Bailey's Blog

Plus 18 and dry when driving in. Hottest day of the year today?

The great racehorse trainer Barry Hills died over the weekend, aged 88. There will be loads of wonderful tributes in all the papers.. And rightly so.

Barry was the most remarkable man..completely and utterly self-made. He started out as a stable lad and began training after a big successful punt, carving out a career that became the stuff of legend.

Barry was an extraordinary man to talk to, to spend time with. He was sharp, engaging, always immaculately dressed..he wouldn’t be seen without a tie. That kind of old-school elegance and discipline has influenced a generation of horsemen.

Those who worked for him learned an enormous amount. He was fun, he was driven, and he left a mark on the sport that won’t be forgotten. Barry trained over 3000 winners..

Our deepest thoughts and sympathies are with all his family.

US training legend D Wayne Lukas has died at the age of 89, less than a week after ending his phenomenal career due to a serious illness.

Further sad news, but in cricket.. Wayne Larkins has died.. What a player.. in every sense of the word..

Talking cricket.. England's womens team were well trounsed as India inflicted England's heaviest T20 defeat  with a comprehensive 97-run triumph at Trent Bridge.

The British and Irish Lions are up and running; eight tries scored, more than 50 points notched, some outstanding attacking rugby, and a satisfying, if imperfect, victory in Perth.

Lambourn achieves back to back Derby's.

80 years old and still rocking.. Rod Stewart..Thankfully it was not all about politics!

Monday morning brings a visit from David Shuttle and his brother in law David (From New Zealand) were here to see David's KBRS horses Does He Know, So You Know, Moon Rocket, Gatineau Park and Marsiac.

Wimbledon starts today.. sadly I failed in the ticket ballot! But thankfully it will be on TV..and today cooler ..

To finish.. Happy birthday to one of our most prolic KBRS supporters in John Lee.

I cannot believe so many people eat SPAM and still don't know what it stands for!

Old fashioned humour.

Plus 19 and dry when driving in.

Stunning evening at Sezincote.. Charity (Kate’s Home Nursing and the St. Vincent de Paul Society.) Committee Chairman was Gerard Nock and the evening was hosted and organised by Asad and Nicky Noorani, Stephen Lambert, Amanda Amies, Camilla Peake, Cathy Twiston-Davies and Richard Phillips who auctioned off some impressive lots.. All in all a fun night.

Tom Bellamy and Ciaran Gethings were in this morning.

Derek Eaton was here to see his KBRS horse Campaign Trail.

Lions against Western Force..Talking Australia.. Their cricketers beat the West Indies..In the first Test..

Time really does fly..hard to believe it's already been a year since Harry and India's wedding at St Enodoc Church.

A beautiful day in a beautiful setting, and one that feels like it only just happened. And now, as if the calendar wasn't busy enough, it's Archie's birthday too..so double celebrations are certainly in order!

An Irishman sees a job advert published on a building site, 'handyman wanted apply within'. So he does and speaks to the foreman.

Foreman: Can you drive a forklift truck?

Irishman: No

Foreman: Can you plaster?

Irishman: No

Foreman: Can you brick lay?

Irishman: No

Foreman: If you don't mind me asking, what's handy about you?

Irishman: I only live five minutes down the road.

Have a great weekend and see you on Monday..Wimbledon..

Plus 13 and dry when driving in.. we did have 3mm of rain overnight.

The Derby Sale certainly did not disappoint.. great trade.... and records broken.. again!  a staggering 38 horses made over 100k. 

Part 2 of the sale is today.. 

Mat was clearly out of bed early yesterday morning and wasted no time in striking early with Lot 226. A Poet’s Word Gelding out of Jezuki.. Bloodstock agent Kevin Ross helped Mat find this great looker who moves like a dream.. and the good news is that he’s been bought for an existing owner.. Exciting.

Later on in the day..Peter was gutted not to return with the half brother to the useful Moon Rocket.. He was always probably going to be too high a price..Peter tried but gave way before it hit the 180K mark..

30 Irish farmers called in this morning for a visit of Thorndale..Field Farm Tours..They might have hoped to see some horses but horses are few and far between just now as most are out at grass...

Irish farmers are never short of a tale or two themselves, so between our stories and theirs, the coffee was accompanied by plenty of laughter. A bit of good-natured Anglo-Irish racing banter, a walk around the yard and up the hill and a tale or two about heroic point-to-pointers or Cheltenham raids.

