Reaching for the stars?
By Ann
Everyone in racing "reaches for the stars" all the time, it’s all we know. Head in the clouds and imagination turned to “full throttle” but not all of us can capture the skies above us without some serious photographic equipment, an ability to read the stars through the biggest telescope Sun Hill has ever seen and a penchant for Astrology.
This amazing picture was taken by one of our lovely guests in “Spindrifter” lodge here to celebrate their recent marriage with a “mini moon”. Ben Adams is also a very good photographer.
We have been as busy as ever but on the yard we remain short staffed, although things are looking up. Waseem has been a godsend and Laura is joining us full time next week having been riding out here three days a week for a few months.
Charlie is due to join us on April 15th so we will be back up to a full team very soon. Its been a long haul and our small team have been unbelievable, what they have got through is nothing short of miraculous but we are by no means alone. Racing is ‘gripped’ by a staff shortage across the board and many of us despair for racings future.
Despite staff shortages we have achieved a great deal, all boxes have been steam cleaned, disinfected and re painted. Timbers oiled and other areas have been improved too, the gallop has been topped up with new surface and is rolled more than usual to help it settle, the grass has been cut everywhere, hedges trimmed, hurdles moved and re sited, grass gallops rolled, ditches cleaned out.
“Sports Horse fitness and rehabilitation” is flat out, seven visiting horses came in today to join those here on residential stays, and of course our own horses use it daily. Builders are on site cracking on with the expansion to the lodges and we are all taking out a few minutes to watch some of the races at Aintree.
Aintree is racings party headquarters and the best place, apart from the sky above Spindrifter, to see stars aligning and dreams coming true.
Good luck to all the runners in tomorrow’s big race.
