope the horse. I promise it was a borderline decision, because we do not wish to scope horses one more time than neccessary, as it is invasive and always seems unkind to do so.
This time, instead of a crystal-clean, pink wind-pipe there are large lumps of greeny-grey mucus and porridge instead of liquid. We contact his owners and ruin their day and then announce him as a non-runner. His cell count last night had rocketed up to 3000.
There is enormous sadness around the yard at being denied a crack at the 'Big Horse' and a big prize, but also a huge sense of relief at what might have been. Imagine the disappointment of our treasured 'RUPERT' trailing in a beleaguered fifth and everybody saying that we were too greedy and had mis-judged the horse; let alone what internal damage we might have done to the horse himself? His poor run would have been put down to 'having a hard race at Cheltenham etc.....' but it would have been so much more than that.
I hope this explains how hard everybody tries to make sure that every horse CAN do its best when it goes to the races, though by no means guaranteeing that that they WILL! In this case,48 hour declarations have cost the owner all his entry money but have saved the punters all their money.
I hope the punters will have the grace to thank the owners one day!

2010-04-06T12:34:00.000-07:00

Thankfully all the Easter bunnies have been scared away by Pasha my lurcher and our computer wires are restored.
HERE'S THE KEY lost your/our each-way money yesterday at Huntingdon, because she appeared 'in season' after the race. There is no way of telling how a filly or mare will respond to being asked to race whilst coming into season, until you try. Some pay no attention and run their normal race, while others are affected and usually do not wish to exert themselves unduly. Our filly fits in the latter category and would not quicken when asked and never had a 'blow' after the race, as she just 'went through the motions'.
Not a great couple of days, especially as nerves are beginning to jangle a bit around here, ahead of TIME FOR RUPERT's rematch with Big Bucks at Aintree on thursday.
We have all pondered what to do, but the deciding factor has been that the horse seems in such good form at this moment that we would be foolish to miss the opportunity. You may think that the wise and sensible thing to do is to skip Aintree and wait for Punchestown, but what about the weather, length of journey and how can we guarantee the horse's well-being in two weeks time?
I'm there to be shot at......... but what's new! I trust in RUPERT.

2010-04-04T08:45:00.000-07:00

........... Sorry about the News Page Confusion today, our internet connection has had its wires nibbled by chocolate-starved Easter Bunnies, i fear!
............ I was detailing yesterday's moderate performances and saying that SARANDO's season should probably have ended at The Cheltenham Festival, as he appeared 'over the top' when running an undistinguished 'flat' race. It's one of the most difficult obsevations for a trainer to make to be able to spot an 'O.T.T.' horse at home as they show all their usual signs of well-being, only to disappoint at the races. Nevertheless, this horse has made giant improvement this season, although i think the handicapper has over-estimated his achievements, but i suppose we'll see the real value of his form when The Minack runs at Aintree later this week.
LLAMA FARMER also ran pretty miserably as we have continued high hopes for this horse. He faded very quickly and i have a deep suspicion that this horse may have a wind problem that does not manifest itself with any type of 'noise'. The Vets tell us that a third of all horses with wind impediments never actually make any noise, which makes diagnosis ever more difficult. It is time for his summer(!) holiday now and then we'll operate on him before he starts serious work in August. KRISTALLO was unfortunate in that there was no pace in his race at Kempton and he was done for speed in the straight, but I also get the feeling that he will benefit from us decorating his head with a lovely bright red pair of blinkers to match his colours! When/If the ground ever dries up he will be more effective over hurdles.
We have to put yesterday quickly behind us and plan for an important week. HERE'S THE KEY runs at Huntingdon tomorrow after an unfortunate experience at Towcester last time. She jumped the second hurdle perfectly that day, but landed on the back of a hesitant and errant rival and completely lost her confidence and equilibrium. She has schooled very well since and has a good each-way chance.
A major quandary is looming at Aintree on thursday. Should TIME FOR RUPERT be allowed another crack at Big Bucks or is that a futile plan? There are so many factors both for and against another crack at an undoubted superstar or should we wait for Punchestown?
We will deliberate, cogitate, ruminate and stay up late, then leave the decision to the last possible moment.

2010-04-04T06:33:00.000-07:00

What a difference a day makes.................... Just when all the horses were running to their optimum abilities, we have a day like yesterday!

APPLEADAY disappoints at Carlisle and when we 'scope' him this morning we find a load of mucus in his lungs. His tracheal wash was clean on thursday, but he must have succombed to an infection during friday which was probably then exacerbated by a four hour journey up the M6.

A nasty shock for all involved as we thought the track would have suited this horse well, although i do admit that the ground deteriated even more than we would have hoped. The important thing is to quickly find a good reason for such a bad run and to treat him immediately.

There was always a chance that SARANDO's season should have ended at Cheltenham.

2010-04-04T03:02:00.000-07:00

What a difference a week makes.............

2010-03-29T23:43:00.000-07:00

EDGBRIAR......... jumping the last (with his legs crossed!) before winning at Bangor, 27th March 2010.

'TOBY' finished up a great week by winning at Bangor. He looked to be struggling half a mile from home but stayed on really well approaching the last and actually won 'cosily' in the end. It looks time to step him up in distance and as he hardly 'blew a candle out' after this race, we are considering a couple of races at Aintree next week.

