Monday 6 April

I hope that everyone is staying safe and sound at the moment. Challenging times - but I'm sure we will get through, and all will be back to normal in time. This weeks news revolves around the fact that the BHA have confirmed that there will be no jump racing until at least July 1st. We had three horses in training, aiming to be ready to run when racing resumed. As we now know this will be some time, we have decided to change plans for two of them, Land League has gone to the field for a few weeks as he has been in all winter waiting for a spring campaign, and needed a break, and Go Millie Go will head off to The Elms next week with Molly Childers as we felt that the right thing to do was to start afresh with her in the autumn. The only one that will remain in some sort of work will be Figarella Borget. She is looking really well at the moment, and as she doesn't thrive in the field, Stuart felt it was best to keep her at home and keep her ticking over. The shut down has also affected the sales season. We had 3 horses destined for the leading Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale, and one for the Goffs Landrover Sale, both scheduled for June. The Goffs sale has already been put back to later in the year, and it looks very likely that The Derby Sale will go the same way. We therefore needed to find a way of helping potential purchasers as much as possible, and after speaking to a few, it was felt that the best course of action was to get the 3 year olds broken and ridden away, so that at least this was done, and the buyers could take them home and turn them away knowing that that part of the process was complete - assisting them both in terms of time, stable space and expense. Two in Ireland will be broken in by Arthur Moore, and the two in the UK have headed to Charlie Poste and Fran Nimmo. Charlie recently retired form the saddle, and he and his wife Fran, have set up a thriving breaking and pre training enterprise as well as a successful point to point training establishment in Warwickshire. I sent a Mamool 2 yr old there a few weeks ago, and he is going really well, and he has now been joined by three 3 yr olds, a Manduro, a Coastal Path and a No Risk At All. He has them all riding out in a string at the moment, and is really pleased with all of them. Judging by the clips he is sending, and his comments - they are a lovely athletic bunch. that have been straightforward to do in every way. When we get going again we will be adding to the squad for sure - I have found a nice horse in France, and will be pursuing him when the time comes. At The Elms, Savingforvegas, and her colt foal, Frank, are really well. Frank is a very handsome chap they tell me - a real shame that I've not been able to see him! The pair head off to Ireland tomorrow night, where Vegas will once again have a date with Blue Bresil. She, and Frank will return to The Elms later in the summer.