Tuesday 11 April

To say we were disappointed with the run of Land League in Uttoxeter 10 days ago is an understatement. He had been in great form at home, he looked a million dollars, and it looked for all the world that the step up to two and a half miles was just what he wanted now that he had learned to settle. To trail in last was not in the script, and it left everybody scratching their heads. The vets at the racecourse were unable/unwilling to scope him, so we were still very much in the dark as we left the track. He was due to have plenty of entries between the 13th and the 18th of April,but Stuart decided to scope him last Thursday ahead of his first possible entry, and they found him to be full of mucus. This would explain the run. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly things can change with this ultra fit athletes - as he was scoped two days before the Uttoxeter disappointment, and was found to be 100%. It goes back to the old saying - if only they could talk!! He is on a course of different antibiotics and will have more entries when he is clear of his infection. Yesterday I popped over to Fences Farm to meet Paul Wells who was in to see his gallant mare Maria's Benefit have a pop over the hurdles and baby fences. Stuart likes to get a jump into them before they go on their holidays, so that he knows what he has got to look forward to (or not), when they come back in the autumn, and they start their hurdling career. It was good to see Dave and Claire Page there too - they were in to see their horse Legal OK, the second time I had seen DP in as many days, as he had very kindly invited myself and a friend down to the London Stadium on Saturday to watch West Ham. A great day out - and a much appreciated invite. I popped round to see Savingfor vegas and her foal Elvis at The Elms Stud when I left Fences Farm, and they both looked in great form. SFV revisited Blue Bresil on Friday, and their hot date seemed to go well. She will be scanned in 2 weeks, and hopefully they find she is in foal the BB once again! With the indications being that this April could well be one of the driest on record - the decision has been made to rough a few more horses off, and the yard is getting quieter by the minute. There will be two new arrivals this week as Sumu the two year old Mamool that I purchased last November, and one other come in to be broken in. Sumu is developing very well, and looks an outstanding prospect - he looks every inch a racehorse, and time will tell, but he looks very much the type that could develop into an early precocious 3 yr old hurdler, so who knows he could well be being syndicated sooner rather than later!! Molly Childers and Queenohearts will head in the other direction and head to The Elms for their summer holidays - the ground looks as though it will oit be suitable for QOH to make her debut this spring, and a summer break would do her much better than staying in work waiting for rain. Kingsley and Top Gary will stay around Fences Farm. Cloonacool is already in the field. Apasionado is still on box rest. Tricky Silence is recovering well from his wind op, and Chandos Belle is back out in the field after her treatment - she too will stay at Fences Farm as she needs to be rescoped in a month.