2010-03-28T00:29:00.000-07:00

2010-03-26T23:59:00.000-07:00

"THE STAR IS BORN."
SCAMPI BOY winning at Warwick, 25th March 2010. (Photos by kind permission of Les Hurley)

2010-03-26T03:13:00.000-07:00

With apologies to Kristoffersen and Streisand, " A Star was born " at Warwick two days ago.
We had been tracking the genesis of SCAMPI BOY, ever since i lost my marbles and paid a fortune for him, 'on spec' at The Derby Sale in June 2008. He was the most handsome four year old, and I was amazed, thrilled and terrified when the bidding suddenly stalled at E70,000. A few months later, Dave Carrington 'stepped upto the plate' and added him to his burgeoning string. He, 'SCAMPI' that is not Dave, has taken longer than i had expected to mature. He has grown up quickly recently, has improved for every race and then further still with a step up in distance. He cruised home easily at Warwick, having travelled effortlessly throughout the race. Granted it was an ordinary maiden hurdle but he really did quicken up the run-in like Halley's Comet. I hope you will be able to follow his glowing vapour trail for light years to come!
Today we run two more of Dave Carrington's young Nebulae, let us hope they don't disappear into Black Holes! DONT TELL NINA...... and Dave didn't tell Nina for a long time about this one, is a future chaser and we are just looking for general improvement today. However, I hope that MARLEY ROCA will 'break out' today and become an additional Star in the Carrington Firmament.

2010-03-20T00:20:00.000-07:00

TIME FOR RUPERT and BIG BUCKS jumping the last in The Ladbrokes World Hurdle.

This photograph sums it all up perfectly. Despite everybody's faultless endevours and the most perfectly run race by 'RUPERT' and William, we still finish effing second!!

We are so proud of 'RUPERT' but equally frustrated that the only one of the four 'bankers of the festival' to come up trumps, has to be in his race.

The bIG stage at Cheltenham is such an important marketing tool for us and we need to grab those BIG headlines in order to attract the owners that will give us an even better chance to compete. 'RUPERT' was a 40k purchase and here he is battling away with one of the many horses that cost hundreds of thousands of euros from the big stables. Do NOT read this as a bunch of sour grapes, i'm merely pointing out how difficult it is to 'steal the spotlight', on the biggest stage.

My father always told me that the most important part of being a trainer, was to get yourself into the position to buy the best horses. This is precisely what Messrs. Henderson, Hobbs and Nicholls have done so professionally. We have no doubt that we too can identify those horses and that all of us at Cropredy Lawn can nurture, train and produce them for the big day. We will get there.

We've just got to work out a way to..... "Corral more of the fastest Mustangs! "

"OUR STABLE NEEDS YOU."

2010-03-17T15:29:00.000-07:00

Pictures of TIME FOR RUPERT

and his anxious trainer, taken in the

build-up to The Ladbroke World Hurdle. (Photos courtesy of Will Johnston of The Banbury Guardian)

I hope these photos show just our much attention our tremendous team have focused upon our Cheltenham

runners. We think everthing has been done to give these horses their special chance of Festival glory.

ALASI ran by far her career best at Cheltenham yesterday and if TIME FOR RUPERT and SARANDO can 'step up' like she did, who knows what could happen. Of course there seems to be no natural way that 'RUPERT' can beat Big Bucks, so we will have to leave the 'fates' in charge. If 'RUPERT' can run to his best ability, then he represents ferocious each-way value. The same must be said of SARANDO, who runs on friday and who just seems to continue improving and at very exciting rate.

Not much sleep tonight.

2010-03-16T00:11:00.000-07:00

The day has arrived. The excitement of the start of the Cheltenham Festival is often compared to that of Christmas Day, however our Gods are not so benevolent as St. Nicholas. Our horses and staff have to earn their presents by super-equine and super-human performance. This week is the culmination of plans made when leaving last year's festival! Don't miss that roar as the starter lets them go for the 1.30pm, it is a very special moment in sport.
ALASI is our only runner today and she looks to have no chance in the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle. However every owner and trainer is entitled to a dream and for Shully Liebermann, today is providing a little fulfillment of that dream, by being able to see his colours carried at THE Festival. I'm sure ALASI will run far better than her price suggests and seldom will we be as pleased to finish sixth! It's good for her to learn her way around the track before her big novice chase campaign next season as that it where her very bright future lies.
Wishing all horses and humans a very happy, successful and safe Cheltenham Festival.

