The featured image above is a reminder of happier days at Micky Hammonds yard with Becky the Thatcher, now deceased, and Aiden Blakemore who, I`m delighted to report, is making good progress towards recovery after a serious illness and a lengthy stay in hospital. Reluctantly, McGoldrick Racing has been compelled to wave the white flag with Mister McArthur, our horse in Mickys yard, after yet another reported injury needing  many weeks recovery time. Micky has agreed to takeback ownership of Arthur, and will either give him a long break before trying again, or retire him, then find a home with someone within the Middleham racing community. Best not to dwell on the many months we waited, and failed, to get a proper race into Arthur, with Micky sharing our frustration, but the latest injury was the last straw. I thank members involved for sharing their patience and support over the last year, and I apologise to them that it had to end in this way. Richard

Sue Smith did not waste any time in getting stuck into the enigma that is our Romeo Brown. EIGHTEEN races to date without a win !!  Near misses occasionally yes, and at times,  exaggerated waiting tactics in some races may have been an issue, but more often than not, we were left scratching our heads wondering what had happened to the form Romeo had shown with us in his early days. After less than five weeks at Craiglands Farm however, the news came that Romeo had been entered to run in a 3ml  hcp 0-110 at Southwell. Many pundits are still of the belief that one day, the REAL Romeo will show up again, hence, the money always comes for him, and not for the first time in his eighteen race losing run, yet again he went off a well backed 5/2 fav. in the chosen race at the said meeting. As the race progressed, myself and four members present could see…ears pricked, he was jumping well and travelling nicely for Ryan Mania over the extended 3mls. As they rounded the final bend into the straight, and approaching the second last hurdle, Mania had moved to the inside rail, and

Blaster Yeats, Excuses for his first run at Wetherby on 30th Oct, where after an extended break, was running well, but got in a tangle with three other horses 3 from home, causing him to lose his promising position, leaving DC no other option than to accept his chance had gone.  Shame, because he was going well. Subsequent races at Hexham and again at Wetherby 18th Nov and 5th Dec  over 2mls and 3mls respectively, were disappointing. (unsuitable distances) But on Boxing Day, again at Wetherby, when much was in his favour, we saw the REAL Blaster run an excellent race in defeat. After an excellent ride from Ryan Mania, Blaster took the lead on the run in, but was just beaten on the line by a horse that had been backed from 25/1 down to 5/1, and connections, not surprisingly, were hauled in front of the stewards to explain the winners vast improvement in form. No further comment….except to say we look forward to Blasters next race. NORTHERN PHOENIX Our replacement for Becky the Thatcher. Still unraced, and well on the way to race fitness in early December when work riders reported the dreaded “noise” when Phoenix was doing

I plead guilty as charged mi lud to my dereliction of duty for not keeping my small but loyal band of members / followers up to date with news of our three horses, Blaster Yeats, Romeo Brown and our yet unraced Northern Phoenix. So apologies to all, and here we go with an update. The last 10 months can only be described as horrendous…in fact the worst 12 months since McGoldrick Racing was formed in 2009…no doubt a comment which would also apply to many hundreds of thousands of  other businesses. The desperate state of the UK and its impossible problem of how best to manage Coronavirus affected every industry in the Country. However, on June 1st 2020 Racing was reinstated, albeit behind closed doors, and from then onwards, the industry, to its great credit has somehow managed to limp along and help provide a package that has kept ALL concerned happy and in a position to be able to  keep going. The situation at that time left us with Romeo Brown and Blaster Yeats turned out for the summer, and on the look out with Micky Hammond for a replacement for our beloved and much missed Becky the Thatcher,