LADY ADARE MAKES WINNING CHASE DEBUT

The victory of Lady Adare at Worcester on Thursday 12 October, came as timely tonic after my wife Ciara was taken to hospital in Bristol on Monday with some nasty internal injuries sustained by a kick from a filly she was leading into our outdoor school.

Ciara is at the heart of all our success but will have to take things easy for some time as she recovers in intensive care. She was delighted that Lady Adare made a winning debut over fences in a mares’ novice chase over two and a half miles ridden by Johnny Burke. Lady Adare was unbeaten in three starts in her first season with us but has since had issues with her wind.

She ran with promise recently at Newton Abbot after a tie forward operation and returned to form with a fluent success on Thursday when she led three out and kept on strongly to beat a Glimpse of Gold by two and a half lengths.

We always felt that she had the size and scope to jump fences and she will get an entry in a Listed Mares’ novice Chase at Bangor early in November over two miles, one furlong, though she would not want the ground too soft.

Ciara, wasn’t the only person to suffer misfortune this week, Will Higgs also sustained a break from a fall on the round canter. Higher Crockermoor is a close-knit family, and this goes to show the challenges of working with horses. We can only thank everyone at home who has kept the show on the road.