2010-03-14T13:47:00.000-07:00

I know, I know we should be pleased when the horses run well even if they don't win, but these seconds can get a little frustrating! Call me juvenile if you wish, but winners are the key. The trouble is, so many days are 'building days, laying the foundations' for a secure platform from which the horse will 'rise up' from when he's at his best. COIS FARRAIG and TAFIKA are two perfect and very exciting examples of this process. Both might have won if sent to smaller tracks, but these are future chasers who need good galloping tracks, however that means meeting hotter opposition. Mark both of these in the 'future stars section' of your notebook.
Today however was a 'plonker' of a day. HERE'S THE KEY landed on the back of a stuttering, clueless rival and completely lost her position, equilibrium and confidence. EDGEVINE missed the break and sulked. FLORENCE KATE tries hard but is of limited ability (but will win oneday) and DANCES WITH WAVES is not mad keen on the competitive nature of racing! Don't we love Sunday racing.
This morning we walked Cheltenham and considering the almost uniquely miserable winter everybody has endured, all right I remember '63 but not '47, the tracks do not look at all bad.
There has been little grass growth but Simon Claisse and his team have done the best possible job. To me, the ground is Good and Good To Soft, about a 50/50 mix. With 5-7mm. of rain forecast for Thursday, the management are left with a severe conundrum as to whether to water or not. Not for me to advise, i have enough trouble dealing with our own imponderables!
Suffice it to say that walking around Cheltenham on the Sunday before it all starts never fails to get the heart pounding and the imagination running wild. At the top of the hill a mysterious roar begins to reverberate off Cleeve Hill, there is a sense of the cauldron below beginning to simmer, which then annually 'boils over' as the runners take off for the first race on Tuesday.

2010-03-02T23:11:00.000-08:00

SCHOOLING OVER HURDLES.

DON'T TELL NINA (nearside) and

ERDELI schooling yesterday.

(photo courtesy of a 'prone' Will Johnstone of The Banbury Guardian.)

2010-02-25T03:20:00.000-08:00

The horses remain healthy and fresh and have been running well, without actually winning in the last ten days. COIS FARRAIG looks a star in the making judged on his second to Oscar Whiskey at Sandown last friday and SCAMPI BOY ran very well to be third in his first hurdle race at Doncaster yesterday. LLAMA FARMER also contiunued to show 'star potential' when fifth at Haydock, but found three miles too far for him at this stage. EDGBRIAR was third at Haydock, despite hateing the very heavy ground and ran a nice trial for the Jewson Novice Chase at Cheltenham in three weeks time.
Today SARANDO has a tough assignment at Huntingdon in the valuable Sidney Banks Novice Hurdle, a race won by TIME FOR RUPERT last year. It very difficult to evaluate what he acheived when winning at Lingfield last time, as the ground was 'bottomless' and the second horse has been well beaten since. However SARANDO continues to improve and conditions should suit him well today. He's no betting proposition 'on the book', but i'm sure he'll run well.

2010-02-16T10:28:00.000-08:00

THE PHOTOFINISH PRINT.

of 4.20pm Kempton, 14/02/2010.

(Photo courtesy of Racetech.)

KRISTALLO and KENTMERE

are separated by a 'short nose' !!

Well, it seemed more sense than galloping them at home so KRISTALLO and KENTMERE went to Kempton on sunday and at least they nearly dead-heated! 'KRIS' just beat 'WILLIAM' last time, but it was just so remarkably close this time that we probably will not dare to run them together again. Of course we were all thriled for 'KRIS' to win, but secretly we were also cheering 'WILLIAM' on to get his turn! Split loyalties all around here.

2010-02-13T03:41:00.000-08:00

Two encouraging runs from our 'Future Chasers' division yesterday. TAFIKA ran well until outpaced in a good novice hurdle at Bangor and as befits a grand-son of Grand National third, Auntie Dot, he'll appreciate a longer trip, now he is strong enough to get it. DON'T TELL NINA stayed on after also being out-paced in a very classy bumper on his debut at Kempton. He is a fine, rangy horse who has tremendous scope for fences in the future amd showed a good tough attitude.
Today we run two promising novice hurdlers in FIRM ORDER and ASHAMMER at Warwick and Newbury respectively. FIRM ORDER has improved with every run and i hope that this trend will continue today when i think he has a good chance in a trappy race. ASHAMMER disappointed at Huntingdon when he hung badly left for no explicable reason. He has worked well at Wolverhampton on two occasions since then and i hope that he will behave better today. He is a half-brother to Ashkazar and shows plenty of ability at home but as this is a hot novice hurdle, i think we'd be happy to finish fifth.
Hope you all enjoy a truely epic days racing at Newbury today.

2010-02-10T13:15:00.000-08:00

SARANDO.

Winning.... in the snow!

Lingfield, 8th Feb. 2010.

Sarando is registered as being owned by 'Eight Men and a Hoss'. As this horse went 13 lengths clear in effortless style through appalling Lingfield mud and snow, you would have sworn he was owned by 800 men and a tribe of Banshee, such was the screaming and shouting from the stands!!!

This is the first horse this syndicate, led by Nick Sercombe and managed by Racing T.V. star Mike Cattermole, has owned and what a way to start.

Living and vivid proof that the winner's enclosure can still be found without spending the G.N.P. of a small nation, on the winner of a three year old race at Auteuil!! SARANDO was recommended to me by Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager at Juddmonte Farms and approved by Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock, as i could not get to the sale myself. We could not have a better team on our side!

This could be a first runner at THE Cheltenham Festival, for a new syndicate, with their first horse. Give us a call...............We could/should/would try and do the same for YOU.

2010-02-02T23:10:00.000-08:00

KRISTALLO (Ger).

Winning at Kempton, 28th Jan 2010.