They were certainly good fun and I hope they enjoyed their jolly..and perhaps they’ll even go home with dreams of owning a future Festival winner trained at Thorndale.

Sam Liptrott and Ruth Bishop from Dodson and Horrell here late morning to discuss feed, sponsorship etc..

A first.. I have had to start feeding the horses out at grass as it has just not kept growing.. Sadly I am not alone as most trainers I have talked to are in the same boat.

Too soon? I am heading to Edgbaston on Wednesday.. will I see him.. probably not ..

Bruce Urquhart sent this one over..

Two Irish hunters from Belfast hired a pilot to fly them to Canada to hunt moose.

They bagged six.

As they started loading the plane for the return trip home, the pilot tells them the plane can take only three moose.

The two Irishmen objected strongly, stating, "Last year we shot six moose, and the pilot let us put them all on board and he had the same plane as yours."

Reluctantly, the pilot gave in and all six were loaded. Unfortunately, even on full power, the little plane couldn't handle the load and went down a few minutes after take-off.

Climbing out of the wreck, Paddy asked Mick, "Any idea where we are?"

Mick replied, "I think we're pretty close to where we crashed last year." 

To finish.. Happy birthday to my daughter Pandora.. As usual a busy day ahead for her!

Plus 17 and drizzling when driving in.

Day one of the Tattersalls Derby Sale, Day two today..

Willie Mullins was yesterdays big spender..

Mat and Peter are over at The Derby Sales....

Mat is like a child in a sweet shop when it comes to the sales..eyes wide, heart racing, and seemingly intent on buying every lot in sight. If you haven’t had a phone call from him trying to persuade you to invest in the next big thing, then frankly, you’re in a lucky minority.

The real joy, though, of heading over to Ireland for the sales is the remarkable hospitality/service laid on by Charles O’Neill and the team at the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Department. From the moment you land, they take charge..airport pickups, hotel bookings, ferrying you to and from the sales grounds—it’s all done with seamless efficiency and the sort of good humour the Irish do better than anyone.

It’s an outstanding service, run by a team who genuinely seem to enjoy every moment of it. Everything works, everyone smiles, and somehow it all feels like fun.

More sad news..

Very sad news reached us this week: Gillian Clough, one of the KBR syndicate members in Does He Know, has died suddenly.

Gillian has been with Does He Know from the very beginning.. a passionate supporter, a great enthusiast, and someone who absolutely loved her racing. Although she had a home in Cheltenham, she spent most of her time in Florida, she would cross the Atlantic whenever she possibly could to see him run. Nothing made her happier than being at the races, cheering him on with the rest of the team.

She was a much-loved part of our syndicate family..always positive, always smiling, and always asking after the horses. Her sudden loss has come as a real shock to us all, and she’ll be very sorely missed.

Our thoughts go out to her son Michael and daughter Sarah, and to those in the syndicate who knew her well. Gillian’s warmth and enthusiasm were infectious, and we’ll certainly be raising a glass to her next time Does He Know runs.

This is a staggering interview with BBC racing commentator John Hunt... John has spoken for the first time since the murder of his wife and two daughters, in July last year. It is a must read and watch.

Plus 17 and dry when driving in.

No jockeys in today.. not sure what their excuse is, although they did have a long lunch with John and Penny Perriss a couple of days ago!

Yesterdays visit to Sandra Steer-Fowler.. 'Young Blood, Flies, and a Fighter'....brought one of those quietly rewarding days..

First stop: the youngsters. Honestly, you couldn’t ask for a better quartet of stallions to sire a group of fillies ..two-year-olds and yearlings.. by Logician, Blue Bresil, Nathaniel, and Golden Horn. A cracking lineup, and it’ll be fascinating to watch how they develop.

The fields were alive, quite literally. The horses including English Willow were out grazing, doing battle with horseflies (par for the course at this time of year), but there was also the unexpected sight of a hornet harassing them.. nasty piece of work, and a first for me. Not something you want to see when you’re aiming for peaceful turnout!

And then came the moment that really mattered: seeing Trelawne at Molland Ridge Stud....After everything he’s been through, it was a genuine relief to see him on his feet, bright-eyed and perky.

