January 6, 2026 by Mike Madden

Aligning The Stars

Health Warning

Many of you will have been watching the darts, and the sponsors Paddy Power donating more than £1m to prostate cancer research. The stats on prostate cancer are horrific, and a lot of men put off getting tested because they don’t want an embarrassing episode with a doctor and a rubber glove. Well, I got tested before Christmas, and it was a simple blood test. No great drama, in and out in a few minutes, and you get to keep your clothes on (except for your coat). Within 48 hours, the results were available on the NHS app, and fortunately mine were all good. I will probably have another one in a year or two.

You might have seen Sir Chris Hoy at the darts final. He has terminal prostate cancer, not helped because he ignored a symptom. Many prostate cancers have no symptoms, so the only way to be sure is to get tested. I would encourage all men, particularly those over 50, to call in at the GP and request a test. Its free, it can be scheduled within a few days, and it takes seconds. The blood test is not the all singing all dancing answer, and its not 100% accurate. The alternative does not bear thinking about. You can find more information here.

Prostate cancer PSA test

No Particular Place To Go

It has been a very hectic end to 2025, with Ole going off on his travels to the other side of the world. He headed to Thailand with girlfriend Abbie, and that would be followed by Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

Gonna miss you bro

Zac said farewell at home as he was up to his eyes in university work, but he will definitely miss his brother. On this occasion he was able to console himself with some chocolate cupcakes with his favourite Nutella buttercream topping.

We went to the airport to see them off, and all was well as they headed to the far east.

You Never Can Tell

It did not take long for them to hit a problem. Ole was ill in Thailand and may never eat Thai food again. They were due to go to an ethical elephant sanctuary, but had to delay it whilst he got over his bout of Delhi Belly, or should it be Thai Trots? However, he had fully recovered by the time they had Singapore Slings at Raffles. It hardly seems like they have been away with video calls and regular photo updates, but the discussion around how many children they wanted was a bit unnerving!

A Sad Ending

There was some sad news just a couple of days after they left. The vet called and told me that Thomas had unfortunately passed away after being hit by a car. Fortunately someone took him to the vet but he was killed almost instantly. I picked him up and we buried him in the garden. Zac Googled whether we should let our other cat, Bo, see the body, and the consensus was that we should. So, Bo jumped in to the grave and sniffed around. She tolerated Thomas rather than them being actual friends, but she certainly seemed to know that something had happened. We broke the news to Ole who thought that we should have kept it from him until he got back. That would be three whole months!

Worse was to come when Gabi was discussing a visit to ours on Boxing Day. She explained that Ole would not be there, and Miles said that at least  Zac, Thomas and Bo would be. Gabi then said that Thomas had died, and that induced floods of tears.

Down In The Mouth

Two days after Thomas’s demise it was Sally who was suffering. She had to go into Manchester to have a wisdom tooth extracted. I went to Haydock first to drop off some merchandise for the Injured Jockeys Fund, and with traffic and roadworks this took longer than expected. I helped to set up the stand and made a few sales, then I had to head home to give Sally a ride into town.

Navigating the traffic through Manchester was not easy, but I dropped Sally off then went to get my car valeted for the bargain price of £20. I followed up with a trip to an Asian supermarket where I stocked up on spices, and I returned to the dental hospital after about 90 minutes. Sally was still not ready, eventually appearing about 20 minutes later. It had gone well, but not without incident. The root was a little bulbous, and they had to remove some bone to get at it. She was still under the anaesthetic, and we managed to get home before that fully wore off. Her mouth was so sensitive that she struggled to speak. I know! Terrible!

She was settling down for the evening when her friend called. Her friend’s dad was ill, suspected heart attack, so she rushed across to give her medical opinion and assistance. In the end all was well, but if this was our advent calendar I was beginning to dread opening doors!

The following day I had a check up at the dentists, and I was mightily relieved when I was given the all clear for another 6 months.

Window Dressing

And speaking of advent calendars, Zac appeared to have ignored his. Mid way through the month Sally picked it up and none of the doors had been opened. This was not like him at all. Then, she turned it over. Turns out that Zac had not bothered with the doors. Instead, he had ripped the back off and eaten every single chocolate, even though it was only the 12th!

   

A pristine Advent Calendar…      …until you look round the back

Christmas Kitchen

The kitchen has been predictably busy with all kinds of festive treats. Chilli jam is not particularly festive bit it does make for a nice home made gift. We Facetimed Ole, and suddenly it dawned on me. Ole loves chilli but hates mushrooms. So whenever he’s at home the chilli is mushroom-free. With him being away for 3 months the mushrooms have appeared in abundance. I’d forgotten how much better chilli is with them!

   

Mushrooms…                              …in chilli!

Gingerbread is essential, and I decided to add an egg to my usual recipe (which was my mum’s) to make the gingerbread men just a little tubbier.

Don’t think these gingerbread men will be running very fast

Dressed to kill

I could not decide which biscuits to make, so jammie dodgers, Nutella dodgers, chocolate digestives and chocolate chip cookies all made an appearance.

Biscuit anyone?

I made Nixie’s favourite lemon drizzle cake, but the star of the show was the Creole Cake. Sally dispensed with the sparkles to give it a rustic appearance, and it is certainly worth its place in the Creole Cake hall of fame.

Creole Cake 2026

Last year I made Zuccotto Di Panettone, and it was very popular. I decided to try it again. No cooking. Delicious!

   

Zuccotto Di Panettone soused with sherry and filled with ricotta, chocolate chips, cocoa, almonds and peel, then covered in cocoa

Premature Creation

The chocolate log was probably a little early, and had no chance of making it to Christmas. After a day the logging company (Zac) had demolished two trees and a sign. Another day later the habitat of the deer population was under threat. Predictably, I had to make another one.

       

An environmental crisis as the loggers moved in and destroyed the natural habitat

Finally, pastel de nata was a huge hit for breakfast, lunch and supper on Christmas Day.

Pastel De Nata

Age Is Just A Number

Like everyone I am getting older, so when it was suggested that our annual lads meet up in Manchester should be an afternoon session I jumped at the chance. The idea was that we would meet around 4pm rather than 7pm, and if I left after around five hours I would be home three hours earlier than the normal midnight.

So, we met at Head Of Steam, a bar I had not been in before, but which had plenty of tvs to watch the World Cup draw. It also had a large variety of lagers and beers, a small food offering, and a very expensive pastime called “social darts”. I made sure to get some food, and the 4.2% Czech lager was great. It started to go south when shots were ordered, but I did manage to get a train one hour earlier than I normally would, but two hours later than I really should. So, rather than get home at midnight it was around 11pm, though that extra hour of sleep kept my hangover at bay.

Freezing Football

Although Ole was on the other side of the world, Hayfield FC continued without him. It was a very cold and wet Saturday afternoon that I headed to Silverlands where they had a Derbyshire Cup quarter-final against Tintwistle. Despite going a goal down very early, Hayfield came through easily in the end, despite the gale force winds and horizontal rain. I think Ole was on a beach when I told him the result.

Just A Game

Abbie’s mum has launched her own range of pottery, and she has been touring the Christmas markets with her wares. We headed to Haddon Hall to support her, and to deliver some Rocky Road, a welcome sweet treat. Sally bought a pot rabbit and some other stuff, then it was time to go. On the way out we had to pay £4 for parking, but Sally is an expert of avoiding that kind of thing. She approached the booth, ready to hand over her cash. Then she slipped in the idea that she had been delivering to the Peako Pots stall, and with this information the staff said that she was a trader and let her off the parking fee. It might only have been £4, but to Sally, it meant that she had won the game. 

Haddon Hall with free parking

We also went for a stroll around Tideswell, and Sally managed to bag herself another bargain. The village was fairly deserted, but in front of one particularly imposing building there was a wicker basket sat on some bins. It was empty, and I suggested that perhaps someone leaves eggs in it for the locals to help themselves. Sally was dismissive of this, thinking that someone had thrown it out. Then, a woman appeared from inside the building. “Is this yours?” Sally asked, and the woman said that it was, but she had thrown it out as she did not want it any more. “Help yourself,” she suggested, and Sally did. There was certainly a skip in her step as we completed our brief tour of Tideswell, with the basket taking pride of place on her arm.

Sally won again on Bargain Hunt

Breaking Point

Christmas is always a favourite time, and it seems to intensify the closer it gets to the big day. Sally really excels, dressing up the house and garden, and yes, preparing a faultless Christmas dinner.

Ready for Christmas

This year there was a pair of incidents that restored my faith in the joy of Christmas. We had finished dinner, when my nephew Ben leaned forward on his chair. The chair was a sturdy wooden thing that is only used a couple of times a year, including for Christmas lunch. No one heard a break or a snap, but we all heard the crash and thud. The chair simply disintegrated, and Ben found himself on the floor.

Once we realised that Ben was ok we dissolved into hysterical laughter, particularly as Zac explained that the chair had collapsed before, and he had tried to glue it back together. As the laughter died down there was another crash and thud. This time it was my brother-in-law Peter’s turn to end up on the floor, as an identical chair collapsed in an identical manner. After briefly considering the odds of such an occurrence, we just laughed, and this time the laughter never really died down. Brian Rix could not have scripted it better.

The chairs will not see another Christmas

Winter Sport?

I played golf at Shrigley Hall between Christmas and New Year, as part of a cricket club competition. Lost a lot of balls and generally played terribly, except for one or two sublime shots and some good putting. However, my biggest mistake was the day before. I agreed to play a warm up at Chapel-en-le-Frith. My intention was just to play seven holes, but it got competitive. I ended up playing 18, and that was the first time I had played a full round since August. By the time I got to Shrigley I was stiff as a board. Note to self – ensure at least 48 hours between future rounds.

The first snows of 2026 arrived this morning. Chaos on the roads as someone forgot to mobilise the gritters. Hardly Snowmageddon!

The first snows of winter

Aligning The Stars

There was an extensive debate around Star Of Lady M’s mating plans, but we settled on Starman. He stands at Tally-Ho stud in Ireland, which meant that we could firm up plans to get her over there. Unfortunately we could not get a discount or a foal share as Starman is one of the hottest stallions at the moment. However, with a foal by Starman out of Star Of Lady M, let’s hope that the Stars align.

Transport was arranged for 16th December, and she was scheduled to arrive at Mount Coote on 17th. We headed to David’s to see her off, though as her departure was later in the evening we just handed out some cakes and Rocky Road and fussed our horses. Star Of Lady M was looking very white, but full of herself as usual. She was ready to go, though she did not quite know what was in store for her. Percy’s Daydream was as sweet as ever, wanting plenty of attention with her woolly winter coat.

Star Of Lady M ready to go

Percy’s Daydream seeking attention

Luke messaged me early on 17th and sent a video showing her arriving in Ireland. Two days later she was happily grazing in a field with two other mares. It was a very strange experience for her, but she seems to have taken to her new life very well.

Star Of Lady M at home in Ireland

You can read the previous edition here:-

 

https://michael-madden.co.uk/2025/11/29/end-of-an-era

November 29, 2025 by Mike Madden

End Of An Era

Walking In A Winter Wonderland

Its the time of year when going for a walk can involve slipping and sliding through mud, getting caught on frozen terrain, or suffering heavy and unexpected downpours. Fortunately, we missed all of those when we headed to Thorpe towards Dovedale. Our walk began close to the Old Dog pub, and after my sister Fiona sent us off in the wrong direction, we retraced our steps and headed towards Thorpe Cloud.

This imposing hill was a little too imposing for our purposes, so we skirted around the edge of it towards Dovedale. We crossed the stream and started to make our way back, using the stepping stones to get back on track. After an hour or so we returned to the pub, and had a couple of refreshing drinks outside in ridiculously mild temperatures. Next up we are hoping to tackle the Magpie Mine from Ashford-in-the-Water, though after recent rain I don’t think we will be escaping the mud.

Thorpe Cloud

The way back

The Bank, Biryani and Bananas

We decided to try Deacon’s Bank for Sunday lunch, prompted by the news that our godson, Ted, worked there. So, we booked a table and arrived a couple of minutes early. The table was not ready, but no problem, we could get a drink at the bar and they would let us know when we could take our seats. Another couple arrived just before us, and somehow the staff contrived to make our wait a full 15 minutes before we actually got a drink, in a restaurant that had four other diners!

We were eventually shown to a table, and both ordered roast beef. I took it as it came, whereas Sally did not want roast potatoes or Yorkshire pudding, preferring extra vegetables instead. As we sat and chatted, we were served some focaccia with herb butter. It did not look like focaccia, but it had been proved for 51 hours. Not 50 or 52, but 51 hours. Why so precise? And what difference would it make? I have no idea, but when I make focaccia it is very different!

You Can’t Sit There

Next, we were moved. They had apparently overbooked the tables, so they asked us if we would mind moving. This was a small inconvenience but not the end of the world, so we moved to the next table!

Finally, our food arrived, and whilst it was on the whole well prepared and delicious, there were a few issues. The roast potatoes were actually quite firm and not what I would have expected. The menu advertises roast and mashed potatoes, but the mashed were nowhere to be found. The cauliflower cheese, so often served as an extra, was included. However, it was little more than a saucer to share between the two of us. To be honest I was underwhelmed by the whole experience, and there are so many good places in the surrounding area for Sunday lunch that we are unlikely to return in the near future.

Well presented lunch at Deacon’s Bank

Christmas Kitchen

Its the run up to Christmas, and so the kitchen has been used mainly for sweet treats. Flapjacks made a welcome return, as did chocolate chip cookies. This weekend I made the first chocolate log of the year, which Zac described as “perfection”. I would have shared a photo but there’s not much left.

I also decided to create another Focaccia, and I can confirm that it is far superior to the 51-hour proved version served at Deacon’s Bank.

Focaccia

I made chicken biryani which is essentially made in one pot, but which seems to take five times more effort than other curries.

Steaming Chicken Biryani

Of course, Christmas means gingerbread. I found some big eyes left over from last year!

Its not Christmas without gingerbread

Should have gone to Specsavers

That should have been about it, but my sister brought round several over-ripe bananas. So, soft banana cookies and banana and walnut cake took care of those.

A Good Cause

I do voluntary work for the Injured Jockeys Fund, and this week I was at Uttoxeter selling Christmas cards, diaries, calendars and all kinds of gifts. Took well over £1,000 and everyone is very supportive of the good cause. Ex-jockey Andrew Thornton gave us a big push on the PA and the second race was actually named after the IJF. They asked me to present the prize, but as I was on my own I could not leave the stand. If only Sally was there!

On sale at Uttoxeter

Not Long Now

Ole finally finished his acting in Manchester. Still not sure if I can say too much about it, but it is a Channel 4 drama that should be out in early 2026. So next up he is heading to Thailand on his way to Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. He plans to be away for around 3 months, missing Christmas and mum’s birthday. I’m not sure which will have the biggest effect.

Last Orders

One of the consequences of getting older is that you tend to attend an increasing number of funerals. Last week alone we had one in Macclesfield and another in Wetherby. Both were respectful, both provided magnificent buffets, but I do think that something should be done about the memorial brochure. I am sure a handful of people would keep the memorial as a keepsake of their beloved friend or family member. However, the majority will take it home as they would not want to appear disrespectful by leaving it at the church or crematorium. Then when they get home they are binned. A better idea would be to provide a digital copy for those that simply want to follow the ceremony. Cuts down on printing costs and waste.

At one of the funerals last week Sally decided that she would like an Aperol Spritz. The pub did not really sell many of them, so the landlord gave Sally the bottle of Aperol, together with a bottle of Prosecco, and said to help herself. The deceased would definitely have approved.

Decisions At Dundalk

Star Of Lady M returned to Dundalk for the Group 3 Mercury stakes, a race that would hopefully be a stepping stone to Dubai and further success. Char-Lee sent a message ahead of the race, saying our horse had travelled well, although the crossing had not been great. We set off at a reasonable time the following day, flying from Manchester to Dublin where we picked up a car for a little over £20. Our journey would cover quite a few miles, but all we needed to do was to fill the tank up on our return to the Easirent drop off place.

We were early arriving at Dundalk, so we called in at the hotel we stayed at last year and enjoyed a couple of drinks in a relaxed atmosphere.

Early start in Dundalk

The course was quiet when we parked up, but it soon livened up with a good Friday night crowd including a couple of birthday parties.

Star Of Lady M was initially the 11/2 favourite, but she was drawn in 9 so would be up against it. I was still not convinced that she liked Polytrack, but there was some good news when I found that there were two reserves. These were drawn inside us, and so in theory we would be drawn in 7 when the race began.

We enjoyed a fantastic Irish Stew, (or was it stroganoff?) served with creamy mashed potatoes. Once again I could not manage dessert. We chatted with a couple of racegoers, and then it was time to race.

The weather turned foul, and we huddled with other owners in the parade ring. Kevin Blake was there once again with Lady With The Lamp, Aidan O’Brien had withdrawn one of his runners meaning we were effectively in 8.

Star Doesn’t Shine

Ronan Whelan was confident, and he thought that she wandered about last year because her visor might have slipped. That gave me a little more confidence, but for the first time ever I thought, this might just be her last race.

Ronan Whelan on Star Of Lady M

She broke ok but was quickly outpaced. Although she travelled well, and ran on towards the end, she could do no better than ninth. West Acre, who had wintered well in Dubai the previous year and would probably head there again, finished second, and Lady With The Lamp was 12th.

Ronan said she struggled to accelerate, and perhaps she was not as fast as she once was, whilst Tash thought that she was maybe protecting her injury. She was doing well at home, but that was where she could build up her speed at her own pace.

