Will we get any rain?

It’s another very warm day and although rain is forecast for tomorrow and the weekend, I am not sure we are going to get any until at least this evening. We have managed to get most of the horses out early this morning when it is much cooler. After 10 o’clock it soon gets very warm and is oppressive to work in. They are much cooler in their boxes after a wash down.

There have always been complaints from people that horses have been withdrawn when drawn in the wrong place and it happened again yesterday at Beverley, where the sprint course is always draw affected. If you are drawn high you have very little chance in the five furlong races as the bend comes up quite quickly and plays a massive part in the race. All three highest numbers were withdrawn yesterday with varying reasons. The answer to this conundrum is to just lower the number of runners. It is simple but will it happen, I doubt it unless common sense prevails. It is so expensive nowadays to send horses to the races and if you have no chance, it is so disappointing for everybody and costly. A reduction in stall numbers would make it fairer for everybody.

I see a recent Royal Ascot winner has been sold to continue its career in the States. The trainer in question stated he was disappointed but understood the reason as most owners nowadays are traders and it is the only way to make it pay. If you get lucky with a horse and are offered the right money, it is a no brainer with the prize money as it is at present. We have just seen the July Sales with overseas money accounting for the majority of horses. The English owners and trainers could not compete. Our bloodstock is the best in the world but our prize money the worst. Why our leaders cannot do anything about it is beyond me. We have the most fantastic product, the best racecourses in history, but everybody, apart from the top few, are struggling to survive.