Wednesday 14 January

Stuck in the mud just about sums up what happened today. E Major had a pleasing introduction in the opener. This was a very hot contest, with some very expensive and decent horses off the flat taking part. EM was taken wide by Jamie Moore to get a good sight of his hurdles, and find some better ground. He jumped well for his debut and was in the mix having gone clear with four others as they turned for home. He then got very tired in the ground and the front four pulled away. Jamie nursed him home for a respectable fifth, and reported that he was happy with him and that he wants far better ground and sharper tracks, but would be winning over hurdles in the future. Kikos just does not like the soft and found it all very hard work. He jumped very well this time, and was only just run out of third place on the run in. We will wait for better ground in the spring for him, when he should be getting his head in front. The disappointment of the day was Bahreyna, who travelled very well in a slowly run affair, and Jimmy thought he would be in the shake up turning in, and indeed with 3 furlongs to run she was in fifth, but then stopped as if she had been shot, and will now have some tests done to see why, although it is thought that her breathing was the culprit. Let's hope they are all in good order tomorrow.