Tullymore Dew and Dee E Williams did us really proud at Cheltenham finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively in the Coral Cup and County Hurdle.
 
On the Friday of the Gold Cup we also had a fantastic win with Sonning Star for Mrs Jeremy Kyle at Fakenham.  So there were many celebrations in the Coral box at Cheltenham , where Mr and and Mrs Kyle were guests.

On Tuesday the 22nd of March Alderluck won at Kempton with top weight for Mrs Celia Raynor, so the horses are running well again.
 
Dusky Bob also won a bumper at Plumpton on 15th February 2010.

 We also have had some good seconds recently with Royal Wedding at Fakenham, Wee Robbie at Newbury, Tullymore at Cheltenham and Himba at Lingfield all in March.

 So we are now looking forward to some of the Cheltenham runners going to Aintree next week.

A great start to 2010 with ‘Nomecheki’ winning the ”attheraces.com with free Timeform  Novices Steeple Chase at Plumpton on Sunday 3rd January for the ‘Stewart’ family.  It was so brilliant that Plumpton could go ahead with racing when so many other tracks had failed to do so. 

Since then the weather went from bad to worse.  National Hunt Racing being brought to a standstill, the Racing Post becoming somewhat lighter and it was proving very difficult to get the horses out for exercise and to keep the team spirit high.  It was a great spectacle to see the horses out on the gallops in the snow, have a peek in the news section www.nickgiffordracing.co.uk.  

When finally we said goodbye to the white stuff some of the horses had lost a bit of fitness and just needed to get on the track.  However they are now all on great form, proven by a fantastic double at Lingfield on the 25th January.   After  the snow holding everything up, it is brilliant for the yard to be fully back on form with One Corneto’ ridden by our stable jockey ‘Liam Treadwell’  romping home ten lengths clear in the  ‘Lingfield Park Sporting Membership Handicap Chase over 2 miles.  Only his second race in over 900 days off the track.   Then in the next race Liam Treadwell did the business again on ‘General Kutozov’ in the Marriot Play & Stay Maiden Hurdle.   Long may it continue, no doubt a few celebrations will be had by the winning owners ‘Mrs Carrie Zetter-Wells and Barkfold Manor Stud as well as the lads of course.  The trainer may have had a little G&T!

So the rain has finally come and we have been able to get some horses on the track, they have been running really well, we just seem to have been suffering from seconditis.

At Ascot on Saturday Pascha Bere ran a blinder to finish second behind the Irish raider Danis Girl.  By George and Alderluck both had two great runs to finish second at Kempton on Monday.

At Exeter onTuesday to follow suit General Kutozov had a fantastic run over hurdles to finish second, still showing a lot of greenness and then we had another second with Dee E Williams first time out over fences who jumped like a stag.

So onwards and upwards with lots to look forward too!!

On Monday (Moorcroft Day) we have ‘Nur Tau’ running a small horse that has come of the flat.  He is versatile, goes on any ground and is still a novice, he jumps well at home and the step up in trip will suit him, so we are hopeful of a promising run.
  
But what we need is Rain, Rain, Rain!
 
The yard is ticking over, with the horses queuing up because we desperately like other jumps trainers need rain.  Once we get a lot of rain we can begin schooling the horses over the fences at home.
 
We have just had a new ‘Soft Track’ gallop surface put down which we are very pleased with and has enabled us to get the horses fit during this dry spell.
 
Its an exciting time as we have a great bunch of horses for the season, predominantly novice chases and we are hopeful of another successful year!!
 
We also need to mention my sister Tina Cook who since our last posting became European Three Day Eventing Champion both in the individual and team event – another brilliant effort Tina!

For many years Plumpton Racecourse has had some very strong ties with my family.

My father Josh was one of the most successful jockeys riding more than 65 winners at Plumpton – only AP McCoy has ridden more. As a trainer, he saddled more than a hundred winners at Plumpton over his long and distinguished career.

My sister Tina Cook has also ridden the racecourse on charity days. And whilst I’ve never ridden the course I have saddled many mounts and, for me, as a National Hunt trainer, I always see Plumpton as a great local track, its great for owners as everything is in close proximately and it has great facilities, whether you want sit down dining or an amazing salt beef sandwich.

With its proximity to our stables in Findon, just a dozen miles along the South Downs Way, and its similar feel to our own gallops, we have high hopes each time we turn up here.

The last few weeks have been very exciting with the impending birth of our first child and we are delighted to say that my wife Ruth gave birth to Amelia Grace on Friday, August 28, weighing 7lbs, 14oz.

Both are doing very well and I would like to thank everyone for all their good wishes.

We have a very exciting year ahead embarking on my seventh season since I took over from my old man. We have a stable bursting with potential stars, we will have around 40 horses in training when they all come back from their summer breaks.

If the rain comes we hope to have some runners in October and may be even at Plumpton on the Moorcroft Day where last year we had a winner with Tullymore Dew…fingers crossed.