Star Of Lady M gave it everything on a foul night in Dundalk

I still suspected that she would be better on turf than Polytrack. Sally immediately said, “well she’s won’t be going to Dubai after that,” but I remembered David’s words from a long time ago. Don’t let the highs get you too high, and don’t let the lows get you too low. It was not the time to be making a snap decision, so we left Dundalk and headed to Naas where we had booked to stay at the renowned Lawlors hotel.

The very grand Lawlors in Naas

Decisions, Decisions

I missed calls from David and Luke on the way, but I could catch up with them over the weekend. Everyone that we spoke to about staying in Naas mentioned Lawlors. It was clearly the place to be, and when we arrived we were not disappointed. Lawlors was magnificent. A real gem of an hotel, with ornate bars and hallways. We quickly checked in and then enjoyed a Guinness and Aperol before retiring for the night.

The stylish bar

Our familiar tipple

In my mind we could still head to Dubai, but I would need to be confident that the turf would bring about the dramatic improvement required. She had shown her ability on her comeback at Beverley on suitable ground, and her subsequent races had been on soft and polytrack. However, her future career as a broodmare was also a consideration.

Luke would give some sound advice, as would David, but ultimately it would be our decision what to do next.

The following morning things were not a whole lot clearer. We spoke to Luke and then, after a hearty breakfast, made the long journey from Naas to Mount Coote Stud. Our satnav took us an interesting route, leaving the motorway to take a scenic tour of rural Ireland via Tipperary. Eventually we arrived at the back gate, and after a couple of wrong turns we arrived at the front door around 11.30am.

It’s a long way to Tipperary...

…but the pubs make it well worthwhile

Magnificent Mount Coote

We were welcomed by Luke, Tabitha and three dogs, with a loose plan to tour the farm and then sit down to lunch. Discussions around a stallion for Star Of Lady M were high on the agenda, but at that stage it could still be over a year away.

Mount Coote

A short time later plans were changed when a car pulled up. Tabitha thought it might be some people renting a cottage who had arrived early, and she went out to deal with them. However, as two ladies emerged from their car, we realised that one of them was Dympna, David O’Meara’s mum. She could not make Dundalk, but when she realised we were heading to Mount Coote she decided that she absolutely must meet us there, just an hour from where she lives. She brought along her friend, Liz O’Connor, and everyone was soon deep into a variety of conversations.

Liz’s son Austin was an Olympic eventer, and she knew Tabitha who also has a background in equestrian sport. Dympna was more interested in breeding, and particularly Sioux Nation who had sired the first foal from her mare Elisheva. Unfortunately the price for Sioux Nation had virtually doubled due to the success of his progeny on the racetrack.

Christmas Cake And Cabbage

As Tabitha prepared lunch the conversation turned to food, with Liz and Dympna sharing various stories around bacon and cabbage, a staple Irish dish. Of course, bacon water had to be used to cook the cabbage in, which made me laugh. When I was growing up we regularly had bacon and cabbage, all done in a single pot.

When it came to Christmas Cake, they had different opinions. Dympna put apples in hers so that it does not need much booze to provide the moisture. Liz and myself were of the opinion that no one actually needs booze in a cake, but it adds so much flavour and warmth, why would anyone omit it? I described my Creole Cake, baked ten weeks in advance of Christmas, and then fed at two week intervals with Cointreau, brandy, port, sherry and rum.

Ronan’s Consolation

With appetites suitably whetted we sat down to a delicious lunch and discussed the race. As we watched the racing on tv Ronan Whelan won the Group 1 on Hawk Mountain.

Dundalk was still playing on my mind, and I was convinced that the polytrack surface was not in her favour, but who was I trying to convince? And why? Was I being overly sentimental or selfish in not wanting her racing career to end? It would need some long, hard and honest thinking to decide.

David left a message mid-afternoon and said that he would call on his way back from Doncaster. He was probably surprised when I told him I was having lunch with his mother. Results had gone against him all day, and he probably had a lot of owners to talk to. Our discussion could easily wait until the following week.

Dubai Dreaming

Luke was still talking about the possibility of Dubai, and he would ask one of his many contacts about the practicalities of racing in December and January before returning to breed. I was still excited about this possibility, but equally, if we did decide to retire her there and then, she would have plenty of time to travel to Mount Coote and be prepared for her future career as a broodmare.

Now that looked an ominous possibility but we shouldn’t be too down. She could have time off and get ready for breeding at the wonderful Mount Coote.

Eventually, Dympna and Liz were on their way, and it was a fond farewell. Time was limited, but Luke took us on a tour of the farm. He explained about the different barns, paddocks and feeding areas. The husbandry around the farm, involving cattle and sheep was all important, but possibly the most important factor was the land itself. Mount Coote more or less lies in the Golden Vale of Tipperary, birthplace and nursery for so many great racehorses. Star Of Lady M would certainly have that in her favour when she finally arrived there.

Star Of Lady M’s future home

Search For A Stallion

Back in the house we kept one eye on the clock as we went through a list of stallions. This was supplemented with some research and analysis by Alan Porter from Oregon, who goes through pedigrees with a forensic approach.

Blue Point was the favoured stallion, as he had proven himself already, and he was top of Alan’s analysis. However, he was the small matter of 100,000 Euros, and Luke thought that it would be unlikely that they would consider a foal share. We dismissed the new sires as their progeny were unproven, and Cotai Glory, from Alan’s list, was moved to the bottom of the pile. The list was growing, with Too Darn Hot, Sioux Nation and Kameko all included. Luke’s breadth of knowledge came to the fore to dismiss some, but others had to be considered.

Sergei Prokofiev and Showcasing were both from Whitsbury Manor and at opposite ends of their stallion careers. l was interested in both. I thought that Ed Harper at Whitsbury would give us a good deal, as that was the birthplace of Star Of Lady M, and, of course, she had been the first winner for their superstar Havana Grey.

Palace Pier was relatively unproven, but Pinatubo was interesting. Luke thought that his fee would go down so we would keep an eye on that. Mohaather was dismissed, whilst Starman was high on the list but his fee would surely rise considerably from 10,000 Euros.

The conclusion was that we would need to discuss again, and send a final list for further analysis to Alan.

Homeward Bound

We said another fond farewell and embarked on the long drive back to the airport. We had plenty of fuel despite our mileage, but then about 20 miles from our destination the fuel light came on. It was a gamble but we continued all the way to Dublin, past the airport, before limping in to a garage to refuel. We got a lift from Easirent to T2, though we were actually departing from T1. This worked in our favour as T1 was deserted. We flew through security and after a short walk we arrived in the departure lounge. We were soon home with plenty to think about.

Dissecting The Data

I did not watch the race back until Sunday, and it did not really enlighten me. Even the data was inconsistent, particularly when compared to her brilliant wins at York and Ayr. She has never been that quick getting to 20mph, but her finishing speed has always been good. Her top speed was a disappointment at Dundalk, and her stride length seemed to have changed. I had no idea what to make of all that, and put it to one side until I had spoken to David.

David had not called on Saturday, and I did not want to bother him on Sunday, so I left it. There was no rush, Dubai was some time away, and she would have an easy time after her trip to Ireland. I heard nothing on Monday, but then got a bit of a surprise on Tuesday. Star Of Lady M had been dropped 3 pounds to 104, which was a pound below the threshold for travel subsidies to Dubai.

Dubai Details

Meanwhile, Luke had spoken to a friend of his who advised that our plan to potentially race in Dubai and then return to breed was possible, but it was risky. The conclusion was that if we went to Dubai, we should probably extend that to a full season and delay breeding for a year. The temperature change would have an impact, but there would be other factors too.

In a way it was a relief, as we were effectively turning the clock back 12 months. She would be getting borderline too old after that, but as a mature mare she could eliminate many of the risks associated with younger mares.

So, it was possible but with conditions. The only thing remaining to impact our decision was the call from David. It was like waiting for the call when she got injured as a two-year-old and was kept at the vet during her recovery.

The Final Piece Of The Puzzle

Finally, on Wednesday, David rang. He thought that she hated every minute of the race at Dundalk, and he thought that she was maybe tentative on her ligament following her recent injury. I asked about the travel subsidy in Dubai, and whether we could ask the handicapper to give us a separate turf rating above the threshold. It was possible, but the odds were stacking against us.

The End Is Nigh

I thought about it for a while, and then came to the conclusion that there were too many unknowns. If we took her to Dubai and she still did not thrive we would lose another year of her being a broodmare. With doubts about her ongoing injury, and no real reason for the letdown at Dundalk, I decided that the best course of action all around was to retire her.

Sally was fully supportive, as were David and Luke. We could now think seriously about a stallion, and make preparations to transport her to Mount Coote. David expected that to happen quickly, but I thought it made sense to keep her at Willow Farm, at least until we had decided whether we would use an English or Irish stallion.

Star Of Lady M left the racecourse for the last time at Dundalk

Celebrations Not Commiserations

As I let people know the situation, there were many condolences and messages of regret. I did not look at it like that. Yes, it was sad to end her racing career, but she owed us nothing. She had won eleven races, including a class 1 and two class 2s. She had taken us to Paris as well as Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood, and she had given us that cherished victory at the Ebor Festival.

At Redcar and Beverly she will always be remembered, and she has accumulated so many fans. Not bad for a 15,000 guineas yearling! She will now embark on a second career as a broodmare. That will pan out hopefully over many years, and we are fortunate enough that we can be with her all the way. In a few years time, we would hope to send one of her offspring across to David to race, and the whole cycle would start again.

Everything Happens For A Reason

I had thought that the sequel to From Tattersalls To Triumphs would end at the conclusion of her racing career, so now I can finish that particular book.

From Tattersalls To Triumphs

A few days later I was at a veterinary conference selling Injured Jockeys Fund merchandise. While I was there I got a call from Aaron. Although it was by mistake we had a good chat, discussing Star Of Lady M perhaps not reaching the heights of her previous season, and that she was doing fine on the walker. I saw this as one more confirmation that we were doing the right thing.

It is almost always sales season in the bloodstock world, but November was particular interesting. It was the foals who were under the hammer, and prices varied wildly. Starman was holding up well, as was Blue Point. Sands Of Mali was also interesting, together with some of the foals who failed to reach their reserve. It all added further complexities to our final decision of who to cover Star Of Lady M with, and that would only be for her first foal!

Finally, I spoke to Stu Graham who we first met at David’s the week after the Abbaye. He owned Intisaab, another rags to riches horse, and he was keen to get his thoughts down on paper with a view to writing a book. At least we might have inspired someone!

You can read the previous edition here:-

Once In A Lifetime

January 23, 2025 by Mike Madden

I Don’t Like Mondays

Working Nine To Five

News on the job front – Ole has now passed his probation period at Sky and so is allowed to work from home. This is getting quite expensive for us, as at his office he goes to Subway or Greggs for lunch, but at home he goes to the fridge. The same happens on his morning and afternoon breaks. I’m thinking of getting a vending machine installed in the kitchen.

Meanwhile, my Dutch adventure is not going particularly well. Its making a profit, but it is a pain in the arse. So, I am trying to simplify it with a view to maybe ending the whole thing. My first step was to end the appointment of my Dutch director. I am looking for an alternative, but if one cannot be found that will just force me to close the business anyway. All of my contracts expire in March anyway, and although renewals will be offered, this would be an opportune time to step aside.

You’ll Always Find Me In The Kitchen…

The Christmas kitchen has been as busy as ever, with the staple chocolate log making an appearance. This was a little later than normal so that Zac would not eat it all before the big day.

Festive chocolate log

The Creole cake was finished, and Sally added her usual artistic touches. 

Creole Cake 2024

Lasagne was another success, made with turkey mince and lots of cheese, and then there was a new recipe.

Every year we have a panettone, but I can never remember actually eating one. So, I saw Rachel Allen use one on her “Bake” series, basically making it into a pudding filled with ricotta, cocoa and a few other things. I decided to give it a go myself, and the end result of Zucotto di panettone was delicious. It was compared to rum and raisin ice cream, and a giant chocolate eclair. It will definitely be made again, maybe in time for Easter.

Zucotto Di Panettone after 24 hours…

…topped with cocoa…

…sliced and devoured

Away from Christmas I gave home-made fish & chips another outing, although I did not have time to create the mushy peas so common or garden had to do.

 

Home-made chip shop fish

Storm Of The Week

Yet another Storm Of The Century hit Whaley Bridge recently, that’s probably the fifth since the millennium. I still think its a bit early to be calling anything “…Of The Century”, but the weathermen in particular insist. This one brought extensive flooding to the area, quickly followed by heavy snow.

How high’s the water momma?

The BBC and Sky came to the village looking for a news story, the first time the press had descended on Whaley Bridge since the infamous dam incident.

Temperatures dropped, meaning the thaw was delayed. Footpaths were literally ice sheets, and we had a burst pipe in the garage.

Snowy Whaley Bridge

However, this gave plenty of opportunity for crisp winter walks across the frozen fields to Buxworth, and a nice stroll up to Solomon’s Temple with the grandkids to blow away the cobwebs. Well, the grandkids made it all the way to the temple, we stayed at the bottom of the final hill to get our breath back. 

Sending the grandkids to Solomon’s Temple

The storm meant that our planned New Year’s Eve bonfire was a damp squib, but we had one a few days later, and then Sally decided on another in early January. I’m not quite sure she built it properly!

Not quite Bear Grylls

Brothers In Pyjamas

Damage from the storm was widespread, and it destroyed one of our fence panels. We got another delivered, and I painted it with wood preserving stain, but it would still be tricky to get it into place. A branch had grown over the gap since the previous installation, so I had to get a saw and cut that off. It was turning into a project, but help was at hand. Ole and Zac decided that they would finish the job.

To be fair they did complete it. It was upside down and back to front, and I’m not sure health & safety would have approved of their uniforms. The right hand side had a significant gap to the stone frame, and they started knocking it down with a hammer. This would have significantly damaged the panel, so I stepped in and raised the frame. The job was done, but I am now concerned that the next panel along is showing signs of wear and tear!

Driving Home For Christmas

Christmas Eve used to be a stressful time, making sure all of the presents are accounted for and wrapped, but now that the kids are grown up it is a lot more relaxed. Except this year! Ole was playing football in Marple, but his car would not work. That’s unfortunate, finding out that your car won’t start on Christmas Eve, but that was not actually the case. He found out a few days earlier, but decided to do precisely nothing about it. So, Sally had a go at starting his car with jump leads, but to no avail. It was completely dead. He had not left any lights on, or radio blaring. It was a mystery.

Beat The Clock

Fortunately we have RAC cover, so I called them. I picked up Ole from his football, confident that the repair man was on his way. I guess I should have expected a wide variety of possible arrival times, from 2pm to 8pm, then 5pm, 10pm, and so on. This was disturbing as I had a must not miss appointment, at the Drum & Monkey, at 3.30pm.

Eventually the guy turned up just after 3. I thought that it would be a long job, but not so. He connected the battery to his vehicle, and seconds later Ole’s car sprang into life. I told him that Sally and Ole had tried to jump start it earlier, and he simply said that they had not been doing it properly. He also said that Ole had left the lights on which had killed the battery. He refused to sell us a new battery, as the existing one was under warranty and his batteries were too expensive. The mechanic was brilliant, just doing his job and not trying to rip anyone off, all on Christmas Eve. It was a Christmas miracle that enabled me to to get some well deserved me time just 10 minutes later than planned.

I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day

We had a wonderful Christmas. Sally stayed in bed until 7am, which is two hours later than normal, and we fell back into bed much later than previous years, mainly due to something called “Gavin & Stacey”.

The cats also enjoyed their Christmas – with Bo attacking the feather and Thomas taking the more fundamental approach of disabling the base.

Monday Morning Blues

New year came and went, and one morning Sally shot out of bed in a panic. She quickly dressed, and muttered something about a car service. By this time all of the lights were on and I was awake, without my customary early morning coffee.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“I’m late. My car is going in for a service this morning and I’m supposed to have already dropped it off,” she replied.

“Car service? On a Sunday?” I asked.

“Sunday? Its Monday,” she said.

“No it isn’t,” I said, and after clarifying the situation we did indeed agree that it was Sunday. So now she was in the wrong clothes for her normal Sunday activity of horse riding. And guess who’s fault it was.

“Its all your fault,” she said. “You were watching American Football last night and you normally do that on Sundays!”

Road To Nowhere

Zac decided that he was going to the Lake District with some friends. With his health scare fresh in the memory Sally wanted to know exactly where and when he was going, and the locations of all hospitals in the area. Zac either did not know or refused to say, but shortly after he set off she managed to track him on Snapchat. I can’t help thinking that that particular avenue may be closed by Zac in the near future. He did insist on Sally frequently asking him the question “Have you packed….?” using random items. This was so that he did not forget anything.

I Hear You Knocking…

While he was away Sally decided to clean his room, despite his pleas not to. Amongst the debris was a pizza box containing a bowl that had an unknown brown substance in it. The bowl was some sort of pottery, and so noxious was the substance that it had permeated right through to the underside of it.

In one drawer there was a mountain of socks. I paired them for him, and threw away a considerable number of odd ones. The following day another draw was emptied, and in it was another mountain of socks, many of which could have been paired with those already discarded.

Zac was fuming when he returned, and it looked for a while like World War 3 would break out. However, things seem to calm down, and then Zac set about rearranging and tidying his room himself. He did a fantastic job, the question now is “Can he keep it that way?”

