Posts

Showing posts from April, 2014

April roster

I’m nosing my way in to the flat. Tiptoes and caution. It feels like a tough proposition this Spring. After a toe-to-toe seven month slug-fest with the jumpers, I’m looking at the flat sorts and trying to remember who is who. Right now I know more about Fergal O’Brien’s up and coming bumper horse The Govaness than anything stabled by his namesake at Ballydoyle; the only jockey from the Moore family that registers is the one that pilots horse of the year and all round legend, Sire de Grugy. And if I’m more aware of Channon’s exploits with Hen’s old string of underperforming jumpers that his flat barn, I’m really out of touch. My mate Bacchy put up this excellent review of the two-year old season back in March. I’ve only just got round to studying this work and it provides solid food for thought.   So valuable to see all the visual evidence of these trials collected in one place. I’ve got more work to do to though. Making sense of the 2,000 Guineas, now only six days away, is a

Dear Diary: Week To View

Image
Saturday Grand National Day. Always enjoyably frenetic. Bets whistle in from Julie & Callum, and from Granny and her carer, Nadia (or Nadine as Granny insists on calling her). “Dave, she said two pounds on Twirling Magnet but it I don’t think it’s got much chance. So I think she means £1 each-way” Wow! Granny is coming along nicely.   “There don’t seem to be many Irish runners this year though. Don’t they usually wear green?” Ah, maybe not then. The girls have a couple of horses each and Mrs A does her usual on the nose outsiders. Just the sweepstake to sort out for the assembling guests and we’ll be ready. The race is a success this year. There are as many thrills and spills as ever, including the obligatory false start, but no serious jockey injuries and no horse deaths. Progress. Even more remarkably, Mrs A finds the winner. Pineau De Re – a French wine vintage of course – digs deep after the last and bounds home at 25-1.  Pineau is an old mate of mine and