WE STARTED last week how I would ideally love to start any week - with a winner!

Unfortunately, we won’t be starting this week in the same manner as we were due to have runners at Newton Abbot on Monday but the meeting was abandoned due to waterlogging.

Chemical Warfare made the long journey to Sedgefield last Monday and put up another gritty display to win for the third time this summer with Jack Tudor riding. He has now won a hurdle race and two chases since joining us and I think there is still more to come. His owners are based in the North, which was part of the reason we decided to run up there, and it is great they were able to lead in their winner.

We only had one other runner last week and that was Micronormous at Worcester on Friday. The rain-softened ground was not to her liking, however, and she was disappointing but she will be seen in a much better light back on a sounder surface next time.

Our next runners this week will possibly have been on Thursday whe nwe have Kolisi and Oceanline entered on the flat at Salisbury and Bashful Boy entered over hurdles at Southwell.

On Friday, we also have entries under both codes, with Oceanline possibly running in the flat race at Ascot. A lot will depend on what happens with the ground at these meetings this week for Oceanline, we could really do with a dry few days! We have two entries at Fontwell on Friday over jumps, Dindin and Skinfull.

The weekend will be relatively quiet with just one entry at Kelso on Sunday but keep checking the Daily News on the website for the latest news on the stable runners.

We have just had the wettest September we have ever recorded at Pond House in 24 years. 192.5mm of rain has fallen in the last 30 days with the previous highest rainfall being recorded in September last year at 168.5mm. Looking ahead, October has traditionally been quite a dry month compared to most until more recent years. 128 mm of rain fell in October 2023, so I wonder what the month will entail weather wise this time around

Young amateur jockey Rian Corcoran has joined our team this week. He is 17 years old and joins us on a part time basis while also riding out for point-to-point trainer Dean Summersby.

Former inmate, Itacare, provided Rian with the best possible start to his jockey career last season giving him three wins on the board in his first season point to pointing. From this platform, Rian was able to gain ‘outside’ rides for other trainers, further valuable experience, and another couple of winners along the way.

It was then decided he would not ride any more winners towards the very end of the last season to maintain his novice status as a jockey (having ridden less than five winners). He is therefore now in a very strong position to contend for top riding honours next season, including having eyes on the National novice title. He will continue to gain valuable experience between the flags while looks to get some more rides under rules along the way.

Rian won the ‘Rising Star Award’ at the Wessex point-to-point awards evening for his winning ride aboard Itacare at Milborne St Andrew. He has been at Ballydoyle all summer, which has been an incredible experience and learning curve for him, but it is great to have him back on our team and he is a name to watch out for this winter.