Here Comes The Sun

Percy’s Daydream and Star Of Lady M have just resumed training after their winter break. Unfortunately the racing programme has not yet been released beyond the end of March, so it is difficult to plan anything for Percy’s Daydream.

Star Of Lady M’s season should be a lot more predictable, with the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket the initial target. There should then be a race every three or four weeks up until the Nunthorpe at York in August. David O’Meara is happy to send her straight to the Palace House, but he is also not against a prep race if one can be found.

As Easter is late this year that is not particularly easy. The only handicap we could consider is at Musselburgh, but just two weeks before the Newmarket race. The Listed race at Bath has been moved from Friday to Sunday, leaving just a 13 day gap. Our only option might be the Abernant also at Newmarket, which would give us a 16 day gap. It is six furlongs and a tough course, so the ground would have to be on the quick side for us to consider that.

Meanwhile, she has clearly become the face of ITV Racing. Her image has been used against previews of The Opening Show, and on ITVX. I don’t recall agreeing to image rights for those!

I’m Looking For My Wife

December 22, 2024 by Mike Madden

I’m Looking For My Wife

Viva Las Vegas

We finally made it to Vegas! After months of planning, and at least one last minute major surprise, we left Manchester Airport on 18th October, the day that Zac turned 21. Sally and myself turned left, whilst the kids were in Premium Economy where they could complain about service and food blissfully out of our earshot.

Trouble in Premium Economy

Stuck In The Middle With You

The time difference is brutal, a full eight hours, and I did not expect a late one on that first night. We jumped in a couple of cabs and got to the MGM Mandalay Bay hotel, where check-in was quick and easy. Unlike the lifts. Sally wanted to get on with things, so she jumped in the lift with Ole and Zac, and off they went up to floor 10. Unfortunately, our room was on floor 4. In many hotels that would not be a problem, but in the Mandalay Bay the lifts are activated by room cards, and they will only stop either on the ground floor, or the floor of the room card. So, Sally could not get back down to floor 4, and I could not go to collect her at floor 10. To make matters worse we had not yet connected tho the hotel wifi.

The Ups And Downs Of 30 Years

I stood with Gabi outside the lifts when a maintenance man appeared. “Are you looking for your room?” he asked. “No,” I replied “I’m looking for my wife!” He laughed and went on his way. I went down to the ground floor, and fortunately Sally had the same idea (that’s what 30 years of marriage does for you), and we were reunited. She had been asking various strangers if they were going to the fourth floor, and was quite relieved when I came along.

We met some American friends in the casino area, where the Sportsbook was magnificent. This consisted of a bar, extensive seating, and a huge bank of television screens showing almost every sporting event from around the world.

American Pie

For now, though, food was a necessity. We were all getting tired and we were all getting hungry, so we found an Italian restaurant where mountains of food were ordered. It has been a while since we visited the US, and we must have forgotten just how big portions are. There were four full boxes of takeaway boxes when we finally finished.

Breakfast In America

The following morning we were all up early, and when in Rome (or Vegas, or anywhere in the US), breakfast means Denny’s. There were two Denny’s within walking distance of our hotel, and one was “just around the corner”. There was a walkway through the Excalibur and Luxor hotels, and after that we just needed to turn right. However, another hotel had been demolished and a diversion was in place. This took us across several footbridges that spanned the main highways, and other than going through the MGM Grand there appeared to be no way to get to our destination. Of course, the good thing about Denny’s is that there is always another one. Sure enough, a few hundred yards along the street on which we found ourselves, the welcoming yellow sign could be seen.

We made our way down and ordered a selection of traditional American breakfast foods. In the next booth were a couple of strangers. One was asleep, but his friend was keen to know what we were doing in Vegas and how long we were staying. During the conversation he produced an open bottle of wine and continued to drink straight from the bottle. It was around 5am. In Las Vegas it was hard to tell whether he was just finishing a night out, or just starting another.

When in Rome…

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Zac wanted to check out the music shop a short drive from our hotel, so we booked an Uber and went down to the store. He tried keyboards, drum kits, guitars and at least one banjo, before we headed outside into the heat of the day. This was alleviated a little by a frozen yoghurt store, but although the basic ingredient was sold as being healthy, the various brightly coloured and calorie-laden toppings soon put paid to that.

   

Zac was at home in the music store

Football Mania

Saturday afternoon was a big day. In the morning, the English Premier League games were all on in the Sportsbook. I took a seat and watched United, whilst listening to Newcastle who were on the bigger screen. Sally went across to the counter to ask if they could put racing from Ascot on, and sure enough there it was.

As the day wore on many Americans were filling in little slips of paper. I discovered this was to bet on the College Football that would fill the screens later in the day. It was like going back to the 1980s in an English betting shop. Once the games started it was a proper addiction. As soon as one result looked like going against them they placed another bet. If their current bet looked like winning they placed another bet. If the action got a bit boring in one game they placed another bet. All on little slips of paper.

We decided that Sunday would be very busy so we got there early and sat in the bar area. “Minimum 2 drinks per person” a sign on the table read, but I wondered who would sit watching nine hours of American football and have less than 2 drinks.

Every NFL game was available, all at the same time. Im not sure that this actually enhanced the experience, but it was certainly a spectacle. Soon enough it was time to go for the other big event of the day, Gabi and Ciaran’s wedding!

Going To The Chapel

Most of the girls got ready in our room, which was disconcerting as I tried to have a bath in peace. When the time came we all went down to reception, where a limo waited to take us to “Vegas Weddings” downtown. It was not actually as tacky as I thought it would be, enhanced by the fact that neither Elvis nor Britney made an appearance.

A tasteful wedding

The ceremony was respectful and quick, then we headed for the bizarre area of Vegas known as Fremont Street. We had some marvellous sandwiches at Fat Sal’s an establishment that was clearly proud of being included in an episode of Diner’s Drive-Ins & Dives, as they played the episode on loop constantly. Those who ought to know better descended into tequila slammers, whilst those of us who do know better settled for beers and soft drinks. Zac sussed out the poker tournaments, but eventually decided that he could not commit to a full afternoon to fleece the American population.

Enjoying the post-wedding drinks

We returned to our hotel in a scary ride in what was almost certainly an unlicensed vehicle, but we did not really care. We were back safely! The kids kept on eating and drinking, we prepared for the remaining two days.

The Gambler

Zac had discovered a system on the “Buffalo” machines. Unfortunately there were several different kinds of Buffalo machines, all featuring different versions of buffalo stampeding, and the system seemed to be unsuccessful on all of them. Sally and myself nostalgically looked for machines with cherries and other fruity symbols. We did find some, but when we tried to play them the following night they were nowhere to be seen, almost certainly because we were either looking in the wrong part of the casino, or the wrong casino!

Twisting By The Pool

Monday was quieter, with breakfast at an Irish bar that included real sausages, fried eggs, black and white pudding and an optional pint of Guinness. We spent some time by the pool where drinks were extortionate. We worked out that a pina colada cost about $35, but of course Sally had a plan. She got some plastic cups, similar to those at the pool, and filled them with vodka purchased at a local supermarket. It was not permitted to take your own drinks into the pool area, but when you have a confident air it is easy to let the security staff assume that the drinks had actually been purchased poolside earlier in the day.

Poolside shenanigans

A Little Bit Country

Tuesday was our last day. It was also our wedding anniversary, and I had suggested Ole Red, a country and western restaurant opposite the Bellagio. Our Uber driver dropped us somewhere near, he could not get closer as there was a lot of building and scaffolding in the way. Ole Red does not take bookings, but we were fortunate to get a table within a few minutes of arriving.

The setting was magnificent. A three tiered open restaurant, with tables on all three tiers looking down on the stage. The live music included several renditions of Johnny Cash hits

Nachos filled everyone up before the mains arrived, but we did a good job of demolishing the rest of the food before taking a long and tortuous journey back via Caesar’s Palace and several other hotels.

Heads Or Tails?

Back at our hotel Sally retired for the night, but Ole and Zac had a plan. They wanted to gamble $100 each on red or black. Sally suggested we should bet on 22 as that is our anniversary, but it could easily have been 30 as that was the number of years! In the end I did not bet.

On the way to the “big bet”

Our hotel was busy and the boys were nervous, so we walked next door to the Luxor. They found a table with just one other player, but it had triple zeroes, significantly reducing the red or black odds. So they decided to hedge, with $180 on their chosen colour and $20 on any zero. But which colour?

They went through several permutations, and eventually settled on black. Zac tried to hand their cash to the croupier, but he is not allowed to take it. They have to place it on the table. Once they figured this out they then got id’ed. This took a short while as they had to wait for a pit boss, but finally it was time. Abbie sat at the table, and there was a further delay as she got id’ed. The croupier thought that she looked about 10!

You Spin Me Right Round

Ok – next spin it was. They opted for black and moved $180 to the black strip, with another $20 on green. The other player was impressed and wished them luck. The croupier called “no more bets”. He spun the wheel. He spun it rather quickly and it went round and round for an age. Zac could not look as the tension mounted. Even when the ball started to tumble towards the numbers it was still travelling too fast. It rattled and bounced, bounced and rattled. The wheel slowed, and the rattling stopped.

And there it was, nestled into Black 22! (Sorry Sally!) They had won $180, and they considered letting it ride. I convinced them otherwise and they walked away. Later in the evening they continued gambling, with Ole managing to overturn a croupier trying to cheat him out of a significant win. They lost some later on, but they had great fun and came away several hundred dollars up each. They even had time to indulge in some late night rollercoaster action at New York New York.

Happy anniversary – look what you could have won!

I fear we may have created two more customers for Gamblers Anonymous!

Double Denny’s

Our final morning began with everyone twisting my arm to head to Denny’s again. Another Irish breakfast would have to wait. We went poolside again and had a last hurrah on the slot machines to no avail. Eventually we headed to the airport, with the kids trying to think up any excuse for a return visit.

“Queen” in Las Vegas

Medical Matters

We have had a couple of medical emergencies recently, and the first of these was quite serious. Zac contracted a viral infection, and this triggered his asthma. He awoke in the middle of the night struggling to breathe, and despite Sally’s remedies he was not improving. She got him in the car and raced to Stepping Hill where he was seen quite quickly. He was given antibiotics, a nebuliser, and oxygen, and this seemed to settle him down. His cousin’s fiance Aimee was working that evening, and when he ended up on her ward rather than ICU he was quite pleased. It was chilled out, he got plenty of attention, and he was ready to settle in for the night.

I offered to let Tesco know that he would not be in, and I asked if he could contact university. He was a little concerned about losing ground on his degree course, but he said that Tesco would not be bothered!

Food Of The Gods

Unfortunately he was transferred to a respiratory ward. Here, there were too many ill people for his liking, and none of them of his age. There was a bright spot though, when Aimee contacted him to say that the staff were getting a Chinese and would he like anything? Of course he would!

He was warned about the hazards of vaping whilst he was hospitalised with breathing difficulties. I took the opportunity to tidy his room and found more than 50 vapes and related paraphernalia. There was no direct correlation between vaping and his illness, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the vapes were more than likely a contributory factor.

A few weeks later he went back for a lung test, and his improvement pleased the medical staff. On the way home Sally took him to MacDonalds where she asked him what his order was. “Chicken nuggets,” he announced, and Sally clarified that he meant a chicken nuggets meal with 6 nuggets and fries. He was a little taken aback. “No one of my age orders 6 chicken nuggets. The standard order is 20 chicken nuggets and large fries.” As it turned out the queue was too large so he had to settle for KFC chicken strips!

The Sky’s The Limit

Meanwhile, two unrelated events somehow came together. Firstly, a guy got jailed for providing illegal streams for dodgy firesticks, at roughly the same time that Sally bought me a firestick. However, before I could download any stream, illegal or otherwise, the second event occurred. This was when Ole got a job with Sky, meaning that he got Sky, including TNT Sports and Box Office, for free. It took a while to arrange over the phone, but it eliminated most of the reasons behind getting any streaming set up. Unfortunately we still cannot get Sally’s showjumping channel.

Christmas In The Kitchen

Its Christmas and so the kitchen gets busier by the day. Its certainly the festive season, with Gingerbread, shortbread and chocolate digestives all putting in an appearance. The edible eyes certainly make a difference to the gingerbread men.

 

The traditional Creole Cake has had its final feed and will be ready to decorate two days before the big one.

Creole Cake glistening with sherry

I also made a deconstructed pizza using foccacia, because the all-in-one approach usually ends up with a soggy crust. It went down well, although the toppings have to be grilled at the last minute.

Deconstructed pizza

Thomas has also found something that he likes at Christmas!

“I’ll just have one”

Free Falling

You may recall that Sally had a fall earlier in the year, and she vowed that when she got back on her horse she would not do any more jumping. Well, she got back on her horse, did some more jumping, and had another fall. This time she was on a hunt trial, where some of the obstacles can be quite uncompromising. She may have broken a couple of ribs, but I think she is too scared to go to the doctors to get this confirmed, in case she gets a telling off!

       

It was all going so well until it wasn’t

The ending was inevitable

In The Balance

I had a trip to Wigan recently where granddaughter Nixie was competing in another prestigious gymnastics competition. She has gained so much confidence and she now comes across as the leader in her little group. While we were in Vegas she competed in Newcastle, and in both competitions she finished with one or more medals. She is ready to take the step up to the next level in the new year.

Flying Nixie

International Star

Star Of Lady M’s final outing of the season was in a Group 3 race at Dundalk in Ireland. Entries and declarations were done in the middle of the night for us as we were in Las Vegas, and although the race was draw dependent, and we got a bad draw, David was keen that we should still go for it. So, we did. The race was the day after we landed at Manchester, so it was a quick turnaround. We flew to Dublin, rented a car which is much easier in Ireland than at most other destinations, and drove an hour north. The hotel was nice, and we had a couple of drinks in the bar before our taxi arrived. The course was desolate, cold and wet, and far removed from the grandeur of York and Ayr.

Luck In Running

We met Kevin Blake who also had a runner in our race, but he was not optimistic. Our jockey, Ronan Whelan, had a reputation for riding the track well, and so tactics were left to him. Star broke well enough, and tracked the predictable leader Tees Spirit. Coming into the straight the field bunched. Star went left and right and became unbalanced, but she recovered herself to finish 6th, beaten just two and a quarter lengths.

Ronan Whelan on board at Dundalk

It was in many ways a disappointing end to her season, but she had finished 6th in a Group 3 after not getting things to go her way. The travelling was something she was not used to, and the jockey had not sat on her before. All of these factors go into her performance, and although they are not excuses, they give us confidence that she can be competitive in group races. She is now resting with her shoes off, giving her feet time to recover before heading to Newmarket in May.

Ladies In Waiting

In December we visited the O’Meara yard, taking a package of goodies. Percy’s Daydream is certainly the sweeter of our two, standing patiently whilst she was given lots of fussing. Her infection is fully cleared up, and she will be aimed at GBB maidens and novices in the early part of next season.

Star Of Lady M can be a bit of a madam, but on this occasion she was chilled out, seeking out our pockets for any treats. Unfortunately there weren’t any, but she got plenty of attention. She had a habit of losing shoes during her races, and so David put casts on her so that this would not happen. She now has no shoes on as he gives her feet time to heal. Horses can be unpredictable, and there is no guarantee that she will reach the heady heights of 2024, but she will hopefully start her 2025 campaign at Newmarket in May, contesting mainly Group races. Win or lose this will be her final season before she heads to Mount Coote in Ireland where she will become a broodmare.

Percy’s Daydream looking glamorous

Star Of Lady M looking at her grey companions

Looking very different in her winter coat

You can read the previous edition here

https://michael-madden.co.uk/2024/10/15/the-brightest-star/

January 8, 2024 by Mike Madden

Thud! Cake

“Bruce, Bruce, Bruce!”

There are times when I shake my head in disbelief, and when Sally decided to recreate her (in)famous Bogtrotter Cake this was another such instance. The occasion was Archie’s school play. The production was Matilda, and Archie was to play Bruce Bogtrotter. Bruce is famous for eating an entire chocolate cake, and Sally decided that her Bogtrotter cake was just what he needed. So, I retrieved my large mixing bowl from the cookhouse. Normally this would be used to bake copious amounts of Ciabatta, but on this occasion it would serve to hold the batter for Sally’s cake.

She started off in what looked like a scene from Fantasia, with Mickey Mouse orchestrating various kitchen objects, and ended more like The Cat In The Hat and the Kupcake-inator. However, this cake would definitely not fit in a cup. The science of baking went out of the window as flour, eggs, sugar, butter, cocoa and maybe a few other ingredients were mixed in the rapidly filling bowl. Too runny? Add more flour. Too stiff? Add more eggs. What could possibly go wrong?

Let Them Eat Cake

Eventually, two cake tins were lined and filled with the dark brown batter, and into the oven they went. The batter did not end there. Sally went on to make a dozen cupcakes with the remainder. I did consider telling her that proportions for cupcakes are usually different to those for large cakes, but as the thought of using a measuring implement had never crossed her mind I decided to stay quiet.

An undetermined time later the cakes were removed, and they looked magnificent. A bit like a volcano just before it blows, or the calm sea before a Tsunami hits. Sally was so pleased with her creation that she posted to all of the doubters on social media. After the cakes had cooled she constructed the final Bogtrotter version with chocolate buttercream, and it was left to sit, revelling in its magnificence until the show four days later.

