Tuesday 12 March

I feel like emailing the handicapper again today - but I would not want to spoil his enjoyment of The Cheltenham Festival! A few weeks ago he decided to put Tannerman up a pound for finishing third in Doncaster - at the time I was amazed and I wrote to him to ask him to explain his reasons for putting him out of a grade he had yet to win in. I have to say the reasons he gave at the time did not make sense to me. In the mean time we have missed several opprtunities in 0-95 contests (including Southwell last week), so it is very annoying that he has seen fit to drop him back to 95 this morning, when, if you look at the programme book, there are no suitable 0-95 races for a couple of weeks!! He will be entered in a handicap hurdle (0-105) in Southwell next Monday. Soft ground in Huntingdon tomorrow means that we will not declare Benefit Cut there. He is entered in Fakenham on Friday (will not run), but we will have a close look at Kempton on Saturday - one thing for sure is that his ground is coming as we are sure to get better ground when winter finally releases its grip! Patience is the key! Cheltenham are looking again at 10.30 to see if they can get the covers off and race. Wind chill temperatures of -12 have meant that the course is frozen in places - I am praying that it warms up! Hurricane Fly for me today, along with Simonsig and Colour Squadron. I think the Irish will end the day in front!! Please let it be on - and ENJOY!!