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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.'