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Plus 12 and dry when driving in.

David Bass and Tom Bellamy were in this morning. Exciting day as we used the new sand gallop for the first time..

We have been waiting for some time for a sand gallop to go along side our hill gallop and I really believe it will make a huge difference to the horses… Anyway now we have one.

Both Mat and I have used these sand gallops before so we have some sort of idea how to use them. We will of course tread carefully as you can easily do too much on them. Sand gallops have been used in Ireland for ages and of course sand is used in France too.

Many UK based trainers have now added sand gallops to their training facilities and they have proved to be a great asset. Not all horses will go on our gallop but most will.. It will help the heavy horse and the big horses like Harry Topper and Knockanrawley and of course will be kinder on youngsters than a hill.

We have no vet in today as Graham Potts is in tomorrow; there are no movers or shakers in the weekly BHA handicap charts as Jump racing has had the week off.. well my horses have. Jump racing returns to action tomorrow and you will see some suntanned jockeys riding around the paddock.

The BHA have finally stopped no hopers running in big races. It has taken time to sort but it will stop the controversy of the like of Diore Lia being declared to run in this years Derby at 1000/1.

A big day for young Archie as he is playing cricket at Rugby School today..His Dumbleton Team have got through to the ECB National under 13 finals.. 4 teams are playing and all are playing two matches. Fighting out for first, second, third and fourth National places.

A Scottish marriage proposal? Not sure but Click here to see.

Happy birthdays today to some well known racing folk.. Cheltenham's Clerk of the Course Simon Claisse..Ex trainer Mark Smyly and of course The Princess Royal..there are others including Andy Stewart