It’s easy to forget that fields aren’t always the safe havens we like to imagine — Trelawne did his level best to seriously harm himself. Resulting in two weeks of intensive care in the local vets hospital.. he was in a real mess.. it was touch and go for a while, and now thankfully he is slowly but surely on the mend under the watchful eye of his adoring owner breeder Sandra and MRS's Jess Westwood..

There’s still a long road ahead, but the light is very much back at the end of the tunnel. Good to see. Really good.

Really sad news filtered through yesterday afternoon from Martin F-G that my good friend Charlie Dingwall had died. The dreaded C finally caught him.

Only a couple of weeks ago, I picked Charlie up and took him to John Kotler’s funeral. We spent some proper time together that day...talking, laughing, reminiscing. You’d never have thought it would be our last.

I’ve known Charlie a long time. In fact, I bought my first training yard in East Ilsley from him. That was the start of it. We’ve stayed firm friends ever since. He was a larger than life character in every sense, kind, always fun, and had a raucous laugh of somebody who just loved life and people. . A proper gentleman and in his day a good trainer. Charlie was also a farmer who was passionate about conservation and bizarrely loved black powder shooting..He always served good claret!

All our thoughts are very much with his family. I know how much he meant to them..and to so many of us in racing.

Headingley Magic... England at Their Best..

Well, I’ll be the first to admit it.. I got it all wrong. After the first day of that Headingley Test, I couldn’t see any way England were going to pull off a win. But cricket, as ever, has a glorious way of making fools of us all..and thank goodness for that.

What an extraordinary performance it turned out to be. England, under pressure, with their backs against the wall, turned it into one of the most thrilling and unlikely victories you’ll ever see. Test cricket at its absolute best.. full of drama, resilience, and good old-fashioned grit.

Now, it’s true that India dropping about 20 catches (give or take) did help just a touch.. but honestly, who cares? We’ll take it! That’s cricket: you ride your luck when it comes your way, and England did exactly that.

A great result, a great Test match, and proof once again that English cricket, when it clicks, is simply sensational. Roll on Edgbaston next week.. round 2..

Plus 16 and dry when driving in

Yesterday’s celebration of the life of Major Philip Walter Frank Arkwright was one of the most enjoyable and memorable Thanksgiving services I’ve ever attended.

It had everything: heartfelt speeches, humour, music, and warmth. The hymns were beautifully chosen, and the tributes—particularly from Dominic Arkwright and  Edward Gillespie—were moving, honest, and full of character. It’s always a sign of a well-lived life when the stories being told can make those in the church both well up and burst into laughter.

And laugh we did. Who would have thought we’d hear Fork Handles by The Two Ronnies in a church service? We had to imagine it, as we couldn’t see it—but the voices were enough to bring the sketch to life. Then came Squatter and the Ant Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, which provided just the right touch of irreverence and charm. It was hard not to smile.

All in all, it was a truly wonderful service for a great man—fitting, touching, and unforgettable.

Mrs B and I then went down to Bristol to watch Archie play..

Tuesday morning.

This weeks movers and shakers in the BHA handicap charts were Jeudidee went up 2 to 107 and Lady Gwen down 2 to 87.

Todays play at Headingley will certainly be worth watching.. England need to break records to win.. 

Gallop finished.. Andrwews Bowen have laid the new gallop..

Mat is heading to Ireland to see horses that sell over the next couple of days at the Tattersalls Derby Sale.

I head down to Devon to see Sandra Steer- Fowlers horses..

Teachers asks her class “Can anyone tell me the name of Robin Hood’s girlfriend?”

Little Johnny says “Yes miss, it’s Trudy Glen”

“No Johnny, the answer was Maid Marion”

“But miss, what about the song, Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding Trudy Glen!”

Plus 13 and dry when driving in..

We awoke yesterday morning to our world going mad.

A monumental headache for everybody, but probably not as big as the headache that TNDGB had after his horse Get It won at Royal Ascot on Saturday...

In true TNDGB and TUMCB style..Champagne before lunch, interviews before tea, and apparently, TNDGB was still on the phone to someone famous well into the small hours while still celebtrating in the owners and trainers car park..

They say Royal Ascot is the place where racing meets royalty, fashion meets farce, and trainers meet hangovers they didn’t order. George, to his credit, didn’t lose his tie, his voice, or his composure — though I’m not sure we can say the same for Get It, who looked like he might take off again during the presentation.

