Monday 17 November

Just back form Fences Farm with an update on Dawn Commander. DC was walked out of his box for the vet, and was sound. The vet examined him thoroughly, and when asked to trot, he was significantly more lame. The natural course of action now is to give him a bone scan to determine the site and nature if his injury. We need to know for sure, so that the next course of action can be determined. In the vets opinion the injury is around the very base of his spine/top of his tail area, and he thinks that when he slid down the wall he may have damaged his coxis, which is perfectly reasonable given how the incident unfolded. A bone scan will tell us exactly what we are dealing with, and the timescale of the healing process. So - just like the Champion Chaser, Sire De Grugy, DC will be booked in for a bone scan in Newmarket later this week. He will remain at the practice in Newmarket for a few days, as the scan involves a radioactive isotope, and he has to remain there. I will of course let everyone know as soon as I know anything. Elsewhere all is well - San Telm will resume cantering tomorrow, as he has come 100% sound again - the joint injections are incredible, as he was very sore on Friday! Smart Exit has 2 entries at the weekend, originally we were going to concentrate on Towcester on Sunday (he is entered), but there were very few entries in the Cambridgeshire National in Huntingdon (a race he was third in last year) so we popped him in there as well - and to be fair it looks like the easier option - a decision regarding where he goes will be made mid week. Cloonacool has entries everywhere, he will not go to Warwick on Wednesday, Market Rasen on Thursday is still heavy in places, and today we popped him in a 0-120 2m novice handicap hurdle in Huntingdon on Saturday. Again not many entries so we entered him to have a look, and this race looks like it could be ideal. Over the trip, we feel it could be the right thing to try him on a softer surface, and as all the other races he will be entered in will be very much deeper, Huntingdon on Saturday has become the preferred option. After speaking to the owners of Native Princess we are all in agreement to give her an easier few weeks. There are only two options available before Christmas, at the two stiffest tracks in the country - Carlisle and Towcester, and as she is still weak and immature, everyone was in agreement to ease of on her for a spell. She will be schooled over hurdles in this time, in fact that began this morning, and after just the shortest of time she was jumping up three flights of hurdles. She looks a natural! There are a couple of shares for sale in this beautifully bred, and talented filly, so if you would like to join her small, friendly syndicate then email me - info@nickbrownracing.co.uk Maypole Lass and Carolina Wren are both entered in the mares handicap hurdle in Ascot on Saturday. One or the other will run, ML on good to soft, CW if the ground is more testing, both are in great order. More news when I have it re DC.