Metamorphosis

Four days can be a long time in the life of a cake, particularly one which could be said to be “scientifically unstable”. It was packaged up (not in cake dome or box, it was too big for that), and off it went for the post-show celebrations. Ole and Zac accompanied Sally, and it was good that they did. The cake was almost a two-man job as it was lifted and transported into the hall.

Things That Go Thud In The Night

I have independent witnesses who all used the exact same word when describing what happened next. The cake was lowered onto a table with a Thud! The “Thud” was so loud that it silenced the room as everyone turned to see what had happened. Many suspected an accident, or perhaps something had fallen from a great height. No, this was the Bogtrotter Cake.

At this point it could still be called “magnificent”, at least by Sally, and as the wrapping was removed the weight was still the only cause for alarm. However, when it came to cutting into the cake there was another problem. The icing, and indeed much of the cake itself, had solidified. A simple kitchen knife would simply not do, and at one point the gathered throng considered contacting the woodwork department for a saw.

Holes beginning to appear

Finally, the outer layer was breached, and further problems became evident. The cake was so heavy that large parts of it had sunk. Internal holes were visible, surrounded by heavily concentrated and obviously dry concrete-like structures of chocolate cake. A few brave souls munched on it, but the majority of the cake returned home. Even the self-confessed chocolate cake fiend Zac would not touch it.

Collapsing under its own weight

Like birthday cards and Christmas trees I gave it a few days before consigning it to the bin, despite protests from Sally that she might have wanted to give it to the birds! I almost rang the RSPCA, I was already a little worried that it might do some damage to Waterswallows. I took the opportunity to get rid of the cupcakes too. As the cocoa dust settled I made sure that I had some photos “lest we forget”!

Kitchen Creations

I seem to have been very busy in the kitchen, starting with one of my favourites, Festival Gateau. I can remember having this as a child, and until recently Morrisons used to sell them. However, apart from having to be careful with the construction they are actually quite easy to make.

Festival gateau – layers of cream, custard and sponge surrounded by a marzipan dome

Festival gateau uses a lot of egg yolks in the custard, so I needed something that would use the egg whites. Raspberry Pavlova did the trick.

Raspberry Pavlova

I tried my hand at corn dogs. These just seemed like an unhealthy way to eat sausages even though they were baked rather than deep fried. The kids enjoyed them – but I’m not sure I will make them again.

Corn dogs

Rice dishes are always popular with the boys, and paella is a common creation. To add some variety I made biryani with chicken which went down well, but there was a clear favourite. Taken from Mmm…No1…Cookbook, Jambalaya is not only a great song its a great dish too! Tesco in Whaley Bridge now sell all manner of sausages, so I opted for chorizo, a spiced salami and Catalan fuet. It was so good I made it twice! I also used a similar combination to make a meaty and spicy paella.

Spicy paella

Breaking Bread

As you know I retrieved my giant mixing bowl for the Thud! cake, and whilst it was out I made use of it. Ciabatta is very satisfying to make, especially if the bread is properly aerated with a crusty exterior. I made individual buns rather than larger loaves, and they disappeared in no time.

Ciabatta

Its Beginning To Look A Lot Like…

Despite the success of the savoury dishes, its the sweet treats that are undoubtedly the most popular. I repeated my success with Pastel De Nata, and a pre-Christmas chocolate log has now become tradition. Two batches of gingerbread men, Christmas trees, hearts, etc were almost gone before they could be decorated.

Run, run, as fast as you can

However, I decided that I would make my own gingerbread house instead of buying an inedible kit. It went quite well, although the construction was somewhat tricky. The roof was a significant challenge, but cola strips and matchmakers seemed to do the trick. As with all things Christmassy, a sprinkle of icing sugar can hide a multitude of sins.

11 Walters Wood

In the past we have had issues with burglars in Whaley Bridge, particularly at this time of year. My gingerbread house was not immune from this, and the path started to disappear as soon as it was finished!

Happy Thanksgiving

To celebrate Thanksgiving I tried my hand at Mississippi Mud Pie. Very sticky and sweet – another that may not get a second try!

Mississippi Mud Pie

Nutella Dodgers

Chocolate digestives never last very long, although with Ole being away I thought I had a chance. Not so, and the second batch, with a chocolate base, is almost down to crumbs.

Another biscuit I decided to try was Nutella shortbread sandwich, using my pastry cutters to make them look pretty! Zac is not a fan of shortbread, but Ole is!

Nutella Shortbread Sandwiches

Festive Food

The run up to Christmas is always busy, but perhaps the most important job is to put the final dose of Cointreau into the Creole Cake!

A couple of days later it was time to cover the cake with home made almond paste before baking it again in the oven.

Once ALL of the cooking is out of the way I can leave it to Sally to add the finishing decorative touches.

Although Zac would maintain that the Christmas Log is the most important festive creation.

Christmas pudding has become a spectacular part of the festive season – and this year I got Zac to film the final flaming event!

Birthday Balloons

You might think that 20 is too old to have balloons on your birthday, but Sally decided that Zac’s 20th would be celebrated in the traditional way. So, on her way out of the supermarket she suddenly remembered “balloons”, and grabbed a couple of packets. On the eve of the big day I was tasked with blowing them up, and I was a little surprised to see “21 Today” emblazoned across the surface. Undeterred, I still had the second packet to fall back on. Unfortunately, the 8th birthday message was even less appropriate!

Cat Capers

Bo seems increasingly used to having Thomas around the place. There is a lot of play fighting between them, and Thomas does occasionally get quite brave. However, Bo will always have the last swipe just to let him know who is boss.

The ears are a bit of a giveaway

With it being close to Christmas there are a lot of boxes that the pair of them use for hiding, sleeping or playing in. Thomas has also discovered that there is a bowl on the kitchen windowsill that is just his size.

He’s also been outside exploring – but he had to be rescued from this predicament.

Can you get me down please?

Bo has also been using the boxes to avoid her new friend.

But Thomas can be determined.

Though really they are best buddies!

Thomas has been having his injections and check ups, and when I mentioned to Ole that I had taken him to the vet in Chapel he was a little confused. “I didn’t even know there was a vet in Chapel,” he said, “or did you just take him to the doctors?”

A Christmas Special

There were more creatures involved when Ole’s long awaited appearance in the Christmas Special of All Creatures Great And Small was finally aired. There was a concern that many of his scenes might have been cut but this was not the case. He appeared several times, and was second only to James Herriott in the credits! We look forward to a busy 2024.

Another Sunday Lunch

We managed to fit in another Sunday lunch in October, to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We had heard good reports of the Old Hall in Chinley, so we decided to give it a try. With lifts there and back we could enjoy the atmosphere and a bottle of wine before our meal. The food was good, one of the better Sunday lunches in the area. Perhaps not quite at the Royal Oak, Hurdlow or the Barrel standard, but certainly not far behind. We will be trying it again!

Where There’s Muck…

Fiona lost her phone, and with the wizardry of modern technology she located it at Fern Farm in Buxton, where she and Sally keep their horses. They narrowed it down further, unfortunately to the muck pile. So, they set off to try to retrieve the missing phone. There was further bad news to come, as the muck pile had been scooped up and moved to Chelmorton Farm, where it no doubt joined a lot of other muck piles. Undeterred, Louise, Fiona and Sally went to the wilds of Chelmorton.

Louise and Fiona dived straight in to the muck pile, shovelling sh*t in the vain hope of retrieving the phone. However, it was Sally who proved to be most effective, praying to St Anthony as the others threw manure here and there. Lo and behold, the prayers were answered and the phone was found!

Watching The Detectives

And speaking of Sally and Fiona, they certainly dressed for the part on their recent trip to London. That is as long as the “part” was that of two lady detectives specialising in murder in country villages. Watch out for future episodes of Murder Mystery with Lady M And Baroness H. Its an intriguing series that shows what Cagney and Lacey would have been like if it was set in the Peak District. In the 1940s!

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

I got an emergency call a few days before Christmas. Santa was double booked! So, I agreed to stand in for the Pony Stars. There were a couple of dodgy moments, including when a young boy told me he’d seen me at his grandad’s pub the previous day, but overall it went well. I am NOT available for panto!

Guess who?

Happy New Year

Finally in this section, as the New Year rolls in it is always good to get out and about. Today I took in one of the many spectacular views of the Peak District.

Horses, Horses, Everywhere

I went to the sales at Tattersalls on 12th October, with a view to buying a yearling for our new syndicate MMM Racing. I was a little more successful than previously, in terms of picking horses that were also on Luke Lillingston’s list. Luke is our friend and experienced bloodstock agent. I also met Mike Curtis, a friend from Twitter and a syndicate member. By the end of the day we had looked at a lot, earmarked a few, and bid on not many at all as we were priced out of most of the lots. Undeterred, we had another day to go, but I would have to leave that to Luke as I would be at York races.

Pick Of The Parade

Towards the end of that first day we saw a chestnut filly by Sir Percy (or is it ‘chesnut’?) and Luke was blown away by her. He thought she would be out of our price range, and not a particularly precocious type, so maybe not one for the syndicate. We studied her pedigree, and although Sir Percy won the Derby as a three-year-old, he also won over six furlongs in the May of his juvenile season. So, perhaps she might race earlier than originally thought. I drove home and did not think much more about it until the following morning. Luke had four or five that we were interested in, but it would be the Sir Percy filly who was first into the sales ring.

Bring The Hammer Down

Luke asked if we wanted to bid on her, and I said ‘yes’, but without much hope. We led the bidding at 18,000 guineas, but we were approaching our budget of 20,000. There was another problem, as whilst the horse was in the ring we were travelling to York, and about to hit the notorious signal blackspot at Woodhead. The bidding reached 20k, at which point I was willing to pull out, as we had several other prospects. “Do you want to try one more?” Luke asked as the phone signal faded. “Yes,” Sally shouted from the driver’s seat. So we went to 21k, and that was that. No further bids came in, and we had our filly.

Luke would make all of the necessary arrangements, and she would be at David O’Meara’s the following morning. That would give us the opportunity to visit her on our way back from York.

There was great excitement at the O’Meara yard, with David confirming that he thought she would be a six or seven furlong type to begin with, rather than the more traditional five. That was not a problem, as she could still potentially hit the track in May.

I messaged the syndicate so that they could start to think of a name for our new purchase, but for the immediate future we had a race at Musselburgh to attend.

Star Heads North

Star Of Lady M had won at Musselburgh previously, so we were reasonably confident as we made the long journey the day before the race. Despite hitting traffic going through Manchester we made reasonable time, but we were too late for food when we reached the magnificent Carberry Tower. Thanks to Hotels.Com we were upgraded to the Bowes-Lyons suite, a room where Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret had told stories to their children many years ago.

The following morning we went to the beach as the early autumn weather was glorious. It was starting to get a bit chilly as we reached the course, and although the ground appeared to be quite firm the rain had obviously softened it in places.

Danny Tudhope was on board, but it made no difference as Star battled to a disappointing 5th of 10. She ran ok, better than her £244 prize money deserved, but I began to wonder if she should be put away for the winter. Maybe we should consider sending her to stud, as there had definitely been more bad days than good during the season.

Star at Musselburgh

Danny was a little more optimistic, suggesting that she might benefit from a visor. David agreed, and suggested we try the all weather courses. There were several reasons for this, including the fact that her mum had won on the all weather, and there were significant bonuses to be had.

Opportunities For The Queen

Elsewhere, Storm Babet curtailed many racing fixtures. Southwell, a likely destination for Canaria Queen, was actually under water due to the local river bursting its banks. She was declared at Redcar, but Tim decided that she needed something easier so we waited.

Meanwhile, we decided that Emerald Duchess would not recover from her broken bone, and so she would be sold as a broodmare. She was entered into the December mares sale at Tattersalls.

Star Heads South

With meetings being abandoned and other meetings scheduled at short notice, race planning became a bit of a challenge. However, we found an opportunity for Star Of Lady M at Lingfield. Danny Tudhope was again on board, but Sally did not fancy the long trip south. I stayed at the Marriott which is actually on the course, so I was close by for the following day.

Lingfield had done really well to get the fixture on at short notice, and everyone was very friendly though the crowd was sparse. Star looked well in the paddock and Danny was confident. It was her first time in a visor, first time on the all weather, and her first time around a bend since the infamous Lily Agnes at Chester, but on the positive side there were only 7 runners.

The Best Laid Plans…

She broke well and tried to track Skallywag Bay, but Skallywag’s jockey took a pull and we lost momentum on the bend. She recovered in the straight, finishing fastest of all, but could only manage third. It was a pleasing run, and one that filled us with renewed optimism. Maybe an all weather campaign was just what she needed. I thought that the bends were still a bit of a problem, but David said that would improve with experience. I set off on the long journey home and wondered how anyone could ever consider the M25 as a commuter route. Luke shared my racing optimism, and we looked forward to her next outing.

Star glad to get the visor off at Lingfield

She was dropping down the weights, and we decided to give her an entry on a cold Friday evening at Newcastle.

She’s A Red Hot Momma (Or Maybe Not)

The vote for the name of our Sir Percy filly was tense, but Red Hot Momma prevailed. David O’Meara recorded a video announcement that I shared with the syndicate, and it was well received. I sent the name to Weatherbys for approval, but there was a problem. Red Hot Momma was too phonetically similar to the broodmare Red Hot Mama and so we would have to think again.

F..F..Friday Night

Sally was away and so could not make the long trip to Newcastle, so I went alone and made it in good time. Unfortunately I missed the turn for the course and ended up on a dual carriageway. I did a u-turn at the first roundabout, coming back on the other side. I was a little alarmed that my speedo said 50mph but my satnav was telling me the limit was 20mph, so I slammed on the brakes and ignored the possibility of a ticket. The course was busy, with a funfair and fireworks planned, so there was very little time to catch up with Star before or after the race.

The temperature had dropped significantly by the time of the 8th race. David Nolan was our jockey, and he was a little concerned about our position on the far side of the course. My research told me that there should not be a particular draw bias, but on a cold night such as this there were other factors. She started as co-favourite of 3, but drifted to 7/1. Perhaps someone knew something!

David Nolan on Star Of Lady M at Newcastle

Out On Her Own

David broke well, then tried to get Star covered up. No one would let him in, and by the time he did tuck in it was too late. Our girl ran ok to dead heat for 4th, but David explained afterwards that she burnt herself out running into a strong headwind. Being drawn on the near side and being able to get behind a wall of horses would have been much better, which is exactly what the winner did. It was a reason for optimism as she picked up more prizemoney, and it made me realise just how many different factors came into play before a race could be won.

The journey home was uneventful, but as expected I got a letter through the post. Fortunately it was not a speeding ticket, instead it was a £30 charge for not paying the Tyne Tunnel toll. I consider that a win!

A Horse With No Name

The following week I went to the stable to see our Sir Percy filly. She still had no name – but she looked magnificent.

We also saw Star Of Lady M who looked like she was ready to race again.

Dancing At Wolves

We made another entry for Newcastle, but decided against it. Instead we had options at Chelmsford and Wolverhampton over six furlongs. The prospect of six was intriguing, and we opted for that. She got a good draw in 4, and David Probert, who rides the track well, was on board.

Wolverhampton was a really nice experience, with a dedicated place in the stands just outside the restaurant for viewing. We met Twitter and Facebook friend Will Cemis, and he seemed to have great luck throughout the evening.

David Probert on Star Of Lady M

We were in the last of 8 races, but it was worth the wait. Star tucked in behind the pace and made her run up the straight. Starsong was leading on the rail, and we just managed to get the better of that rival. Sadly, Sixties Chic just pipped us on the line in a three way photo.

Desperately close at Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton is actually 6 furlongs and 20 yards, so perhaps that additional 20 yards was her undoing.

It did show us that six furlongs was a genuine option, and we looked forward to a win in the not too distant future.

The All Weather bonus for October / November was out of reach, but we had accumulated 9 points towards the overall prize.

Daydream Believer

Our Sir Percy filly still needed a name, and after another tense vote there was a tie. The Red Baroness and Percy’s Daydream received equal numbers of votes. So, in a supplementary vote Percy’s Daydream triumphed. I once again sent the name to Weatherbys, and this time it was approved.

Meanwhile, the Great British Bonus people could not get away from Star Of Lady M, featuring her in their latest set of adverts.

“Be more Star Of Lady M”, but what I really wanted was for Star to return to the winners enclosure where she had been four times in the previous season.

Something For The Weekend

The end of November brought about a very busy weekend. Canaria Queen was declared at Southwell on Friday evening, and Star Of Lady M at Lingfield the following afternoon. It was all too much for Sally, so I set off alone for the Nottinghamshire course.

This was the first time Southwell had been open since the floods, and there were no spectators allowed. Owners and Annual members had their own areas, and it had quite a busy feel to it. Tom Denham was sat at a table with several other Tim Easterby owners, so I joined them and chatted about horses and syndicates. I was not overly confident about the chances of Canaria Queen, but I was excited about Star Of Lady M once again trying 6 furlongs at Lingfield the following day. We had even secured the services of champion jockey Oisin Murphy for the ride.

There The Cold Winds Blow

Southwell had done a great job getting the course ready, but I suspect that the jockeys were not too impressed with the temporary weighing room. This was a marquee, and with biting winds all around they were freezing.

Duran Fentiman was on board Canaria Queen, and he was happy to see how the race panned out. As it happened, she broke well enough, got a bit lost as the pace quickened, and finished 7th of 11. Hopefully now she would drop a few pounds to a more realistic mark. I spoke to Tim and we agreed that perhaps she should revert to six furlongs to give her a chance to settle better.

