Quick update

Hi all,

Apologies once again for the lack of updates, things have been more than crazy with my other jobs - putting together and printing over 600 newsletters for STAGBI, plus address labels for all members, and then at the Council too (where I tend to catch up on my blogging as best I can). It's not excuse, I said I'd commit myself to this and I'm not doing a very good job BUT I shall endeavour to try my best for the rest of the season.

Allensmore

We took three horses to Allensmore just over a week and a half ago. The Boss and me were the only ones that went, as Mrs B stayed at home to man the fort. Allensmore had proven to be our 'bogie' track up until now, and Mrs B warned us that if we didn't come home with a rosette, then we weren't allowed home at all. And Best Turned Out didn't count!

 As the horses were spaced out in races 6, 8 and 11, I set about plaiting each of them, firstly to try and win a Best Turned Out, secondly to kill time and thirdly because it seems to have a relaxing effect on them. After I'd done our three, my friend Emma asked me to plait up two of hers, Pendragon (Dragon) and What About Me (Jiggy). Earlier on she'd taken my mare, Star, out for gate practice which naturally went very smoothly as Star loves the start car. Not only did The Boss and me practice at home when she was 3 by jogging her behind the quad bike, I've also had practice out hunting during the winter whilst riding her. Conway, the starter on the circuit, is a hunt member and he used to slow down on the roads for my friend Jacqui and I to get close behind him on our pacers (Jacqui on Immortal Ocean aka Lucky and me on Star) and then he'd pull away and we'd pace behind him. Silly fun, and showing off our pacers really, but you've got to try and enjoy yourself!

Anyway, Jingo went out first and despite my best efforts he didn't win Best Turned Out, and being drawn 8 of 8 we all felt it would be a tough ask for him. Never won to be beaten by the draw, he had the perfect run sneaking up the rail when a horse broke and created space, and rallied on strongly to finish second. We were all over the moon as he had a lot of work to do to finish where he did and he ran exceptionally well.

Hamish went out in race 8 and this time my efforts paid off as he was announced as Best Turned Out. He was drawn 4 and landed in the pocket (on the inside rail behind the leader), where he sat patiently for a lap and a half. Going down the back straight for the final time The Boss appeared to have loads of horse left, being the only driver not chasing his horse, however the driver outside him had him boxed in. All of a sudden the front horse pulled away and I expected Hamish to shoot out into space but he appeared to slow down. It looked as though he was done. Then with the same suddeness he shot after the leader and was unlucky not to catch it on the line, finishing a respectable second. When The Boss came back to the lorry he wasn't happy, and explained that all the way down the back straight and into the two corners the outside driver had hooked his while inside The Boss', therefore stopping him from making a break. The Boss had shouted to the other driver to pull out, as the driver in question was guilty of cutting up Sammy a few weeks earlier at the same track. The Boss disappeared to the stewards to lodge a complaint and I set about untacking and washing Hamish down.

By this point we were both very happy. The two horses had won three rosettes between them, and Mac was last out with a small chance of doing the same. He didn't break going into the first bend, which was the biggest hurdle passed, and was just pipped on the line to come third. I was over the moon, because winning is difficult and going home with three placings out of three runners is a minor success!

Boughrood

The same three horses travelled to our local-ish track, Boughrood, for a 17-race bumper card last weekend. I was clerking for Smarty, having done the same at Wolverhampton racecourse on the Friday night. Harness racing returned to Dunstall Park for a successful evening of racing and general merriment in a 'proper' setting. Hopefully we'll be back there again next year.

Anyway, Julie was on groom duties at Boughrood and I was merely a spectator. She also drove Jingo, who ran out of his skin being drawn 9 of 9 and getting stuck two wide to finish second (I'd had a cheeky bet and was lucky enough to collect). Mac and Hamish both ran well to come home fourth. Emma ran Star in a qualifier as she had to requalify in order to race again. Despite having raced with British Harness two summers ago, because she took a year out (in which she ran with Wales & Border Counties) she had to prove again that she was capable of racing in the prescribed time and in a safe manner. Needless to say, my bombproofer did the job, starting with real gusto and running well despite a tack mishap which left a strap bouncing between her front legs for nearly the full mile.

It was the raiders from the north, Pam Haythornthwaite (sister to driver Alan Haythornthwaite) who took the final with Charlie Pan. It was a massively successful weekend for the family, as Alan also drove a winner at Wolverhampton, as did his son Richard. His youngest son James travelled over to Ireland for the racing on the Sunday and a catch drive on Meadowbranch Ash saw him winning the final in Portmarnock also. It's a family sport, that can definitely be said!

Unfortunately though, the weekend ended on a sad note. After the racing was finished I headed to the bar only to be intercepted by Mrs B. She told me that McKelvie had been sold, and was loaded on (what she believed at the time) Will Evan's lorry, as he had bought the horse on behalf of someone. I was devastated. Stupid really, as the horse has been for sale since Walton in June, but I'd once again let myself get attached to a horse. I dashed over to the paddock and found Kayleigh, Will's daughter, who explained that he was loaded on Andrew Cairns' lorry, ready to head up to York. Fortunately he hadn't left so I asked if I could say my goodbyes; I think his words were 'say goodbye, hug him, kiss him, go for it'. His wife asked what Mac's stable name was, which made me feel better knowing someone would call him what I'd called him. I told him to do his best, not break anything, and not be a grumpy git all the time. Then he couldn't go wrong.

I plan to write to the new owner once the transfer comes through to STAGBI, to explain that Mac is broken to ride and should he ever want to sell him once his racing days are over, to let me know. Mac may be big, ugly, grumpy and not really racehorse-shaped, but underneath he's quite a gentle soul and I think I could help find him someone who will pamper him, love him and dress him in pretty matchy-matchy tack!

So that's the past near-fortnight; it's been full of ups and downs, success and heartache. Tomorrow morning I'm setting off for three days at Tregaron, the festival of harness racing in deepest, darkest West Wales. Daisy (my family's 2yo) is racing tomorrow in the Little Welsh Dragoness, so fingers crossed she runs well. Star was entered to run with The Boss' horses at Ammanford on Monday but lack of entries has forced the committee to abandon, so all eyes will now be on Daisy instead.

Wish us all luck as we carry on racing these funny horses around people's fields!

Over and out,

 Sarah ( #1 Groom)