Bay Hawk? Update Please!

Great Stuff Kathy! Hope you all had a great day and that Bay Hawk's feeling ok after his latest effort :)
 
Imagine, he's absolutely fine, thank you! It was a great day and I am already looking forward to his next outing. I think Clare might be hoping there is a suitable race for him that requires an excellent lady jockey! :)
 
Off to Southwell tomorrow night with Bay Hawk. As Mick Fitzgerald isn't available, so I've allowed AP McCopy to step in as his deputy! :D

I really have to pinch myself sometimes. I have a pretty average horse that I once thought would never be able to race again, that cost me little money to buy and yet I am on a racing forums talking about the likes of the great Mick Fitz (who won twice on him) and the greatest NH jock (to many) AP riding him tomorrow. It's all quite surreal at times. :what:

I know it could all end in the blink of an eye, so I just intend to enjoy every minute.
 
Bit of a bloody farce with only five hurdles being jumped instead of eleven!

Whose brilliant idea was it to have a evening jumps meeting in June at Southwell?

Not much chance of interference from sun on a June evening is there!
 
Nowadays it seems to be compulsory to be a half-wit to get a job running a racecourse. Who's the idiot who runs Southwell?
 
Well, what can I say? I actually had possibly the greatest NH jockey of our time riding my boy and I have to say, I have nothing but total admiration for him. I met AP a few weeks back when he rode Cape Greko and I represented the owners who were unable to attend. I thought then, what a nice chap he was. Meeting him again last night, I can only confirm what I first thought about him. He was witty, charming, and utterly proffessional. Two of my friends were totally starstruck about meeting him but he is clearly use to it and happily chatted away to them as I was with Bay Hawk whilst he was being saddled. Brendan was on his way back from Ireland so it was great to be able to pretend to give him his instructions, and AP humoured me by nodding in all the right places. AP had won in the previous race and clearly wanted to make it a double. I just asked that if he found Bay Hawk wanting - just to make sure that they both got home safe and sound. He said he would do his very best to get us into the winners enclosure and then went off to be legged up.

As anyone watching the race could see, Bay Hawk was up there with the pace most of the way round, but as Sam Jones came upsides, Bay Hawk bottomed out, very quickly. AP then felt the horse had done enough as he felt something was not quite right. Slightly worrying, when Bay Hawk came in he was blowing particularly hard. Knowing Bay Hawk as I do I had never seen him so utterly exhausted and Tony was a little concerned too. He didn't speak to Granny (the Head Lad) until I caught up with them, and then gave me a brilliant account of the whole race. No one other than Mick Fitz had been so thorough in the after race summing up. AP was not 100% sure if the distance found him out, or whether he may need his breathing checking. He was clearly a little concerned and gave me a few options to try out. What a top bloke. He said he would love to ride Bay Hawk again one day.

I was always a little sceptical about AP - and how sometimes he is possibly a bit hard on some of his horses. In last nights case, he rode 100% to instructions, gave Bay Hawk an absolute peach of a ride, and didn't go for the win when he felt the horse was struggling and then made sure I fully understood his own thoughts of what we should try. He was brilliant.

He can now go onto my list of my top NH jockeys.

Colin, just waiting for Brendan to call me. I will let you know as soon as I hear.
 
That's a great report Kathy, let's hope the Hawk is recovered this morning. It was probably a bit further than he wanted esp over ground a bit fast for him, but full marks to AP for looking after the dear boy. He probably went that bit faster than usual with AP up earlier in the race! - I'm sure AP translates his 'urgency' and will to win to a horse

Did you ask after Mick?
 
Headstrong, Bay Hawk loves to be up with the pace. The ground was faster than he has won on previously, the distance was further but he still stopped quite suddenly. I will know more later when they had had time to assess Bay Hawk at home.

I get regular updates about Mick, Headstrong from Brendan mainly. He is continuing to make good progress. My friends were in Ireland last week and they know Mick's Dad and he too confirmed that he is making steady progress. His knee has been Mick's major concern and it looks like (fingers crossed) the second recent operation has made a difference. It sounds like things are going in the right direction.
 
I know people use to say AP rarely smiles, but as someone on Final Furlong said, perhaps fatherhood is making him a happier chap!

Lucy had turned Bay Hawk out beautifully. :clap: He positively gleamed in the sunshine.


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I have been sponsored by Totesport for a couple of years now, Crazyhorse. I did it when Brendan didn't have an official sponsor for the yard. It's a good scheme and allows me to claim back my VAT - plus a little income from them too.

I have just spoken to Brendan, and Bay Hawk is absolutely fine this morning. Perhaps a mixture of a little too far, ground too fast, and the constant galloping ( as only 5 hurdles jumped) may have taken their toll in the last few furlongs.

Brendan muttered something about looking for another flat race in a couple of weeks for him.....he knows that makes sense! :D
 
Originally posted by Venusian@Jun 10 2008, 10:08 PM
Nowadays it seems to be compulsory to be a half-wit to get a job running a racecourse. Who's the idiot who runs Southwell?
Click to expand...
His name is Nathan Corden, Venusian. I know as I sent an e-mail to him today with a few (minorish) complaints I had after my experience at Southwell last night. In fairness to him, he has e-mailed me back three times today and looks like some changes have already been put in place. Fair play to him.
 
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