Saturday 11 August 2012

Back in a Flash



View the Dance





As well as going to Vaughan's yard we also did a bit of shopping in Ireland. I have been feeling rather proud of myself as I have actually managed to sell a couple of horses (very rare for me) Velvet Skye has gone to a fabulous hunting home and Harry (Unoitmakessense) has found a match made in heaven, a rather elderly and retired national hunt jockey called Peter Percival had rang up to see if I had got anything suitable as he had an urge to own and sit on a thoroughbred again after years of fat cobs. I let him have a ride on Harry and he came back with a smile from ear to ear "the deal is done - I LOVE him!" he said. He has had him for three weeks now and has rung up numerous times to say how well they are getting on, that they had been to the pub, swam in the river, been in the village hall, had their first canter etc etc. Anyway, Harry is a bit of a legend in Peter Percival's country. So, as I had managed to sell a couple (and Red is also on the transfer list) we could allow ourselves another nice mare from Ireland. I had already had a call from 'Fat Pat' who found us Jess (We Never Give Up) who had given us so much fun last season and he said that he had found the 'perfect hoss'. When I showed him a glimmer of interest, the flood gates opened and there was no going back - well, to cut a long story short, three mares arrived from Ireland at 5.30 am this morning, and bleary eyed though we were they looked very nice types. Two six year old's and one unbroken four year old. 'View the Dance' won her maiden impressively and 'Back in a Flash' came third and second in her last two starts. The unbroken four year old was a bit of an 'add-on' from the same yard as the Dance mare and was cheap enough We were a bit rushed because 'Back in a Flash' was due to go to the August Doncaster sales and we wanted to buy her beforehand as we didn't want to have to bid for her. We are very pleased we were hurried along though as they are three very nice horses. I don't normally like to buy horses unseen but I knew I could trust Fat Pat, who if I didn't like them would have had them back, but he is a good judge and seems to know what sort of horse I like.



We are supposed to be going away for a house party this week-end with the group of friends we went to Rome with but we cut some hay at the beginning of the week and it seems to be taking an age to dry. Doug has just teddered it again and the plan is to bail it this afternoon and then head off for Wiltshire. There is a chance it might rain tomorrow so there is no option to leave it for another day, particularly as hay is ridiculously expensive again this year. It's already five o clock so it looks as though it's going to be a late one....