Still, fair play. A winner at the Royal meeting is no small feat, no matter how big your sunglasses or how sharp your suit. George may need a Berocca and a quiet room, but he also deserves a pat on the back — once the ringing in his ears dies down.

Racing showed itself in good light all last week. Royal Ascot was magnificent..

A Small Moan for a Big Oversight

I thought ITV Racing coverage at Royal Ascot was excellent — slick, informative, and full of insight. But there’s one glaring omission that continues to puzzle me.

As the horses parade in the paddock, up pop graphics showing the horse’s name, its sire and dam, and the breeder’s name — all very useful. But where is the owner’s name?

Surely, of all the people who deserve a bit of on-screen recognition, the owner is right up there. They’re the ones bankrolling the whole show — the ones paying for the training, the transport, the entries, the jockeys, and occasionally the champagne too.

I’m not saying we need the trainer’s name (though no complaints if it’s there). The jockey is important, of course. But to skip the owner entirely seems both rude and shortsighted. If we want to encourage new people into racehorse ownership — something racing constantly says it’s trying to do — a bit of prime-time credit wouldn’t go amiss.

ITV, you do a cracking job. But let’s give the owners their moment in the sun too, please.

Cricket and before I go on about the weekends play at Headingley I must mention the sad news that David 'Syd' Lawrence has died aged 61.. 'Syd' was such an inspiration and a remarkable man.. All who are involved with Gloucester Cricket are in deep shock..

Headlingley again is building up to an huge finish. England fought back and then they had luck on their side with a few good calls from umpires and ball tracking and they got to with in 6 runs of the Indian total. It is rightly set up for another great day.

Tennis.. World number two Carlos Alcaraz held off a battling Jiri Lehecka to seal his second Queen's title with victory in an absorbing final yesterday.

Party time yesterday with the Jones's.. Martin, Jackie and Sammy and Lee celebrated.. Excellent lunch.. and just good fun and great company.

Monday morning.. Mat and Ciaran Gethings went over to see John Perriss's horses and lunch...

I am heading to the Thanksgiving Service for Philip Arkwright..  Today at 12 noon.. St Michael's and All Saints Church in Poulton GL7 5HX.

Most of Britain said this over the last few days.

''How did you sleep?''

''I was too hot''

Plus 18 and dry when driving in.

Tom Bellamy in to ride out.

Derek Eaton here to see his KBRS horse Campaign Trail.

Jo Golding was here to see his KBRS horse Parc d'Amour.

Goodbye to one of the all time great Irish trainers. Kevin Prendergast..aged 92, Kevin was the doyen of the Irish training ranks

After day one..India showed that England have a mountain to climb in this five series test, especially after opting to bowl 

Carlos Alcaraz and Jack Draper were good in their matches at Queens.

Not a great start for the Lions..

Mat went along with Chris Coley to support Gloucestershire last night in their T20 blast.. Glos beat Hampshire on the last ball.. what a great match..

Today might be the longest day of the year, but you’d never know it from the amount we’ve packed in. Sunshine, Royal Ascot, the odd Pimm’s (or five), and more hats than you’d find in the entire cast of My Fair Lady — it’s been a midsummer party to remember.

Yes, technically, the summer solstice means we’ve peaked — from here on, it’s downhill to winter. But let’s not be gloomy. The weather’s glorious (for once), the racing is top-class, and spirits are high — or maybe that’s just the champagne talking.

The real question is: should we treat this as a celebration of daylight or a commiseration that it’s already ebbing away? Either way, we embraced the occasion like true professionals: hats on, sunglasses out, suncream applied very selectively, and bets placed with confidence (or wild optimism, depending on the horse).

As the sun sets — at the end of the longest day — we’ll raise a glass to the horses, the hats, the hospitality, and the fact that we made it through the watching of the flat-pack cabinet assembly yesterdaay

Happy solstice, everyone — and may your next racehorse be faster than the sunset

Yes..Mat and Daniel spent nearly three hours yesterday morning assembling a new metal cabinet for the feed room. It was meant to be a simple job… but of course, it wasn’t.

True to form, the instructions were baffling, the screws didn’t match the holes, and – naturally – half the parts were missing. It’s the sort of flat-pack nightmare that makes you wonder why we didn’t just buy a nice wooden one from the local carpenter. Or a wheelbarrow with a lid.

Three hours, two cups of tea, and one slightly frayed friendship later, the cabinet is up. Sort of. It leans slightly to the left and rattles when you walk past it – but it’s there. Job (mostly) done.

