Again Sarde showed that our horses are in great form. Third at 25/1 in a very competitive 3 mile handicap hurdle at Aintree last night was not too bad a performance.

Sarde, who came over from France earlier in the season has been given no chance by the handicapper; rated 110 he has finished third in his last two hurdle races and is unlikely to go down for doing his best last night. Sarde was bought to go chasing next winter so we do have a great deal to look forward to.

For those of you who have not been to Aintree Racecourse please let me try and persuade you to make the effort. If you want a really good night out at a racecourse, Aintree has to be the place.

The whole course is immaculate; the ground was perfect last night and a credit to the hardworking ground staff but the rest of the course is treated the same way.

Fabulous facilities for race goers with clean smart bars and restaurants, all the staff are helpful and want to help, they even smile at you (almost un heard of for a racecourse) and if you drop  litter somebody will pick it up. It is the best and most improved racecourse I have set foot in in the UK. You must try and go, I promise you that you will enjoy the experience.

Haydock Clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright was enjoying a rare night off at Aintree last night, a novelty before his big meeting at Haydock today. I was surprised to see him looking so relaxed but when I found out he celebrating 27 years of marriage to his ever bubbly wife Tiddles I could see why. Kirkland had the look on his face of a man who had a lot to look forward to .. at least I think that was what it looked like?

Jason Maguire was absolutely right when he begged me not to send All About Trigger  to Wetherby The report in today's Racing Post says that the ground was riding (as described by the jockeys) on the fast side and a bit rough. Strangely enough as a result of the ground there were loads of non runners. 

Wetherby is a grade one track and meant to the best in the north east; it is hardly surprising that Howard Johnson and co are all complaining about the racecourse.

Racecourses have a duty to be honest about the ground and with the huge cost of transport and wages, with added  extras for overtime for an evening meeting, owners have every right to be far from happy when their trainer takes their horse out because of the state of the ground.

Fakenham as I mentioned yesterday did a great job and tonight I head up to Aintree to run Sarde.

Sarde wants genuine good ground, which clerk of the course Andrew Tulloch promises me it will be, although he must have been having a hell of a job to keep it at good after a baking day yesterday; great for girls of Liverpool? I will be up there in plenty of time so that I can walk the course to make my own mind up.

Sadly as I am going up earlier than anticipated it will mean that I will miss my god daughter's Anna Sherwood's confirmation, which takes place in Shrewsbury late this afternoon; I hope her parents Simon and Lucy will understand.

James Davies was in for a couple of lots; he rode Galaxia and Max Bygraves

God how I hate coming second, and to do it twice in one afternoon was almost more than I could cope with!

Fakenham need a good pat on the back for producing a true level playing field with very well watered ground, there was not a patch of ground that had not been properly covered .

I hate watered ground as most courses cannot do it properly but yesterday Falkenham was a true example of how a course should be watered.

It might have felt for the Perriss's that we were just short of Amsterdam by the time we arrived in deepest Norfolk, but the welcome we received from the executives of the course made the whole journey well worthwhile.

Even Flo, who so nearly finished her racing career when she did the splits when slipping at the down hill fence at Fontwell last August, ran a blinder to finish 2nd under a hugely confidence restoring ride from Timmy Murphy. John and Penny Perriss were thrilled to see their mare run so well after what has been a torrid time for her.

Double Mead again found a well handicapped horse too good for her, she did not really handle the tight track but again ran well; another second!

We might have only had one winner so far this season, which is nearly two weeks old, but the horses are running incredibly well.

We have had too many seconds but the important thing is that every horse that we have run has done its best and run to form, unless there has been a very good reason as to why not.

The only one that did not fill that category was Ptibaby who was hugely disappointing; so much so that his owners have decided to try elsewhere, which is very sad, especially as Ptibaby is obviously a horse that has not acclimatised since he arrived from France and a good summer break will transform him.

To end on a brighter not I am pleased to say that my old secretary (not in age of course) from Lambourn, Jenny Winch, has finally sorted out her new web site for her pressed flowers business so feel free to log on and buy. I am sure Jenny will willingly offer at least a 10 % discount if you mention you came off my site! It certainly will be well worth a try?

Try clicking on this.

Summer is here; another stunningly warm morning.

Jason Maguire, who is on an enforced holiday (for being a naughty boy with his whip), was in for a coupe of lots and rode work on Galaxia and Braybrooke Lady. We also worked Ya I Know, Good Old Days, Heartofmidlothian, Katy's Classic, Oshkosh, Persian Gaye, The Good Guy, and Max Bygraves.

Disappointing that all who you ask, tell you that Wetherby's ground is not good; we had hoped to run All About Trigger there tomorrow night, but Jason has begged me not too as he says that all the jockeys agree that the ground it is not what it should be. Lenny Lung was bemoaning about the course last night on one of his forays down south to Exeter.