( photo courtesy of Bob Williams )

KRISTALLO winning under Dane O'Neill, with KENTMERE, on far side finishing third. We especially like the dark background as most pictures on our web-site recently have featured the glaring white background of snow!!!

2010-01-31T23:12:00.000-08:00

Generally, we don't like finishing second.
From our last twelve runners, two have won, SIX finish 2ND and two third. Circumstances demanded that both Henry Daly and I each had to have a runner owned by Alex Timpson in the same race at Huntingdon last week and what happened... Our horse KEY CUTTER, finishes second to his! Now that was mildly irritating. This could have been a winner for us and another for Alex, so quickly after her LLAMA FARMER revealed himself as a future star at Haydock last saturday.
However this weekend at Cheltenham, we were delighted with the seconds acheived by both EDGBRIAR and TIME FOR RUPERT. Both these horses were taking big steps up in class and acquitted themselves with great credit. EDGBRIAR was foot-perfect with Sam Jones on his first tour of the Cheltenham fences and completed a useful reconnaisance for his Festival target, The Jewson Novice Handicap Chase. 'Dreamy TOBY' is really getting is act together, but still went around Cheltenham with his ears pricked and admiring the view; there is plenty more improvement to come from him we feel.
'RUPERT' ran a faultless race to split an Arkle winner and a Champion Hurdle winner in his trial for the World Hurdle at the Festival. He travelled the best he has ever done through this race, a sure sign that he is developing and improving still. He gave four pounds to the winner and third, which in that sticky ground was quite a task. His owner, Toby Drysdale and I have kept telling eachother that as Rupert is a chaser in the making, this would be a quiet, tricky season for him. We are enjoying it more than expected! I feel that given a trouble-free preparation (most unlikely!) this horse will improve further in the next six weeks to give him a very good each-way chance, however I have no illusions of being able to trouble an in-form Big Bucks; that might be dreaming a little too much!
Kempton under flood-lights provided a different scene and setting on wednesday night where KRISTALLO won and KENTMERE only lost second place on the line in a 2m handicap on the all-weather. Iain and Linda Watters were on hand to cheer on and greet their winner and it was a good thing they were, as there was a paying crowd of about three to witness the great event! Both these horse dislike the heavy ground, so it has been helpful and worthwhile to run them on the A.W. and we'll look for further opportunities shortly.
We hope to run a lovely horse, SCAMPI BOY at Taunton tomorrow, but will have to see if Jack Frost will release his grip temporarily to let racing go ahead. This horse has developed so well since his debut at Ascot, in exactly the same fashion as 'LLAMA FARMER' has done.
There is a feeling around here that the horses are feeling really well and despite the Arctic mornings they do look fantasticaly well, so we must run what we can, when we can. I fear that the winter has not finished with us yet and that we face many more inconveniences and cancellations, but it is so pleasing that the team's sterling efforts through this weather are being rewarded with a good spell of form. Long may it last!

2010-01-25T05:42:00.000-08:00

LLARMA FARMER,

Winning at Haydock, 23rd Jan 2010.

(photo courtesy of John Grossick)

We get one or two really pleasant surprises through a season and about a dozen nasty, inexplicable and horrific ones!!

LLAMA's last race at Ludlow was a huge disappointment, he just didn't seem to get involved, while we'd always thought highly of him. On saturday he started the race still looking a little clueless, but never has a horse learnt so much in five minutes because he went to the line, three lenghts clear, like a real 'pro'. This may not have been the hottest contest but neither was it an 'egg and spoon race' and this horse created a very fair impression. He has tremendous scope and a wonderful attitude so let us hope that his future is golden. One of the best sights of the day was owner John Timpson calculating his winnings from his tote tickets!

2010-01-19T04:20:00.000-08:00

SARANDO with Liam Treadwell,

Finishing 2nd, beaten only a neck.

Although this was his last run before qualifying for handicaps, nobody can

accuse us of a 'quiet run around'.

Photo should be titled........................

.......... "ALWAYS TRYING!"

Both SARANDO and FIRM ORDER

ran excellent races yesterday, finishing second and showing themselves to be really good prospects for the future

Today we run three fillies in the mares bumpers at Folkestone and Southwell. BLACK ANNIE will improve for her debut run at Ludlow and although she will be better over further and hurdles in time, i hope that the conditions today and the presence of Anthony McCoy will help her cause.

At Southwell, FLORENCE KATE has also 'come on' plenty from her first race at Warwick three weeks ago, but will need to have improved plenty to get into the first three. OSMOSIA is a tough filly whose work has been good and she also has a staying pedigree. She has each-way chances today.

2010-01-14T03:44:00.000-08:00

Our plan to retutn to competitive action yesterday were thwarted by the cancellation of Lingfield and the dangerous nature of the roads around here after another three inches of snow. We rather wish the talk os a thaw was correct at Cropredy Lawn as we still have 9 inches of the damn stuff and it is not going anywhere very fast! The horsebox safely negotiated the drive this morning, but the trainer's car still cannot cope, so i drove it up the gallop onto the top road and will meet it again by using a truck in a moment or two! Necessity is the mother of invention, or something like that. The reason for venturing off the place is to saddle four runners in the 4.00pm at Lingfield. We have had a sweepstake in the yard to determine the most likely and popular finishing order, but everybody thinks differently, i'll plump for Tribe.

