Today is the last day of the 2006/2007 National Hunt season. It has been an interesting season, one that I have enjoyed enormously, especially as we are in new surroundings and with a huge amount to look forward to. There will a big change over of horses during the summer, with some moving on and even more coming in, thanks to the fact that many old faces are coming back into ownership at Thorndale Farm for next season; all which is hugely exciting.

Like all trainers we have had some moderate and badly handicapped horses; on the whole the horses have run well through out the season with over 70% of our runners finishing in the first 4.

I do find it disappointing that the current form of handicapping has taken over our sport in the way it has; it does look more and more like the handicappers would like us to win one race in 16 (If possible)which if you are an owner is not too enthralling; unless of course you cheat! It was interesting to think that Tony McCoy turned down two rides for me as they were, in his opinion, so badly handicapped that they had no chance; both horses had been raised huge amounts for winning moderate races; yes I know we all complain about that!

Jason Maguire, who is still working out how to stay on Idle Talk, was in this morning to school. He rode Even Flo, Constantius and L'Eau Du Nil over fences and Galaxia, Martovic and Heartofmidlothian over hurdles in the school (manage); he also rode work on Something Gold who worked with Girardii.

One of the beauties of being married to an old f...t like me is that you do have not often the chance to broaden your horizons. Clare has done the 40s/50's/60's/70's/80's and now she has the delight of her first 90th birthday party and I have to say it is a very special one too. My old school cricket coach is 90 this year and this evening all his teams (those players who are still alive) from the years that he coached from the war (2nd) will be represented. Hopefully the likes of Ted Dexter, Andrew Strauss and of course Ollie, Oliver Sherwood (The one that didn't quite show their natural ability) will be there; should be fun..for me!

Regal Approach arrived safely from Ireland early this morning; he will be meeting his new owners next week.

James Burgess was in to see his new horse Ya I Know perform up the gallops as was Noel Cronin who was here to see his horse Persian Gaye do likewise.

Stream cleaning, mowing and turning horses out is the order of the day at the moment; and treating post and rails in order to stop the  horses chewing their way through them. A mixture of old tractor oil and diesel seems the best at the moment; extraordinary, why do horses prefer wood when they can eat grass?

Kate found this rather interesting picture of me talking to Tony McCoy after he rode Very Special One into third place in the mares hurdle final at Newbury; I would be delighted to receive suggestions for a caption; mine goes on the lines of ''you look about as miserable as me!''  Who said it!

For those of you old enough to remember where you were when England won the World Cup finals in 1966, would, like me, have been very sad to read of Alan Ball's departure from this earth.

Alan was a complete star and a total hero, made all the more so by the fact that on a racecourse he would talk to everybody including tall trainers! Alan loved his racing and was at Newbury only last week; not only did Alan own horses but he did a great deal of charity work behind the scenes, we shall all miss him.

Summer jumping starts in earnest next week and I have just bought an ideal chaser called Good Old Days on JP McNamara's advice for the summer; he will be coming over from Ireland next week and I will be looking for an owner for him. Please let me know if you would like to be involved during the summer. Ten shares at £1800 plus VAT or you could own him outright for £18000 plus Vat.

Anybody watching last night Champions league football match between Manchester United and Milan would have witnessed a thriller; it is not often that I become totally enthralled by a football match but last nights game had it all. Tonight it is the turn of Chelsea, who play another English club in Liverpool and I know Lord Of The Bridge's owners Keith Ellis and David Grier will be there as usual.

Graham Potts, our hard working and often stressed out vet was in to completely check over Longshanks before he goes out on his summer holidays. I am delighted to say that Longshanks has fully recovered from his gallant run at Aintree and Graham has given him a totally clean bill of health.

Longshanks's offending foot is healing from the inside out, as expected, and we will keep his round front shoe on for a while but once his sole has grown we will be able to return to normal shoes

Now Longshanks can be let down for a month or so before he is prepared for the Beecher Chase in November; yet another ride over the Aintree fences!

I am always being asked by various groups if they can come and have a look at the horses and visit the yard, and as I am sure you know only too well, I am always more than happy to help.

We already host about  twelve mornings on the gallops followed by breakfast, auctioned off, usually silently(!) to help raise money for different charities, but today's visit by a group of freemasons was a first.

The 1985 circle consists of freemasons from the lodges in Bristol. They were masters of their respective lodges in that year. The group is made up with wives and families and about ten social events are arranged each year. This was their first visit to a racing stable.

Martyn and Elaine Booth, who have recently moved to Cheltenham, called round to visit Thorndale Farm for the first time. Martyn and Elaine who currently have flat horses with Jamie Osborne (they had a winner at Nottingham last week) used to have horses with me during my days in Lambourn, most notably, Ned The Hall, Feel the Power and Drumcullen who won 4 and was placed 7 times, out of his 18 starts over fences.

Drumcullen retired from racing to be my hack, that was until he  rather unceremoniously dumped me and galloped off up my all- weather with me trailing behind him with one foot stuck in the stirrups. Not amusing and I have to admit it was a rather frightening experience, which has resulted in me now having 3 fused vertebrae in my back!

Anyway it is great news that Martyn and Elaine are going to have horses here next season. Martyn originally decided to enter race horse ownership by answering an advert that I had placed in the Racing Post several years ago. When Martyn said to Elaine that they should go down to Lambourn to visit Kim Bailey she replied ''who is SHE, never heard of her!'

Yesterday's Pony Racing at Andoversford point-to-point was a great spectacle and the sport's rapidly growing popularity seems to have caught racing's hierarchy somewhat by surprise. 

This is despite the fact that the Irish equivalent, known as 'Flapping' has been going on for years and is where some of Ireland's best known jockeys, including Tony McCoy and Ruby Walsh, developed their race riding skills.

The record for the number of wins by a flapping jockey in any one season is I believe held by an angel faced young Norman Williamson with 75 winners.

Understandably you are not allowed  to hold a jockeys license and partake in flapping or pony racing, so this hugely exciting sport is very much for the young and what a way to learn on how to be a jockey.

In Britain it is becoming extremely competitive and in fact three of the best known young jockeys are the Fat Farmer's sons Sam and William and Simon Sherwood's son Jack.  Pony racing is a great way of introducing racing to the younger generation and by developing their race riding skills, technique and fitness at a young age, it can only strengthen the quality and quantity of British jockeys.

The children involved are aged between 9 and 15 and their ponies need to be aged between 5 and 20.  The ponies race in two height categories (Under 138cm and Under 148cm) and all the Point to Point Young Riders and ponies must either have been out together with a recognised pack of Hounds, Draghounds or Bloodhounds a minimum of 4 times in the current season or to have attended at least 4 working Pony Club Rallies together.

Pony racing is taking place not only at Point-to-Point meetings but also in the form of the Charles Owen Pony Racing Series at various licensed racecourses this summer starting at Newmarket in May and culminating in the Finals at Aintree in October.  It is great fun to watch and may well signal the future of British racing so keep an eye out for it!

Yesterday at Andoversford it was the turn of my god daughter to ride a winner on her pony; which I hasten to add was loaned for the day by her brother Jack. To see her determination and competitive spirit come through gave you some idea why her father Simon Sherwood was so good as a jockey!

P.S..The bluebird of happiness has descended  from a great height and news will shortly be breaking.....?