Baileys Blog

Minus 1 and dry when driving in.

That was good to be back at Windsor.. Even the gents loos have remained unchanged under the main stand.. yes, the fireplace is still in there too.

I arrived fairly or slightly incapacitated having pulled the ligaments below my knee..I hobbled onto the racecourse and the first person I bumped into was 'racecourse compare' Cornelius Lysaght..CL rather enjoyed my hobbling dance moves!.

Pointing me to the owners and trainers I arrived to find The Wine Tipster at the bar drinking coffee..Neil Phillips is his real name and as I am always so rude (jest) about his wine choices on the racecourse (he advises them on what to buy) I said to him that if he bought me a medicinal large whisky I would stop being so impolite about his wine selections..Large glass downed in one and I can safely say the wine selections at Windsor yesterday were excellent!

Phil and Gill Andrews in great heart and they were pleased with Clondaw General who finished 4th and more so watching The Edgar Wallace finish 3rd at Market Rasen.. Two good runs from them, although Phil’s next runner the KBRS horse Magical Escape did not run as well as we hoped.. too tight a track?

This happened in The Edgar Wallace's race

It really was a good afternoon and great to be back at Windsor for decent jump racing. Loads of old faces and a well-supported card .. It was also good to see Peter Bennet-Jones again.

How much stamina must Jack Draper have.. another 5 setter!.....Emma Raducanu beaten

Saturday morning.

Tom Bellamy was in to ride out.

Jason Byles here for a gallops morning and breakfast as booked through CD Tours.. Alexandra Garston and her father Rod Ball were also here for AMOTGAB.

Calum Carter and Vanessa Merritt were here to see their KBRS horses Isle Of Gold and Mattys Getaway.

We have two runners today and one tomorrow.

Mat heads to Ascot to saddle Brendas Asking while I head to Haydock to saddle Trelawne and tomorrow were are back at Windsor with Reallynthruthfully.. For our thoughts on all their chances please click here.

It never ceases to amaze me who reads my website and this true story was sent over by Grant Harris who used to run the British Racing School..''It’s not quite mole related but it is about blowing up the garden and will make you and your readers laugh''

Evelyn Waugh writes to his wife Laura, 31 May 1942;

No. 3 Commando was very anxious to be chums with Lord Glasgow, so they offered to blow up an old tree stump for him and he was very grateful and he said don't spoil the plantation of young trees near it because that is the apple of my eye, and they said no, of course not, we can blow a tree down so it falls on a sixpence and Lord Glasgow said goodness how clever and he asked them all for luncheon for the great explosion.

So Col. Durnford-Slater DSO said to his subaltern, have you put enough explosive in the tree. Yes sir, 75lb. Is that enough? Yes sir I worked it out by mathematics it is exactly right. Well better put a bit more. Very good sir.

And when Col. D Slater DSO had had his port he sent for the subaltern and said subaltern better put a bit more explosive in that tree. I don't want to disappoint Lord Glasgow. Very good sir.

Then they all went out to see the explosion and Col. DS DSO said you will see that tree fall flat at just that angle where it will hurt no young trees and Lord Glasgow said goodness you are clever.

So soon they lit the fuse and waited for the explosion and presently the tree, instead of falling quietly sideways, rose 50 feet into the air taking with it 1/2 acre of soil and the whole of the young plantation.

And the subaltern said Sir, I made a mistake, it should have been 7 1/2 lb, not 75. Lord Glasgow was so upset he walked in dead silence back to his castle and when they came to the turn of the drive in sight of his castle what should they find but that every pane of glass in the building was broken.

So, Lord Glasgow gave a little cry and ran to hide his emotion in the lavatory and there when he pulled the plug the entire ceiling, loosened by the explosion, fell on his head.

This one came in from Graham Richards..

Have a great weekend and see you on Monday.

Plus 4 and dry when driving in.

No runners yesterday meant that I was able to walk around Anthony Colburn’s farm! Sadly, I was so foggy that we struggled to admire the view.

Thanks for all the suggestions re my mole problem.. TNT probably not the best way of dealing with them.. that is if I want to keep my house..