2010-01-12T12:16:00.000-08:00

There has been plenty written about the various ways that racing yards and racecourses have tried to manage through the current cold spell and all of us have our own ideas, experiments and changes of routine that we hope will see us through. The aim is to preserve and maintain the fitness of the horses, because in these conditions, it is difficult to actually increase and improve a horse's fitness. All yards are doing their upmost, but all trainers are wary of doing serious work on gallops that have been or still are, 'frost-affected'.
We cantered satisfactorily on the snow last thursday, friday and saturday and then re-started cantering on our all-weather (!) gallop yesterday and today. It would seem we are unlikely to have grass jump racing this week, but maybe things will improve over the weekend and next week may provide some action. Of course we all go through the motions and continue to make speculative entries, in case a balmy south or south-west wind arrives (without bringing snow) and a rapid thaw surprises everybody.
The Racing Authorities and Racecourses have done great work in re-scheduling and re-planning various meetings and we have tried to take advantage of unusual opportunities. We have declared three horses for the 2 mile handicap at Lingfield tomorrow, KRISTALLO, TRIBE and SARANDO. These three have also been declared again for thursday, along with KENTMERE! All these horses are itching to run and this looks a good way of galloping them with the chance of prizemoney! I do not intend to give you the answer to the Trifecta, but will say that all are as fit as can be in the current circumstances and are trying for their lives!
There are six N.H. Flat Races at Southwell tomorrow and we run BLACK ANNIE and OSMOSIA in the mares race. BLACK ANNIE ran pretty well at Ludlow, where we probably did not make enough use of her and Paddy Brennan rides her again tomorrow. Expect her to finish much closer this time, but she'll probably struggle to beat Nicky Henderson's. (how many times have we had to write that, this season?!) OSMOSIA is a charming, honest filly with a good French pedigree. She should handle the ground, which although is 'all-weather', has been riding very soft and testing recently.
All these runners are taking a different route to usual, but in these testing and challenging times we have to steer an uncharted passage through unknown waters. Hope the captain can avoid the reef and discover the treasure!

2010-01-08T08:04:00.000-08:00

CROPREDY LAWN, 8th JAN 2010

Pictures showing that it is nearly 'business as usual' at Cropredy Lawn!!

Two extremely important and vital people pictured here, Head Man Trevor Heath (with his favoured gloves) and Everything Man Martin Archer who is battling to keep everything unfrozen, safe and warm.

We had about 9 inches of snow during tuesday night, so wednesday was spent salting and making the yards safe for man and beasts to move around. For that day only, we were confined to trotting exercise in the indoor school and so completed four lots in there. Remarkably, despite the roads being virtually impassable about 85% of our remarkable team, somehow got into work. Danny Pebody accompanied by his trusty dog, Frank ran from Lighthorne which is just the ten miles away. Small wonder this fantastic lad has qualified for the World Cross Country Championships in Hungary later in the year. Al Stewart, Danny Hannig and Becky Cupit walked from Cropredy, while others bravely skidded their way here. First in was John Gregory, who having fed his cows at 3.30am comes in feed our horses at 4.30am; he did admit to being five minutes late!
We have so far left our all-weather gallop all cosy under its duvet of snow rather than disturb the surface and harrow the snow into it, as that only helps to it freeze solid. We have plenty of 'White Grass' to canter on and this will maintain the horses' fitness for quite a few days. We will keep them ticking over in this manner until there are signs of a thaw, when we can step up their work.
The Racing Authorities are doing a great job of re-scheduling meetings and also laying on some new ones. It looks a great idea to plan an 'All-Weather - All Bumper' card at Southwell next wednesday and we will certainly be hoping to send runners there. We have also entered some of our dual-purpose horses on the all-weather at Kempton and Lingfield next week. The main problem may be finding flat-jockeys to ride them, as most have migrated to either sunnier or even snowier climes right now!
Hope you'll enjoy these scenic photos of the horses exercising and i know that you will appreciate the hardships and hardwork that goes into keeping the yard going and the horses' every need attended to, in these challenging conditions.

2010-01-05T11:22:00.000-08:00

Well it's ten days late but it sure is about to be "deep and crisp and even" around these 'ere parts. We should get ten inches......... maybe we'll attract a new influx of lady owners as that would be a novelty at Cropredy Lawn.
The Met Office reports that we're heading into the coldest winter since the last barbeque summer, but up until tonight our routine has not been affected and the horses are healthy and raging. One or two have been bogged down by the racecourse ground but none have suffered from any inconvenience from the weather.
The gallop has been great and has attracted many 'winter migrants' from afar. It is all part of trying to train horses through the winter and it is at times like this that our team shines through. Every task is that bit more arduous and time-consuming, but everybody's commitment makes me so proud and inspires us all to carry on through.
Every year grumblings can appear about training fees and wages, but i can assure you that neither look unreasonable when you see the daily routine that everybody in Racing copes with in weather like this. Schools close, trains and buses go onto emergency schedules, the country will gradually gride to a halt, but where there are animals to be cared for, people will put in that extra effort and cope to see that all are cared for and exercised as much as possible.
We are unlikely to see grass for a while, so our attentions will concentrate around keeping the drive passable so that everybody can get here and the horsebox can leave to visit All-Weather courses that are not buried in snow. We had a contingency plan to gallop six youngsters in need of experience at Wolverhampton tomorrow, but even the Black Country has turned White!

