Proper winter

We're into proper winter now, but again I think that this part of Britain has got off quite lightly.  In fact, the weekend wasn't at all bad in the south-east, with pleasant days on Saturday and Sunday, even if the nights were cold.  Sunday afternoon at Kempton with Fen Flyer, was really rather pleasant. It would have been even nicer if he'd won, of course, but that wasn't to be.  Even so, he ran OK, finishing fifth.  He ran the same race over a mile and a half as he had previously run over a mile and a quarter (ie getting outpaced two thirds of the way through the race before plugging on at the finish) so I guess that we'll step him up in distance again next time.

The past couple of days, Monday and Tuesday, though, have been rather cold, after fairly hard overnight frosts.  It was minus four at daybreak today and, although in theory it got up to plus one mid-afternoon today, I think that that is 'putting a positive spin' on things: in the shade the frost remained pretty much undiminished throughout.  Still, it's supposed to be less cold over the next couple of days - which is just as well as we'll be at Kempton tomorrow evening with Roy (our fourth runner of the year) at the frighteningly late time of 8.00.  That sort of time is OK in the summer - but in winter, when it's just a case of survival and getting plenty of sleep is important, setting off on the long journey home at around the time one would normally be going to bed is a daunting thought.  I hope he runs well!