Windsor two day meeting with Ascot in between. Three days of excellent jump racing and a great inititive by both racecourses to combine the three days... Berkshire Winter Millions....£40 a ticket for the three days..

We have three runners today…I am heading to Windsor for the first time in nearly 18 years to saddle Clondaw General, while Mat heads to Market Rasen to saddle The Edgar Wallace and Magical Escape.. For our thoughts on their chances please click here.

Tennis.. Katie Boulter failed to make the next round.. Jacob Fearnley is also out... Jack Draper plays later.

England Womens cricket.. lost again to Australia.

Mrs B asked me if I'd seen the dog bowl.

I said .. 'To be honest, I  didn't even know Dougie played cricket!'

Minus 1, dry and foggy when driving in.

What a stunning afternoon at Newbury. Warm and sunny and Phantom Getaway ran well too.

A huge turn out of PG Tipsters to see their horse ran and frankly they were not disappointed as he ran a far better race than last time and was just caught on the line for second. 3rd and in the right sort of unsaddling area.. Hard to believe the winner was beaten off a rating of 73 a year ago!

The Newbury team usually take the placed horses owners off a drink and a chance to watch the replay but as there were so many of us, and their room is small, they offered 4 bottles of bubbly in the owners and trainers bar instead.. Good call Newbury and appreciated.

Thursday morning and with no runners today not a great deal is happening here.  Thursday is our easy day..

Let’s talk Tennis and the Australian Open. ..Jack Draper was stunning to come back and win in 5 steps and Jacob Fearnley's progress continues.. Emma Raducanu through and later this morning Katie Boulter plays. ..

Any bright ideas on how to stop moles ruining my lawn? Any handy mole removing ideas would be very welcome...

Our 5 to follow competition transfer window will open on Tuesday 21^st January for 1 week for you to change your entries should you wish.

Catching up with folk from their holiday destinations..Jeremy Deedes sent a text from his sunlounger in SA and a text from Martin F-G where he was watching Emma Raducanu's match.

A married couple never fought, not even once in 25 years of marriage.

A friend of the couple asked, “How is that even possible?”

Husband replied, “Well, we went to a Ranch for our honeymoon. While horseback riding, my wife’s horse jumped and my wife fell off. She got up patted the horse and said, ‘This is your first time.’

After a while it happened again and she said, ‘This is your second time.’ And when it happened a third time, she pulled out a gun and shot the horse. I shouted, ‘Are you crazy?!? You killed a horse!!’

She gave me a look and said, ‘This is your first time.’”

Plus 8 and dry when driving in.. Very Foggy..

Having you been trying to contact me? Vodafone network was down all day yesterday in this area and apparently will be for another 3 days, so we have no mobile coverage at the moment.. Mat, smug from watching his team play Liverpool last night is currently on EE, so he is laughing..at me!

Mrs B and I went for an early supper at The Mayflower.. making use of their January offers.. Ovi an excellent front of house. Early supper meant that we watched the second half of Mat's game. Exhausting to watch on TV, so what it must have been like for Mat being there..  Judging by his lack of voice this morning, it was a late night and rightly so.. what a match.

Tom Bellamy and Ciaran Gethings were in to ride out.

David Robinson was here third lot to see his KBRS horse Moon Rocket..

It has all been happening in the Australian Open. Katie Boulter scrapped through yesterday making a record of Brits making it through the first round. Several Brits in action today, both in singles and doubles..

More early closing races yesterday for the Cheltenham Festival including the Champion Hurdle.. And there has been a Japanese horse entered..All The World..The link on his name might be a struggle to understand!

In other racing news they are allowing reserves to be able to run in this years Randox Grand National.. that is if a horse is withdrawn by 1pm the day before the big race.

We have one runner today at Newbury. Phantom Getaway runs there and for our thoughts please click here.

These five rules to remember in life were sent to me yesterday.. Not sure why?

Money cannot buy happiness but its more comfortable to cry in a Mercedes than on a bicycle.

Forgive your enemy but remember the bastard’s name.

