Well Christmas all over and done with for another year, and we are now well into 2019! Scary how fast last year seemed to whizz by - sign of getting older I guess!
Firstly thank you for all the goodies, and donations to the team party (which we haven't actually managed yet!) everyone did come to us for a pre Christmas dinner, but for a variety of reasons we haven't managed to actually go out yet! For a small team it all seemed to be very complicated before the holiday to get everyone out together but we will manage it now its all over! Actually quite nice to go out now when it all goes rather quiet for a bit!
A million thanks to the troops who kept the show on the road over the Christmas period - we did manage to get everyone home to where they wanted to be and they either had Christmas Day or New Years day off plus an afternoon, plus a few shorter days so at least it was a a bit of a break for everyone. No runners Boxing day which was actually lovely so we were glued to the TV watching instead!
The weather has been unseasonably mild & unfortunately also very dry now with no raindrops on the forecast for the next ten days, which is not ideal!
Horses are running much better now, a lovely winner at Hereford last week - Some Finish has been a bit of an enigma since he arrived, and had actually been rechristened Can't Finish! He was running well at Exeter before Christmas until he was badly hampered and made a mistake, but in all honesty we were not going to Hereford with a massive amount of hope! However he looked like a different horse from flag fall and made all and actually pulled (he never pulls!) for the whole three miles, jumped well and fought bravely when challenged from the last. No voices left and a first class ride from Tabitha. BTO for Lauren (cider!)
Bally Lagan ran much better for a long way under Ceris, but made a mistake two out and was pulled up but travelled and jumped well up to that point.
Vocaliser has had us scratching our heads after a couple of lack lustre runs. He travelled with no enthusiasm at Newbury & too much at Haydock! However reunited with his partner in crime from last season (Charlie) he looked much more his old self at Sandown on Saturday, and jumped and travelled really well to finish 4th, & not beaten far. Much more like it!
La Fille Francais & Oneida Tribe both ran well at Warwick - effectively first run of the season for them both. Tara Well had a couple of good runs - ground needs to be a lot softer for her.
Dontminddboys ran awfully at Hereford, but was impeded by a faller early in the race - we had done wind checks etc with him & found nothing so went to Uttoxeter with heart in mouth slightly! Heart stayed there over the first three fences when he jumped left and ballooned his fences. Jamie Moore would have been entitled to pull him up but kept on at the back of the field, and eventually Caspar started to get his act together. By the time they got back to the stands he had passed one and then seemed to start to enjoy himself, and then fought his way home to finish third only beaten 4 lengths - another furlong and he'd have won! Much more like the Caspar we know & love & a top riding performance by Jamie.
Little Galactic Power ran another solid race to be 4th at Ludlow - he really is a favourite, such a little trier, everyone loves him!
Harriets first runner pointing finished fifth - Coyaba just got a bit tired going to the last, which he was entitled to do, having had two years off the track. Jumped really well under Tabitha and should go close next time for Liz Prowting. Liz isn't too well at present so we wish her a speedy recovery.
Lots of visitors over the holiday period and an excellent turnout for our first Open Morning of the year last Saturday. Great to see so many faces, familiar & new. Lots of lovely pictures sent in - have a look at facebook!
A rather quieter couple of days now no runners till Thursday, but from all of us at Dickin HQ we would like to wish everyone a
'Happy ,Healthy & Prosperous New Year, with plenty of Winners!'