Fergall and other yard talk

Share this Article:

Good Afternoon Bloggers

Just back from Lambourn this morning where we gave FERGALL a piece of work up the Jockey Club’s gallops. Dan Sansom on board and the horse moved splendidly, very well and very pleased.

Consequently, no stranger to winning on the flat so all roads for FERGALL lead to Kempton on Saturday 1 April for the Rosbery handicap over 1 mile 3 furlongs on the all weather surface.

Pleased to report Chelsea Eggleton is back riding out, place has been quite without her following her tumble (well, some say it looked more like a flying dismount but you are meant to wait for the horse to stop Chelsea not get off when the horse is running at full pelt!).

Your Dad said as you landed on your head there is nothing to hurt in there! Are you sure you are not adopted? Anyway, pleased you are back and we must see about your Dad riding out if Billy Smart’s are ever in town and I can get a saddle big enough to fit an elephant!

I’ve heard from James who has spent the last week skiing in a 10 degrees sunny climate! He assures me they have been skiing in the snow simply by going higher up in the mountains. I’m sure they have had a good time. Back to work Monday my boy hoping you come back suitably refreshed because there is plenty to do here. Paul never done the washing up last Saturday so there is 3 weeks’ worth of that to start with!.

Actually, I must apologise to Paul when I next see him as I always thought it was him eating all the biscuits. I have now discovered that was not the case when I passed the office window on two occasions this week, looked in and first saw Steph with both of her hands in the tin, adopting a conveyor belt action from tin to mouth and secondly, I actually saw Ali with her damn head in the tin!

I suppose I’d better mention it, although it pains me. LANDIN went up 16 lbs in the handicap this week for his performance in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham. Yes, we were all pleased with his effort but not to that extent. I have written to the handicapper accordingly seeking a review or reconsideration of his new mark.

For all you yard favourite horse followers, CHESTERFIELD didn’t take his chance this week due to the ground going against us at Newbury – plenty more opportunities pending.

A little disappointed with my bumper runners over the past week, both SMILEY and CAP HORNER running with the choke full out early doors and paying the price by running out of petrol. Both should however benefit for the experience.

AZBO, a big strong horse, one to definitely be on if going into battle, would benefit from a change of sphere. He will not race again and we are open to offers for a nice specimen of a horse. Please contact me direct if you may be interested.

May well have a couple of runners Monday for the Racing Clubs. ALOTTARAIN has schooled well and looks back on song so will take her chances Monday at Plumpton. She may well be accompanied by JUBILYMPICS who will either go with her, to run in the bumper, or go up North to Market Rasen.

Other matters;

Mustn’t forget the next Tony McCoy, Mr Matthew Fielding who has another ride aboard ADRENALIN FLIGHT on Saturday at Milborne St Andrew in the point to point. 3.50 off time.

Matt, after much consideration of form of the 16 other entries, tells me he is confident! I think I’d better ask the horse how he feels aswell?

Political matters;

With my NTF hat on, I am very pleased to see and endorse support of the new jockey licensing criteria that will ultimately ensure our sport will be made safer following the proposed overhaul of the way new jockeys are licensed and trained.

Under a more rigorous regime applicants for apprentice and conditional jockey courses will be accepted only if they pass a pre-licence assessment.

The length of the course will also be doubled to ten days and there will be continuity training for young jockeys once they are riding as claimers.

The purpose of the change, which will be introduced by the BHA from April 1, is to ensure jockeys are more highly skilled early in their career and better equipped physically and mentally to develop into elite professionals in a sport in which 30 per cent of licensing course attendees do not ride a winner and 88 per cent do not ride out their claim.

The BHA has recognised there are too many riders failing to develop successful careers after obtaining their licences.

This new strategy is the result of more than three years’ work in which the Professional Jockeys Association, National Trainers’ Federation and Jockeys Employment and Training Scheme have been actively involved and I feel is long overdue.