I’m out and about today but I can now update my blog with my Blackberry, so no excuses any more. Some of our friends are just back from holiday, and we spoke to two of them yesterday. One mother said that whenever they went to the beach they would play ‘run like Edgar’ (Eddie is Edgar) – you run down …

When I was young I remember a comic strip called “why dad why” with a young boy who was always asking his dad silly questions.  Eddie is at that age now, and I understand where the strip was coming from – I have to deal with questions like “who would win if a tiger fought a gorilla?”.  It’s a very …

It’s a while since my last post, and a lot to blog about.  I’ve taken a 50% stake in Manor House Stables, going in as joint owner alongside Michael Owen who built the stable up from nothing.  Tom Dascombe comes in as trainer, although he still has to focus on his Lambourn stable for a while as there is work …

It’s chaotic at home at the moment with the children now full on and with nowhere to hide at home.  Robbie is making life more difficult as he’s found a way to get out of his pen and he keeps running off onto the common that adjoins the farm – I’ve had to go in after him six times in …

A good win for Quaker Parrot on Thursday, and she’s proving to be a nice commercial type.  She isn’t blessed with the ability of some but she loves racing and really lights up when she gets to the track – she’s learning and progressing and on the whole is one to stay on the right side of.  Open Glory, who …

A long day in the sun yesterday and I missed all the racing. It was prize giving at school and sports day for the older ones.  Eddie didn’t win his class prize and he moaned loudly for the rest of the ceremony – his cries got louder as each prize was announced.  He was entertaining in his race – I whipped him …

The summer term is winding to an end, and with four young children I have a series of sports days to go to.  They’re not generally big days in the Black household – we don’t take them too seriously and we never win anything.  It’s all good fun though, and sometimes exciting. At our local nursery school (up to age 7) the …

A quickie today – I’ve been having trouble with my internet connection all week and it’s just come up so I’m going to try and get a blog out before it goes down again. Three runners today.  Pete saddles Winker at Newmarket.  He’s been looking a little fat and after his last showing I’m worried that he might sweat up …

Bert has asked me to post as he has been without an internet connection at the farm for a few days. BT aren’t showing any great urgency in fixing the line as the issue only affects Bert and one other property. Bert’s only runner in recent days was Lilac Moon at Haydock on Saturday. A cheapish claim as a 3 …

Amazing scenes yesterday as Jealous Again destroyed a class field in the Queen Mary.  The clues were all there and I feel a mug for not having backed her – I was concentrating on the British runners and I never gave her a second thought.  It poses questions for the rest of the week – will Wesley win the remaining …