Jury OUT ..

... on Geoffrey ! Once again we were all left scratching our heads . He's been jumping like a stag at home - yet on the racecourse more like a deranged mule ! He might be struggling with his breathing - but that doesn't explain why he ploughed through the first and ballooned the next three . He did get back into the race - but that can't be sustained with jumping like that . We might have to put him back over hurdles to see how he copes .
However - even that didn't deflate on what was a fantastic day's racing . DP had a touch of the 'seconditis' the day before - so when Great Choice came second in the first - we all thought 'here we go again'! But Kings Palace duly obliged in the next with a commanding performance in the novices event for 'Sir' Bryan Drew and the Johnston Family . I was with Sir Bry the first time KP ran - and won - at Plumpton - so I'm virtually a part owner ! Well - that's what I tell him!
But probably the best result of the day ( sorry Bry ) was Katkeau's success in the 3m hurdle for 'Lady' Caroline - Richard & Sally Wilkins and John & Sue Gent - after a 600+ day lay off due to injury . Katkeau should have won The Fixed Brush Hurdle at Haydock a couple years back ( same race that Geoffrey won last year - and George a few years earlier ) but made a terrible mistake at the second last . The Wilkin's & Gent's don't have many horses in training - and what they've had - had bad luck with . So how nice it was to be there for their first Cheltenham winner . Hope they have many more !
Was not at Cheltenham for Sunday's racing but spoke to DP last night. He won the first race with Unique Du Cottes for JP McManus and DP sounded quite relieved that he had got a winner for the legendary Irish owner . Geoffrey came back last night - ate up - and this morning was bouncing round the yard like he never had a race !!! Well - he hadn't - had he !!! Ummm . CU