Help someone when they are in trouble, and they will remember you when they’re in trouble again.

Many people are alive only because it’s illegal to shoot them.

Alcohol does not solve any problems, but then again, neither does milk.

Plus 5 and dry when driving in.

I had almost forgotten what it was like to go racing..

Great to be back on a racecourse yesterday and Exeter is one of the best..a proper test..

Our three runners started with Broomfield Present who looked to be going well until he lost his footing on the home straight and as a result rather lost his will to battle .. Only 3 finished and BP was the last to pull up.. hmmmm.

Mr Grey Sky at 11 years young ran a blinder to finish 3rd. You just have to love his enthusiasm for racing at his age.. The winner was far younger and had over a stone less weight.. Whatever it was fine run and one that Phil Andrews, who was there to watch, was delighted with.. Happy..

Happy too with Von Hallers who showed something.. she was 4th… Perhaps the penny is dropping into place.. She travels like a racehorse and rather flattened out, although yesterday she did keep going.. 3 miles and soft ground?.

Only one best turned-out award.. Broomfield Present. They other two deserved it.. but..

The Womens Ashes series... England should have won the second test but frankly they were, as by a TV pundit, awful!

The Australian Open threw up a shock result when our Jacob Fearnley beat local hero Nick Kyrgios.. Impressive..

Emma Raducanu was not pretty.. her tennis I mean.. she scraped though....Cameron Norrie out..

Big crowds at the Australian Open.. But if you don’t like crowds then try and avoid the Ganges river and Yamuna river for the next month.. The Hindu festival of Kumbh Mela is celebration is like no other.. 4000 million people..

Tuesday brings in our ususl vet visit and ther were no movers or shakers in the BHA handicap charts as we had no runners last week..

On that note we don't have any runners today either. Plumpton failed its inspection for todays racing there.

Paddy in Wetherspoons..''How much is your larger?''

Barman..'£2 a pint and £7 a pitcher''

Paddy..'I will just have a pint, f..k the photo!''

Plus 1 and dry when driving in..

My it felt positively balmy yesterday morning at plus 2, so much so that we revved up the BBQ for a slam on the lamb lunch.

Thank you for all the emails and texts re Saturdays update on Chianti Classico. It always pleases me to know how many of you really care..

This was a special one to receive ..

'Hello, my name is Emma O’Brien and I would like to send you a message of thank you for the updates of Chianti Classico.

His injury is so unfortunate; however, we all know he is in the best hands possible.

I rode Chianti Classico for a while during the summer of 2020, when he was a 3yo owned by Ben Halsall. He was my first horse to school, to do a first piece of fast work on. We used to go around the gallops on our own, hacking on the roads and doing lots of flatwork together. His win at the Cheltenham Festival meant so much to me, I just knew he was a star from day one.

Although, I’m only a small part of his journey, it really means a lot to me to see him so loved by all of the team and the public.

Here’s a photograph from that summer. I had asked Ben to take a photo of us “in case he was a good one”. To which Ben replied “What do you mean? This lad is going to win the Gold Cup!

Please pass on my best wishes to Chianti, his owners and Erika who looks after him. I work in racing myself now and understand how difficult these situations can be on the people who are with the horses every day.

I’m pleased to read that he’s doing okay given the circumstances, he has the heart of a lion  and I’m sure he’ll fight through this battle like the warrior he is.'

England lost the first Ashes Test..

The Australian Open is underway......Jack Draper struggling

I spend roughly 40 minutes every night on a static bike.. I have to watch something otherwise I would go mental.. anyway I have just finished watching Civil War.. Scary.. How close is the USA to being like this..?

We have three runners today at Exeter. Broomfield Present, Mr Grey Sky and Von Hallers.. For our thoughs please click here.

I am calling in to see John and Mary Wood on the way down to Exeter..John who is well over 90 used to source English pointers for me years ago. He never missed a meeting and was and still is a fountain of all knowledge, especially when it comes to his thoughts on jockeys!

Mary would understand this one...

If your husband is is older than you don't bother arguing with him, old people don't listen.

