Last week of the year 2009

Having reached 62 winners for the year there are just a few opportunities left before 31 December to increase the score.

Quaker Parrott, Plush, Midnight Strider and Look Officer are just a few of those capable of passing the post first and increasing Tom's best season to date.

The target for the year was 52 winners and this was after 42 in 2008, so anything like 62 or better is quite an achievement in Tom's fourth year as a trainer.

The new Manor House Stables website is in its final stages of preparation and should be ready to go live in early January. On 4 January Tom's new secretary Lizzie Lea, recruited from the Racecourse Association, starts her new job and we expect communication with owners and others will improve considerably. It has been difficult for the last two months trying to fire on only two cylinders but from January there should be no more excuses.