Dear All,

As Christmas approaches, our horses have continued in fine form and we now have 27 winners on the board and over £235,000 in prize-money.  With an exciting team for the winter, there is a good deal to look forward to in the coming months.

The improving Looksnowtlikebrian has returned from his sumer break in tremendous form and made a winning return at Carlisle in October under a power-packed ride from Richard Johnson.

The son of Brian Boru has since taken his record over fences to four from six, following up in a valuable handicap chase at the same course earlier this month and doing so in some style, hitting the front before three out and pulling clear to win by 10 lengths.

The handicapper has raised him a total of 13lbs for those two wins, but hopefully that will be enough to see him get in to the Welsh National field and, given I feel he could be even better for softer ground and a greater emphasis on stamina, I hope we can get him there next week in tip-top shape and that he can do the rest!  He is joined in the entries by Tanit River, who I have always thought of as a suitable type for the race and, though he'll need a lot of luck to get in, it would be brilliant if it did happen.

Canton Prince hasn't been the easiest to train in the past couple of seasons, but the ability has always been there (he looked like winning the Persian War at Chepstow a couple of years ago, only to make two dreadful mistakes late on) and it was so pleasing to see him back to winning ways at Warwick in October, on what was his first outing for 11 months.

He won impressively that day, but was dealt an 8lbs rise from the handicapper as a result.  However, I do think there could be a nice handicap in him off this mark - he should be out again in the coming fortnight.

Tight Call is a lovely four year old that we purchased at Doncaster in August and he made an immediate impression on his first start for us, winning well in a Stratford bumper in October.

The new National Hunt auction races provide an excellent opportunity for horses that were purchased for £30,000 or less and he duly took advantage of a very good opportunity to make a winning hurdling debut on his next outing, at Hereford last month, again with Dickie on board.

We dropped him in trip for an Introductory hurdle at Wetherby, which offered very good prize-money and a chance to gain further hurdling experience in a small field.  Unfortunately, though he was rallying strongly late on, he just failed to reel in the eventual winner.  Nevertheless, it looked a smart performance.

Third behind stablemate Chozen on his reappearance/chasing debut at Southwell in October, Cap St Vincent has certainly proved to be an improved and progressive performer over the larger obstacles, winning impressively at Ludlow in mid-November and then following up in great style at Musselburgh, on both occasions in the hands of Alan Johns.

He probably just found the combination of a third quick run, tougher opposition and a rise in the weights too much when third at Sandown Park last time, but I have no doubt there is more to come and we'll target a good prize with him in the New Year.

Trixster was unlucky to win last season, having fallen at the last at Chepstow when looking likely to collect, but the five year old son of Beneficial has made amends this time around, making the most of a good opportunity to win on his reappearance at Warwick in October under Richard Johnson.

Runner-up under a penalty on his next outing, we returned to Chepstow full of hope earlier this month and he duly justified favouritism, but having been a little over-enthusiastic in the early stages, young conditional Charlie Price needed to really work to ensure he held off the persistent challenge of the runner-up, winning by just a head to give Charlie a first winner over jumps on just his second ride as a conditional!

He'll a escape a penalty for that second novice win, as it came in a conditional jockeys' contest, so we'll look for another novice next before looking to step him up into handicap company.  He's out of a half-sister to a Welsh National winner and, longer-term, I'm really looking forward to seeing him over fences.

Chozen has always looked a chaser in the making and it was great to see him make a winning debut over fences at Southwell in October, under a very well-judged ride from Alan Johns.

I thought he would follow up at Newcastle on his only start since, but he just knuckled on landing when leading at halfway.  We've given him time since and will look for another little novice handicap next, but he has plenty of scope to progress and we might look to qualify him for one of the series finals towards the end of the campaign.

Kovera has taken time to find his feet, but a point win in the spring was a sign of things to come and he was in great form for us back under rules last month, bolting up on his third outing over fences at Sedgefield and following up just over a week later over hurdles, though that was a considerably more hard-fought success.  A bad early mistake on his only subsequent start gave him no chance, but he is still on a very workable mark and I hope he can continue to progress.

Another winning pointer from earlier this year to win twice since is Midnight Queen, who was given a good front-running ride by Alan Johns to win well in a first-time visor at Fakenham earlier this month, supplementing her Newton Abbot success in the summer.

Bolton Boy has improved with each of his three runs to date, the four year old son of Arcadio building on his midfield efforts in a bumper and novice hurdle (the latter a competitive event at Chepstow) when getting up in the dying strides in a novice auction maiden hurdle at Sedgefield at the end of November.

A half-brother to two 140-rated performers and by a sire whose stock stay well and tend to progress with time, he clearly has a good bit of ability and it is encouraging that he was able to win despite showing greenness through the race.  He'll need another run in novice company and we could consider stepping up in trip.  He's another that will want a fence in time.

There haven't been many horses that have surprised me quite as much as Eric The Third, who was beaten on his first two starts for us at the beginning of the season and headed to Newton Abbot in June off a mark of 79.  

Since then, his form figures read 121212115, his five wins coming at Newton Abbot (2), Uttoxeter, Plumpton and Wincanton, the latest of them in a two-runner contest that was nevertheless worth over £7,000 to the winner!

His mark has risen 36lbs in the process and it really is an incredible achievement by the horse, with thanks also to Dave Noonan, Richard Patrick and Alan Johns (x3!), who have had the pleasure of doing the steering!  We'll give Eric some time off now, but I'm very hopeful that he can take advantage of his lower hurdles mark in the spring and it would be lovely to see him go on to further success.

We were delighted to hear last week that Lauren Thomas has been shortlisted in the final 10 for the David Nicholson Newcomer Award.

Lauren joined us in the spring and has quickly become an integral member of the team.  

A graduate of the British Racing School, I have been hugely impressed by what she has achieved and we wish her the best of luck in the next round, as only three finalists are selected for the awards ceremony in February.

Congratulations to Charlie Price, who rode his first winner over jumps on just his second ride as a conditonal on Trixster at Chepstow earlier this month!

Charlie is a very accomplished rider and finished second in the 2018 Arabian Racing Jockeys Championship this year, with nine winners, one place above leading amateur Simon Walker.

He also rode four winners on the flat during a stint in New Zealand 18 months ago and that experience will certainly stand him in very good stead.  I look forward to giving him plenty of chances in the months ahead and I have no doubt he will prove excellent value for his claim.

Lucinda joined us in July and has settled in brilliantly, sailing through her HGV training and quickly establishing herself as a very important part of our travelling team, working alongside our Travelling Head Lass Andrea Kelly.

Many of you will have already met Lucinda at the races in recent months, but if not, please do say hello and introduce yourselves!