Canaria Queen at Southwell

I left the course and headed south, but the traffic was against me. The A46 was closed and the M1 was down to a single lane. By the time I arrived at the on course hotel at Lingfield the bar was shut!

The following morning it was a two minute drive out of the car park to the next car park which was for Owners and Trainers. Once again Lingfield was friendly, and for this Saturday afternoon meeting there was quite a crowd. I sat with some other owners, and met Sally’s friend and fellow owner Christine who was there to watch Master Zoffany.

Murphy’s Law

We were again in the last race on the card, and so it was a long wait. There was good news from Oisin as he rode the winner of the first race. David O’Meara called to discuss tactics, but the basic message was that Oisin was the right man for the job. In the parade ring he oozed confidence. He had watched her unlucky run at Wolverhampton, and thought he could ease her into the straight before pushing the button. He then took the trouble to record a good luck video for one of our friends, Daisy, who is heading to the racing school.

Oisin Murphy on Star Of Lady M at Lingfield

Oisin In Charge

He was very impressive all round, and I was feeling confident as I went to the stands. Star broke well, and raced behind the early leader. Coming into the straight she ranged alongside and went on. It looked as though she might have hit the front too soon, then Oisin flicked a switch and away she went. She comfortably beat her 10 rivals by almost 3 lengths, and it was both a thrill and a relief to see her in the winners enclosure once more. Oisin ensured everyone was in line for the pictures, and I went to the viewing room for a replay and a glass of champagne.

The winners enclosure at Lingfield

I was almost the last to leave the course, but the journey home seemed to fly by. I took calls from Luke and David as we planned what would be next. David thought that the easy six at Lingfield really suited her, but that her best distance was still five.

The following Tuesday Canaria Queen had been dropped 3lbs, but Star Of Lady M had been raised 7lbs. That meant she was still considerably lower than at the start of the season, so perhaps there was more to come.

The Only Way Is Essex

Our next plans involved Wolverhampton or Newcastle. The Wolverhampton race was for restricted riders so we drew a line through that. Chelmsford was an option, and we could have had Oisin on board. Unfortunately Oisin decided to go to Wincanton hurdling, a meeting that was subsequently abandoned! We entered a Class 3 race at Wolverhampton, but again decided to give it a miss despite there only being 4 runners.

Chelmsford was still on, and we got Hector Crouch as our jockey. Hector had ridden Star into 3rd at Windsor back in July.

On our way to Chelmsford we called at Newmarket where Emerald Duchess was in the mares sale. Sadly, she did not sell, but we have subsequently sent her to Kate Tibbits where she should be rehomed to enjoy an alternative career,

We said “goodbye” to Emerald Duchess

We stayed at a local inn in Chelmsford, and met my sister Lisa and her husband Stewart, as well as Sally’s cousin Jamie and his wife Sharon. It was a shocking night of torrential rain, and there was a further shock when we were asked for ID on entry to the course. The owners area was crowded, and the racecourse itself was a bit weird as the start of most races is behind the spectators. As it turned out we did not get the run of the race, with Hector getting caught out wide and Star Of Lady M pulling very hard.

She finished 7th of 8, unfortunately not enough to get her handicap reduced!

Star Of Lady M wasn’t happy at Chelmsford

A Turkey At Wolves

That could have been it for the year, but we actually ran twice more. The first of these was at Wolverhampton a few days before Christmas. The owners restaurant provided our first Christmas dinner of the season, and with Danny Tudhope back on board we were hopeful.

Danny Tudhope back on board at Wolverhampton

She got blocked early in the race, but finished well to grab third, a reasonable result that confirmed that Chelmsford was just a bad day.

Star Of Lady M seems to enjoy Wolverhampton

Auld Lang Syne

Next up it was New Year’s Eve at Lingfield. We could have gone to Wolverhampton the day before, but Sally was visiting friends in London, who she hadn’t seen for 35 years. So she went with my sister, and then they travelled onwards to Lingfield. I drove down and we were hopeful for the following day. I had reservations because she had had a long, hard season. Perhaps she needed a break? We would soon know.

David Probert was on board, and he had ridden her into third at Wolverhampton previously. Jason Kelly said it was the right race for her, so although we had an average draw in 6 there was some confidence. We made new friends on the large, shared tables in the Owners lounge, and we joined David O’Meara’s representative Sarah in the parade ring for the previous race as Zarabanda’s owners were not in attendance.

A Rough Ride

Finally it was time for our race and Star looked very relaxed in the parade ring. David rang and said he had given the jockey no set instructions. David Probert had ridden a winner earlier in the day, so my instruction was to ride exactly the same race. It never panned out that way, as Star got bumped, blocked and bumped again. She was eased down to finish last of 10, but she was beaten less than 5 lengths. David thought it was just the tactics that were wrong, as she saw too much daylight and ran “with the choke out”. I thought that she might indeed need a rest. David was not of the same opinion, but as we were about to go on holiday he thought she could have an easy week or two.

Discussing tactics at Lingfield

So that was that for Star Of Lady M in 2023. She did not have it as easy as her two-year-old season, but I am told that is typical. Three-year-old fillies struggle to compete with the colts and geldings, but they come back stronger as four-year-olds. We will see what 2024 brings.

You can read the previous edition here…

Sal Qaeda And The Mole

October 24, 2023 by Mike Madden

Sal Qaeda And The Mole

I start this edition with what could have been some disturbing news! Sally went away for a few days with some friends, and as most of them sat down for refreshments at 4 o clock on a Wednesday morning at Manchester Airport, Sally headed off to duty free. With sunglasses on and boarding pass in hand she spent some time browsing the perfumes. She took a particular interest in the Chanel counter. Eventually she returned to her merry band, where it was immediately clear that something was amiss.

Fiona asked with concern, “Sally, where is your bag?”. Sally looked around. She realised that in the euphoria of holiday mode she must have left it at one of the shops. She located it at the aforementioned Chanel counter, but retrieving it was not that simple. The lady at the counter had noticed the unattended luggage and immediately called security. Having admitted that she owned the bag, she was taken into a room. Both Sally and her bag were swabbed. She was eventually allowed to return to her friends. Although she insisted that they kept the story quiet, it did not take long for the mole to reveal the truth!

Kitchen Kalamaties

The kitchen has been especially busy, and not always successfully. I begin with blackberries that were much earlier than in previous years. I have still got plenty of jam from last year, so I decided to make a blackberry and apple loaf and a blackberry bakewell. These are both useful and tasty ways of using up the free fruit. However, the favourite was undoubtedly blackberry and fig crumble cake.

I also decided to try my hand at pastel de nata, the small custard-filled Portuguese pastries. I used pre-rolled pastry for which I make no apology, but the custard was home-made. They were delicious, and could become a staple.

Pastel De Nata

I also baked a lot of shortbread biscuits. These are surprisingly easy, and very moreish despite their somewhat unhealthy constitution.

Shortbread

Scary After Dark…

Zac has become a bit of a night owl, and he frequently uses the oven after work, or when he comes in from his mate’s house in the middle of the night. Inevitably, this would lead to disaster. These are chips, or so I am reliably informed.

Oh no!

…And In The Daylight

Regular readers will know that Sally is not to be outdone when it comes to kitchen disasters. I marinated some chicken for her which she duly placed into the oven. After a while I asked if she could smell burning, and was her chicken alright? “Should be,” she replied, but then she took a look. A disappointed “Oh” was all that she said.

Oh no, no, no!

King Creole

Of course, October means Creole Cake, and the first two stages are now complete. It will soon be time for the repeated infusion of alcohol.

Creole Cake ready for the oven

Cat Calls

Quite a lot of cat news to report. Firstly, Sally spotted a black and white cat outside Fernilee church. She thought it could have been Lucky, the one that ran away a month or so earlier. It was not Lucky, nothing like him actually, but it was very friendly and very hungry. I drove up a short time later and it was still there, so I left some food. The people at the church were a little scared that it might get run over, so it went to the vet in Whaley. Not heard anything since, and Lucky is still missing!

Doubting Thomas

In August I thought it might be a good idea to get a kitten as a companion for Bo. She is naturally aggressive except with me. I thought she might suffer from separation anxiety when we went away. So, I got a little boy from the cat sanctuary in Dove Holes. Sally christened him “Thomas”, and that seems to have stuck. His first night was eventful to say the least.

Thomas – butter wouldn’t melt

He had a cat cage, complete with food, bedding and cat litter, so he should have been fine. The following morning the cage was empty and there was a quiet miaowing from somewhere unseen. He had gone into a kitchen cupboard and found a gap that had remained undetected for 24 years. The gap led to a space under the cupboards that ran the length of the kitchen. He had wandered along to a dead end.

I hammered at one of the base boards and dislodged it, but he was still out of reach. He would also probably be terrified at the noise. So, I removed another and another until I got to the end. Finally, I lured him out with some food on a very long spoon. The base boards are irreparably damaged, but Sally is not too put out. She thinks it will accelerate the arrival of her new kitchen.

Naughty Thomas

Thomas has also taken a dislike to referees.

That was never a penalty

The Cold War

Over the next few days Bo was a lot more relaxed. She encountered Thomas and there was a series of Mexican stand offs that then developed into a cold war. They have eaten side by side, but Thomas thinks its a good idea to attack her when she least suspects. This is guaranteed to keep the cold war going for much longer.

A thawing

A Book For Christmas

From Tattersalls To Triumphs is still selling well, and the hardback edition is also now available. The Amazon process to create and proof the hardback was quite tedious. However, the finished article is well worth paying an extra few pounds for.

From Tattersalls To Triumphs

Ponies Without Prosecco

Summer holidays are an excuse for mum and dad to dump the kids on the grandparents. Gabi is no exception to this! We had Nixie and Miles for a few days, though Nixie had the distraction of Pony Club. She had a wonderful time, collecting several rosettes at the end of the week. With Miles we were happy when he ate everything put in front of him (small victories are important). At the end of the week we reminded ourselves why it is good that they are not here more often, as exhaustion kicked in.

Thespian News

Its been a busy time for Ole.  He filmed All Creatures Great And Small and he then landed a small part in the next season of Brassic. He has also auditioned for the period drama Hardacres, and a fantasy wizards and demons series. His next request was for the part of a murder victim in Ridley, and then for a living person in the same series. Hopefully these roles will all come together to provide him a starring role.

A Nice Surprise

The Whaley Bridge Cricket Club Trip landed in Montenegro this year. The details might be a little gory for this publication, but I can report that the country itself was a very pleasant surprise. We flew to Podgorica, and although it is a capital city the airport was small and efficient. Hotel Podgorica was modern and well equipped, and the city was full of parks and statues. Restaurants and bars lined the streets, and were very reasonably priced. The beach was about an hour away in Budva, which also has a traditional Old Town and a marina. Ryanair fly on Friday afternoon, returning on Sunday evening, so it is ideal for a weekend break.

Budva Old Town, Montenegro

Stone The Crows

I had limited success with a bamboo cage in the garden. Now, I have made a much sturdier one to keep the crows and magpies away. I have already had several tits munching on the nuts and seeds, and the squirrels love it. This is presumably because they can have their fill of the small birds’ food without having to worry about their noisier and bigger cousins.

Now Get Out Of That

My Kingdom For A Horse

Summer has been a busy time at the track. Star Of Lady M made her way to Windsor for a Monday night fixture. Hector Crouch was our jockey, with a new face, Clive, meeting and greeting us from the yard. We booked into a hotel at nearby Slough and made our way to the course in a taxi.

Windsor is a friendly course, and we did not mind when two American chaps left their stuff on our table whilst they went to eat. We were in an early race. So, when they returned we asked them to look after our things whilst we were gone, and they agreed. Star was on edge in the parade ring, with a strong wind swirling around the course. Sally decided to calm her by joining the groom on the outside, so that she essentially had two handlers. With several horses getting nervy Star seemed to have settled, but then Sally’s hat blew off. This could have been catastrophic as she chased after it, but no harm was done. On the plus side, the tv camera seemed to zoom in on the exact moment that it left her head.

Close But No Cigar

A lot of people had backed Star each way at big prices, and we were hopeful of a good showing. She broke well, and settled in behind a ferocious pace. One of our regular jockeys, Jason Watson, moved off the fence on his mount. This was the cue for Hector to steer Star to the inside. She burst through and finished very strongly, but too late to catch the first and second favourites. A gallant third was a brilliant result, and with a clearer run she could have won. David was delighted, and we debated whether we should aim her at a sharp six or stiff five furlongs. Luke was also thrilled, and we made plans to meet up to discuss her potential future career as a broodmare.

Star Of Lady M at the start at Windsor

Meanwhile, Sally caught up with Matt Chapman and decided to interview him rather than the other way round, and to be fair he was a good sport. The Americans were sitting with reams of betting slips back at our table. The mobile Tote guy was selling them Tim’s Terrific Trifecta, which entails picking the first three in a race. That is very difficult to do, but when perming multiple choices you have a much better choice. They were extremely successful, and so Sally decided to copy their bets with great success.

Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover

The Americans were an odd couple, an older chap who was rather scruffily dressed, accompanied by a younger guy who looked like he had come straight from Royal Ascot minus the hat and coat. As it turned out they had come from Royal Ascot, after which they had sold some mares to Coolmore. They were flying back to the US the following day, and thought what better way to spend a Monday night in England than at Windsor racecourse. They were a father and son team, with a fascinating background. Their company, Kentucky West Racing, owned and bred Classic Causeway in the hope of winning the Kentucky Derby. Unfortunately they had to settle for the almost as prestigious Belmont two months later! I am sure that our paths will cross again.

Lady D Returns

Elsewhere, Lady Dandylion was given a rating of 53, so she would be eligible for a nursery. This was perhaps a little too high, but it was a consequence of contesting a Class 2 race rather than sticking to Class 4 or 5.

It threatened to be a busy time, with Lady Dandylion entered at Catterick and Star Of Lady M entered at Carlisle the following day. We made plans to travel on to Carlisle after Catterick and stay over, but the ground was against us and Star was a non-runner. Lady Dandylion was one of 17 entered into the nursery at Catterick, along with old rivals Patasola and Bazball.

A Sad End

Sadly it was not to be. She was not even close to being competitive, and David Allan gave her a frank and honest assessment afterwards. She simply could not gallop and did not know what to do when the pace quickened. It was clear that she was not cut out to be a racehorse, so we quickly put an end to her racing career and made plans to rehome her. She would hopefully make someone a lovely dressage or event horse. At that stage we were encouraged that Emerald Duchess might be able to return to training within the next couple of weeks.

It seemed that we had found somewhere suitable for Lady Dandylion, and quite local too, but circumstances meant that they had to withdraw. We had another option, a contact provided by Richard Kent, and we were cautiously optimistic of a successful outcome.

Lady Dandylion ready for a new life

Star’s Next Move

There were a number of options for Star Of Lady M. After considering Windsor, Doncaster, Musselburgh and Sandown, we opted for the Friday night fixture at York over five furlongs and a crucial 89 yards. This was for three-year-olds only, giving it an advantage over the other handicaps. It was at the end of the music showcase evening, and Sally and myself had booked into the Parade Ring restaurant already. Sally’s brother Simon was also going to be there with Ben and Beth in the grandstand. We invited Ole and Zac to join us, and they jumped at the chance, swanking into the owners restaurant beforehand. I got an extra owners badge for Beth, but Simon and Ben were not for dressing up.

Star Of Lady M at York

It was a competitive race, with Star ranging in price from 7/1 to 14/1, eventually going off at 12/1.

My nerves would normally have been shredded by the time of the race, but we had enough beers to settle them before we headed to the parade ring. We bumped into William and Thomas Easterby, but there was no sign of Tim. There were lots of other familiar faces, and Sally had a good chat with Mick and Peter Easterby. I backed the winner of the race prior to ours, but as nerves finally began to kick in I forgot to collect the winnings. I asked Rory about the gamble on Northcliff, and he denied all knowledge of it.

Kissing Cousins

A Close Shave

Danny Tudhope was back on board, and we all agreed that he should drop her in and not chase what promised to be a very strong pace. She was quite a distance from the lead at half way, but Danny began to pick his way through. Entering the final furlong she put on a spurt up the stands rail, but the winner had flown. She finished a brilliant second, two lengths off the winner, but two and a quarter lengths clear of the third. It was a worthwhile evening, with around £5,000 in prize money, and as an added bonus our hosts at York invited us for champagne as placed connections.

Let me explain about horse racing

This was especially nice as Di Jackson was in attendance, but when I said we should wait for Sally I was told that she was already in the champagne room. Fortunately there was no dress code in there, so Simon, Ben and Beth were all able to join us. It was quite some time before we made our way out, and the music showcase headliners Human League were well into their set. We went back to the Parade Ring restaurant to settle our bill, and the couple on the next table insisted on buying us another drink as they had backed out horse. “Don’t You Want Me” blasted out from the stage as we headed for a belated meeting with our driver Terry, who happily took us back to our hotel.

In the drawing room we were ready for a quiet night, but another group arrived, and when they found out that we were the owners of Star Of Lady M more drinks followed. It was well into the night when we finally retired to bed.

A Date At Doncaster

As the dust settled we made plans, and David again came up with a three-year-old only race, this time over five furlongs at Doncaster. It would be one of her last opportunities at that level as the handicapper would surely want a long, hard look at her rating.

Enter The Queen

At the time we were still working to find a forever home for Lady Dandylion, and Tim generously offered to lease a horse to us. This was a three-year-old filly named Canaria Queen, and she had finished third last time out. She was lightly raced, having not seen the racecourse as a two year-old, and Tim offered us tickets to watch her at Leicester the following day before making a decision. It was a bit short notice, but we tuned in to the race and were very impressed.

