Christmas came early for the point-to-point yard this year with a repeat win for Big Moment and Clare Douglas in the Ladies Open at Cottenham on 6 December. After three months of everyone trying to avoid the short straw of having to ride out Big Moment, and a score of 2-0 to him with both Chris Chapman and Neil Henderson being unshipped, he managed to win by a comfortable 5 lengths: this time without Clare trying to put any opponents out the side of the course. Clare is planning to run Big Moment again on 28th December to show the doubters that he can win more than once in a season.

Whilst Christmas is normally a time that is eagerly anticipated by many, as you read this Fenton Ramsahoye, the owner/rider of Presenting Express will be cowering behind his sofa trying to dream up any excuse not to have to sling his leg over "Choo-Choo" for the Novice Riders' race at Cottenham on 28th December. Unfortunately for him, despite claiming to be suffering from a bout of pig flu over the past week, things are looking good for a return to Cottenham to follow up on Presenting Express' 2nd there at the opening meeting on 6 December in division 1 of the Conditional Race. There have however been rumours of Fenton writing to Father Christmas to ask him for a sharp frost for the morning of 28th December.

After Cottenham, the next outing is planned for Higham on 3 January. Anthony Ward-Thomas is going to be riding his Aintree Foxhunter's hopeful, Launde (probably fuelled by several whisky macs - the rider that is as the horse already runs on rocket fuel) and Neil Henderson's Top Ram and Mandalay Bay are both running (although only Mandalay will be handicapped by having Neil on top as Clare Allen will be riding Top Ram in the Ladies).

Of course, the cunning plans will probably be wrecked by Fenton's letter to Santa and the big-freeze will mean that we will all be off to Barbury mid-January instead.