I WAS hoping to spend this afternoon galloping with Yala Enki after last week’s win at Taunton.
But sadly the wet weather has claimed Cheltenham, so the only music I’ll be playing is back home as I tackle a pile of washing instead!
It goes without saying what I’d prefer to be doing, although it’s a toss-up as to which one of us is more fed up at the racing being off.
I’ve told you before Yala Enki is astonishing in how he just thrives on racing. He’s proved it again this week.
A lot of horses come home from a race, especially a long-distance chaser, and might leave a bit of dinner or hay, or be quiet for a couple of days. Not him!
He’s kicking the door straight away, wanting to get onto the walker and ready to pull your arms out on the gallop. It’s incredible, really.
He might be 11, but he doesn’t know that and he came out of Taunton feeling a million dollars. The Grand National has been mentioned as a possible long-term aim and he’s certainly got stamina in abundance.
The only questionable thing is he’s economical over his fences, as we saw when we fell at the first in the Becher Chase.
He was a bit too gung-ho there, but he did go on and jump a few more himself, and no horse will do that if they don’t fancy it.
Obviously the decision on whether he goes to Aintree is one for Paul Nicholls and his owner, but I’ll go wherever he goes and keep on kicking with him.
Sadly that won’t be Cheltenham today, though, and after riding out, I will get stuck into that washing – there’s not a lot any of us can do at the moment. I’ll probably play a bit of guitar, too, because I do love my music.
I’ve played for ages, and did my grades on the flute through secondary school as well.
I don’t sing — I sound like 1,000 unhappy cats — but I love listening to music. I will listen to pretty much anything and everything . . . although probably not heavy metal!
At least we had some racing this week, and it was great to ride a double at Fakenham on Thursday. It made the four-and-a-half-hour journey go a bit quicker on the way home!
I was really happy with both, although Admiral Barratry really didn’t like the kick back in the first mile till he got himself used to it.
The ground had dried out quite a bit, it was getting into his ears and he was shaking his head. It can sting a bit when it hits you in the face, so I was hiding behind him!
Luckily it wasn’t a problem for Shantung in the next, because we made all together in the mares’ hurdle, not a speck of mud on us.
I’ll be watching the replays of those two again this afternoon and hopefully the rain won’t keep us off for too long.
Until next week, take care and keep kicking.
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