Thursday 1 February

We went to Leicester yesterday full of hope that Chandos Belle would be winning their finale. It didn't happen. CB had run really well to be a close 4th in Warwick on New Years Eve, having travelled like a dream, just to get run out of it in the last furlong. The ground that day was very testing, so yesterdays ground, the step back in trip, and the addition of a tongue tie has us believing that we had all bases covered. So it was very disappointing to see her back pedal in the home straight and end up well beaten. She was scoped post race and was 100%, and has pulled out fine this morning, so we can only assume that it was the ground. It was very very testing, and conceivably too much - even for a mare that likes really soft ground. Earlier in the Sean Bowen had said that it was the worst ground he has ridden on - and he has ridden a lot around Ffos Las!! We will regroup and go again in a few weeks on some slightly better ground, which should not be hard to find as most ground will be better than yesterday!! Kaloci has come out of her run at Leicesters previous meeting in great heart, and has earned entries in Ludlow, and Leicester next Wednesday (7th), Molly Childers is entered in Ludlow next Wednesday as well. If we can get a run into Kaloci next month, we stand a chance of getting another one into her in reasonable time before the Mares Novice Hurdle Final in Newbury in late March.