Monday 18 May

Saturday four of us popped down to Cheltenham, to see the first sale at the new Brightwells pavillion in the racecourse enclosures.Despite the frequent and sometimes heavy showers it was a good day out - a day to look and see what the spring trade was like and find out a few details about horses we are interested in this week in Doncaster. The sale was made up of horses in training and there were plenty of Irish Point to Pointers on show. I did buy a lovely Karinga Bay gelding with a decent pedigree who had finished 2nd in an Irish Point at the end of last month (before his 4th birthday) and is likely to improve a great deal as he strengthens. This fellow will now go and ply his trade in Points this side of the water next season for another owner. All in all it seemed to be a sucessful day with the trade for the right things holding up, although a few vendors were grumbling about the lack of trade and there was only an average clearance rate. The complex itself seemed to work well. E Major is entered to run at Uttoxeter next Sunday in a 0-105 handicap that has attracted 41 entries. It will be competitive, as they always are but he is fit and well, and I am pleased to report that he now has proper front shoes on which should help him a lot. Kikos is still in great form and we are all looking forward to seeing him at Huntingdon a week tomorrow.