Hat-trick!

As yesterday's chapter mentioned, yesterday was a lovely day.  I could have been forgiven, therefore, for uncharacteristically agreeing to go on a dog-walk in the evening.  This, of course, is a good thing, particularly from Gus' point of view: while he loves mooching around the yard all the time, he loves a 'walk' even more, 'walk' being used in the widest sense because, basically, he runs and runs and runs.  Like Forrest Gump.  (However, I generally find that I take too much exercise, rather than too little, so usually find an excuse to avoid taking even more).  So, anyway, off we went with Gus and the two greyhounds - and we were out in the middle of Waterhall just before sundown when, to my complete surprise, the sky darkened dramatically, some ominous clouds rolled in and within minutes the heavens opened.

Anyway, it was really spectacular and, although we got soaked, I didn't mind as the sky was lovely to look at.  As was Gus, having a ball and running, and running, and running.  But the icing on the cake came when a break in the clouds came over and we were suddenly bathed in the type of light one would usually only see in a movie when something really creepy is about to happen - and a double rainbow came out (as you can more or less see in this photograph).  Hard to believe that these two photographs were taken probably less than two minutes apart.

Anyway, a double rainbow could only mean one thing: a winner.  And that, I am delighted to say, is what happened today, dear little Grand Liaison completing her hat-trick with a really gutsy victory on some very testing ground at Salisbury, with Ian Mongan taking his record for the stable to two from two (his first win for us, of course, having come on her at Lingfield whenever it was, 24 days ago I think, that she won her first race.)  So that was really lovely.

Grand Liaison has been a real success story this season with three wins and three places from seven runs, and it was great that her owners Barrie Catchpole and Mike Meaney were again there to see her.  She's a wonderfully tough and genuine filly, and a joy to train.  I generally enjoy going to Salisbury, especially when we win which we've done a few times from not too many visits, and today was another lovely outing.  As I say, we don't go there that often (and we probably should go more often, bearing in mind that it's a very well-run course in just about every respect and is in a lovely part of the country), not least because, as I remarked to Rodney Masters after the race, although it's not actually that far, but it's a long way to go to run at Richard Hannon's local track!

Our next outing is tomorrow, when the extremely handsome and extremely well-bred Platinum Proof (who has hitherto been referred to as the Smart Strike colt, but who was given his proper name five days ago) is set to make his debut at Leicester.  He's going very nicely and really ought to run very well.  However, where that will leave us I really don't know as it's generally unwise to expect too much from two-year-old debutants from this stable.  So I won't be going there with unrealistic expectations - but I'll be going there expecting to enjoy the sight of him striding boldly around the parade ring, because he really is as handsome as he is characterful - and I think that this photograph of him cantering around Side Hill 10 days ago, ridden as usual by Iva, gives you an idea of his presence.