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Plus 12 and dry when driving in. That was a very wet day! 17mm yesterday

Wet at Worcester. Hardly summer jumping weather, but summer jumping was not what we wanted..thankfully it rained, and the ground was suitably soft for our first batch of winter runners.

We sent three horses to Worcester hoping that all three would win and that is exactly what they did. A great day for all involved including my new number one Tom Bellamy.

First up was Law Of Supply which was a really important win.. Andrew Lay asked me 2 years ago to buy him a chaser and LOS was what Aiden Murphy and I came home with.

Sadly, Andrew never met LOS as he was diagnosed with the big c shortly after and passed away before his horse ever ran.. Gut wrenching as he was a top bloke who had horses with me in my Lambourn days..

His wife Jane has kept the horse going which was very much Andrew’s wish and LOS now runs in the name of Andrew Lay’s Legacy..

Brilliant, he is now very much a family horse so you can imagine how special yesterday’s win was.. Andrew would have been clapping from above.. probably more..

Well done to Jane Lay, Gavin and Katherine Bumpass, Charlotte Hoad amd Jessica Watson.. Some team..

Clondaw General was like LOS was bought at the Cheltenham Tattersalls sales in February for Phil and Gill Andrews.

Phil and Gill Andrews are patient people, so we decided to wait to run him over hurdles after a good summer out.

CG is a beautiful horse who has pleased us from day one and yesterday he showed what he is capable of and although very much a chaser he is certainly capable of winning again over hurdles.

Neither Phil or Gill were able to be with us yesterday but were watching on their phones from abroad.. Delighted for them.. they have a lovely horse.

Half an hour later perhaps the most fancied of our three The Kemble Brewery came good in what looked a competitive novice hurdle.

Last season TKB won two bumpers and the went off odds on favourite at the November Cheltenham meeting only to finish 3rd..

But he so nearly ended his career that day as he returned to the unsaddling enclosure with an very nasty cut, all too near his tendon..

Time is great healer, and I am a great believer in fate and having another year under his belt was probably a really good call.

TKB is potentially very useful and the pub in Cheltenham that carries his name have a good one to Follow.. Phil Andrews is also very much involved..

I went all the way to Wetherby in the hope that Penny Perris would start her season off with a winner.. But it was not to be as Hurlerontheditch, although won the prize for best turned out was narrowly beaten into second spot.

Brian Hughes has never ridden me a winner and after yesterday he probably wont! Very frustrating for Penny P as her horse should have won at Warwick last season, but fell when about 20 length clear at the last and was probably very unlucky yesterday..

The drive up the M1 is not for the feint hearted as there are miles of 50mph!.. My day started in Banbury followed by a coffee with my old mate Johnny R-K.. All in all a very good day for all at Thorndale..

Thursday and our easy day!

Cricket is certainly interesting as is the America’s Cup as we clawed back two legs.

I am heading to Wincanton to saddle Shantou Express and for my thoughts please click here.

To end on a sad note.. David O’Connell (the breeder of Chianti Classico) passed away yesterday..

David took a fall about 3 weeks ago from a young horse. His initial injuries didn’t appear serious at first, broken pelvis and shoulder, he developed sepsis and had been in an induced coma for the past 2 weeks and sadly passed away yesterday morning.