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.

BRRRRRRRR..........

BLUE WITH COLD AT CROPREDY LAWN !!!

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.

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.

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.!).

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!

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 !

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.

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.

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!

APPLEADAY in his new rug!

The Edgcote Grass Gallop.

Autumn at Cropredy Lawn.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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!