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Onwards and upwards ...

It forecast to be the hottest day of the year tomorrow

Friday, 28 June 2019

"When a child is born, so are grandmothers."

Judith Levy.

01_Janine__Friends
Janine and her friends watching Astroman

02_Janine__Friends
Photographs and videos taken

It’s a warmish start to the day but at least the wind is keeping it fresh. The forecast says it is to get very oppressive tomorrow as the heat comes up from the continent. Let’s hope the wind keeps on blowing as it will at least give us a bit of respite. Everybody is in and with plenty of visitors it has been a busy morning. All has gone well though and everybody has gone home happy, with plenty of pictures to tell the tale.

01_Roof
Roof Garden walking round the yard

14_Roof
... and cantering 

Our horses ran a bit disappointingly last night at Leicester. The two-year-old maiden looked way above average and there were lovely horses in the race. I’m sure the form will work out really well. Break Cover is still very weak and won’t be running now until the autumn. Quanah pulled hard enough and I am not sure whether he has an ideal trip or not. A good looking horse but so far has been disappointing.

Just another aside that once again I wish to point out to the BHA. Even with our horse being in the 8.15 and it only being at Leicester, which is under two hours away, the horses didn’t get back home until gone one as the A14 was shut and the diversion took them round everywhere. Nobody understands these problems and that is why we must have much more centralised racing so that we don’t aggravate the staff situation any more than it is.

04_Voice
Velvet Voice pulled out

17_Voice
... and moving well

We have two runners tomorrow both at the Doncaster evening meeting. I have told the staff they can stay the night this time. Roof Garden runs in the mile and a half handicap at 8 o’clock and Velvet Vision runs in the mile and a quarter handicap at 8.30. They both have a similar sort of chance and let’s hope we can at least get one of them in the frame. It would give everybody a lift and that is what we want at present.

05_Bob
Checking his surroundings

It was very disappointing to read that the Plus 10 Bonus Scheme has been abandoned for, I think, lack of investment. It was spread too far and no normal person won it. I don’t know what the answer is but with after yesterday’s prize money reduction announcement and now this, there is plenty of work for our leaders to do. We don’t want the gimmicks of team racing or inner city racing we just need the prize money to go up. Even if it means a big reduction in fixtures, which is the only answer, it should happen.