Newmarket managed to avoid most of the snow that hit the country on Sunday morning with just a light dusting to wake up to. The biggest problem was the hard frost which had frozen a lot of the ground water and made things a bit slippy but it was nothing that some salt and grit couldn't sort so the horses could all get out safely. 
Sunday is usually the day that a lot of the horses get turned out in the paddocks but it just isn't safe for them to be running around on rutty and frozen ground at the moment so they are a bit upset about that but it saves anyone getting injured and it won't be long before they can play with their mates again.

It's nice to have a few entries this week and hopefully the weather doesn't scupper our plans.
Productive is in at Kempton on Monday and, after trying everything else, we're stepping him right up in trip to see if that can get him to show some form. He has been very disappointing since we bought him and he is in the sales early next month so it is last chance saloon for him. 

There are less question marks about our two runners back at Kempton on Wednesday with Raha kicking things off first. She came back from three months off with a promising fourth place at the same course last week and if she can build upon that she should be involved again.
Oud Metha Bridge got back to winning ways at the course last time and that should have done his confidence the world of good. He has gone up in the weights for that but is still well treated on his old form so I don't see why he can't back it up if he's in the same mood.

Dilly Rosa will have an entry this week on Friday at Lingfield and next Monday so I will just see the entries and pick the best race for her. She ran a lot better on her second run last time and showed plenty of speed too so dropping back in trip looks the way to go. It would be nice if she could take another step forward again.

Two runners and two good results from both of our runners with Raha coming back from a three-month break with a running-on fourth place at Kempton on Saturday evening and Smokey Malone with an eye-catching second place at Southwell the following day. It has taken a while for Smokey to get his mind on the racing game but the application of blinkers seem to have focussed him and he looked to have a good attitude on this occasion so hopefully there is more to come from him.

Engrave is the entry for this week as she goes to Southwell on Wednesday. She seemed to take to the course well last time when third in a good race and this looks an easier opportunity so fingers crossed she can be in the shake-up.

​It has been a quiet winter for us with not many runners and it is probably just as well seeing as owners couldn't attend the races so it was a good decision to save most of the team for the summer when things will hopefully get back to normality, or more like it. 
The horses who had the winter off are now back in work and have completed two weeks on the walker and will be ridden again this week for another couple of weeks trotting before they start cantering again. They are all a bit fat and hairy after enjoying their holidays but I gave them all a clip this week and they'll be back to being the slick and fit athletes they used to be come the new season!