THE month kicked off with some timely glorious weather for the Winter Mixed Sale at Fasig-Tipton.

It was a stark contrast to Keeneland in January where trainees were layered up to the hilt. I think the record was set by English trainee, Violet Hesketh, who managed to fit four pairs of trousers under her waterproofs.

Thus, it was a real treat to be inspecting mares and short yearlings with a pair of sunglasses on. I had a great time working the sale with Irish-born bloodstock agent Marette Farrell, whose Exhale Enterprises has seen extraordinary success in recent years including with multiple graded stakes winner and Grade 1 performer, Wilcox Inn who Marette bought at Fasig-Tipton in 2009 for $50,000 and who is now standing his first season at Saratoga Stud.

Although this sale wouldn’t have the consistent quality of the October and November Sales, there was still some decent stock going through the ring, including broodmare prospect, Rose To Gold, a multiple graded stakes winner who topped the sale when purchased by WinStar for $450,000.

This month has also marked the beginning of our work rotations at some of the Darley farms here in Kentucky as well as the office and Stallion Yard at Jonabell, the track at Keeneland with Johnny Burke and with the esteemed veterinarians from Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.

Unfortunately the brief spell of bright sunshine experienced at Fasig was short lived and at the beginning of our second week of rotations we were greeted with a blizzard that resulted in 10 inches of snow and temperatures of -20°F (equivalent to about -30°C).

I’d heard the stories about Kentuckian winters but thought it couldn’t be that bad or at least any worse than a February morning on Newmarket Heath. I couldn’t have been more wrong!

However, armed with coveralls and snow boots, we have powered through and are relieved to hear that the worst is reported to be over. Despite the weather, I have thoroughly enjoyed the past three weeks spent at Gainsborough Farm in Versailles working with the mares and foals.

Everyone has been incredibly accommodating and we (US trainee Stu Hampson and I) have seen every angle of the farm’s activity from the teasing and veterinary work to foaling and performing foal shows to Danny Mulvihill (General Manager of Gainsborough) and fellow trainees.

Although I have worked on stud farms in the UK and New Zealand, it has been a great experience learning some of the different ways of doing things stateside.

That’s definitely one of the great things about Darley Flying Start, you are always learning and experiencing new things whether it be figuring out if you can squeeze another pair of hand warmers into your boots or teasing a mare for the first time.

The two-week night rotation at Gainsborough has been an emotional journey for trainees. Assisting with foalings has been a great experience, particularly for those who have never done so before.

However worthwhile these special moments are, they are few and far between compared with the hours spent on night watch and Gainsborough have a policy of photographing anyone who dozes off on the job and displaying the evidence on the computers at the foaling barn (much to the amusement of the other staff who seem to be more adept at keeping their eyes open!)

As well as rotations, there have been a host of exciting lectures and visits this month. I really enjoy looking at stallions and comparing them to their stock (if they have any) and also thinking about what kind of mares they’d mate well with.

Hence, visiting Lane’s End, Spendthrift, WinStar and Castleton-Lyons has been a real highlight for me, particularly having had a session with former Spendthrift manager, John Williams, about stallion conformation.

All are successful breeding operations but with distinctly different ways of operating. I’ve always been impressed with WinStar’s marketing of their stallions and how they create a unique identity for each one with the use of logos and mottos.

The best I’ve seen is “It takes a Pioneer to make an Empire” for Pioneerof The Nile (Empire Maker), simple but brilliant. Lane’s End is also phenomenal and it was great to be shown around by Darley Flying Start graduate Chance Timm, Director of Stallion Seasons at the farm.

It was nice to see Noble Mission looking so at ease in his new surroundings having last seen him getting the better of Al Kazeem by a short whisker in the Champion Stakes at Ascot in October. We also saw the mighty A.P. Indy which was an unexpected treat.

This weekend was a tense one with the third round of the Six Nations game between England and Ireland being an eagerly anticipated moment for certain members of the group, as well as some of the Irish managers at Darley including Michael Banahan and Danny Mulvihill.

The three English trainees were feeling fairly confident going in, so much so that all three dared step foot in the only location showing the game in the whole of Lexington: an Irish bar called McCarthy’s. Needless to say we were eating humble pie on Monday morning much to the glee of Messrs. Banahan and Mulvihill!

All in all, it’s been another great month and I am looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead, including finding a channel to watch Cheltenham on!

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