NEWS ARCHIVE

Week Beginning - 14.09.2009

Monday 14th September Time to start work for the recent arrivals. The two year olds out of MISS PRISM and IMPULSIVE DECISION make their first circuits of the lunge bed as a prelude to being broken in. Nothing too testing today, just a gentle lunge, a wash down of the legs and a walk round the yard.

CONTEMPLATE is declared to run at Yarmouth on Wednesday and just squeezes in. The race divides and she is in the early division at 1.40 p.m. Weighted at 8 stone 4 lbs, we book 19 year old Kosei Miura to ride. This young man is, apparently, a riding sensation in his native land of Japan as well as being a teenage pin up! He already has 155 winners to his name, clocking up a record 91 victories in his apprentice season. He is under the tutelage of the formidable Sir Mark Prescott during his short stay in this country and arrives at the races complete with his own translator.

Tuesday 15th September: Dull, chilly and windy today all reminders of what awaits us as the year draws on. Luckily we have ways of combating the winter blues. Nothing keeps you warmer than breaking in unpredictable thoroughbreds. Fear and excitement drive the adrenaline! It's a thrilling time of year. The roller came out of storage today to be fitted carefully on the DOMEDRIVER gelding. Rumour had it that he had apreviously undergone this treatment and as he trotted away nonchalantly it was clear that this was so.

We remain a little more circumspect with our other newcomer and she is lunged and walked. The fun is scheduled for later in the week!

Thursday 17th September: We return from Yarmouth with quite a lot to think about. CONTEMPLATE featured in the opener there yesterday but was unable to perform as had been expected from her pleasing home work. Ridden by Kosei Miura, she travelled well at the head of affairs until checked and then bumped. The young pilot felt she was intimidated when bustled from both sides and a review of the race would back that up. We were delighted to have the jockey ride for us. He was certainly a model of courtesy. Our filly was his only ride of the day and afterwards, decked out in his skinny leather jeans and rock star jacket, he was spotted heading for the Fish and Chip stall where he ordered a hefty portion of the local fare. When it was suggested that this was not traditional food for jockeys he pointed to his diminutive frame. 'Seven stone 7', he said, 'Eat anything'. With that he squirted on the ketchup and got stuck in!

More progress with the unbroken 2 year olds. The roller and side reins went on the gelding and the roller went on the filly!

Friday 18th September: Work continues apace with the breaking in project. The gelding had the reins attached to the bit today (as opposed to one on the coupling and one on the noseband of the headcollar). One rein was passed behind his back legs. This caused no anxiety whatsoever so the 'men in the middle' turned him on the bit. This is done in preparation for long reining. The filly, after an initial outburst, accepted the roller more willingly today and was led around the yard with it on after she had finished lunging.

Saturday 19th September: The Domedriver gelding is long-reined round the yard, so laid back he's horizontal!  And he is now officially named: DRIVEMODE. The filly follows at a discreet distance as she gradually comes to accept the roller. Her pedigree took another turn for the better this afternoon with her 3 year old brother Santefisio winning a hugely competitive 7 furlong 3 year old handicap at Newbury off top weight.

CONTEMPLATE seems well after her return from Yarmouth and has an entry next Friday at Wolverhampton