SUPERBOWL joins the ecurie

Remember Quick d'Avignere (the Coktail Jet) being sold last year. Well, he has been reincarnated as SUPERBOWL DES BAUX. By Eclat de la Crau (sire of Snowball) out of Milady des Baux he has the late great Super Bowl on both sides of his pedigree and is therefore a quite unusual Trotteur Francais.

Milady was a very good race mare and you will recall that I was presented with a share in her recent lovely foal by Orlando as a reward for his services. This fellow will be called Utopique (you will see why if you look at Milady's pedigree above) and I have decided on Ulena for Festina's filly and United for Moonlight's colt. Mon dieu....I have lost count again!

a wonderful week- whisky galore!

A highly enjoyable week in all senses even if PORTO faced an impossible task off 25 metres at Graignes. David decided to send him forward down the back first time but the Bigeon favourite off the front was not going to give up the lead and while he was able to get into the 1-1 the effort told and David rightly did not persist. He has had seven races in a short time and is due for a little rest.
I was able to see both Sierra and Snowball work. Sierra is still giving out very promising signs but is still growing and won't be hurried.


We don't know much about Snowball. He could be anything but the boys are several weeks behind the girls and this was his first time in the cart since being gelded. Affectionately known as P... in the A.... because of his earlier antics in the sulky he actually behaved reasonably well on this occasion. He's a big solid horse and is possibly a monte type.


The week focused on the baptism of David and Celine's daughters, Clara and Olivia, and I highly recommend Kurt's only slightly censored account of the celebrations surrounding this event. Merci Teresa, Pauline, Marion, John, David and Laura for immense hospitality (not to mention a batch of rock cakes to bring back to London!). I was captured in a reasonable state at some point during the 36 hours of partying, though I'm not sure what liquid has got into the champagne glass.

Ups and downs... and ups

After a successful afternoon at the local Francheville track on Sunday - Kurt seeing DMH drive Prince des Baux to victory on his first French racing this trip and taking an excellent photo - we headed off to Amiens on Bastille Day with hopes for Porto and the anxious excitement of Orlando's return.
PORTO did a good race and returned his usual time; but the other apprentis/lad-jockeys had decided he wouldn't be allowed to get to the front this time and he ended up fifth, without being punished when it was clear that it wasn't his day. Out again on Saturday at Graignes off 25 metres.

ORLANDO was definitely the most impressive looking horse in the field, but the warm-up - head pic shows David conferring with Marion, who is wearing Laura's colours because I only have one set! - confirmed he is not trotting 100%. In the race the commissaires disqualified him after only 500 metres, a bit severe in our opinion. He followed the field easily and clearly has the fitness and ability to do something if we can solve the joint problem. So it was disappointing but this is not the time to quit!
The disappointments were quickly assuaged chez hue with champagne won by Porto at Chalons (opened in spectactular fashion by Laura, recently back from New Zealand!)and a lovely dinner in the open air.