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Plus 12 and dry when driving in.

It was dry at Hexham and blowing a gale. 30 to 40mph winds all afternoon.. not a good day for hats. Sadly our hats never came off to celebrate a winner as Champagne To Go finished 3rd and The Drinkymeister pulled up. Luckily Hexham’s season has now closed until April. Stunning racecourse with fabulous views.

Our last two days of driving have been better than expected, both yesterday and the day to Uttoxeter were hassle free and easy. We seemed to miss the traffic and it helped being in John Perriss’s new RR. Even David Bass was impressed with the back seat.

Talking David Bass.. he was in this morning as we jumped many. A video can be seen here.

First lot we jumped Abbrevaite, Aliandy, Aunty Ann, Ascotdeux Nellerie, Desaray, Glenforde, Laval Noir, Monkhouse, Nicely Indeed, Rocky's Treasure and  Shaluna over hurdles and Boy In A Bentley, Un Ace , Grand March and Coco Des Champ over fences. It was very dark and photos were not good..

Second lot we jumped. Mr Brinkley, Queer Times and Chateau Robin over hurdles and Sainte Ladylime, Texas Forever, Gallery Exhibition and Red Spinner over fences.

We have no runners today although Warwick has a cracking card.

There was a huge turn out for Sarah Stafford's memorial servce yesterday. Sarah was hugely popular but tragically died far too young.

Great to wake up to hear Blowers commentating on the Cricket from India for the first time this winter.

‘Leigh’s blog’

''Firstly I would like to say thank you for all he kind and positive feedback, I'm glad people are finding this interesting.

There was a comment on the fact that my diet doesn't seem very healthy...this is probably true, but I try my best.

The hours don't allow for thee set meals a day and the fact that we have been so busy recently means I am usually eating on the go.

All racecourses are flexible and I can usually get something hot to take away for the journey home.

It is important for anyone in a physically demanding job to keep the energy levels up so sometimes it becomes about quantity not quality.. Having said that I make a special effort to make my snacks healthy. I snack on high protein flapjacks, dried fruit and nuts when I am driving rather than chocolate and crisps which I think helps.

Although that went out of the window at Hexham as I cannot choose between the canteen's homemade cakes!!

Hexham is a lovely homely track, canteen like a tea room and stable yard a bit like a farmyard!

It does though have very good  high pressure hoses and spacious to walk off area (unlike Huntingdon). There is even a patch of grass to give the horses a snack before they start their long journey home.

No runners today, a chance to catch up with all the tack cleaning and prepare for a busy weekend...''

Thanks Leigh. I would like to add that the owners and trainers were offered a cup of home made soup but if you wanted anything else, well you were taking a risk..

This probably sums up my mood this morning..

A little five year old girl was usually driven to school in the mornings by her Grandad, but one day he was ill so her Granny took her instead. 

That night the little girl told her parents that the drive to school with Granny was very different.  What made it different? Asked her parents. 

Well, she replied, Granny and I didn’t see a single tosser, blind bastard, foreign prick or wanker on the whole journey!