Entry for Geoffrey

I'm just about got over Cheltenham - now trainer wants to send me to Scotland !
Never been to Kelso - apparently it's a lovely country course - very hospitable - though I recon DP is just trying to sell it to me! And Geoffrey - who ran so well when winning at Carlisle - is in very good form at home (always is ) - and providing all his checks come out ok - will run . CU
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Day 4 ...

and knackered ! It doesn't get any easier - though I thought this year things are getting more predictable - especially in the higher grade races .
Anyway - it was a good days racing - with winners more evenly spread . My only pick up was the DP trained Champers on Ice - 3rd at 20-1 . I picked up 'bits & pieces' throughout the week - and have a lot to thank Un Temps for getting us off to a flyer . My tip for the week was Dr Harper . Martin said all he had to do was jump . Dr H hit the first ... and was never seen again ! Can't jump Martin - can't jump .
Highlight was Sprinter - thought Cue would have made it an even more of an emotional week - but alas ...
Great to catch up with so many friends ( and yes - some people do still recognise me ) - and with DPs wig-wam - it just makes things a bit more bearable .
On a slightly negative note - l just feel the National Hunt lover is getting squeezed out by 20-30 year old - tight suited brigade - who pour out of their mini cabs - head towards the Guinness tent and never see a horse . Tuesday & Friday are becoming hard work . Shame . Tell them to to get up to Carlisle - we'll see how enthusiastic they really are .
Still - enough moaning & groaning - it's still a fantastic sport - and one which I owe so much to . CU - at Kelso ?
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Day 3 - and Mullin rules

Absolutely delighted for all Thistlecrack connections - Scu said he would win - barring a fall a fall . Well - he was the evens favourite - so no big tip there ! Was it that the other horses weren't up to much - or do we have another Big Bucks ?
And that brings we on my other point . Apart from a couple - mainly Mullins horses - there seem a lack of overall quality - or should I say - quality in depth . Cheltenham is more predictable nowadays .
A racing pal of mine - a certain Peter Chichton was standing next to Nicky Henderson when Spriter Sacre won The QM . He said one could not help but get overwhelmed with emotion for the moment . It's what national hunt - and Cheltenham - is all about . Thanks for the photo Pete . CU

Day 2 - Whataday

Well - I did start with a winner ! And that's where the winners stopped . But - sometimes it's not really ( really really ) about the punting . The magic of Cheltenham is being 'moved' by the dramatics of the occasion . And after 23 years of attending the festival I can honestly say I've never witnessed such a resounding appreciation of a horse as than of yesterday - when Sprinter Sacre regained his 2m Champion Chase crown . The stands thundered - not so much with cheering - but of hand clapping - a round of spontaneous applause !
Sprinter - who was diagnosed with a heart problem two years ago - was virtually written off ever returning to his former glories . He put all the doubters - including me - to bed . And what a remarkable training performance by Nicky Henderson !
Well done .
Other highlight was Blaklion winning the RSA . Co owned by a racing mate of mine - a mad Italian called Gino ( not sure his second name ) . Now Gino - who is also is the co owner of The New One - once requested a 1/3rd ( 50k ) share in Geoffrey . However - Yvonne vetoed that idea - quite understandably - and Gino then went on to buy The New One ... and now Blaklion . We had a chuckle about it yesterday . I just wondered if the 50k was still on the table ! CU
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Great start

Well - l suppose my start started at Carlisle - and - as I did say
earlier - The Pond House team are hitting form at the right time. Un Temps Pour Tout proved that point . He looked thrown in at the weights and proved that - won going away - at a tasty 12-1 . Really delighted for Lady Caroline -Sir Bryan - and DP .
It's actually a bit easier - now that DP doesn't have every horse from the yard running at the festival - that if they do run - they run with a chance . Vieux Lion Rouge proved that point - when he also ran a fine race in the 4 miler . Thought he didn't quite get the trip .
But the day belonged to the Mullins team with three winners - again . He certainly is dominating the festivals - but I'm not sure if the racegoers like it like that - not that Mullins is worried.
Anyway - DP has no runners tomorrow - they've all been balloted out - so I'm goin' to have to do some studying of my own !
And Geoffrey has been raised 7lb for his efforts at Carlisle - and both DP and myself thought that was ok - could've been a lot worse. There is a race - so says the great man - at Kelso the beginning of April - ground dependent . Ffos Las - Carlisle - Kelso - is DP trying to tell me something ? CU .... tomorrow .
Photo >
Bryan - Un Temps - & Scu - & Harry Drew savouring their success

Carlisle to ...

... Cheltenham ! Anyway - this is the first time in quite a few years that I can have nice relaxing time at the festival - and watch my fellow owners and trainer get completely stressed out ! I can go 'head held high' - and 'ammunition in the wallet'! I would rather win at Carlisle than being an also ran at Cheltenham .
I had trouble in sending all 'la blog' stuff last week - was probably trying to send it too many photos . However - I wanted to say that the revised weights come out tomorrow and I'm bracing myself for a steep rise for Geoffrey . I'm hoping for something under 10lb - but that might be wishful thinking - as he won with a bit in hand .
So - what next ? He certainly won't be contesting class 3 again - not for a long time anyway . DP says Auteuil - Scu got off and said Punchestown ... and we also have Aintree . However - the ground is drying fast - so where he goes will be weather / ground dependant .
The Pond House team will not have as many runners as they've had in previous years - but the horses are only just starting to fire again after a 'quiet' time . It's a goodtime to hit form - so fingers crossed ! CU ... tomorrow
My tip - for what it's worth - Dr Harper
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All according ...

... to plan - and you can't say that happens too often in this game !

I have to say that I was surprised Geoffrey went off at the price that he did . His record in this class of race is exemplary - and being in a small field of runners he was able to dominate .
This is an excerpt from the program ~

All according ...

... to plan - and you can't say that happens too often in this game !

Catterick ...

... oh bugger - I meant to go to Carlisle ! Anyway - time to get across . I always remember - back in the 'old' days Yvonne and myself going to the wrong Bangor !
Anyhow - was actually having a look around the lovely cathedral here - where ever I am - when DP phoned . He thought I might be praying - I told him we both need to - what with Cheltenham next .
Geoffrey is back in a weaker race - off a weight he should go well at - albeit still giving weight to everything else . Tom - who was due to ride at Wincanton - before it was abandoned - now takes the ride - his only ride - so hopes are - if not high - then hopeful . CU

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Not Cheltenham ...

... Carlisle !
I have actually - believe it or not - been a couple of times to Carlisle - and have thoroughly enjoyed la experience - very friendly and hospitable . With Geoffrey now back a few pounds in the weights I am anticipating a big run !
Hmm - let's hope I'm not wasting my time ! CU
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Geoffrey goes ...

... a hunting .
Haven't had much time to do a 'la blog' since Geoffrey's run at Chepstow - however - I thought he ran OK ! The idea was to keep him more up with the pace - but as he does - got slightly left on his hocks - and was slowly away . However - he ran - and jumped with enthusiasm . He's been dropped another 2lb for that - so he is now eligible for handicaps up to 140 .
We also have the option of going back over fences - and - I think with that in mind - Gerry Supple took him hunting - and - apparently - both had a great day out .
With Cheltenham just round the corner - it's good to see the Pond House team come into a bit of form - culminating in a nice winner at Newbury on Saturday . Depending very much on the champagne intake - I will endeavour to do a daily 'la blog' . CU