Monday 11 August

It was another glorious morning at Fences Farm on Saturday. Roy Holland was in to see his horse Cloonacool again. 'George' is in Fantastic form, and is being very cheeky while out at exercise. Roy and I made our way to the top of the hill and got to see Cloonacool, San Telm, Ogee, and Ereyna trot past a couple of times. The girls said that San Telm and Cloonacool were quite enjoying 'getting airbourne' - ST and CaC were both getting aerial!! It will not be long before they start cantering! It was good to see 'The Legend' Ogee out with them. He too is in fantastic form! Ogee suffered an injury back in August last year, and although minor, it has taken a long time to heal. Having considered his age, a decision was taken to retire him earlier this year - but in fact, as he is in such good order at the moment, and as the injury both looks and feels good to the eye, he will be scanned, and a decision made about him running again will be made on the back of that. He will certainly not run again if there is the slightest risk - but it would be good to see the old boy back!! Stuart rode out first lot on Saturday, and had a sit on Dawn Commander. As reported last week, he had his hock medicated as he was pulling out a bit stiff and sore in the morning, and it was taking him a minute or two to get going. The good news is that the medication seems to have very much done the trick - he was a lot less crotchety on Saturday, so hopefully that has done the trick. He resumes his normal regime. Benefit Cut continues to look in fantastic order - he seems to have matured again over the summer. Maypole Lass is another who went ot first lot with DC and BC, she too looks like she has benefitted from a break, and has matured into the lovely scopey filly we knew she would. ML will start over hurdles, but a chasing campaign is very much on the cards for her. Most importantly she has to be winning a race this season, as the plan is to breed form her, and a nice win on her card would make her progeny very commercial indeed, as ML herself is from one of Mrs Robesons very best flat families. Smart Exit has come back looking good, and Native Princess has started to do some very gentle cantering over a Jamie Goss' yard near Banbury. She will return to Fences Farm at the end of August/start of September.