A wet, windy morning

Forgotten Army (Zezhavz) and Akula (Ashley)

''Curiosity kills the cat but helps the tiger to live.''

No Rules (Iain), Kinsya (Steve) and Kathleen Frances (Butch)

A wet, windy morning after a wet, windy night - absolutely marvellous! It is not cold though and the rain will be doing so much good; the forecast is for it to remain unsettled all week which, hopefully, will help all the tracks. We have been out on Long Hill grass again this morning, which is in perfect condition. Both first two lots moved smoothly and, although the lads got a bit damp, they were in high spirits.

Heading home, after the rain, off Long Hill

Our Saturday runners at Chester ran with credit. Omokoroa met one in great form but still ran well and his turn to enter the winning enclosure must be near. We were pleased with Barwick and I think something must have unsettled him, as he became upset in the stalls; but he stayed on well after missing the break, showing some promise for the future. We will have a few runners this week, mainly towards the end of it.

Colin washes the mud off Ted Spread's legs after exercise as David holds him

I see from this morning's Racing Post that William Derby is stepping down from being Clerk of the Course at York to concentrate on being the racecourse's chief executive. From my point of view, he has always been tremendously helpful, open-minded and very good to deal with. If the new appointment has anything to do with the state of the ground and the complaints that have been forthcoming from all quarters of the racing profession, I don't think he can be blamed. The so-called experts who are foisted upon or put themselves forward, as so-called experts to the racecourses recently, are the ones that should take all the blame, as the tracks like Ascot, Haydock, Wetherby and now York have been ruined by their interference and input. It is such a shame that we have to go down the route in many businesses of having so-called 'consultants' telling the people who know the ground, know the turf and soil how to do it. Why they cannot just do it themselves with men and women who know about the land, I will never understand. Wembley's turf is another that springs to mind. How many times has that been dug up and is still not right? Will this be what happens to our racecourses? 

Comrade Bond (Ashley) and Munro's Dragon (Holly)

Phil and Ian (just arrived back from holiday) are crowing about what Blackpool's manager, Ian Holloway, had to say after his side lost 6-0 to Arsenal on Saturday, ''Everything about this place is class.....the grass is better than my living room carpet.'' I suppose coming from Blackpool they are playing on the beach. Hillsborough is still one of the best stadiums in the country, although it could do with a re-vamp and, hopefully, could be getting one if the World Cup comes to England next time round. I hope you will have noticed that the Owls are still unbeaten, after beating the Seagulls (Brighton, Michael Bowring is a supporter and knows their history from the year dot) 1-0 - our free transfer from Motherwell scored!

Ice Magic (Maria) and Dictate (Dan)