We have not got many runners at Ascot this year, the two year olds haven't really found their form, mainly because of the ground. Carlton Blue, who we like, will not run until the ground is back to normal. Composed will wait until the Nurseries are out. St Paul De Vence has been entered for the Chesham at Ascot on Saturday. He needs a run, we like him a lot and he may be heading for the July Meeting at Newmarket. Puteri Nur Laila who finished 2nd at Lingfield on Saturday has been working really well at home, stupidly they didn't move the turf races to the All Weather track for that meeting. Most trainers are fed up with silly results created by bad ground at the Racecourse. York's valuable sprint looked more like the end of a four mile chase at Cheltenham, the ground at York has been unpredictable for the last four years. Silverheels may run in the Buckingham Palace Stakes on Friday if he gets in. It is not an easy race to win and he is not an easy horse to fins a race for, otherwise he is in good form. Gifted Girl and Swingland, two of our best horses, have recovered from minor set backs and our back in training. Kaiser Wilhelm's run at Yarmouth was disappointing, he couldn't handle the rough, firm ground. There is a small race in him somewhere. Ziefhd ran satisfactorily at Goodwood, she will improve on faster ground. We were pleased with Don Libre's win at Lingfield and Puteri Nur Laila will win when the ground gets faster. 

The weather continues to affect our racing plans. Carlton Blue ran a good race at Leicester on conditions that didn't suit. He may run at Salisbury on Sunday and he looks good to win a maiden race for us. Composed runs today, I would prefer faster underground conditions but his experience should help. He is still for sale in shares or full ownership. Kalicamix was only beaten 5 1/4 lenghs at Newmarket last Saturday and over seven furlongs he sould improve. Cut No Ice ran a little below expectations but seems to want further. Puteri Nur Laila will run when the grouns gets faster, she seems to be improving. The runners for the rest of the week, depending on the ground, include Ziefhd, Joy to the World, Flashbang and Daring Damsel. Hayley Turner was onto a good point in her article about fines, why not start with a warning. The power that be are too keen to levy heavy and over the top fines on people who can ill afford to pay them. It is up to the bodies that represent them to take up this problem (some hope!!) Jockeys and Trainers associations, both as inaffective as each other.

Historically horses at Whatcombe seem to run best on good or faster ground. The gallops here are so good that they only work on perfect ground and after the rain this week it makes the withdrawals more likely. I always believe it takes four chances to get one winner. At the moment I am finding hard to get a horse in with a chance. Carton Blue goes very well at home but is unlikely to run at Leicester tomorrow because he ran poorly on the soft at Newbury, although it was a good race and he was beaten only by five lengths. Zeifhd will not run today due to the soft ground, she may run at Newmarket on Friday. Puteri Nur Laila is learning with every run and should improve again. Kaiser Wilhelm will need further and has a bad draw tomorrow. Mons Calpe runs at Goodwood on Friday, it is difficult to predict how he will run. Zing Wing runs at Kempton in the Handicap on Wednesday and our apprentice Duilio Da Silva rides her. I think the French Derby’s shortened trip looks like a disaster. Most of the horses that ran in it need a mile and half, so why run a derby over a mile and quarter, that thinking is out of date. The Maktoom / Coolmore battle looks one sided at present, with the Maktooms having a last at Epsom and not much else, they seem to be better on the all weather in the winter.