My advice for this little pause in N.H. racing is to subscribe to The Week and when you do ask them to send you the last issue of 2009. The Week, is surprisingly enough a synopsis of the previous week's newspapers, that so many of us probably do not do justice too.
A few highlights to whet you apetite:

----From The Tabloids.
"A Russian man survived a five-stotey fall - twice. Alexei Roskov, 22, downed three bottles of vodka and hurled himself out of his kitchen window. He then got up, without a scratch, climbed the stairs to his Moscow flat and repeated the feat. "I have no idea why I jumped the first time," he said. "But when I came back up and I heard my wife screaming at me I thought it was best if I left the room again, out of the window."

----The spirit of Britain.
" A GPs' surgury in Preston, Lancashire, was docked £375 because it hadn't received any complaints. Under the current NHS system, surguries are rewarded for hitting targets, one of which is to show how they deal with complaints. Since the Preston surgury didn't get any, it lost out. A spokesman for the local NHS trust said it had to follow guidelines.

----The Christmas Read titled, " New Year's Day. What's the bloody point?"
I will not spoil this for you, it is just wonderfully original obsevations from a penniless writer from South Wales, Roger Lewis. He only gets £25 as an after dinner speaker........book him now!

Keep warm and steady on the ice.

2009-12-25T00:18:00.000-08:00

A VERY, VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR OWNERS, HORSES, LADS AND LASSES AND READERS.

MAY YOU ALL HAVE A FANTASIC CHRISTMAS TIME AND A WONDERFULLY HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL 2010.

(RIGHT) ONE OF OUR PRE-CHRISTMAS HIGHLIGHTS, TIME FOR RUPERT WINNING AT CHELTENHAM IN DECEMBER.

Just as the horses hit top form, our double at Doncaster being another highlight, Jack Frost and Sidney Snow swept the country plunging the United Kingdom into its usual winter chaos. The local councils and Highways Agencys could probably learn plenty from the Gallopsmen of racing yards all over the country about how to keep things ticking over during inclement weather. In our case, we have not missed a canter, despite -6c and a few inches of snow, due to forward planning and hours of tractor driving by Martin and Balash. Our gallop has been groomed perfectly and I only hope we can capitalise on and reward everybody's extra efforts, by producing winners in the next week. That however will be tough as the competition will be fierce with the backlog of horses due a run and the valuable prizes on offer.

Boxing Day means Kempton and it is always great to have a runner worthy of running on such an exciting day. This has proved a lucky meeting for us in the past with the likes of Land Afar, Frosty Canyon, De Soto and last year the late and so lamented Pressgang. It is DE SOTO we rely on tomorrow to punch our ticket to attend the King George. He runs in a fiendishly competitive handicap hurdle, where to finish in the first six will be admirable. I feel he may find life easier over hurdles now that he's in that tough 130-rated zone, as he does not have endless scope over fences in tough races.

Time for the trainer to feed Christmas Lunch to the horses while my elves seek a little time with their families.......... don't feel sorry for me as I will hopefully be fed later!

Hope you all have a lovely holiday time and look forward to lots of winners together through 2010.

2009-11-27T23:30:00.000-08:00

A star was born around these here parts yesterday................. COIS FARRAIG showed himself to be a horse of vast potential when running on to finish 19 lengths behind Bellvano who is himself now favourite for the first at Cheltenham in March! If 'FARRAIG' has been born under a lucky star, then we could have someting special in the yard, we'll see.
Today we have two more seasonal debutants. MARLEY ROCA improved all through last season and ran very well when second at Uttoxeter in May. He has continued to develop and mature into a mighty beast now and i hope he'll be in the first four today. HERE'S THE KEY ran on well in her only bumper in February and would have run in the mares final at Sandown in March, but pulled a muscle in her hind-quaters before the race. She schools well and this looks an average race. 'CRUELLA' looks the type to handle the notorious 'north-face' of the Towcester mountain, but you just do not know for sure what type of horse handles this track until they have run there.

2009-11-27T02:24:00.000-08:00

A disappointing debut for CITRUS MARK at Newbury yesterday, but he did get badly banged about when travelling well into the straight and is understandably lame this morning. Not the introduction we expected or he needed, so we'll re-build him and his confidence.
Two nice debutants at Newbury today, ICY COLT (ARG) and COIS FARRAIG (gaelic for 'By the sea'). 'PEDRO' will need the experience and i'm not sure how an argentine-bred will handle softish ground, but he has scholed very well and should show promise. 'FARRAIG' is a lovely chasing type ,who won a 2 1/2 mile point-to-point in Ireland in April. He will want further than this and this is a hot Newbury novice hurdle, but he is a horse to follow for the season.

