Barney's Blog

Facing the music

EVENING all, Barney McGrew here again with another blog, trot off the press.

I wanted to start with a thank you to everyone who popped over to see me during the recent open day to celebrate National Racehorse Week.

Apparently, we had around 600 visitors, and it gets bigger and bigger every year. That’s what happens when you have a living legend at the yard.

It was so big The Gaffer – the Michael human – had to use a microphone to make himself heard during the Question and Answer session. It was actually a karaoke set he borrowed from that devilishly handsome Peter Barron human who does our website.

Well, the karaoke's been lying around the yard, so we’ve all been having a go. The Andrew Miller human fancies himself as a Michael Buble but his singing is even worse than his darts. And that Lauren Mulholland human thinks she’s Taylor Bloody Swift but she sounds like a cat being strangled.

The truth is, I’m the only one who can hold a tune. You should hear my Frank Sinatra…“I DID IT MY NEIGH!”

ON other matters, I have to say a big congratulations to Northern Ticker on his big Heritage Handicap win at the York Ebor Festival recently.

I’ve always liked Ticky, so I’m not in the slightest bit surprised to see him bag a big ‘un.

In fact, let me refer you to the blog I wrote at the start of the season when I said this: “Of the three-year-olds, I'm a big fan of Northern Ticker, owned by The Sekura Group, led by that cracking Charlie Hill human. Ticky, as I like to call him, is a bloody big 'un and he's really strengthened up over the winter. It wouldn't surprise me to see him go up the rankings.”

What did I tell you, eh? The only disappointment was that Ticky beat my old mate Commanche Falls by a head into second. They were 12-1 and 22-1 – what a bloody forecast! I could kick myself but I can’t get my leg up high enough these days.

Anyway, it’ll be interesting if they line up against each other again in the Ayr Gold Cup, which is a race The Gaffer’s always wanted to win. He won The Ayr Silver Cup with a horse called John O’Groats all the way back in 2002, so could he strike gold this year?

WELL done too to Arkenstaar – or Arky as I like to call him – on landing his sixth career win at Hamilton Park, up in Scotland where the humans talk funny.

He’s becoming one of the best course specialists that track has seen for quite a while.

He only just got up close home after being slow out of the stalls, and I think the Connor human gave him a cracking ride.

Arky told me: “I like a stiff, uphill finish, Barney, so Hamilton suits me down to the ground.”

That's him winning in the picture below. Congratulations to his owners – those nice humans, Anne Elliott and Peter Appleton. I like them a lot.

FINALLY, a bit of news about our Travelling Head Lad, the Kenny Williams human, who’s just back from holiday in Spain with a tan that would make Donald Trump jealous.

Kenny was telling me how he’d gone to a small restaurant near the bullfighting arena and noticed a couple at a nearby table being served a huge platter with two massive, delicious-looking meatballs.

Curious, Kenny asked the waiter: “Excuse me, what’s that dish?”

The waiter smiled and said: “Ah, señor, that’s our specialty, the testicles of the bull from today’s fight. A rare delicacy! Very fresh, very tender.”

Now, Kenny’s always been an adventurous eater, so he told the waiter: “I think I’ll give that dish a go tomorrow night.”

The next day, he came back and ordered the meal but, to his dismay, the waiter brought out a plate with two tiny little meatballs.

“Waiter, why are the meatballs so small? Yesterday they were enormous!”

The waiter shrugged and replied: “Sometimes, señor… ze bull wins.”

THAT'S all from me for another blog, folks. Bring carrots. Lots of love,