Canaria Queen – the latest recruit for the emerald green silks with black stars

Canaria Queen ran on well to go clear in the final furlong, but she was just caught on the line to finish second. It did not take the syndicate long to decide that we would like to lease her for the rest of the season, or at least until Emerald Duchess came back to fitness. I broke the good news to Tim, and we agreed to split any GBB bonuses 50-50.

Do You Want To Know A Secret

Early August meant a trip to Glorious Goodwood. We enjoyed it so much with Star Of Lady M last summer that we decided to head down there again, this time in the Secret Garden restaurant.

The door to the Secret Garden

The weather was horrendous, and we were glad to pull into the grounds of the rather grand but somewhat tired Avisford Park hotel. I had called the hotel the previous week to book a taxi to the races, but they assured me that would not be a problem. However, a few phone calls later proved that it certainly would be a problem. After half an hour I had managed to secure a ride to the course, but not back to the hotel. Taxis were in short supply, and even our driver from last year could not help.

A La Carte

We sat in the bar and studied the menu, and then Sally gave me her order. “I want a fillet steak with salad instead of chips, and I am not paying for the salad.” “That’s not what the menu says,” I argued, realising that after a fruitless search for a cab Lady M was in no mood to compromise. “A menu is just to provide ideas,” she said, and repeated her order. To be fair the hotel obliged, and after a splendid meal we remained in the bar and chatted to a few of the other diners.

By this stage, at least a bottle of red wine into the evening, Sally was in full flow. She regaled the other guests with tales of racing, and the value of Star Of Lady M went up by a quarter of a million pounds in a matter of a couple of sentences. Some were also off to the races, and they had either already booked their rides, or were in the same predicament as ourselves. We decided to leave it until the following morning and retired to bed.

Taxi?

As the sun rose we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, and Sally enquired if any of the young bar staff might want to earn a few quid. The answer came back negative, but she was not to be deterred. The grounds of the hotel contained a golf course, and we strolled towards it. I waited outside as Sally went into the club house, and after a few minutes, with the rain coming down again, I joined her inside. She was again deep in conversation about horses, and we met a chap who rode out for Major Dick Hern back in the day.

Then Sally cut to the chase. She wanted to know if there was anyone at the club who wanted to earn an extra few quid. The barman suggested Jamie, but when Sally asked where he was it transpired that he was cutting the 15th green. We waited a few minutes, and a youngish lad walked in, no doubt wondering why everyone was staring at him.

“Are you Jamie?” Sally asked. The young lad nodded and then the deal was sealed. “I am going to give you a hundred pounds, and you are going to take us to the races and pick us up afterwards. How does that sound?” “Great,” he replied, but I’ll have to ask my boss for the time off.” His boss was stood at the end of the bar, and in the face of Sally’s confident approach, and the sight of rain pouring down outside, he could think of no good reason to deny the request. So, Jamie would be our driver, and we went off to get changed.

An English Summer

An hour later we were at the course, and the rain was relentless. A gale howled around the course, and we had to literally hang on to our hats as we made our way to the oasis that is The Secret Garden. This was a fabulous setting. As the rain bounced down outside we were sat in an indoor English country garden sipping English sparkling wine, before the obligatory champagne arrived. The food was excellent, and the table layout meant that we could not avoid making new friends.

As the rain eased we ventured out to watch Paddington. Aidan O’Brien gave us a nod, perhaps to acknowledge the indomitable spirit of the English in summer, no matter what the weather brings! I met Facebook friend and tipping competition organiser Will Cemis, and then we spent a fabulous hour with Luke Lillingston. Sam Hoskins finally got to meet Lady M, and I am sure he was thrilled by that! We bade farewell, and I agreed with Luke that we would meet up at the Doncaster sales to discuss Star Of Lady M’s future as a broodmare.

Back at the table I heard a familiar voice. I turned around to see Tim, of Tim’s Terrific Trifecta fame. He remembered us from Windsor, and reminded me of the spectacular bet.

I managed to back David O’Meara’s Rhoscolyn who won the last race, and our lift back with Jamie turned out to be just perfect.

Back To The Track

It was a long drive home ,and when we arrived I discovered that we had actually been declared for Doncaster on the Saturday. David had notched four winners the previous Saturday and so was in good form. Redcar had been abandoned the previous day, and with the possibility of heavy ground at Ripon,  Doncaster in south Yorkshire looked a good alternative.

As we prepared to head to Doncaster the news came through from Tim that Canaria Queen had got spots. This was nothing too serious, but it would put her back a couple of weeks. The 1891 Group’s luck continued to be almost exclusively bad!

The Best Laid Plans…

The rain started to pour down at Doncaster, and so we declared at Ripon as well just in case. At first Jason Watson was on board, then this changed to Danny Tudhope. We set off for Doncaster not knowing whether we would even race or not.

We were installed as the 2/1 favourite as the rain started to ease. David Nolan was our jockey, and although we drifted out to 5/2 it was clear that we would take our chance. We were in the second race, and the opener certainly seemed to churn up some ground. David was knowledgeable about our filly, and he gave us confidence as he headed to the start, just as the heavens opened once more. Clive was again in attendance, and he pushed us towards the cameras as our jockey was being interviewed.

Star Of Lady M at Doncaster

We watched the race from the parade ring, which runs alongside the course. Star broke well, but it was clear that she struggled in the ground. It was certainly on the heavy side, and she did well to run on into fourth place. That at least gained us some prize money, and we agreed that the ground description should at least have the word “good” in it on her future runs.

Meeting David Nolan

Another Festival?

Elsewhere David O’Meara was on television talking about his Stewards Cup win with Aberama Gold. His success continued even if ours did not.

Star Of Lady M was in good form, despite the setback at Doncaster. She was entered at Ripon, Carlisle and Newmarket, and I also mentioned to Jason Kelly that there was a somewhat ambitious race for fillies only at the Ebor festival at York. However, although it was Class 2, as opposed to Class 4, it was historically good for three-year-olds, and particularly those rated in the 70s. So ,we entered that too.

The Ripon race was heavily oversubscribed with 33 entries, whereas the Newmarket race had a £30k prize pot, only 20 entries, and it was just for grey horses. That significantly reduced the pool of eligible horses, and we were favouring that.

Lady D Departs

Kate Tibbits, a friend of Richard Kent’s, agreed to collect Lady Dandylion from the Easterby yard, and Canaria Queen was back cantering after having a bout of ringworm, so we could expect to see her in the next few weeks. Emerald Duchess was making good progress and would be reassessed in six weeks.

Lady Dandylion happy in a field at her new home

Aim High

The best laid plans are easily thwarted by horses and races, and when sixteen were declared for the Newmarkey greys race David thought that we should skip it. It was 10lbs higher than the races she should be contesting, but as there were no clear alternatives we declared anyway and were quoted at 12/1. I warned everyone that we were far from certain to run, and sure enough, later that morning David confirmed our entry into the York race, a contest that was an even higher standard than the Newmarket race. However, it had the advantage of being fillies only, it was on her doorstep, and there were only 18 entries.

The handicap system meant that we would need a very light jockey, but even then we would be carrying 3lbs more than our rating stipulated, so we were certainly up against it.

We withdrew from the Greys race and focused on York. It was the first day of the Ebor festival, meaning that Star would have raced at Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood and the Ebor before her three-year-old career was over, just the Derby and Newmarket to complete the set!

Festival Fever

It was certainly a thrill to have a runner at the Ebor, as for me it tops the list ahead of any of the other English racing festivals. We booked the very experienced Joe Fanning to ride at the featherweight of 8st 2lbs, and it was no surprise to be priced at 25/1.

Talking tactics with Joe Fanning and David O’Meara at the Ebor

We arrived at the course before midday, despite the traffic from Leeds Festival. After picking up a few compliments in the car park we headed inside. Maureen and Mick Doyle, two owners that we met earlier in the season, were in attendance, as were Middleham Park owners Vinny and Kenny. Local trainer Adrian Keatley was also there, this time without his children.

The Owners restaurant was very busy, and York came up with an innovative solution to ease the congestion. Rather than sit down at a table they provided the option of a couple of carvery rolls complete with roast potatoes and a pot of gravy, and these could be eaten in the bar. Sally had her own problems, as the enormous hat that she had chosen for the occasion was too large to fit through most of the doors.

Star Of Lady M looked magnificent at another festival

Passing The Time

As race time approached my nerves went into overdrive, and I was pacing about trying to drink lots of water. In the pre-parade ring I sat on the lawn, to the concern of Jason Kelly and David’s team. Hugh Lillingston, Luke’s son, introduced himself, and a few minutes with him and Jason distracted me for a while.

In the parade ring Joe Fanning appeared, and we talked tactics. I pointed out that there was no pace on our side so perhaps Joe would need to tuck in towards the middle. David stressed that we should be closer to the pace, and to avoid the far rail where the ground seemed dead.

Fractions!

A short time later Joe mounted and they were off to the start. We took up our customary place in front of the giant screen in the parade ring, and they were off. She got bumped at the start, and suddenly we were ten lengths behind. Joe took her to the far rail, breaking our two golden rules in the first half of the race. She started to run on, and was closest at the finish. Her final position of 7th did not do justice to her, and Joe was very apologetic afterwards. However, he was making split second decisions at 40mph, and sometimes those decisions go wrong, That’s racing!

Star Is Back

She was beaten just 2 lengths in the Class 2 contest, just inches and eight hundredths of a second from 4th, which boded well for the rest of her season.

Joe apologises but he was not to blame

Everyone complimented us on what a fantastic race she ran, though Sally was more concerned about my nerves. She wanted me to get a watch so that she could monitor my vital signs!

We made our way home, mentally exhausted after ticking off another major festival. Meanwhile, the O’Meara team, and many others within the Yorkshire racing fraternity, were off to a party hosted by the owner of major racing supporter Clipper Logistics. It was anything but a low key affair, with Bryan Adams providing the music.

The following morning we were pleased to hear that Star Of Lady M had come out of the race just fine, and we could plan ahead.

There And Back Again

It was a busy week, and Friday morning we were once again on our way to York for the third day of the Ebor meeting. As we pulled into our hotel we were greeted by several staff members with umbrellas, Terry, our driver, and Frankie Dettori who was just about to head to the racecourse. Sally spoke to him in Italian, and he somehow managed to understand her. He was more than happy to pose for a photo, and Lady M was even gracious enough to crouch down so that the diminutive jockey was the taller of the two!

Lady M and Frankie

At the course we were booked into the Parade Ring restaurant, and they had certainly dressed it up for the Ebor. Rather than the usual prosecco on arrival, we were greeted with champagne, and the chairs were adorned with white cloth that made them seem quite regal.

It was a splendid afternoon, and we managed to catch up with some of The 1891 Group syndicate, as well as Luke Lilllingston, as we shared a jug or two of Pimms. We met William and Sarah Easterby who were both a little the worse for wear after the Clipper party, as were David O’Meara and Char-lee. I also noted that Andrew Balding was pacing up and down before the Lonsdale Cup that was eventually won by his horse, Coltrane. Apparently he is renowned for pre-race nerves – so its not just me!

A New Best Friend

Sally was circulating as ever, and she got on famously with Stacy Keatley. She then met Charlie Hills and praised his children for their Tweets highlighting Charlie’s recent racing achievements.

Terry picked us up after racing, and when we got back to Middlethorpe he showed us a picture of himself and Frankie that was clearly his pride and joy. Charlie Hills’ children were waiting for dad on the doorstep, and after discussing Tottenham Hotspur with them we went inside. In the drawing room there were other owners who had travelled up from Norfolk just to experience the Ebor festival. He was not particularly interested in racing, but she was passionate, and she admitted that she too gets very nervous before race time.

We retired early and got on the road straight after breakfast the next morning. Unfortunately, the news regarding Lady Dandylion was not good. She was covered in sarcoids. With that ailment it was unlikely anyone would take her, and they can be expensive to treat. However, we had faith in Kate, and sure enough a few days later she was seen on Twitter enjoying herself in a field in what will hopefully be her forever home.

The Queen Is Waiting

Canaria Queen was finally ready to see a racecourse again, and although it would be a long journey there was a race at Bath that should have been within her ability. However, Tim had other ideas, and put her into a hot contest at Carlisle. Tim thought that we would need to win to justify going to Bath and Andrew Balding had the hot favourite. At Carlisle, the race was possibly not as deep as it looked, and we could pick up some decent prizemoney.

It was a pleasant run up to the Cumbrian course, and we were given a warm welcome. The complimentary food was as good as it gets, but the race was predictable. She had proved to be a little on her toes at the stalls, so travelling head lad Geordie went to the start to calm her down. This meant that the only person from the stable that could give us information was Duran Fentiman, our jockey. She showed great professionalism going into the stalls, but once the race began she was quickly under pressure. Trailing some way behind the principals, she finished 9th of 11. We did not look forward to the return part of our five hour round trip. Hindsight always knows best, and at Bath the favourite as a non runner. We would certainly have been in with a favourite’s chance.

Canaria Queen at Carlisle

Out Of Her Depth

Duran was a little more optimistic. He was not quite sure why was in such a hot race, but at a lower level and with some cut in the ground, he thought that she could get her head in front.

The following day the Tim messaged to say that she ran too freely and would be dropped to 5 furlongs for future races. In addition, she was disadvantaged by being drawn out wide. I was not convinced and thought she should be dropped significantly in class.

Someone obviously thought otherwise, as she was entered into a Class 3 contest that also looked likely to feature Star Of Lady M. I gave Tim a call and he agreed that she should set her sights a little lower.

She was entered into races at Leicester and Catterick which were much more suitable. Unfortunately the ground was against her so she was not declared for either. That was just before the heavens opened and there were swathes of non-runners due to the soft ground, Who would be a trainer?

What The Future Might Hold

I ventured to Doncaster again, this time to meet Luke at the Goffs sale. It was a busy arena, though I caught up with Tim Easterby and David O’Meara. David was keen to explore future options for Star Of Lady M. However, the meeting with Luke was all about the future for Star Of Lady M once her racing career is over. He was delighted that we would consider sending her over to his Mount Coote Stud, and he explained how a deal might be structured. This included the possibility that one day we may even race one of her foals.

The End Of A Chapter

The news was not so good from Tim, as he finally conceded defeat with Emerald Duchess. He did not believe that she would recover sufficiently from her injury to be able to race again, and so we would send her to the Tattersalls Mares sale in December. In the meantime, we had to hope that her full sister, Granny Budgie, continued to win more races. As it turned out, her full brother was sold at Goffs, though not for as much as we had hoped. Richard Kent admitted that the colt was still a bit backward but should come good in time.

York Once More

Star Of Lady M was entered into the apprentice handicap for three-year-olds only at York, and as it was their family fun day their somewhat stringent dress code was relaxed. I was feeling ill before we even got there, so when the nerves kicked in it was worse than ever. Mark Winn was our jockey, and he was confident of a good showing.

Meeting Mark Winn before the apprentice race at York

However, we were drawn away from the pace, and when the race settled down we were ten lengths or more behind. She found nothing, and afterwards Mark admitted that he was at a loss. That was not her true running as he eased her down to 16th of 17. David had no explanation either, suggesting that her draw had done her no favours. It was also possible that the ground had gone against her, as it had started raining just before the race. 

Perhaps she was in season, perhaps she was just under the weather. It was another one that we had to put down to experience and move on.

The Queen Of Scotland

Grannie Budge finished 3rd in a competitive nursery, confirming her promise and the potential uplift to the value of Emerald Duchess. Elsewhere, Canaria Queen was entered at Musselburgh, Thirsk and Redcar, and it seemed that the first of these was the preferred destination. It was a GBB race, and there were just seven runners, but as the course is near Edinburgh there were certain logistical issues.

The night before was the end of season cricket celebration, and that went on until late into the night. In addition, the girls trip to Majorca would see them return after midnight as well.

Fiona offered to drive, but there were just two other travellers, myself and Jake. Jake had to ride in the back because of his hangover, and he was very relieved when we stopped close to Penrith for coffee and Greggs.

Last Minute Jitters

We carried on, making good time, and eventually pulled into the course a good hour before the first race. Canaria Queen was on her toes in the parade ring, but Geordie was confident that she would be fine at the stalls. There were originally six runners, but the favourite was withdrawn. The new favourite was long odds on, but we were feeling reasonably confident. At the start Canaria Queen was not happy. She reared up, backed away, and for a while it looked like she might not even enter the stalls. That would have been one heck of a waste of a nine hour round trip. Eventually, though, the shrugged off all but one of the stalls handlers and moved into her gate swiftly and smoothly.

Canaria Queen at Musselburgh

First!

David Allan said that he hoped the favourite would give him a lead, and that proved to be the case. Two furlongs out he made his move, and it was decisive. It was difficult to hear the commentary with Fiona screaming at the top of her voice, but that did not matter. It was clear that she would win from a long way out. The performance was supremely confident from all concerned, and after almost 18 months The 1891 Group had finally had their first winner.

The winner – Canaria Queen wanted the limelight to herself

There was a brief presentation, but no pictures of the winning owners with the winning horse as she was still full of herself. We received a bottle of Edinburgh gin and four presentation glasses, and then we went to the winners lounge to watch the race over and over again. We were given a USB stick containing the race, and a picture of Canaria Queen crossing the winning line. As ever after a win, the rest of the racing became a distraction and we headed for home. The following morning the syndicate were still excited, all wanting to know where she would be off to next. I had Redcar on 27th September earmarked, but with Tim it was difficult to be confident.