Bay Ketch enjoyed his belated racecourse debut; at 7 years old and over 18 hands (he is the biggest horse I have ever trained) he found the experience of galloping flat out round Exeter daunting, but that will change as he grows and get older!

Red Granite ran well to finish 4th ; the winner bolted up but the next 3 were cover by a blanket. Red Granite deserves to win a race although he found last nights ground fast enough both horses are fine this morning.

Fakenham today is not exactly next door when I told John Perriss that was where we were heading with his horse Even Flo, he almost booked a ticket to Holland on the ferry to carry on the journey. I have not been to Fakenham for a few years, a course that is known locally as the Ascot of Norfolk.

The first time this year we have been in shirts sleeves for first lot; what a welcome change. Tom Siddall was in for a couple of lots and rode The Good Guy and Max Bygraves.

A week on from Mats arrival has seen a very positive attitude in the yard, all the staff are running round the yard with a bounce in their step. Of course a new broom sweeps clean but Mats experience is really telling on all here, which is all very positive.

Tim Thompson Jones makes 52 today, ''Spoiler'' as some of his mates call him is hosting a quiet party tonight to celebrate. Tim was a champion amateur in his day although he was renowned for needing extra long reigns (because he leant so far back) and a rubber bit (for the health of the horses teeth!)!

My friend the chase handicapper has been pretty hard on poor Lucky Luk, an 8lb rise for a nose victory at Towcester last week; he is now rated 95 and will have to go back there on May 20 carrying top weight.

Graham Potts, our vet, seems to have recovered from his problem of viral vertigo was in as usual for his weekly visit.

The good weather means that at long last we can turn a few horses out. Buffalo Bob, The Karinga Bay gelding and Nobby were all heavily sedated by the vet before going out. It is wise to sedate the horses when they first go out; there is nothing worse for a trainer than watching them go completely mad; horses have been known to run into trees in the blind excitement of freedom. By sedating them they hardly move for about an hour and get used to total freedom. 

The delights of a bank holiday Monday with no jump racing. James Davies and Richard Killoran were in for a couple of lots. James schooled Heartofmidlothian over fences and Richard schooled Even Flo.

It poured with rain over night and when James Pickering arrived in the yard at 5.30am this morning he must have wondered what he was doing. James is doing  broadcasting journalism at Leeds University and part of his dissertation he has to produce a 15 minute video; so being a racing fan he chose me and Thorndale farm as his subject.

James started by filming Mat feeding first thing and then followed the workings of the yard right through the day interviewing members of staff as he went, although Higgs declined!

Second lot Paul Gillam called in to see Kay For Karbia. Paul, who teaches Biology at Eton (Slough Grammar) has dipped his toe into ownership for the first time. Hugo Bevan persuaded Paul to have a 10th share in KFK so understandably he was keen to see Thorndale and his horse although they had met KFK when she made her racecourse debut when 5th in a bumper at Market Rasen a couple of weeks ago.

I received this email yesterday from a past member of my racing club; Hughie goes on a bit but well worth reading.

Kim , you know that I have an admiration for your loyal owners that knows no bounds. It's a fair few years since I first became involved, albeit at an entry level through Racing Club KCB, with the likes of John and Penny Perris and it's always a joy to meet up with people of such enthusiasm at my local track of Bangor on Dee.

On Friday evening, just before the second race, I met up with David Hibbert and since he was the only representative of the "Willing Partnership" to be present, he was kind enough to invite me to join him in the parade ring ahead of Willing Weasel's first steeplechase.

By now you will know of how David appreciated the courtesy afforded by both Graham McCourt (who saddled WW for me as I was stuck in traffic) and young Dougie Costello and I feel that I must add my appreciation; I (nearly always!) enjoy my racing at Bangor (though I sometimes doubt my sanity when the weather turns foul!) but to be brought in to a situation by such a gentleman as David Hibbert was a joy for me and, through you, I would like to express my genuine and heartfelt thanks.
 

Nowadays, I feel that the presence of racegoers such as myself is an anathema to the racing authorities who only seem to want to attract such people who will gladly spend the entire afternoon propping up the myriad of bars that now proliferate most racecourses.

It is in no small measure thanks to genuine National Hunt enthusiasts such as the people who gravitate to the likes of your good self that prevents me from deciding that I've had enough of it all and taking up something like walking!

I was asked the other night whether or not I'd be at Aintree these next two Friday nights and I'm afraid that I had to say "no". The authorities there quite simply don't want the likes of me (who used to gladly throw in my tuppence worth when they were rattling their "Save The National" buckets ); they only seem to want such people who will spend the entire evening plying themselves with drink.

I bow to no one in my appreciation of a good beer, but not at the expense of watching our equine heroes strut their stuff in an atmosphere free from the spectre of boozed up spectators who really couldn't care less what was going on on the racetrack.

Anyway , I seem to have gone off on a bit of a rant , which wasn't the point of the e-mail which was to thank you and your people for still, after all these years, making me feel as though I still belong. I really do appreciate it.
Hugh Williams