Tuesday 10 February

Daily Cloonacool news - he has once again walked out sound this morning - with no pain relief. The blood tests they are doing around the site of injury indicate that all is well in terms of infection, and when he has finished his course of antibiotics he will be coming home - probably Thursday! All good news. I think after his run on Saturday, we had the job just about done, I am pretty sure that the handicapper would have left him alone on 130, but after Violet Dancer won the Betfair Hurdle, it was always the danger that the handicapper would put him up, and today he has done just that, raising Cloonacool to 132. I now it doesn't mean much this season probably, but it does go to show that the handicapper still feels he is improving which will stand us in excellent stead when we start again next season. As all the jockeys that have ridden him have said he will make a better chaser, he is a whole lot to look forward to! Elsewhere - Reyno has been dropped 2lbs to 96, and will also drop back in trip for his next run. Native Princess was ridden for the first time yesterday, after a brief spell on the sidelines, and was 100% sound - we can now crack on with her again which is great news! Benefit Cut was the recipient of a bit of scientific treatment on Saturday, when he had a session of light therapy. A technique that finds tight muscles using electrical resistance from what I can fathom out, and then treats the muscle with a range of different frequency lights - all very scientific, and interesting, and does seem to have helped him. Paddy The Deejay is having a trip to the vets this afternoon. He seems to have picked up a sinus infection around the time of his last run, which will explain him not getting up the hill in Towcester, which has not cleared up, so he will have his head examined today.