As I explained in my last post, I've been unwell and as a result I had stopped writing.  In fact I've had to stop doing a lot of things!  Thankfully I'm well on the way to recovery and that's a nice thing.  As such I'm getting back on top of things and resurrecting my Blog is part of that process. While I am loath to begin posting again on the subject of the deaths of horses who have been important to me, that is what I will do because I think the horses' legacies deserve this.  The most recent horse to be lost was Burnstone.  Burnstone was a lovely little 2yo colt sired by 'my boy' Redoute's Choice, out of the mare Merlene de Lago who as her name suggests is a daughter of the 1996 Golden Slipper winner Merlene.  He had an apparent heart attack at trackwork and collapsed and died.  He'd won his only race at Sandown a couple of weeks ago and was considered a real chance in the Blue Diamond Stakes.  He was trained by Robbie Griffiths and all a...

I've known for a number of weeks that this would be the outcome for "Jimmy", which is the nickname given to Black Caviar's unnamed and record breaking $5 million half brother.  I feel sad on a number of fronts.  This colt feels close to my heart.  I am now good friends with his breeder Rick Jamieson, and he is feeling the loss keenly.  But for me, it runs much deeper than just my friendship with Rick.  I first met the colt in April 2012.  There were so many promises..  Heartbreaking??  I suspect not just for me personally, but also for all involved in this colt.  I've taken a large number of defining images of his Famous Sister, Black Caviar, and all Helsinge, and all of her subsequent progeny.  A sample is below.  I'll let the images do the talking. "Jimmy's" demise will be tainted by rumour and deep suspicions, because of the collapse of BC3 and Bill Vlahos.  Not knowing the truth will be like pretending to trust the perso...