Accomplice a 3 year old Gelding by Network out of a 3/4 sister to Blue Bresil, has just been broken in, and was ridden outside for the first time today.

Ouro Branco made a very impressive debut when finishing 3rd in a competitive Bumper at Taunton yesterday. He would undoubtedly have finished  2nd if he had not been badly hampered, so it was an excellent run for a 4 year old.

Ouro Branco is by Kapgarde out of Dolce Vita Yug, who won 12 races & was placed in a Listed race, her grand daughter won the Prix Finot (Listed race at Auteuil) last year 1st time out.  We have a lovely 2 year old gelding out of her by Walk in the Park. This year she is being covered by No Risk at All.

Congratulations to trainer Nigel Hawke & owner Jeff Hall on the success of Lord Ballim in the 14h30 at Carlisle.

We sold him after he had run a few times in France, he is a half brother to Sainte ladylime, a three times winner we sold to Paul & Clare Rooney.

Lord Ballim has often shown promise, notably when falling at the last in a novice chase when having the race won & then last time out being beaten on the nod at Towcester.

Nigel Hawke has been very patient with the horse, as he has been a bit slow to get the message & has had confidence issues following a few falls.

The fitting of a hood & waiting tactics seems to have done the trick, he can go on from here.

We received our regular hay delivery today from Mark & Caroline Chalmers who specialize in producing top quality hay in the Limousin area.

They supply English & Italian raygrass as well as meadow hay. Mark & Caroline moved to France 10 years ago, previously in England, Mark & his father Alan produced racehorse hay, notably for trainer Josh Gifford.

We believe that top class hay is an essential base of a horses diet & that everything else should be built around this.

Chez Castel Mail won impressively the 4.30pm at Fontwell today. He was always a very nice youngster & had a lovely temperament & great attitude, always well balanced in his work.  We are just about to start breaking in his 1/2 brother a 3  year old by Great Pretender who has the size and scope to make up into a very exciting prospect.

Verni made it three wins & four places from only eight  runs, when winning the 2miles 3 furlongs handicap hurdle at Taunton today. There should be plenty of improvement in him yet, as he is still lightly raced, and when we bought him from the breeders he was an unbroken 4 year old.