Friday 13th December, 2024

Neeps And Tatties made a splendid debut in the bumper at Hereford on Wednesday.  Keen early on, she gradually settled and was prominent until the straight before staying on to be fourth beaten eight lengths by the well-considered first three.

A bright start to her career and we will now consider running her in a mares only bumper in January and look forward to rewarding the patience of her owners in 2025.

We have declared Tech That and Smile Back at Carlisle on Sunday.  Tech That made a very pleasing debut in a bumper at Ffos Las recently, finishing fourth beaten only a length by the winner.  He makes his hurdling debut in the two mile novices hurdle on Sunday and has schooled well at home.  Hopefully the staying track will suit him and he looks a very promising horse for the future.

Smile Back won her only point-to-point in Ireland and like Tech That, was purchased at the Doncaster sales in May.  This good looking four-year-old has pleased us in her work at home and although she won on good ground, hopefully she will cope with the softer conditions here.  Both are promising types and will be ridden by Finn Lambert.  We are delighted that two of their three owners, Eustace and Carol Theodore, have travelled from America to see them run.

Eustace and Carol (pictured) saw them go through their paces yesterday morning and met them for the first time and we look forward to both horses giving them much fun and excitement in the years to come.

It was a privilege to attend Alastair Down’s memorial at Cheltenham College Chapel yesterday.  The remarkable wordsmith died last month and much has been written and said about it since his passing.  However yesterday was an opportunity for everyone to come together.  Many of the great and good of the sport from the last three decades and more were in attendance to say farewell to a complex and legendary character who influenced so many lives and careers.  Alastair would have been enormously proud of the way his family spoke so honestly and movingly about this unique man.

As J Francome so accurately said “If Alastair was drowning, he would swim out to sea,” and Alastair would be the first man to admit this.  However he was a kind and generous and fascinating individual who through his God given talent, will not be forgotten.