IT WAS very quiet on the runners’ front for the team last week and we ended up with just the two runners, one under each code. Final Entry ran okay without ever getting properly involved in the finish at Southwell on the all-weather on his comeback from a long absence while Activist got a bit stuck in the tacky conditions at Newbury on Friday.

We did have King Turgeon declared in the Grimthorpe chase at Doncaster on Saturday but made him a non-runner after they got quite a bit of overnight rain into race day and we decided to take him out. He does have an entry in the Kim Muir at the Festival next week so he may go there but there are other opportunities coming up for him as well.

Our first runner of this week was due to be Neon Moon at Market Rasen on Tuesday in the Veteran’s handicap chase but the meeting was abandoned.

On Wednesday, we have Bashful Boy declared on the flat at Southwell with Joanna Mason booked to ride. He has had a nice little break and we have freshened him up. He is now on a mark from which should be very competitive on a track that he likes, so watch this space!

Later in the week we have entries over jumps at Wincanton on Thursday and Royal Mer is likely to bid for back to back wins at the track. The drying conditions may not be ideal but it was two miles last time and it is 2m4f this time so as long as the ground is on the softer side of good he will be fine. October Hill, Harry Junior and Penn Avenue are our other entries there so keep checking the Daily News on the website for all the latest information.

On Friday we have entries and Exeter and Leicester while Bras D’or and Gentleman Toboot are entered in the EBF Final at Sandown on Saturday. Penn Avenue has a further entry at Hereford on Saturday in a mare’s handicap hurdle while on Sunday Eton Mes and Thanksforthehelp are entered at Warwick in a handicap hurdle.

We are, of course, just one week away from Cheltenham Festival Eve and this week the confirmations start being made and the races begin to take shape. On Wednesday, we confirm for the first day and we will be confirming both our juveniles in the Fred Winter, Cinammon Coco and Turenne.

We will be confirming Gericault Roque for the National Hunt Chase but we will also be confirming him for the Kim Muir on Thursday as well and deciding which closer to the time.

No Walkover will be confirmed for the Festival bumper, the last race on the Wednesday while Kingston Queen will also be confirmed for the mare’s novices hurdle on the Thursday.

I will be discussing plans with the owners of King Turgeon about whether he is likely to go in the Kim Muir as with the weather looking drier in the coming days, he will appreciate conditions.

Phantomofthepoints is our only entry of Gold Cup Day, in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockey’s handicap hurdle and he is another who I will chat with his owners about and decide if he will go there or wait for another opportunity.

David Pipe was talking to Richard Walsh