The 1891 Group finally come out on top

Here Comes The Rain Again

Star Of Lady M had an entry at Beverley, but we were concerned about the weather. Danny Tudhope was on May Blossom, possibly because of the doubt about our participation, and even on the morning of the race we thought we might give it a miss. David called at 11am, and we were off to Beverley! As we approached the east Yorkshire course the day was clear and sunny, but that concealed the deluge that was about to occur.

Star Of Lady M in the rain at Beverley

At race time the parade ring was empty and under water, and the incessant rain continued as they went to post. We had figured that Star did not like the heavy going, and so it proved. She did her best, but finished 8th of 9 in ground that could be described as bottomless. We would definitely need to consider that for future races.

Reacquainted with Jason Watson

The Queen Is High

We saw Will and Rory from Tim’s yard, and they confirmed that they were waiting for the handicapper to reassess Canaria Queen before further entries. As it turned out she was raised 5lbs, which seemed a little harsh for winning a small novice race. Despite that, she should still be able to hold her own in a low grade handicap.

Unfortunately Tim thought it best to enter her into a higher grade again, this time at Ripon. I was away for the weekend, but the syndicate was well represented. Canaria Queen was slowly away, and never really challenged. This could have been expected, but the disappointing thing was that the handicapper saw fit to leave her on her elevated mark of 69 rather than drop her a few pounds.

Canaria Queen at Ripon

She was entered into a contest at Southwell, but was not declared as the ground looked like riding too fast, whilst Star Of Lady M was also going to contest that but for an administrative oversight.

A Battle Royal?

Next up for Canaria Queen could well be a contest at Musselburgh that might also feature Star Of Lady M. Star could well go to Windsor instead and Canaria Queen might sensibly end up at Redcar, but it is an intriguing prospect.

You can view the previous edition here

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January 17, 2023 by Mike Madden

Evri Cloud…

Leaves On The Lawn

The dark days of winter are not helped by the thankless task of clearing up leaves. I gathered up 40 bags of the perennial nuisance and deposited them at the tip. I am fairly sure that’s a record – and one that I won’t hope to beat next year!

Evri Cloud Has A Silver Lining

The World Cup certainly added a bright spot to winter. I decided that I should purchase a Brazil shirt for the tournament, as is traditional. Kitbag seemed to be the best option, so I placed an order that was duly dispatched. A few days later I got notified that the item was with their chosen courier Evri, and that’s when problems began. Evri updated the tracking to state that they had the parcel. However, they had no idea when it would reach me, so I contacted Kitbag for a refund. By now the group stages were well under way. Kitbag said that they would need to get confirmation from Evri that the parcel was lost. I pointed out that this was their problem and not mine. I also mentioned that any company with reasonable customer service would look at the Evri tracking and issue a refund forthwith.

Meanwhile, I ordered a replacement from JD Sports. Unfortunately, I then got the dreaded notification, “Your parcel is now with Evri”. I crossed everything and hoped for the best, but to no avail. The second parcel went missing, and whereas Kitbag had to undertake a full investigation, JD Sports accepted liability and issued an immediate refund. I received a notification that the item had been received back at JD Sports, and the refund appeared against my card almost immediately.

Third time lucky? As the knockout stages approached I ordered the same item from Nike, and I was dismayed to find that they too use Evri as their courier. However, I was delighted when the item arrived a full five days before it was due. Coincidentally, this was on the same day that Kitbag finally processed a refund.

London Buses

The saga did not end there. Evri then continued to update me on the status of my Nike parcel, even though it had already arrived. Then, just as the semi finals were due to start, the JD Sports order mysteriously arrived. There was no tracking or notification, just a delivery. A few days later, just in time for the final, the Kitbag item arrived. Unfortunately, I had already completed the incessant surveys that these retailers send out, including somewhat colourful answers to the questions, “Would you recommend Kitbag to your friends and family?” and “What could Kitbag do better to improve your experience?”

If the Brazilians run out of shirts – I’ve got plenty!

Sherry Shortage

Zac managed to get himself a temporary job at Tesco for November and December, but it did not start well. He was stacking shelves in the booze aisle when a full case of sherry toppled from his cage. Every single one of the twelve bottles smashed, and he became an instant folk hero. No one had managed to smash a full case before. He followed this up with a bottle of wine that bit the dust, and then some mustard that was particularly pungent, but after that all went well. He is hoping to be recalled in the New Year, as he needs funds to pay for his next jaunt, to India!

Christmas, Creole & Coffee

The run up to Christmas is always busy in the kitchen, but this year seemed more hectic than usual. I made a large batch of gingerbread “Christmas biscuits”, but Ole got wind of them. They disappeared long before December, and so I had to make a second batch.

Whodunnit?

A similar thing happened with the chocolate digestives. I delayed the mini cheesecakes, but they did not last long either. I made a number of chocolate logs, though Zac’s slices just seemed to get bigger and bigger. Since his return from Thailand, Zac has started to eat some more cosmopolitan food, with Madras being a particular favourite, so there has been no shortage of curries.

Brownies came and went, both naked and covered in cream, whilst the perennial favourite coffee and walnut cake, made using Camp coffee and chicory essence of course, is always a hit with the older generation.

The Creole cake was a big success, particularly after Sally had applied her artistic touch, and the Christmas pudding shimmered with flame. This was possibly my favourite food of the festive season.

Creole Cake 2022

You’re Fired

Speaking of flames, we replaced the floors in two rooms on the run up to Christmas, and so we had a lot of old wood and board that needed burning. I built a huge bonfire, and although it was too wet to burn on the traditional New Year’s Eve, it stayed alight for 4-5 hours on New Year’s Day.

   

I’m Making A List…

Christmas is over all too quickly, and its a good time to reassess your excesses. We discovered a new game, Herd Mentality, where there are no wrong answers. The aim is to try to answer the same as everyone else, and you quickly realise that after alcohol you have no chance! I made a note to order more parsnips next year, as well as much less chocolate and to make much, much less stuffing. We had enough to sink two Titanics. I will no doubt lose my list by next year, and we will have more or less the same problems.

What Goes Down Must Go Up

On Boxing Day Sally went to join the traditional hunt from Bakewell. Its not a real hunt, so I’m told, but if its not a real hunt I’m not sure why they take hounds with them (you’re not allowed to call them dogs). Anyway, I took Ole and Zac with me for some fresh air and to see her off. We parked near Lady Manners school, and as we descended the rather sharp hill to the streets of the town, Zac stumbled across a stark realisation.

“We could have parked a lot closer – we are going to have to walk all the way back up here.” He was right!

Its all downhill until you have to go back again

Lady M and Nancy

Sally’s Stew

Some of you may think that Sally gets a bad rap when it comes to the kitchen, and to be fair she excels around the festive season. Christmas Eve sees her create a traditional and mouthwatering cheese & onion pie with home made beetroot chutney, and the following day she makes a wonderful Christmas Dinner. She also promised me a New Year full English breakfast, but she went out so I had to make my own. However, there are still times when I shake my head and wonder what will happen next. A week or so before Christmas she went out to ride her horse. An hour or so later, we got a message at home.

“Can someone check the stew I’ve left on?”

From Tattersalls To Triumphs

As reported in the previous edition we launched From Tattersalls To Triumphs, with all proceeds going to the Injured Jockeys Fund and Retraining Of Racehorses charities. Sales started well, but then hit a bit of a slump, I did an interview with Frankie Foster at Ascot which seemed to have a positive effect, and then on the back of that Sun Racing contacted me for their own interview. Finally, I went to the mares sale at Tattersalls, where Gina Bryce asked me all about the past year in horseracing.

You can follow the press here! 

From Tattersalls To Triumphs in The Sun

Interview with Gina Bryce on Tattersalls TV

Of course, you can still buy the book here…

From Tattersalls To Triumphs on Amazon

…or if you have already purchased please consider leaving a review.

Hopeful Horses

Meanwhile, Emerald Duchess is not yet back in training, whilst Star Of Lady M is fully recovered from her injury. Unfortunately, she got a little too boisterous in her paddock and managed to injure her shoulder on a fence post, but it was nothing too serious and it should be all systems go for April.

Our two-year-olds are now officially three-year-olds, as all racehorses have a birthday on 1st January. Although flat racing happens year round, the official flat season begins with the Brocklesby at Doncaster on April 1st. The countdown is officially on as we hope that both Star Of Lady M and Emerald Duchess will race in April. Unfortunately, our trainer, David O’Meara, is aiming Star Of Lady M for a May start, which hopefully means he has a couple of specific targets for her.

Back in November the BHA website published the fixtures for April, and so I have mapped out all possibilities for both horses, and the advantages / disadvantages of each potential race, based on previous renewals going back to 2016. So, it seems likely that Emerald Duchess will race at Redcar followed by Pontefract and / or Wetherby. Star Of Lady M could have a somewhat ambitious journey that takes in Bath, Newmarket and York.

In the interim, I am booked in to do a presentation on racehorse ownership at the High Peak Business Club on 17th March.

If you are interested the event costs £25 and includes breakfast pastries and bacon sandwiches.

High Peak Business Club

Cat Calling

We had a new wood burning fire installed, and it is a great success, blasting out heat at significantly less cost than using the radiators. Bo, in particular, is a big fan, and she now waits expectantly whenever she wants it to be lit.

Bridge Over Troubled Whaley

Whaley Bridge is a bit of a contradiction at the moment. It is about to become either chaotic or a ghost town depending on where you live. Network Rail are kindly shutting the road for SIX weeks whilst they replace the rusted and creaking, but crucially “Listed” bridge across Buxton Road. This has caused a lot of consternation, and it could be quite an inconvenience. It seems that Whaley Bridge will become a cross between Stephen King’s Under The Dome and John Wyndham’s Midwich Cuckoos. We’ve already been known as Village Of The Damned after the Todbrook incident!

I think I will just continue to walk to Tesco to collect small loads rather than doing a Big Shop! We are also fortunate that Frydays Cod & Cake opened last week, and it was very popular on opening night. We sent Ole and Zac to bring back samples, but we were very disappointed on their return. It wasn’t long before they had to admit that the queue was too large in Cod & Cake, and so they sourced the fish and chips from elsewhere. Definitely not up to standard. We hope to get genuine Cod & Cake fish and chips in the near future.

Somewhere Old, Somewhere New…

Elsewhere in Whaley, the White Hart is yet again temporarily closed. I am not sure how temporary the closure is based on its appearance. The building has had huge unsightly boards erected, a lovely site for visitors to the village. Other places seem to be thriving, with a Mediterranean steak restaurant, the Istanbul Grill, and the revamped Sunday roast at the Cock all on the list of places to dine out. I am particularly interested to see what happens with the Cock, as there are rumours that they are clearing the huge piece of land at the back of the pub to create an even more extensive beer garden. Top of my list to try in the village is Grill 13, the burger place at Horwich End. They were reported to have had a few teething troubles. However, all is well now and they have an ever expanding menu.

We revisited the Royal Oak at Hurdlow for Sunday lunch a few weeks ago. Once again, it certainly lived up to expectations. It is one of the top 5 in the area, along with the Barrel at Bretton that we are booked in to early next month.

Anyway, there’s no getting away from the fact that we live in one of the most beautiful places on earth. With the road about to be closed I’m glad I live on this side!

You can view the previous edition here

Black Type And Blackberries

November 15, 2022 by Mike Madden

What the hell is that?

Thai Diet

I’ll start this edition with Zac, and a sequence of events that are both unbelievable, and quite predictable at the same time. He settled in to hostel life in Thailand, and then he went to the wilder parts of the country. Although he was in the wilderness, he found a 7/11 that sold cheese and ham toasties, and that became his staple diet. I asked him what he had eaten previously, and he was not quite sure. He knew that there were noodles, as well as curry and rice, but these were often accompanies by “mystery meats”. I can imagine ham and cheese toasties being heaven after that assault on his palate.

He progressed to Chiang Mai where he visited the elephant orphanage, and then onto the party city of Pai. Unfortunately, his repetitive diet caught up with him and he was ill for a few days. This gave him a chance to catch up with his sleep, and figure out just what he wanted to do next.

Driving Home For Christmas

When he started his adventure he sent me his details on FindMyIphone, so I could track him through Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pai, and so on. Occasionally it could not find him, but that was usually because his phone had died.

Last Monday it looked like the tracking system had broken as it pinpointed him in Stockport. I thought about deleting and reinstalling the app, but as I watched I noticed his location progressing along the A6. The penny dropped. He had decided to come home, and he planned to arrive Sunday night, two days before his birthday. Air France conspired against him, delaying his flight so that he had to be put up in Paris Airport. It was not all bad news, as his delay would probably gain him around £550. Eventually, he made his way along Walters Wood, and much to his mum’s and his brother’s surprise, he walked into the house just as if it was any other Monday.

Plan B

He had had enough for now, but planned to go back out after Christmas. This meant that he could enjoy his birthday and the festive season, and the compensation from Air France meant that it had cost him very little. I always knew he was not completely daft!

Kitchen Traditions

I have been quite busy in the kitchen, with cornflake tart, sticky toffee pudding, and of course, pumpkin pie. However, Sally has also tried her hand at a few things.

What’s In A Name?

One dish in particular was quite remarkable. I think that it started off as some kind of sweet potato chilli, but it was not readily identifiable as that. When I asked Sally what it was, she admitted that she was not quite sure. It maybe had the texture of corned beef hash! One of her friends, however, was a little more blunt, or you could say that she had given it a new name. “What the hell is that?” seems quite catchy. It remained virtually untouched for a couple of says, before Sally admitted, “It’s got some hard bits in it and I don’t really like it,” and it was consigned to the bin.

What the hell is that?

Ole refused to eat it, and a couple of weeks later, with the pan of “what the hell is that?” still fresh in the memory, he found a pan of turkey chilli on the stove. The text exchange went like this.

Cornflake tart

Its Autumn, so there is always the Creole Cake to get under way. It seems to have baked particularly well this year.

Star Souvenirs

Star Of Lady M has finished for the year, but our involvement with her certainly has not. We decided to go to the excellent Headmasters in New Mills, where we ordered embroidered gilets and bobble hats. Not sure what we are going to do with them yet!

We went to see her after the traditional October finale at York, and she was already on the walker, showing great progress in her recuperation. Sally decided to try her with some Polo mints, but to be honest I don’t really think Star knew what to do with them. All of the stable were confident that she would make a full recovery, and we look forward to seeing her on a racecourse in April 2023.

Magnificent Middlethorpe

The York finale presented us with the opportunity to stay at Middlethorpe Hall once again, giving us the 10th anniversary of our first stay there. I highly recommend this hotel if you are ever at York races.

The Duchess Delivers (almost)

Emerald Duchess returned to Leicester, scene of her gallant third place from early September. Many of those in The 1891 Group syndicate thought that she had grown since they last saw her. Duran Fentiman was our jockey, and he was supremely confident in the parade ring. “Just go out there and win” was his instruction.

She broke very well, and travelled down the course looking as good as she ever had. The syndicate were ecstatic as she took the lead. There were screams, squeals and cheers as we thought she might win. She eventually finished second, as the favourite went past her on the wide outside. It was a great performance, giving us renewed optimism for her future. Her TopSpeed rating of 22 was bizarrely low, and her RPR of 54 was much more indicative of her improved showing. She was raised 2lbs to 52 by the official handicapper.

Return To Redcar

She ran again at Redcar at the start of November, but she hated the ground and got bumped into a couple of furlongs from home. She finished fifth, and although we were disappointed, it really showed that our expectations had increased. A TopSpeed of 13 and RPR of 33 were fully expected, but she was only dropped 1lb to 51. We look forward to her getting her head in front in the early part of next season. Shares of her are still available at the cost of £3,750 that includes 10% full ownership and one year’s training fees.

The Redcar day out was interesting for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the lady at the gate recognised us from Star Of Lady M’s race in April. Secondly, we went into the stand and tried to remember where we were stood when Star Of Lady M won. Neither Sally nor myself could remember exactly, but a lady came up to us, pointed, and said, “You were there”. She remembered us from that day back in April, as she had never seen anyone so excited when their horse had won.

A Stocking Filler

Finally, from the horseracing world, my latest book, From Tattersalls To Triumphs, is now available to purchase on Amazon. The book details our first year of racehorse ownership, and all proceeds will be donated to the Injured Jockeys Fund and Retraining Of Racehorses charities.

       

From Tattersalls To Triumphs

As part of the promotion I have done interviews on RacingTV and Tattersalls TV, and I was featured in the Owner Breeder magazine for October. This was particularly useful, as the cover featured Queen Elizabeth II.

   

Owner Breeder magazine

Tattersalls TV

The Tattersalls interview was recorded at the Book 3 sale, and although we did not purchase this year, there were many well-wishers, including Luke, David O’Meara and Jason Kelly, Tim and William Easterby, Richard Kent, and the team from Cheveley Park. Looking forward to going back there at the end of November for the mare sale.

The Absurdity Of Queues

The NFL did not disappoint once again, as myself and Ole went down to London to watch the Packers take on the Jets at the Tottenham Stadium. With Zac in Thailand we took family friend Bruce Glover with us, and it was a straightforward journey from Macclesfield to Seven Sisters via Euston. It was quite a walk from there, but the weather was fine and there were some colourful sights.

