Thursday 5 July

We all love our racing and in particular our racehorses - which means that when they have finished their racing careers, we make a serious effort to rehabilitate them (if needed) and to home them with suitable new owners who will offer the same kind of care that they enjoyed during their racing careers. The latest to find a new home is our dear old friend Bobby Gee. Bob was a star for us, he arrived, thanks to a nod from Michael Kehoe whos' mother bred Bobby in partnership with Joyce Ginzel. Bob had run twice in bumpers, and had shown ability, and made his debut for us on New Years Eve 2006 in a bumper in Warwick. He then ran in 3 novice hurdles finishing 3rd, 3rd, and 2nd before rounding off the season with a 13 length victory on his handicap debut in Uttoxeter. Bobby was then syndicated to the Oakley Partnership, which included footballers Jay Tabb, and Ben Turner - their first venture into racehorse ownership. Bobby started off that autumn in a competitive handicap at Cheltenhams' Open meeting before finishing third at Wincanton in a race run on very heavy ground which took its toll on his form for the rest of the season.His next season we went Novice Chasing with mixed results - Bob was a decent jumper but just failed to put it together sometimes which resulted in him taking a horror fall at the last in Market Rasen when challenging for the lead under Aiden Coleman. Bobby got his breathing sorted out during that summer and came back to win 2 chases under Tom O'Brien at Towcester and Lingfield, which resulted in The Racing Post doing a feature on him, and his owners, in one of their Sunday editions. Bobby was retired after suffering an injury in the Totesport Chase at Warwick in January 2011, and has been recuperating at Michael and Fionas since an operation to his hock. Yesterday he left for pastures new, and we wish his new owners the best of luck with him. Enjoy him as we did, he will always do his best for you! Thanks to Fiona for all her efforts during the 'rehoming' - it would not have happened without you. News of another ex Fences Farm inmate - Mattaking, who is now in Norfolk and having a great time. Matty was another that recuperated at Michael and Fionas before going down to a friend of mine in Essex who had him for a few years, and showed him with some success! She has now moved him on to Norfolk where he is loving life and doing all sort of activites including a bit of eventing. It is always nice to hear about the lads that have given us so much fun, and we really do try to find the right homes for them when their careers are over - it is a very important part of what we do! Rehoming is very much a team effort, and once again thanks to everyone who has helped in getting Bobby his new home!