From ninety degrees above to minus nine
Ann Duffield | Friday, 03 February 2012 © Ann Duffield Racing
Getting back into the swing of early mornings and freezing cold took me until this morning, the first two days home felt strange, it isn't so much the early mornings because I cannot ever sleep in, wherever I am in the world, but the cold certainly knocked me. It was minus nine degrees first thing this morning and the gallop was frozen solid for the first time all winter. Luckily, by the time we pulled out with first lot on hill work around the roads, it had warmed up considerably, temperatures had risen to minus five degrees. After driving along the planned route to check for icy areas, carrying bags of grit to put down on dodgy looking areas, we managed to get out just after eight with the first of six lots. 
Salerosa, a Yard favourite for several years, moves on.....
Yesterday was a sad day for the yard as Salerosa went through the ring at Newmarket and Caroline cried for possibly the first time in her entire life. Having been here since she was a foal we were thrilled to have won nine races with her, seven of them in one year. Her owners are good friends of ours and have been incredibly lucky, but it was time to let her go. She has gone to a great home in the South and will become a broodmare. Vermeyen also sold quite well, he is a lovely horse with an engine but was difficult to keep sound and needed more time to grow into his frame and out of his growing pains.
Newspapers are carrying the story about government changes in relation to employing staff from outside the EU. From now on only "highly skilled" and highly paid people earning over £35,000 per annum will be allowed to work in the UK. Horse racing as well as the hotel trade, restaurants, shops, nursing homes etc will have to employ people within the EU. But, many of the better staff from outside the UK have already departed for home after realising our pavements are not paved with gold, leaving employers with a challenging future ahead. Luckily my staff are fantastic but I would hate to be starting out in business or trying to expand now.
