Tuesday 20 November

After the joys of three days in Cheltenham, we found ourselves in the slightly different surroundings of Leicester yesterday afternoon. Although there is never much of an atmosphere at the track it was the perfect place to start Benefit Cut over hurdles. We decided to go 2 miles with the thought in the back of our minds that he could be a little keen, and the quicker pace of the race would help him settle. We got it half right - he didn't settle, but the pace of the race was a crawl which didn't help! BC eventually settled 3/4 of the way down the back, but the race turned into a sprint up the straight, and after exerting so much energy in the first half a mile it was extraordinary how he stayed on after the last to grab second. he was going so well as he passed the post Tom could not pull him up until he was a fair bit down the other side of the track, and then couldn't pull him up to come off of the track and ended going back down past the winning post again! All in all Benefit Cut got a lot wrong, but is more than alright!! Tom was very very taken by him, and said Howard and Ternece have a very nice horse - with a bright future!! He seems fine this morning, and we will go again over 2 miles to try and teach him to race properly! San Telm also seems fine after the weekend, and could well go to Kempton Park on Boxing Day, although that is only a thought at the moment - I will give owners as much notice as i can so that you can arrange your Christmas! Smart Exit will be entered in Fontwell next week. Other entries this week are Norse Wren (Warwick Weds) Ogee (Haydock Sat) Grassfinch (Ascot Sat) Reyno (Towcester Sun).Handicap ratings out today, and Tannerman got put up 3 lbs!!(95) Not the end of the world as he gets to stay in the grade, but never nice to be put up for falling! The Fonz is down 3 lbs,(120) which should be a nice mark when he gets some decent ground in the spring!!