3 from 5 but tears as Sawwaah is claimed (or was that the last laugh?)

Wolverhampton was the backdrop for the 3rd winner of 2008. Star horse Sawwaah who we claimed in April last year for £6,000 has run 9 times, winning 5, 2nd on 3 occasions and 3rd once. Friends and foes questioned our judgement claiming a 10-year-old but he's repaid our faith-a-plenty. Our last laugh (but with a tear) was that he was claimed for £10,000 today as 11-year-old. I'm sure there are still races in him and I won't be surprised to see him in the winners enclosure over the next few months.
The horse box wasn't empty on the way home as we picked up a 3-year-old unbroken filly by Mtoto. Let's hope he can be half as successful as Sawwaah.
Attheraces video link

Great way to start the New Year

3 runners 2 winners....what a great way to start 2008.

It is fantastic that you can have a short break and return to the horses in good form, well done staff.

Sawwaah ran as we had hoped on Saturday under a fine ride from Richard Kingscote. It wasn't the strongest contest that's why he started even money favourite but even so he ran like a favourite should, not dropping himself to far out the back and staying-on on the bridle.

Gross Prophet ran another solid race in the Conditions event and may now have a break as there aren't many opportunities for 3-year-olds over 6/7 furlongs between now and the start of the turf season. He has done brilliantly up until now.

Savile's Delight has just won the 12.40 at Southwell under a good ride from Michaela. That's her second winner for the yard in just six starts. The horse is entered again on Friday at Kempton so we will have to wait and see how he is before making any decisions.

Hope Road is entered for a Juvenile hurdle on Wednesday. The ground is likely to be very soft at Newbury so we will see what happens with the weather.

Happy New Year and here's to our first runners of 2008

Thank you all for our Christmas cards and gifts. Michaela and I had a fantastic break in Thailand and are recharged for the coming year.

We ended 2007 on a high with wins for both Gross Prophet and Parisian Gift. Those wins enabled us to post a total of 26 winners for 2007. Now to beat it in 2008.

We are going to start of with the ever young Sawwaah and the osmium tough Gross Prophet. Both are running at Lingfield this Saturday, January 12th, in the 12.45 and 2.55 respectively. At the weights Sawwaah has a great chance whilst Gross Prophet would possibly be the first 3-y-o to beat his elders this year on the flat if winning the Conditions event.

We also have a couple of entries for next Monday, January 14th with Savile's Delight (12.40) and What's for Tea (2.10) at Southwell. I will post an update on these two runners on Saturday. We need one or two to come out of the respective races.

Next week I should also have a runner over hurdles at Newbury. Hope Road, is entered in the Juvenile Novices' Hurdle (12.50) which potentially looks a hot race if Quenta Des Bordes and Mamlook stand their ground.

Parisian Gift makes it winner no 25 for the year

Parisian Gift won his second start at Lingfield this afternoon and his first for PG Tipsters a new partnership set up to buy him, only on Monday this week, from my good friend Struan Cochrane. So it is smiles all round for both present and past connections.

I was beginning to feel I'd never have another winner as this was the first for almost six weeks despite everything running really well they never quite got their heads in front. Sawwaah only an hour earlier just failed to get up after his usual slow start from the stalls but he remains a horse in fantastic form for a 10 year old. He is as game as they come.

Declarations & entries w/c 17 December 2007

Tomorrow, Wednesday, we have two horses declared at Lingfield.

Sawwaah is in the 12.40 pm, a claimer over 10 furlongs and is drawn 2 of 11.

Parisian Gift, who has just been purchased by PG Tipsters, runs in the 1.40 pm., a maiden over 7 furlongs and is drawn 10 of 14.

On Thursday, at Wolverhampton, Gross Prophet has been declared for the 6.50 pm novices stakes over an extended 5 furlongs.

On Friday, What's For Tea is entered at Southwell in a 6 furlong nursery at 1.30 pm.

These will be the stable's last runners for 2007. Michaela and I are off for a two week break on Saturday and Andy Lindsay, our head lad, will be giving the horses an easy time until our return on 6 January 2008.

A happy Christmas to you all and may you have a healthy, happy and successful year in 2008.