Minus 7 and dry when driving in. Coldest start to the day so far!!

Chianti Classico took his first steps out of his stable yesterday. The vet (Mark) was here and had a good look at him.

CC was given a walk down the barn so that we could see how weight bearing he was on his near hind leg. Not there yet, but getting close. Another couple of weeks of box rest and then we will reassess again.

Hopefully then CC will be able to start walking.. slow but steady progress..The plan is that he will be fully fit to travel to Ireland late February early March where he will have a long rest..

Tom Bellamy and Ciaran Gethings were in to ride out yesterday afternoon when we took 4 horses for an away afternoon..

Tom and Ciaran were in again this morning.

Nigel and Sarah Rogan and Kirstin Ward were all here for a morning on the gallops as booked through CD Tours.

Ffos Las has passed their inspection so racing there goes ahead.. Big day for them as ITV will be there and the rerouted Grade 2 Towton Novice Chase is now one of their feature races.. This race which we won with Newtide has come from Wetherby.

We have no runners this weekend, although we hope to have some at Exeter on Monday.. weather permitting.

Talking weather.. The Womens Ashes series starts tonight in Sydney. Tennis starts tomorrow

Horrific photos of the devastation in Los Angeles

Two Englishmen businessmen in Cork- were sitting down for a break in their soon-to-be new store. As yet, the store wasn't ready, with only a few shelves set up.

One said to the other, "I bet any minute now, some thick tourist is going to walk by, put his face to the window and ask what we're selling."

No sooner were the words out of his mouth when, sure enough, a curious Irishman walked to the window, had a peek, and in a Thick Irish accent asked "What are you selling' here?”

One of the men replied sarcastically, "We're selling arse-holes."

Without skipping a beat, the Irishman said, "You’re doing well ... Only two left!"

Have a great weekend and see you on Monday bright and early with thawing weather?

Never give up on people..

To finish.. Happy birthday to my goddaughter in Melbourne.. Lottie F-G..

Minus 7 and dry when driving in.

Bloody cold!

Our hill gallop has been kept open all through this cold spell..

The tractor and harrows have been doing overtime to keep the surface usable.. at least we are able to keep ticking over which is all we need to be doing this week.. The weather changes over the weekend and a warmer spell of weather returns next week.

No jump racing today.

A date for the diary.. Cocklebarrow Races.. This excellent racing venue (point to point) is on Sunday January 26.. Book early..

The Australian Open Tennis starts on Sunday..

We had our usual vet visit today.

Paddy says to Murphy.. ''I robbed a shop last night, I took a load of pictures, the cheapest one was worth £180,000!''

Murphy says.. ''Paddy you've robbed an estate agent you daft bugger!''

On that silly note Happy birthday to one of our KBRS owners Alan James.. I hope Alan you are celebrating in warmer temps?

Minus 4 and dry when driving in.

Talk about driving...Yesterday I went over to Northamptonshire to see Polly Wilson and join her son Jack, Tony Cox, Sandy Offer, Richard Westley, Jono Booth and Fi Wilson for lunch.. I was surprised by how many roads were flooded when driving there… Good to see old friends on a day when there was no racing.

Racing goes ahead at Taunton today although we don't have any runners there.. The prospects for most of the jump meetings for the rest of this week look bleak..More all-weather fodder. BHA busy rescheduling races and fixtures..

Ciaran Gethings and Tom Bellamy were in to ride out. Not a huge amount happening this morning as most of the horses had their booster fly jab last night.

Early closing races for Cheltenham.. I really do not approve of them.. Entering horses yesterday for races in March when you are not sure the horses you are entering are good enough, or rather hoping that by the time the races take places they have improved enough to justify the entry fee? But by making those entries you excite their owners in the hope that they might be..

Of all early closing races I understand it is for the Grand National.. Early closing for this race is there to built the hype for the race.. Surely the days when the betting market and hype for most early closing races has gone.... Is it just another way of collecting money... Record low British enties for the Cheltenham Gold Cup..

Behind every husband who thinks he wears the trousers is a wife who told him which pair to wear??