Kelso Sunday with 7 runners, properly achieved Mark and a few unhappy information… – Kinneston

Chilly once more this morning however slightly milder this afternoon as we await the climate’s newest enjoyment of Storm Darragh.  We have been because of have runners at Wetherby tomorrow however with the forecast as dire the paltry prize cash we didn’t declare and can search for higher funded races (ie £8k Class 4 Chase Wetherby Saturday compares with £11.9k Class 4 Chase Hexham Wednesday…).  Two of the supposed runners have diverted to Kelso on Sunday the place they’ve glorious prize cash and I’m delighted that they’ve been rewarded with a extremely strong card of excellent aggressive racing; we have now 7 runners in whole and the bottom is more likely to have eased from the present good to tender.

We begin with Jirko within the 11.55 assuming we get there in time after the Crew Christmas Get together tomorrow evening!  He’s a grand long run chasing prospect who will discover the 2 miles on the sharp facet however ought to nonetheless present slightly progress on his hurdling debut final month – 13 run and Henry Brooke rides.

We’re double handed within the two mile handicap hurdle at 12.25 with Ginger Mail (Bruce) and Mack the Man (Package).  Ginger Mail improved late final season and has proven his finest kind over this course and distance, he appears in good order and will play an element on this seasonal debut regardless of his lofty handicap mark.  Mack the Man received gamely at Ayr final time and while the handicapper has had his say once more he nonetheless seems to be properly handled on his finest kind – 10 run.

Bluebell Glen lastly makes her seasonal reappearance within the 1.55; she’s a stunning properly bred mare who has her personal thoughts, she’s been in good kind at residence and if she’s in the fitting temper something might occur – 11 run and Bruce rides.

Gaillimh a Stor is on the comeback path within the 1.30 after an harm enforced 627 day absence, he has loads of capacity however for now all we need to see is him race with zest and are available residence safely as he’ll enhance for the run health clever – 12 run and Bruce rides.

We’re moving into the unknown by operating Travail d’Orfevre within the Borders Nationwide at 2.05; he’s been an excellent horse for us over shorter journeys and, while on paper there may be nothing to counsel he’ll keep this excessive distance, on pedigree and operating type I feel there may be each probability he’ll keep and he deserves to take the possibility to run off his mark in a prestigious race similar to this.  He’s in nice kind – 12 run and Bruce rides.

A race off then Ozzy Cosmo makes his seasonal and chasing debut within the 3.15; he received a two mile hurdle then fell twice over the smaller obstacles, he colleges properly over fences and while he’s a giant lad and I assume he’ll come on for the run he ought to run properly if (and it’s fairly a giant if) he stays the three miles – 6 run and Bruce rides.  Going clever all 7 runners ought to be tremendous on tender, have been it to go heavy we could must rethink plans however hopefully it received’t come to that although Bluebell would find it irresistible!

Down at Haydock on Wednesday Artic Mann ran one other tremendous race to be fifth, simply discovering the bottom too deep to point out his best possible.  Up Helly Aa King did us proud travelling and leaping properly till health advised turning for residence.  He had an interrupted preparation and will strip rather a lot fitter subsequent time.

While saddling Gorvennec at Newcastle final Saturday I obtained the dreadful information that my outdated chum Andrew Johnston had been killed in a automobile crash within the wilds of Aberdeenshire on Thursday evening.  Andrew and I have been in the identical 12 months at college and had an amazing time behaving badly for a few years.  We grew to share a love of many issues; principally music, canines, Aberdeenshire, the Hebrides and hills, wherever they have been.  Above all we shared a love of the absurd and we merely had a lot enjoyable laughing.  He was a proficient athlete, chosen for the 1990 Commonwealth Video games Triathlon group he took these abilities to new heights when in 1992 he and his buddy Rory Gibson broke the report for the quickest time to climb all of the Munros. In simply 51 days they climbed all 277 peaks swimming or biking between them, that equates to 1400 miles, a marathon a day and 400,000 vertical toes – 14 occasions up Everest.  An unimaginable achievement recorded in an ITV documentary.

Over latest years sadly our paths not often crossed however we at all times knew the place one another have been and as with all deep friendships, the bond was at all times there.  Lately I’ve developed a love of his native patch, the japanese Cairngorms. That has been enhanced by studying the works of the great Nan Shepherd who had an unsurpassed capacity to explain how the mountains have an effect on the soul.  I do know he would have beloved her work and I’m positive he wouldn’t thoughts if I quote her as a private epitaph for him – “I’ve walked out of the physique and into the mountain.”  God bless, have an exquisite weekend everybody – carpe diem.