February Blog 2025

After the long drag of January, February seemed to pass by pretty speedily. The mornings and evenings are getting lighter, which is the first hint that winter is passing. The foxes still cackle like witches in the woods, and pheasants rise up in a raucous, their wings flapping in a Mexican wave, but the darkest days are over.

Driving Jobs

I really enjoy going on little driving jobs, which can be to any destination, like the vets in Lambourn, picking up or dropping off youngsters to pre-training yards, horses from their owners or getting ones from the sales. Once, I even had to drop five big wooden planters off up to Carlisle – they were stacked in the back of the two box and were definitely the quietest cargo I have ever driven.

My recent short job was to Ivy Lodge Farm, the base of former Grand National-winning jockey Jason Maguire and his successful breaking, rehabilitation and pre-training enterprise. I drove in and parked up, dropping the ramp. Another two box trundled in after me and to my delight, it was Matty Delahook, who I don’t see very often, on the job of picking up two youngsters for Fergal O'Brien.

We were having a natter when I heard an Irish voice from over the solid wooden walls of a lunge pen, ‘Got one here you can put your tack on, Jojo!’ And a familiar helmeted head popped over the top.

It was amateur jockey Tommie O'Brien, a former colleague at Jonjo's. All those years ago, he did turn conditional but went back to amateur and hasn't looked back. He's even been a champion amateur. Tommie is cheerful and always a good one to talk to. A few minutes later, a girl led out a slightly hairy baby, a yearling or two-year-old, that was in the process of being broken, and Tommie came over for catch up.

Sadly, it wasn't long before I was off on my way, two shiny youngsters on board and a smile and wave from Jason as he handed over their passports.

Dropping Off

Sometimes I am the one who greets the horses being dropped off. If they're coming off the boat from Ireland, this can be very early. As the quarantine stables are near the pens where I work, I'll often get a call up from a driver wanting to be let in the main gates at 05:00 or earlier. Often a huge HGV, normally in the blue and white of Ballinroe International Horse Transport, rumbles down and unloads the one that is ours. It’s always a bit exciting to see the new horses stepping gingerly down the ramp: could this be the next champion? I get an idea of their character straight away, whether they’re calm or excitable. Most are tired from their long journey and just want pick at the hay and feed that is left ready. If horses have from the sales, they'll usually still have the numbered sticker on their hindquarters from going through the auction ring. The two drivers and I will swap pleasantries, and I always ask where the next stop is. Then they drive off again up towards the main gates, the lorry lit up like a UFO.

Winners

                The month of February started in the right way for the pens when the little hero that is Red Dirt Road won a good race at Sandown by eight lengths. He is adored by his lad Cain Rees, who said he couldn't go racing because he was bringing his own horse to the Cotswolds. ‘Red’ was expertly looked after by Head of Travelling Alex Howitt. A horse who has had his issues, living down the pens has suited Red and that's his second win so far this season. Maybe it’s because going in the field day and night means he is moving around more but something's obviously working. He lives with my favourite Monbeg Genius (‘Minnie’), who return to winning ways after two seasons at Uttoxeter a week later.

Photo Credit: Nigel Kirby

I cannot stress enough what a gorgeous character Minnie is – he's so sweet and kind, yet loves his work. He often flicks his toes out and does this jolly bobbing with his head. I just love him so much. Plus, it was even better that the loyalty of our yard sponsor Martin Tedham was rewarded. At the beginning of the season, Mr Tedham had bought him and the previous owner’s other horse Ruler Legend. It’s always satisfying to give our biggest supporter a win, especially one that meant a lot to me.

Minnie is not the biggest in size but he has scope, and jockey Nick Scholfield always enthuses about his jumping. He has an entry for the Aintree Grand National, though there's a lot that can happen between now and April…

Michael O’Sullivan

The whole of the racing community, over here and in Ireland, mourned the tragic loss off twenty-four-year-old Michael O'Sullivan. Nothing can put into words what his family, friends and colleagues are going through. The tributes spoke volumes of the person he was and seeing the photos of his smile after riding a double at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival brought home the fact that this type of tragedy could hit any of the lads we work with day in day out.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

To lose any jockey is devastating, but such a talented and successful one brought the dangers of this sport back home to us. Sadly, deaths and serious injuries have seemed to rise in numbers over the past decade or so. It doesn't make us love racing any less but it is a stark reminder of what jockeys, and even the riders on the gallops, risk every day.

Recently, mornings are slowly getting lighter, like dye running in the wash. I’m still trudging through viscous mud but I’m also celebrating that the pens, so far this season, have sent out eighteen winners (will we reach the twenty?). I'm proud of all the horses and my colleagues who ride and help me look after them.