As promotions go the "jam jar" promotion has to be one of the most original. The box it arrived in was unpretentious enough, plain, brown with sticky tape, so much that it took a fight with a pair of scissors to get in the damn thing. Apart from the jam there was nothing to explain its arrival other than a compliments slip from "Svensk Galop". The post man finally delivered the answer to this strange gift by way of a letter, again from the Swedish equivalent of the Jockey Club announcing the celebrations of the 100th Swedish derby(in 2017) with a series of nine races to be run at Jagersro racecourse in Malmo spread out over three meetings from June to August, with a total prize pot of 7.7 million Swedish krona (£631.000). That should go down nicely, along with the jam.
Work day yesterday went very well with most of the horses stepping up another notch and taking it all very well, no heat in legs, no cuts or bruises, no feed left in mangers, no quiet boys or girls hiding at the back of their box. So far, so good. Thirty horses will have a spell on the water treadmill today, the usual disinfecting of the yard is taking place as I write this and Vet Peter Hyne's routine, early Thursday morning visit this morning is well underway with nothing too major. A cut nose, a couple of examinations, one EHV 14 vaccine for a new arrival and the seemingly endless stream of paperwork we all have a duty to keep.
No owners here today but a late morning, annual visit from our insureres "Lycetts" is on the cards for later. Lycetts are a tip top insurance broker specialising in racing yards, studs etc. They cover every inch of Sun Hill's insurance and are one of the very best in the business. I have used good companies before, many years ago but their advice always fell short of what was really required and there can be a very hefty price to pay for not finding - and taking, the right advice. Of course that applies to most things, find someone you can trust, who does a good job and stick with them. Loyalty pays dividends, pure and simple.
Of course I won't like all they have to say later on, for starters I already know that the government is about to hike up everyones insurance across the board by raising insurance premium tax from the current level of 3% to a whopping 9%. And, if your really interested, for anyone taking dividends, our dear chancellor is helping himself to an extra 7.5% tax on all your dividends from Apri 6th. We do after all have several million more "takers" to pay for along with all the other lazy so and so's who prefer not to get up in the mornings and do anything worthwhile. I better start saving for the extra taxes. That jam jar will come in handy.