2009-11-26T03:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a big day for the Webber family and Cropredy Lawn when TAFIKA finished a very promising fourth on his debut in the bumper at Chepstow. 'TAFFY' is the fifth generation of his family to wear my Mum's colours and the fourth generation to have been bred and raised at Cropredy Lawn. He is a mighty 16.3h+ beast who is bred to be a magnificent chaser. His grand-dam Auntie Dot was third in the Grand National as well as winning 15 races, while his great grand-dam, Dream Isle won twelve. It is also the family of Townley Stone, Ollie Magern and Petite Margot and soon to be the family of a lovely un-raced Alderbrook gelding we have called Uncle Ant. He stayed on very well in typically testing Chepstow ground and has had a perfect 'prep' for the 2012/2013 Welsh Nationals!
Today we unleash CITRUS MARK, a four year old by Mark of Esteem out of that great racemare Lemon's Mill. He has lived here since his yearling days and has developed so well in the last year. He worked well on the grass at Edgcote last week and will run well today. I just get the feeling he may be one piece of work short, having had a little interuption for a sore shin some six weeks ago, but he is a horse of great potential.

2009-11-20T12:36:00.000-08:00

Don't think the Trainer will get much sleep tonight.
A middle-sized yard such as ours does not have a battery of howitzers to fire at the enemy, we have to rely on snipers and guerilla warfare to try and dart in, to pick off the occasional big prize. Tomorrow we send our troops off in a wide pincer-attack on Ascot, Haydock and Huntingdon. No point moaning about N.H. prize money, there is stacks of it on offer over this weekend, let's hope we can grab some for our owners.
TIME FOR RUPERT dives into the deep end off the top board at Ascot tomorrow and will mix it with all sorts of proven high class horses. This race still seemed preferable than a seasonal debut in a 3m. 1f. slog in Haydock's heavy ground. We do not disguise that we think this horse has developed and improved, but he will improve further for tomorrow's race. He will run well, but i cannot quite see a fairytale occuring...... but it may well later in the season. SCAMPI BOY is another son of Flemensfirth that we admire and this horse worked very well with 'RUPERT' on the grass at Edgcote last week. His nickname is 'Phonsie' after the legendary Phonsie O'Brien from whom i bought him. Let us just hope that a little of the legendary O'Brien magic has rubbed off on him......... i think it has.
PENNY QUEEN has a tricky task at Huntingdon, but has come on for her first start at Towcester where she got no luck in running. She re-opposes her conqueror, but will be much closer over this 2m 5f. trip. LASKARI is our best chance of the day, where everything looks ideal for him in the 'veterans' chase at Huntingdon. Right-handed, decent ground and 2 1/2 miles should be spot on.
APPLEADAY will have conditions to suit at Haydock and forgive his first start as he has needed his first run of each season and has run identically on his debut each time. He is ridden by my highly talented God-son, Tom Scudamore and i'm sure he thinks it is time to repay all those fantastically generous presents and endless helpful advice !!

2009-11-19T02:52:00.000-08:00

ASHAMMER makes his debut for us at Huntingdon today. He had one run when trained in France by M. Royer-Dupre for H.H. Aga Khan and arrived earlier in the year, since when he's been given plenty of time to grow and mature into a fine horse. He is a half-brother to Ashkassar and works well at home. He is 'garnished' with A.P. McCoy, which is honour for the yard and if he repeats his home work, will win today. My only 'caveat' is........... a son of King's Best going jumping??????????

2009-11-12T00:40:00.000-08:00

AUSTRALIA DAY has just set off to Taunton on a retrieval mission for his unfortunate experience at Kempton last month. He was a little stiff and sorry for himself after slipping on landing at the first hurdle, before completing four miles around Kempton, including the jumping of two steeplechase fences! He schooled well yesterday and looks to be back to his usual fierce form. The track and the ground are ideal and he has an 'evens favourite's' chance..... but then we said this last time.
AUSTRALIA DAY was one of 22 horses that schooled yesterday. TIME FOR RUPERT and PENNY QUEEN practised over our specially-made replica of Hayock's brush hurdle, (or mini steeplechase fence) in preparation for 'RUPERT's seasonal debut in their valuable handicap on 21st Nov. He schooled really well and looks every bit the chaser-in-the-making, but is only a five year old and the competition in this season's novice chase division looks terrifying! I'm hoping that he'll make into the top level of the staying hurdlers and saturday will tell us whether he will.
EDGEBRIAR schooled over fences for the first time this autumn and looked awesome. Others that impressed include, COIS FARRAIG, ASHAMMER, SARANDO, BLACK ANNIE and KRISTALLO. With some of our runners having needed their first run upto now, i feel that the string are now pretty straight and should show their best efforts now.
Please keep those fingers crossed!

2009-11-10T23:09:00.000-08:00

SORRY!

I argee we'd all like to be told of 16/1 certainties, but ALASI did only just win by a short head, in the last stride!

As i've said and you've realised, most of our runners have needed their first run and there is no doubt that ALASI will improve no end from her's, it's just that she has had an extra two weeks before her debut, but even she has not worked on the grass.

Yesterday was particularily thrilling as ALASI is the first winner for Shully Liebermann, who is such a tremendous supporter of Cropredy Lawn and has supplied us with some ALASI (jumping second) winning at Lingfield.

very promising fillies. Sadly Shully was

unable to attend his 'maiden winner', but i'm sure will be present for many, many more. Many

people thought ALASI to be the pick of the paddock and as she stands nearly 17 hands, she did tower over many of her rivals. It was a promising effort as the field was made up of some good bumper-winning fillies, we hope this filly has a bright future.