Have a great weekend and good luck to Sammy Jones (breaks in our youngster with father Martin) who walks down the aisle today to become Mrs Lee Freeman Jones.... Party time for the others tomorrow..

Before I go..

Mats selections..Moments Of Joy, Al Asay, Insherin, California Dreamer,  More Thunder, Seraph Gabriel and Sober..

My slections..Treanmor, Al Aasy, Flora Of Bermuda, Reemooz, Completely Random, El Burhan and Dallas Star.

To finish.. Happy birthday to team member Libby Taylor

Plus 16 and dry when driving in.

Blimey that was hot at Royal Ascot yesterday.Today is going to be even hotter?

Thankfully, we were guest of Kevin Clancy and family in their box on the 5th floor of the grandstand and never have I been so pleased to feel some wind/breeze wafting through the box. It is our annual trip to Kevin’s box and honoured that we are family... Always great fun.

I had a lesson on Ai from Matthew Cannon while drinking a pimms (one of many to keep cool!)..I tried to write todays blog as an example, but somehow the ChatGPT transcribed my thoughts into Welsh.. so gave up.. for the moment..much to learn.

Good racing as always although sadly Michael and Mary Dulverton’s runner did not worry the judge it was good to see them in the box next door.

Carlos Alcaraz won the longest ever match at Queens yesterday.. 3 hours 26 minutes..

Jacob Fearnley produced a hugely impressive display to see off mercurial French qualifier Corentin Moutet

Today is the start of the all important Test match against India at Headingly..

Mat back from his holiday in Cornwall..here are his suggestions of winners at Royal Ascot today..

Signora, Shandow Of Light, French Duke, Falakayeh, Sweet Charoit, Puppet Master and Realign.

Mine are..Venetian Sun, Jonquil, War Rooms, Duty First, Silver Ghost, Amiloc and Red Orange.

The owner of a golf course in Texas was confused about paying an invoice, so he decided to ask his blonde secretary for some mathematical help.

He called her into his office and said, "You graduated from the University of Texas, and I need some help. If I was to give you $20,000, minus 14%, how much would you take off?"

The secretary thought a moment, and then replied, "Everything except my earrings."

Plus 14 and dry when driving in.

That was hot and sweaty at Worcester (30 degrees according to my car) as it was probably at Royal Ascot..As we will find out today!

Both horses ran well.. Jeudidee was second which was annoying, but it was still an improved run on what he showed when he won at Huntingdon.... Jeudidee is going the right way.. Lady Gwen likewise and just beaten in a close finish for 4th. Happier back over hurdles.

Jack Draper going well at Queens. Katie Boulter has talked about the abuse she receives and so like Jockeys, trainers and all sporting areas that have betting.. those who lose can be fairly vitriolic to say the least.

I at least managed to find one winner yesteray at RA.. Cerrtainly not easy!

Royal Ascot potential winners or placed horses today..Charles Darwin, Gunship, Catalina Delcarpio, Trawlerman, The Fingal Raven, Detain and Inside Matters.

Walter took his wife Ethel to the air show every year, and every time he would say to her, "Ethel, you know that I'd love to go for a ride in that helicopter." But Ethel would always reply, "I know that Walter, but that helicopter ride is 50 pounds and 50 pounds is 50 pounds

Finally, they went to the airshow, and Walter said to Ethel, "Ethel, you know I'm 87 years old now. If I don't ride that helicopter this year, I may never get another chance." Once again Ethel replied, "Walter, you know that helicopter is 50 pounds and 50 pounds is 50 pounds"

This time the helicopter pilot overheard the couple's conversation and said, "Listen folks, I'll make a deal with you. I'll take both of you for a ride; if you can both stay quiet for the entire ride and not say a word I won't charge you! But if you say just one word, it's 50 pounds.

Walter and Ethel agreed and up they went in the helicopter. The pilot performed all kinds of fancy moves and tricks, but not a word was said by either Walter or Ethel. The pilot did his death-defying tricks over and over again, but still there wasn't so much as one word said. When they finally landed, the pilot turned to Walter and said, "Wow! I've got to hand it to you. I did everything I could to get you to scream or shout out, but you didn't say one word I'm really impressed!"

Walter replied, "Well to be honest I almost said something when Ethel fell out but, you know, 50 pounds is 50 pounds.