Temperatures Rising

It was another early start for everyone at Pond House this morning as the alarms were set for an hour earlier than normal to once again beat the predicted high temperatures forecast for today. Everything went well yesterday and horses and humans appreciated getting all the work done before things were too warm. An extended break followed for a Mediterranean type siesta before they returned later in the day to do ‘evening’ stables. We were lucky enough to have a bit of a breeze throughout the day and a few clouds so while it was hot it was not quite as bad as once feared. The horses coped well and the day ran smoothly, fingers crossed for the same again today.

A jumps meeting at Cartmel and a flat fixture at Ayr took place yesterday without problems and with Southwell, Chelmsford and Wolverhampton all abandoned today we are left with just one flat fixture at Musselburgh to keep us entertained. They race in Ireland again at Ballinrobe this evening. With temperatures forecast to be more ‘normal’ for Wednesday we can look forward to the scheduled action without changes, although with no jumps action in the fixture list, we have to wait until Worcester on Thursday for that and we are likely to have our first stable runners of the week.

It is now the time of year when the ‘winter’ horses are finishing their holidays and are returning to start their walking and trotting exercise. A lot of the horses are now back in their stables while we do like to keep as many as we can out for as long as possible and ride them from the field.  Horses love their daily routine, whatever form that takes and they can do their road work and go on the horse walker in their field groups and go back out to their paddocks after exercise. A lot of our fields have some lovely big trees which are providing welcome shade on these warmer days.

In a catch up on wider news I just wanted to say very well done to Daryl Jacob who achieved his ambition of riding a winner at every jumps track in Britain over the weekend. He was just missing a winner at Cartmel from his illustrious CV and on his 16th attempt he put this right by winning aboard Redwood Queen for Irish trainer Noel Kelly. Daryl has been riding for many years and ridden winners for Pond House and my parents and is a thoroughly nice chap and so it was great for him to achieve this personal ambition.

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England's cricketers have been kept busy this summer and they embark on a One Day International series today as they take on South Africa at Chester Le Street.  It will be the last one day game that Test skipper Ben Stokes plays, so it is fitting it is in front of his home crowd.  England performed creditably against India, who are the best side in the world at the moment, although the visitors will be more at home in the roasting hot temperatures that can be expected today.

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I hope you are all coping with the heat as well as you can, have a good Tuesday!