JUST VICTOR runs at Warwick today in a small, but tricky-looking race. He wears a tongue-tie today which i hope will help him to finish in the first four.

2009-11-04T23:27:00.000-08:00

Somehow Haydock has survived its early morning inspection and racing goes ahead today, after some very pesamistic predictions yesterday. The heavy ground is perfect for APPLEADAY, but it will test his fitness on his first start of the season. This is not his big aim, but he is very ready to run. William Kennedy will have to settle him early, as he flew the first fence and then ran too free with Dominic in the Midlands National in April. However the horse cannot lie out of his ground as he is not very quick, a proper test for our jockey today, to get it exactly right!

2009-11-04T09:48:00.000-08:00

In this business it is very important to appreciate the good parts of the day, such as the horses looking healthy, being healthy, working like the wind(!) and schooling well. These two pictures represent the best part of this trainer's day.....Today.
You saw the first picture of our newest purchase, GTAAB on the web-site yesterday; now on his sixth day at Cropredy Lawn, you can see his first experience of jumping!
Talk about 'a natural jumper', this is
as good a pupil as we've had here.
What is also so impressive is his
temprament, as he is still a colt He is
just so cool. I really do not think this
horse should remain unsold for very
long, so if you feel the faintest
temptation, please give me a call
a.s.a.p.

Plenty of horses 'schooled' well this morning with AUSTRALIA DAY showing 'no worries, mate' from his unfortunate fall at Kempton. He will probably swerve Wincanton this weekend in favour of Taunton or Cheltenham next week. ASHES SUMMER continues to thrive and jumped well with TIME FOR RUPERT, LLAMA FARMER and HERE'S THE KEY. Three fillies worked well together, with OSMOSIA, BLACK ANNIE and an un-named Overbury all showing promise.
Sadly all the pleasure of these performances was wiped away by Andrew Thornton disappearing through the wing on a hitherto completely reliable jumper. This horse's name has been with-held to prevent ambulance-chasing, so-called 'lawyers' from contacting me or the horse's owner. Andrew's almost legendary experience of injury told him instantly that he'd damaged his left shoulder. He was quickly, but legally, driven to see his surgeon at the Ridgeway Hospital near Swindon and sure enough his own diagnosis was proven too accurate. He has sustained a fracture to his left scapula which will mean 4-5 weeks on the sidelines.
The ability of National Hunt jockeys to find a chink of light in a dark, gloomy tunnel is well-documented and it is that very spirit that can inspire recovery from injury and frustration that would reduce normal humans to gibbering basket-cases. Andrew's reaction to this frightful injury was to ring his pal Dominic Elsworth, who is also on the injured list. Poor Dominic had a horrible fall at Ffos Las two months ago and is still feeling the effects of his concussion. As their favourite pastime golf (?) is off the agenda right now, they plan an unusual treat for National Hunt jockeys...... Lunch!
The only honourable thing for a trainer to do was to offer to sponsor their 'theraputic troughing'! Just wish i'd qualified to join them, but currently neither wearing a sling or having a headache, I did not deserve an invite! A few moments later I receive a picture text of Marco Pierre White's pub, The Yew Tree near Newbury and then one merely saying, "Dom Perignon or Cristal?"
More proof, though none is ever needed, of just what special people, "The Knights of the Pigskin" really are. Let's hope the day has ended a tiny bit better than it looked like doing earlier.

2009-11-01T23:31:00.000-08:00

HERE HE IS............ FOR SALE.

GTAAB.

3.y.o. B. C. Cape Cross- Nabadhaat.

16.2 hands, strong, rangy colt with an excellent temprement. Bred by Shadwell Stud, by the sire of SEA THE STARS and his grandmother Roseate Tern won the Yorkshire Oaks. Trained by Ed Dunlop, GTAAB ran with promise three times as a two year old, but then proved too backward with little 'niggly problems' to run this summer. Has been given the time to mature and develop and has a fantastic frame to make into an excellent dual-purpose prospect with the scope to jump fences in time.

Bought by myself and Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock for 16,000gns at last week's Tattersalls Horses-in -Training sale where he was Lot 976. Please give me a ring to discuss GTAAB in more detail.

2009-10-30T00:29:00.000-07:00

What a delight not having to drive along the A14 today, as commuting to Newmarket for the four days of the Horse in Training sale becomes a bit of bind. However well worth all the study and hardwork to purchase GTAAB fron Ed Dunlop and Shadwell Stud. Pictures and details will appear on this site very shortly, so please take interest.
KENTMERE returns to the racecourse after 397 days at Uttoxeter today. He was an intended runner at Towcester last sunday, but although they had done their best and indeed a good job watering the track, the take-off and landings of the fences were still very quick. Sadly no sprinklers seem to manage to reach these areas as evenly as the rest of the course and there is also a tendency for take-offs and landings to become compacted and unforgiving. This a much hotter contest than the one he had to miss where he was a 7/1 'morning-line' chance, as opposed to a 25/1 shot today. He will run better than his price suggests but may be too 'rusty' to win.
Saturday's plans are still not confirmed, more later.