As we approached the stadium we encountered our first queue of the day. It snaked around the concourse, stretching for several hundred yards, and we were thankful that it was not our entry queue. Instead, it was the queue for the merchandise shop, and it must have been at least an hour from joining the queue to actually making a purchase. Fortunately, we sidestepped this melee, and quickly rose to the VIP area. Ole and Bruce were very impressed as they tucked into smoked salmon, roast lamb, and unlimited Amstel.

Nachogate

The game itself was a close one, but at half time we returned to our table for nachos. It seemed that they had not given us enough nachos, so we asked for more. The head waiter came out with quite possibly the most ridiculous comment I have ever heard in a restaurant. Apparently, the chef knows how many people there were on each table and therefore he filled each bowl of nachos according to their destination. We had three on our table, and therefore we would have had a bowl for three. The waiters and waitresses had no idea which table each bowl went to until someone stuck their hand up, debunking the waiter’s crazy notion. Eventually, the manager came over and she admitted it was nonsense, they had simply run out!

The game continued into the second half, and we realised that there was one thing missing – cheerleaders! I know it is cold in Green Bay, but they still have cheerleaders – has the PC World gone mad?

Queuing For The Sake Of It

After the game we returned to our seats for hot dogs and more Amstel as we waited for the crowds to disperse. Eventually, we headed back to Seven Sisters where it was clear that there were still thousands heading our way. Just beyond the stadium there was a ridiculous queue to enter a grassed area. The only facility inside the grassed area was a burger van, and despite the presence of many more food outlets, including rival burger vans, in the immediate vicinity, these particular burgers must have been good enough to persuade people to queue for half an hour or more. We continued on towards our destination. The police clearly wanted to steer everyone through one entrance at Seven Sisters, and the queue began several hundred yards from the tube station. We tried two other tube station entrances, but they were blocked off.

More Than One Way To Skin A Cat

We tried Uber, but they wanted upwards of £50, then we hatched a cunning plan. Around the corner, just a few hundred yards away, was the entrance to the Seven Sisters overground station. So we headed for that. The overground station shares an entrance with the underground, but it would appear that no one told the police or the rest of the queue. We got straight onto a train and arrived at Euston in time for a pint before our return to Macclesfield!

Once Upon A Time…

Fern Farm has taken delivery of three little pigs. Dave has built them a house of metal, so I guess he has read the fairytale! They love apples and my jeans. Will hopefully get some videos in the near future.

   

Toadstools

Have you noticed the proliferation of fungi this year? There has been plenty in the garden, but on a walk around Fernilee there were a lot of very bright toadstools. Certainly would not recommend them for a salad.

Eating Out

We had a recommendation to visit the Barrel Inn at Bretton several years ago, but Covid got in the way. A couple of weeks ago we decided to try it out, and we were not disappointed. Fabulous roast dinner, very friendly service, and stunning views across the valley. Well worth the journey which is around 25 minutes from Whaley Bridge.

Previous Edition

Black Type And Blackberries

December 27, 2021 by Mike Madden

Covid For Christmas

An Eye Watering Review

I will start this edition with a product review. Not something I do a lot, and certainly not in response to emails that arrive literally minutes after ordering. However, I feel that guys out there need to know the truth, so here goes.

I am 60 so I feel I can talk about the sensitive and possibly disgusting subject of nasal hair removal. I have used a few trimmers, but I have never found one that is both reliable and really good at removing hair. Some of them eat through batteries way faster than the Duracell bunny, whilst others pull and tear rather than trimming. So, I thought there must be a better way. I found this on Amazon…

The line on the front of the package states “Fast, Effective & Painless Nose Hair Removal”, so it seemed ideal. I also read some reviews, which seemed to back this up. The reality is very different.

Hot Stuff

Essentially you get some wax beads, little cups to melt them in, moustache guards so you don’t remove your moustache, wooden spatulas to stir the wax, and applicators to apply the molten wax. It suggested 3 minutes in the microwave for the wax, followed by 90-120 seconds to set in the nose. After 3 minutes there were still lumps in the wax, so I gave it another minute.

I stirred quickly, and although the instructions suggested one nostril at a time, I realised that by the time the first one was done the rest of the wax would have set. So, I tested the temperature of the wax and it seemed ok, then I carefully placed one applicator into a nostril. I did the same with the  other one. It said you would be able to feel when the wax was cool enough and set enough to remove, but I preferred to count. I gave it the full 2 minutes, which may have been a mistake.

Nose To Nose

I gently pulled, and realised that a sharp tug was required. so I tugged. If you can imagine the idea of putting hot wax up your nostril and literally tearing the nasal hair, well that sounds painful, right? And it was! With eyes watering I did get the sense that something had been removed from my nose. Maybe something that wasn’t meant to be removed. It somehow felt cleaner. I looked at the applicator which was a big mistake. It looked like a fruit salad chew that had somehow fallen under the fridge and been discovered 6 months later.

I then realised my second mistake. Whilst waiting for my eyes to clear and trying to get the image of a hairy fruit salad chew out of my mind, the second nostril had set harder than it should. Not messing about, I knew the tug had to be a lot harder, and it was. So hard that it drew blood. Again, there was a lot of hair, but I now had the sensation that someone had punched me on the nose with a red hot fist.

In Case Of Emergency…

It obviously did the job, but the prospect of doing it again seemed quite remote. However, in for a penny and all that, I thought the ears would be much easier. That was certainly not true. It seems that ears are way more sensitive than nostrils, and I found this out rather quickly as the hot wax seared the opening to my ear.

In this case I rolled the wax around to cover all areas, and as with the nose I did two at once. This time I thought I would give it just 90 seconds, but it was still too late. I had an applicator sticking out of each ear, and a throbbing nose, reminiscent of Blackadder just before he went over the top. A sharp tug was a terrifying thought as the surface area of the ear is far greater than the nose, and that bit of the ear that juts up above the lobe is possibly one of the most sensitive parts of the body.

And Eyes And Ears And Mouth And Nose

For more than a moment I considered that I might have to go to casualty to get the applicators removed, then I manned up and pulled. Wow! My ears were ringing, completely taking my mind off my throbbing nose. The ripping sensation felt like someone had used rusty scissors to tear apart the ear, and I still had the other one to do. I pulled the second, and found that I was left with a strip of wax on a strip of hair that still needed to come out, but now I had no applicator. I eventually resorted to scissors, being careful not to irritate my reddened aural aperture.

To all of you ladies out there who regularly wax your more sensitive areas, I salute you. I still have two applications left in the package, but I am not going anywhere near them. Probably end up on eBay, unless I get drunk at a Christmas party. It would certainly make for an interesting forfeit.

Covid Communication

At the end of my last edition you probably saw that Ole had covid and missed two auditions. Well, actually he missed the Kes audition, and although they said they would wait until this week for a Zoom call they have already found someone else. The Waterloo Road audition was done over Zoom, not ideal for a Chemistry Test, so he is not too hopeful about that one either.

However, the real kicker came two days later when Zac announced to the world that he was also positive. I was a little sceptical as he retired to his room with the test, and when I asked him for the test so I could register it, he quickly intervened and said he would register it himself! However, with two boys on lockdown the house has become somewhat chaotic. Fortunately we have a Messenger group to maintain clear communication, and it has been a bit of an eye opener.

Covid Catering

The food requests started early!

The box in question was Dairy Box (remember those?). Apologies to someone who would have missed out as that box had been earmarked as a prize in the Whaley Bridge Cricket Club Christmas raffle.

It seems that Ole’s enforced isolation had seen a deterioration in his eating habits…

The following morning he seemed to repent…

Zac’s demands were a lot simpler – basically ham and cheese in either a sandwich or a toastie. But there are always complications…

 

…and we do expect some minimum standards!

By now I was getting used to it…

Then it became like Deliveroo…

The requests became more detailed as the days passed…

Staffing became an issue…

The threat of a review had to be addressed…

Zac had to do another test – just to be sure…

The results were inconclusive! I suspected foul play…

Takeaway Time

Despite Covid, or perhaps because of it, we stuck to Saturday night as takeaway night…

As you probably know Ole’s body is a temple, Zac’s less so, and mum was playing the martyr…

Zac has seen this ploy before…

Ole’s requests were relentless – but I got some respite by taking a walk…

Eventually I resorted to a menu system…

We got busy – even Sally had to help…

After the stresses of Sunday – Sally had to take me to the hospital – the boys would have to fend for themselves…

Then it was back to normal…

Praise indeed…

But then the guests, sorry, patients started getting picky…

Finally, away from the kitchen, there has been a spate of burglaries…

Someone wasn’t taking it too seriously…

They are both now out of isolation, though I’m not convinced I have seen a negative test, and true to their word there was a review…

7/10?

If issues fixed?

Looking forward to when the tables are turned!

Eventually, just in time, I was able to get back to Rocky Road, and other Christmas goodies. High on the agenda was injecting the Creole Cake with a good dose of Cointreau, and that was followed a few days later by the final dressing!

With the Rocky Road and yet another chocolate log alongside the Creole Cake, overall I was quite pleased with the Yuletide baking!

Feeling A Prick

As mentioned above, Sally took me to the hospital to get my injection of Duralane, a form of Hyaluronic Acid. I thought I would get a local anaesthetic, but no. The surgeon asked me to lie back and said I would feel a sharp scratch. Now, admittedly, it wasn’t as bad as the Groomarang experience, but having a needle stuck in your knee, first to drain fluid and then to replace it, is not a particularly nice experience. Dull aches and sharp stabs are the order of the day, or maybe I just have a low pain threshold!

Christmas Crumbs

Regular readers will know that we stay at Middlethorpe Hall quite a lot. The beautiful National Trust property, almost adjacent to York racecourse, has been a favourite for years. Well this year we got a handwritten Christmas Card from the manager. I’m expecting an upgrade to the four poster suite next time we visit.

Finally, Christmas Day saw us get to light the Christmas Pudding. I had never made one of these from scratch before, but they will definitely become a regular feature of Christmas, if only to wonder whether it will explode or not!

December 14, 2021 by Mike Madden

Gingerbread, Jabs And A Song For Rudolph

Jabbed!

Covid seems to be in the news for all sorts of reasons, and for me it was a relief when I was called for my booster. Now, having been double jabbed with Astra Zeneca I was about to be boosted with Pfizer, which is a bit like going from 1970’s 3% Skol to 2021’s 5% Peroni. The hangover certainly felt like a 5% one, as for 48 hours I was shaking, shivering and generally feeling like I had flu. Another day and I was back to normal, so I am now prepared for Covid to do its worst!

My knee is a different matter. I went back to my original surgeon after having no improvement through a course of physiotherapy. An X-Ray confirmed that my previous osteotomy was well healed and functioning normally, and an MRI scan showed that there was not much cartilage damage and the ligaments seemed to be intact. However, there was a lot of fluid around the joint, so the first course of action will be to drain that. I will then have an injection of Duralane, which sounds like it would kill 99% of all household germs, but it is actually Hyaluronic Acid which acts in a similar way  to the fluid that you would normally get around your knee.

The downside is that I wont be able to drive for 24 hours, but that is so much better than the six weeks of purgatory that Sally had to endure the last time I saw the same surgeon.

Winter Not So Wonderland

I have been to two festive events, in Manchester and Buxton. The legendary Christmas markets in Manchester were a little subdued, mainly because the focal point, Albert Square, was closed. The giant Father Christmas was in front of the library, but the town hall and its adjacent square were covered in scaffolding and barriers forbidding entry. Hardly the welcoming festive arena of yesteryear.

In Buxton there was a similar problem. There were a few stalls and the vendors were trying whatever they could to sell candles, gifts and hot chocolate, but this was all to a backdrop of scaffolding, netting and heavy plant machinery. Surely the organisers could have halted work or at least disguised it for a few special weeks?

Christmas In The Kitchen

At this time of year the kitchen is always busy, and after replenishing the gingerbread it seems that I will have to do it again.

The same goes for the chocolate digestives that never last longer than a week.

The same goes for the chocolate digestives that never last longer than a week.

However, the winner for the fastest food disappearance is definitely the chocolate log.

It went from this…

To this….

In just 3 days.

The date & walnut cake lasted quite a bit longer, but I’m not really a fan. The banana loaf was much more to my liking!

Regular readers will recall the myriad of fruit and alcohol that have been steeping since August and September. Well, they have now been decanted to create 250ml bottles of rocket fuel that Sally has been passing off as Christmas presents.

I think that the blackberry liqueur could certainly power a moderately sized vehicle.

My experimental Christmas pudding is now being saved for Christmas itself, giving it an extra 4 weeks to “mature”. Just to be on the safe side I gave it a couple of rather large slugs of brandy!

Finally, in the kitchen, the Creole Cake has had its infusion of brandy and sherry – so that just leaves the Cointreau for Christmas week (hic!)

Lights, Camera, Action!

Ole went down to London to get some new headshots for his Spotlight page, and it certainly seems to have helped. He got an audition for Waterloo Road, which led to a follow up audition. Next up he has been asked to go into Manchester for a Chemistry test!

He then got an audition for the stage adaptation of Kes. I am sure most of my readers will remember the original Ken Loach film with Brian Glover and Colin Welland. Well, despite that fact that Ole is 22 and the leading character is 15 he has been asked for a face to face follow up at the Octagon theatre in Bolton. If he is successful he will have to do around 50 live shows in Bolton and the Lake District, but of more concern is that he would miss our trip to the Dominican Republic. That is, of course, if Boris does not change the rules again by then.

Finally, he had to sign a non disclosure agreement for another role in which he played a Cockney character. Obviously I am not allowed to say much more, but his mum is concerned that the role may include some nudity and simulated sex!

Feeling The Heat

An off the wall incident happened in the kitchen when I noticed the oven had not been switched off.

“Who has left the oven on?” I asked.

“That will probably be Zac,” Sally replied.

I opened the oven door and found….the lid of a biscuit tin.

“There’s the lid of biscuit tin in there,” I said.

“That will be me,” replied Sally. ” I put it in there to dry it.”

The plastic stopper, used to pick up the lid, had unfortunately melted.

“I think we need a new biscuit tin,” I said.

A Measured Response

We went to the pub recently, just Sally and myself to get some “us” time away from the kids. As it is the festive season Sally ordered a sherry. The barmaid dusted off the seasonal bottle of Harvey’s. She then asked one of the more pointless questions where Lady M is concerned, “small or large?”

Having seen the measures next to each other, Sally must nave taken all of a nanosecond to say, “large!”

Its All Dad’s Fault

Zac has been having a tough time at college, with some results falling below even his own expectations. When he felt he was being backed into a corner he brought me into it!

“Why am I getting grief for my mock results when dad didn’t even finish his A Levels?”

Different times, my boy, very different times!

North Winds Blowing

Our planned trip to see Emerald Duchess and Star Of Lady M was aborted one Saturday morning due to snow. We rearranged, and decided to go up the night before which turned out to be a good idea. That day Derbyshire was swathed in an increasingly angry white blanket. Meanwhile, we were holed up in the cold but calm town of Malton. Our Airbnb was an interesting one. It seemed that the owners left 5 minutes before our arrival and would move back in 5 minutes after we left. There was food in the fridge, clothes in the wardrobe, and all manner of stuff hidden under beds.

I had some work to do so Fiona and Sally headed towards the bright lights of Malton. Recommendations for dinner were thwarted as many places don’t open on Mondays. However, they did make some purchases, including a broom for Sally. Obviously Malton brooms are a different breed to those readily available in the pound shops of Buxton, though I struggled to see the difference!

Later that evening we ventured into town. Malton boasts the title of the food capital of Yorkshire, so we were expecting a feast, and we were not disappointed. The small and friendly Blue Ball pub provided excellent home cooked food, and plenty of it,. However, the real joy was hidden just out of sight. In a room separated from us by a curtain there was some raucous laughter from the locals. It turned out that they had purchased a mechanical reindeer head that sang Lonely This Christmas. It was similar to the singing fish that were popular a few years ago. I’m guessing the locals don’t get out much.

Emerald Duchess

The Deli Of Malton served up an excellent breakfast and then we headed to Habton Grange, the training centre of Tim Easterby. Unfortunately, Tim and his wife were both self isolating with symptom-free covid. We chatted to Tim’s father Peter and then went out to look at the horses with Tim’s son Will. Emerald Duchess looked great in her stable and walking around the yard, but she was a bit too “fresh” to be taken out on the gallops, and to be honest with the temperature dropping I don’t blame her! She is well liked, and her pet name within the yard is predictably “Duchess”.

We took lots of photos and videos, but the best were these provided by Tom Denham, the stable’s social media man.

   

Tom also provided this video

Star Of Lady M

It was certainly cold at Habton Grange, but it reached a whole new level at David O’Meara’s yard, where the wind whipped across the open Yorkshire landscape. Star Of Lady M, or “Star” as she is known by the stable staff, looked very well, and she was more than happy to canter up and down the hill.

The idea at this stage of her career is just to get relaxed and not exert too much energy, She seems a laid back filly, so that was no problem!

   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMjooacAYgQStar Of Lady M

The horses will have their official birthdays on January 1st, and then we will probably visit them again in March when they start their serious work.

So, we hit the road anticipating another blizzard but it never really arrived. Apart from a few hailstones in Hayfield we made it home safely.

Stop Press!

Before going to his Manchester Chemistry test for Waterloo Road Ole had to do a Lateral Flow test. It came back positive, so now he is off to Hazel Grove for a PCR. Fortunately they have allowed him to do the audition by Zoom – not sure how that will work. Zac is quite happy as the rest of us have to self isolate and he is doing online lessons (I think!) Meanwhile, Sally has gone in to a cleaning frenzy – currently focused on the coal bucket.