THINGS have been a bit slow getting started but we have got some nice young horses in the yard and they are running well, so we’e looking forward to the second half of the season.

While we haven’t won any big races, we have had Kingston Queen, a nice youngster, and Gentleman Toboot, both ridden by Jack Tudor, running well. Gentleman Toboot might go to Aintree on Boxing Day, or he could have an entry in the Challow at Newbury but as yet it’s to be decided.

He has done nothing wrong this season from both starts and is a lot stronger than he was last year. Our young jockey Rian Corcoran has done well and he has still got two left of his very valuable 10 pound claim, so we will be looking to use him over Boxing Day.

Things are going alright for us but as always we want to do better and going into the second half of the season we still have a number of very nice horses to run yet.

My children have now broken up for the Christmas holidays and it is great to have Jack riding out in the yard. He has a new racing pony we have acquired from Ireland and he is looking forward to racing in point to point pony races early in the new year, before progressing to the racecourse series which starts more in the spring.

We have a pony racing training day here in early January; all riders have to do this to take part in the races and it will be nice to be able to host the day for the west-country children here at Pond House.

Finally, to everyone who reads this column, everyone at Pond House would like to wish you a very Festive Season.

David Pipe was talking to Richard Walsh.