Thursday 22 October

Bold Conquest went to Worcester yesterday, on what I termed a fact finding mission. So we were pleased that he answered a few questions for us. Overnight rain had got into the ground which looked to be riding slower than the official Good To Soft. The sub 3 mile trip, and flat track were not going to suit this stoutest of stayers, but the fences and the long straight were in his favour. The race itself was a warm one, with some talented, in form horses lining up. Josh rode, and is instructions were to get a lead, with a bit if daylight and ride the race how he found it. The early pace was pedestrian, which although perfect to give BC confidence on his first look at UK Fences, was never going to suit as the race would turn into a sprint. BC jumped beautifully, and as predicted was outpaced, but tried all the way to the line to finish a decent fifth. Josh felt that although he is a super jumper - just getting over the bigger obstacles was not easy for him out of the softer ground, and that he would be a better chaser on a sounder surface than he encountered yesterday. So he has told us that he can certainly jump, and that he should return to staying handicap hurdles over the winter, before tackling fences again in the spring, off of decent ground. I am delighted to say that he has come out of his race in good order, and seems fine this morning. Wolf Of Windlesham travels to Ludlow today for his hurdling debut - again it is a learning curve for him!