After a slightly quieter start than usual to the core season it’s fair to say that our horses are flying now.

Irish Hill set the tone with a tidy victory at Plumpton on Monday before Sorceleur and Captain Teague completed an unusual double at Exeter on Friday.
Things got even better when we enjoyed a five timer at Wincanton on Saturday before the talented novice Tutti Quanti completed a rewarding week for the yard with a fluent success at Ffos Las on Sunday.
In the previous few weeks some of ours were holding their condition a bit longer than usual and just needing their first runs but they are fit and firing now.
Sorceleur jumped well on his way to an impressive success over hurdles at Exeter. As he didn’t have anything like a hard race I turned him out again at Wincanton 24 hours later with the same result.
The double at Exeter was completed by Captain Teague who was handed a walkover in a valuable staying novice Chase when his two opponents were pulled out because of the ground. Small fields are a serious issue at the moment and with little or no rain in the forecast that is likely to be the case in the coming days. It’s frustrating for everyone involved, trainers, owners, and racegoers but clearly racecourses cannot risk over watering at this time of year.
I’m not sure where I go next with Captain Teague given the dry outlook. Basically we need it to rain before making any plans with him.
Beau Balko showed the benefit of a recent run at Kempton as he landed the conditional jockeys’ chase at Wincanton in the hands of Ben Bromley who joined us this season.
I was thrilled to win the Richard Barber Memorial Mares’ Hurdle for the first time with Larchmont Lass who would have preferred softer ground and might go to Sandown in a month’s time for another mares’ handicap hurdle. Richard played a big part in my starting training at Ditcheat back in 1991 and proved to be a great friend and mentor. He was so good to me.
Rubaud’s spring-heeled jumping was again decisive as he saw off the challenge of Brentford Hope on his way to a second successive success in the Elite Hurdle. The plan is for him to go chasing now and as you can imagine his schooling has been really good. I’ll probably look for a beginner’s Chase before aiming him at the Wayward Lad at Kempton over Christmas.
Mofasa couldn’t handle the fast pace in the Badger Beer before Swingin Safari delivered our fifth triumph of the day with the help of a determined ride by Harry Cobden.
The next afternoon Harry was quickly back in the winner’s enclosure after a pleasing success in the opening novice hurdle at Ffos Las on Tutti Quanti who has a bright future.
With eight winners over Friday, Saturday and Sunday our horses could hardly be in better form.
I’ll be looking to push on this week provided the ground is safe and should have runners on all three days at Cheltenham where I will be confirming Il Ridoto and Ginny’s Destiny for the Paddy Power Gold Cup. Though I should say I will be a little cautious about Ginny’s Destiny until I have checked out the ground.
For all the latest news on my runners on all three days at Cheltenham please be sure to check out my Betfair column which goes live early the previous morning.