April 1st is well known round the world as the one day when you can pull a fast one, using the guise of an April Fools joke; many have been played over the years and the papers are always full of ridiculous stories to try and fool us!

I used to do terrible things to my next door neighbour Oliver Sherwood while I was based in Lambourn; all good clean fun. Even my sister was not adverse to the odd practical joke, especially when she crept onto my lawn in the early hours of the morning a couple years ago, and littered it with fake mole hills..moles are my pet hate!

Training horses can at times make a fool of you, but there is no need for April 1st to make matters worse. Why is it that when a big race is just around the corner, stones become boulders and tiny nicks become surgical necessities. How many times have we seen a horse suddenly produce an unlikely injury just before a big race? A true punter's graveyard!

Longshanks in his wisdom has now joined the list, temporarily I hope.

Longshanks has managed to tread on a stone (we would like to think it was the only for miles, which of course is not the case) bruising the sole of his off fore.

Bloody painful as it always is; so we whipped the shoe off and rather than fight the bruising, we have sent him off with a healthy set of water wings to one of the smartest Equine Health Spas in the world, which just happens to be based just down the road at Inglesham near Lechlade.

My fist thought was to send him 4 miles down the road to local trainer Jim Wilson, who also has a pool. Jim has over the years come to the rescue of several leading trainers and horses; Jim has looked after and sorted the likes of Waterloo Boy, who like Longshanks did something very similar just days before he was due to run in the Cheltenham Champion Chase. But the Spa facility was something I and my long suffering vet though would benefit Longshanks most.

Like all good human health centres, the Equine Service Centre, owned and run by Liz Newman, will pamper Longshanks with long sessions in the spa, followed by a bit of swimming and when he is ready, by a session or two in their water treadmill.

This will be a huge benefit to Longshanks as all this treatment and activity will keep his fitness levels up, which is hugely important, while also giving him a relaxing change of scenery.

Longshanks will return here half way through the week to do his final piece of work before the John Smith's Grand National in 13 days time.

There is never a good time to bruise a foot but if he was going to test us I am thankful we have two weeks to go before the big race, not seven days!

Breaking news like this to any owner is not much fun, but unfortunately it is all part of the job.

We had a large turn out from the Cheltenham and Three Counties Racing Club this morning; they were a hugely enthusiastic and knowledgeable group of people who hopefully thoroughly enjoyed their visit to Thorndale Farm; they certainly chose a good morning to see the place.

Jeremy Young was in for three lots; ex Paul Nicholls assistant and more recently with J.J O'Neill. Jeremy is now working out of racing and hopes to ride out here on a regular basis at weekends.

Last night Clare and I were in the Lambourn area, celebrating Merrick Francis' wife's Alex birthday. It has been a while since I was last there; great to see so many old mates and I was pleased to see that not much has changed in my absence?

Jason Maguire was in first lot to school; he schooled Even Flo, Martovic and Galaxia led by Nathan on Wenlocks Wonder over hurdles then fences, Jason also schooled Leac An Scail and Girardii over hurdles.

Most of my morning was spent at the dentist; not one of favourite places but when you have receding gums it takes just a bit  more than the use of Colgate toothpaste to cure the problem!

Great to see Tom Scudamore link up full time with David Pipe; I cannot recall a father and son team replicated a generation later; you just have to listen to the words Pipe and Scudamore and all your yesterdays appear! Incidentally the The FF's son is not old enough and Carl has no son as we yet know of.

Alan O'Keeffe was in for a couple of lots, as was a photographer from the Horse and Hound.

Clare and I were at Towcester as guests of Neil Jennings; his company were hosting a lunch for a few treasured clients. They say there is no such thing as a free lunch, mind you after my tips they might have regretted asking me!!

Towcester have just hosted a two day meeting, something very new; their marketing team came up with the unlikely idea that their two day meeting should be called the ''Festival Of Speed''.

For speed you would imagine it was a case of landlord Lord Hesketh rolling out one of the late James Hunt's F1 cars rather than speedy horses round his stiff Northamptonshire course!

Marcus Armytage this morning and Phil Nelson yesterday, both fell foul of the weather; both of their visits were shrouded in fog!

Marcus was here this morning wearing his Horse and Hound cap, he is trying to piece together an interesting story on Longshanks and KCB; not an easy one. However hard he tried he could not find a connection with his ex National winning mount Mr Frisk, but no doubt by the time he has written it, it will have a connection!

Trying to show off Thorndale Farm to Phil Nelson yesterday was a case of requiring a huge amount of imagination; the views would have been spectacular if he could have seen further than his nose!

If you would like to donate to the Alan Walker Fund, click here.

Jason Maguire very kindly rode Longshanks in a serious piece of work over 2 and 1/2 miles early this morning, we were delighted with his work and with the big day just over 2 weeks away we are on target.

Tony Dobbin, who we had hoped might have been able to pop down was sadly unable to make the trip, but that is not a worry as he will be down soon to school and sit on Longshanks before the race itself.

Jason, as we all know is going to ride Idle Talk for Trevor Hemmings has ridden Longshanks in all his work and his only run this season, so his input is and has been hugely helpful and greatly appreciated.

Bad news from Barcelona; the manager of the English football team has been found alive and well in his hotel bedroom!

I am delighted to see that the support for recently struck off racecourse vet Alan Walker is gaining momentum. 

Dr John Alan Walker was one of racing's most respected vets, not only did he look after Jenny Pitman's string for ages, he was also Chairman of the Association of Racecourse Veterinary Surgeons, hence he was in charge of all racecourse practices. Alan was struck off for backdating a vaccination entry on a horse's passport; yes a sin, but not a criminal one; being struck off means that Alan is now no longer allowed to practice which has resulted in his early forced retirement.

As you can imagine there are loads of stories flying around as to what actually happened but it is all a result of a passport entry for Mrs Shaena Odell. It was the first offence for Alan in 26 years of practicing and a letter of support, signed by over 300 people from fellow vets, clients and trainers who are not at all happy about what has happened has been lodged with The Royal College. An appeal fund has been launched to help Alan, who faces legal costs of £15,000 to £30,000 depending on the outcome.

Stratford this afternoon was nearly carnage; faster ground and a tight track made sure that all the races were run at break neck speed; sadly there were fallers everywhere. Malko De Beaumont just about coped and finished 4th, Heartofmidlothian and L'Eau Du Nil both fell and Willing Weasel will run faster to Doncaster Sales in May. I felt rather out of place as all my contemporises were away on the slopes!

Today's sickest joke doing the rounds ''The Pakistani cricket team have announced their retirement from international cricket as they have taken up the sport of bob sleighing."