Wednesday 4 June

Tough times!! Trying to secure a new 'Club' horse is proving very very tricky! The trade at last weeks sale was simply bonkers, with horses making double their perceived value, and as a result, any that you enquire about privately seem to be suddenly worth the earth as well. Vendors see sale results and pop the prices up accordingly!! We are still pursuing a couple, and will update when we have something positive. The other tough thing to take yesterday was the handicappers decision to raise Maypole Lass 5lbs!! She has been in the bloody field for 2 weeks! How can he put her up a whapping 5 to 110 now?? The winner has also gone up a further 2 lbs to 112 (after going up 5lbs after the race). The third horse was beaten just over 3 lengths into third in a very bad race in Uttoxeter last week, and has been hiked up 13lbs for that, but she was still over a stone below her highest rating and has not won a race yet!! Her connections continue to run her in maiden and novice company as they obviously felt she was still not on a winnable mark, and they tried headgear, so they are doing their best - it makes the rise for the front 2 in the Towcester race even more of a mystery. Connections of the third are forced to run in Fontwell today before the new mark comes into effect, so it will be interesting to see what happens - if she doesn't run to a mark 10lbs above her current rating - I may just have to ring the handicapper!!