Busy weekend ahead for AGA as we enter the second half of the season, and a massive 83 AGA Total Control points are up for grabs this weekend

Who will be top of our table on Sunday evening? There is action galore for us this weekend with 2 AGA sponsored Ladies Open races that are qualifiers for Cheltenham - at Brocklesby Park on Saturday and Garnons on Sunday, plus another 3 Ladies Open races with points up for grabs, at Penshurst on Saturday, then Whitfield and Buckfastleigh on Sunday.

A sight that you won't be seeing on a
racecourse!

It's certainly an intriguing weekend of action as several familiar names are entered, including plenty of AGA race winners. They include Amicelli, Billyvoddan, Shernally, Optimistic Harry, Double Mead, Rainbow Tree and Upton Springs, although you'll be pleased to know that despite my riding lessons I am not entered in anything! (although I must thank all of the girls for their encouragement).

Upton Springs in winning action earlier this season in the AGA Ladies
Open race at Dunthrop on 22nd January

Beautiful Yorkshire sunshine for AGA - Super Sam bags another 10 points as the northern challenge gathers momentum

What a contrast, last week we had rain, snow and freezing temperatures in Yorkshire, this week we had blazing sunshine, a huge crowd and the ice cream man was flat out all day! The racing wasn't bad either and those determined Yorkshire lasses served up another cracking AGA Ladies Open.

Time for a quick coffee after setting up - check out the blue sky!

The clear blue sky was a very welcome sight indeed and the crowd - who have a reputation for a being a friendly one, were in good spirits from the start. Picnics were the order of the day and all of the car parks were heaving by the time the runners entered the paddock for the first race.

Chris about to give the AGA a quick polish

"I'm Isabel Tompsett and I'm In Total Control" - Isabel, Oaksey House and the Lambourn ladies all roll out the red carpet for AGA

The AGA van was on the road on Thursday as we paid a long awaited visit to Oaksey House in Lambourn to see our very special friend, Isabel Tompsett. I had arranged the visit with Isabel the previous week on the condition that I came after 4.30 - which is the time that Isabel returns from swimming. So, armed with copies of the entries for the weekends pointing fixtures, and some AGA goodies, we set out mid-afternoon and headed for Lambourn in our trusty van. 

There was a slight detour via Seven Barrows where we were given a guided tour of the set up by the very lovely Camilla Henderson. To be allowed inside at any time would be a privilege, but to be able to see the Festival team (and all of the other superstars) at close quarters less that a week before the greatest show on earth was amazing - thank you Camilla! The names just trip off the tongue, champions like Binocular, Punjabi and Long Run, and then some of the young pretenders like Darlan and Sprinter Sacre, plus another Gold Cup hopeful Burton Port, were all looking fit and well ahead of the pilgrimage to Gloucestershire.

I know it's another photo of the van but it's parked up inside 7 B's!