Saturday 23rd March, 2024

A busy work morning with lots of owners in attendance and we were pleased with how the string are shaping up for their runs in the next few weeks. We have Urban Champion entered at Southwell on Tuesday and should have plenty of entries for the week after.

This week we took Iron Horse to Heros at North Farm Stud near Wantage for his retirement.  Homebred by the Somedays Here Partnership, Iron Horse has given us plenty of fun and excitement over the seasons and plenty of frustration too!  He has always been a popular, kind horse and I am sure he will go on to give many others pleasure in the future.

Many staff and students at Heros have already fallen in love with him and I am sure he will reciprocate.

Delighted to support the charity lunch in aid of Motor Neurone Disease Association at Newbury yesterday.  Superbly organised by Jonathan Powell and his committee, racing came out in force to support the aim of raising £100,000 in order to combat this dreadful disease.  Former jockey Steve Jobar is suffering from it but showed remarkable spirit and character to be in attendance yesterday and his courage inspired his many friends to put on a race day for the charity.

J Francome and I were the auctioneers and well done to David Elsworth for purchasing a brilliant portrait of Steve on Heighlin who he trained, winning the Triumph Hurdle painted by the brilliant Peter Curling.