...... as the 'King of the North,' Cornerstone Lad will gallop after racing.
The seasons come and go very quickly, with Wednesday seeing Catterick's final jump meeting of their year, with the flat returning in April. We go into the day with every chance of finishing as the top yard for winners at the track in the trainers championship, with Wednesdays runners deciding the outcome.
We take three runners to our most local track, with the six year old grey mare Ilaya first up at 3.20.pm. We have always known she possesses above average ability, but in the early days she would let her temperament get the better of her by pulling too hard. In the last couple of months she has grown up, and last time out at Newcastle under Joe Colliver she left all previous form behind when settling and winning comfortably off a mark of 113. We have decided than rather go down the handicap route again it is worth dropping back in to novice company, even under a double penalty which will be partially negated by Emma's seven pounds claim.
Strike West has put two good runs together, just being touched off at Haydock, and then last time at Sedgefield running his heart out. On Wednesday in the 4.20.pm under Becky Smith and from the same mark of 100 as last time we will once again be hopeful of at least a place, although we wont see the best of him until he goes over fences next season.
Our final runner on Wednesday is Foster Island in the concluding bumper at 5.25.pm. He has shown promise on both starts under rules so far, on both occasions finishing behind the very smart 'Ask A Honey Bee,' although there is nothing of that calibre in Wednesday's line up it still looks a hot enough race.
Next Tuesday March 10th sees our stable star Cornerstone Lad run in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, he goes there with a real chance of finishing in the first four. He will have his last serious piece of work after racing tomorrow, so if you want to see a real star go through his paces make sure you stay until the end for a real treat.
Good luck to all of the connections.
The 160 BHA rated Cornerstone Lad.