We had a winner! Good old Popaway came up with the goods and ran a fabulous race winning by five lengths. She was carrying a six pound penalty and I was a bit worried that it would play against her in the sticky ground but I needn't have worried. The other horses also really did us proud with Lady Barfad running a great race and coming fourth out of twelve being beaten by much older horses, Val D'Auberge with Peter Bennet riding pulled up just before the last fence having led for most of the way, but is still a good month behind the others fitness wise as he didn't come to us until well after Christmas, and Velvet Royale was in an  exceptionally hot restricted race with fifteen runners and finished a very respectable seventh running on well at the end having led for the first circuit. We were absolutely delighted with them all and they really did us proud. Needless to say the occasion needed celebrating, particularly in light of what had happened to poor Varkala last weekend and she was very much in my thoughts. You have to make the most of the good times as you don't know what could be around the next corner....
Anyway, we were the very last to leave the car park where we had to break the party up as it was time to go home for the horses who had all performed well above expectations. When we got back Lucy had prepared massive great big racing beds for them and I could have quite happily snuggled down and joined them for the night. We then had a drink in the shep hut with the staff to thank them for all their hard work over the weekend. They are a great little team and are definitely a huge contribution to the happiness of the horses and the success of the yard.