Monday 25 November

Guest Of Honour was taking a drink in the last chance saloon today, and unfortunately has been retired. Sporting blinkers for the first time, he travelled beautifully for a circuit of Ludlow, but stopped very quickly, and was pulled up. It was a repeat performance of his Huntingdon effort, where he burst a blood vessel. On that occasion the bleed was not evident from the nose and was only picked up by the vet and a scope, today was far worse, and he actually bled from the nose. he has all the medication he can have since Huntingdon, and it evidently has not worked, leaving us little option but to draw stumps. I am in negotiations to purchase a replacement, so we will not be without a horse for too long hopefully. I cannot announce a name yet, but when I will if all goes to plan, and I am very excited to have the chance to get the horse!! Genny Wren also made the trip, and was running a blinder on chase debut until being brought down unfortunately late on. She seems ok afterwards, despite crashing through the rail when loose. Back at home, all had an easy Monday, and Stuart reports Maypole Lass to be in particularly good form after her run - it seems to have very much ignited her enthusiasm for life!!