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MARIE MCCABE |
Weblog: The wife of leading all-weather trainer Alan McCabe with her weekly diary.
Rare patch of form gives us reason to be cheerful
VALENTINE'S DAY has come and gone (without much recognition, it has to be said) and Christmas is a distant memory.
My family are looking forward to pancake day because: a. We like to eat pancakes and b. at this time of year you are looking to celebrate just about anything as winter drags on and spring dangles like a carrot on a stick, so close yet so far.
We have enjoyed a couple of spring-like days recently and they feel good. We threw open the back windows on the barns on Wednesday so the horses could have their heads out in the fresh air and it was lovely to see them.
One of our more delinquent inmates used this view of the outside world to behave in a most alarming fashion and we were afraid he may try to climb out and make a bid for freedom. He settled down eventually, but not before giving us a few scares.
We have been able to start using our turn out paddocks a bit more and 'the lads' aka Follow The Flag and his gang, have been reaping the benefits. They still manage to find the dirtiest spots in the field and roll like hippos until sufficiently plastered. Keeps them happy, I suppose.
We have enjoyed a rare patch of form lately with five winners and five seconds from our 26 runners over the past two weeks. It is lovely to hit form like that, even if you can't explain why it should be so - they are the same horses with the same routine - but I'm quite happy for it to continue.
I do admit to getting momentarily worried last week when Mojeerr, being ridden by Ryan Tate (having his first ride in public) almost won at Southwell.
Having committed to streaking in public should this horse win a race, I came worryingly close to having to do just that.
Luckily (for me, at least) he finished second and I could breathe again. Ryan's mother was less quick to regain normal breathing patterns and had difficulty holding her camera steady as they returned to the winner's enclosure. It seems Mojeerr's retirement is on ice again.
We have a super-busy week coming up and are mob handed at Lingfield for the next two Saturdays with six runners this weekend and eight entered next Saturday.
Pineapple Pete and Qadar are having their first runs for the yard, the latter after a break, so we will learn more about them after their races.
Follow the Flag is having a quick follow-up race due to the fact that he did not try very hard at all at Southwell on Tuesday and was turning cartwheels in the paddock on Wednesday morning. So many of the horses are demonstrating their wellbeing at the moment and it's good to see.
News from all around has been a mixed bag of late. The sad and strange demise of two horses in the paddock at Newbury last Saturdayhad racing in the news for all the wrong reasons.
Unfortunately, those who believe that everyone in racing is callous and cruel jumped on their bandwagons and used it as a bizarre example of heartless racing folk, which does nothing to soothe the despair of human connections.
I would like those who decry our sport as cruelty to visit a racing yard and see these equine emperors reclining in their palaces.
Their every need is catered for and theirrequirements always come before those of the humans who care for them. Of course, you will always find little pockets of inhumanity, but unfortunately that is so in every walk of life - the very vast majority treat their horses supremely well, often to the detriment of their own comfort.
Someone who is not lacking in comfort, however, is baby Francesca - daughter of my gorgeous assistant Natalie who has finally given birth.
She was a little earlier than originally anticipated and weighed in at a jockey-esque 5lb 6oz. She is the first Alan McCabe Racing baby and we are delighted. I have yet to meet her, but I'm told she is quite lovely.
Fortunately the good news outweighed the bad this week as we also found out that Alan's stoic assistant, Alex, has made it to the final three in the high achiever category of the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards.
This is a massive achievement and highly deserved - I can't imagine how we would manage without her - we are very lucky and extremely proud to have her heading our team. If ever there was an example of dedication and excellence to hold up before the non-racing press, she's your woman.
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