Thursday 28th March, 2024

We have declared Picanha in the Challenger Stayers Series Hurdle Final at Haydock on Saturday.  Although he has been schooling over fences, as he is qualified for this valuable handicap we thought we would let him take his chance.

He ran a very pleasing come back race at Newbury and will hopefully cope with the very soft ground.  Finn Lambert once again takes the ride and claims three pounds.  Picanha appears in good form at home and will hopefully put up a good show for his wonderful owner Lizzie Prowting.

We have decided to miss Haydock with Totterdown and will consider his entry at Ffos Las on Sunday.  Whilst Ned Cash is entered at Huntingdon on Monday where hopefully the ground will be better than at most other tracks at present.  He has shown plenty of promise in his bumpers and has schooled well at home.

Urban Champion (pictured) appreciated the drop back in trip at Southwell on Thursday evening and was given a fine ride by Silvestre De Sousa to finish fourth.  We will try and find a similar race for him in the coming weeks and now he has learned to settle better, he should be competitive in such races.

On Monday along with many others, I attended the funeral of Mary Robinson in Lambourn.  For many years Mary was the wise, extremely efficient bookkeeper that kept our business and many others in the racing world on the straight and narrow through good times and bad.  Exacting and extremely professional with a heart of gold, she had a lifetime love of horses having worked with them as a young woman before devoting her time and energy to many in the equine world.

Being a Trustee of Heros, I know how much Mary was responsible for the incredible charity’s success and we are delighted that her daughter Lauren has become a Trustee and will ensure the charity will go from strength to strength.  As Grace Muir said, “there will never be another Mary” and those words are so true.