2miles kempton anyone? Thursday 9th Dec Bobt

Great day yesterday - up at the break of dawn to get the long john's an airing and Clint Eastwood look alike bobt out into the wilds of Kent. There is nothing like the bonding of a shooting party cursing and swearing as it limps/strides off to make a hide or set out decoys nearly 2 miles away from the nearest pub ( lunch beckons almost as soon as the coffee is gone at about 8.30)
My old Dog Bella would have been in her element she loved retrieving on days like that - only took Pippa who was exemplary - shes a funny lil gal unlike any I have ever had - where Bella needed a lookout and a special hole made in the hide for her to see, Pippa is content to sit and look at me just waiting for her commands.
The fields were bleak and to be honest bloody freezing breeze came up as the mist started to clear. I have some really good old clothing and a balaclava that soon became sodden  the cold now gets into just about every joint despite the gear and  as the breeze brought the mist to the hide and straight into my face soon gave me that one man and his dog feeling.
Could hear the guns a couple of  field away and waited -- and waited  and waited and still Pippa did not move and then the rabbits emerged - those of you who have not sat in a hide will not know that rabbits never arrive  you have to be looking away you have to be stroking your dog - taking a nip from the flask and then they are there when next you look.
The fields are over run  and the rabbits are not lean at all quite astonishingly they seem as if still in their prime despite the time of year - next years crops will be decimated if they are not controlled
had a couple out on a walk who did not disturb them and even a dog wandered through on its own and investigated us without starting them.
Took out 5 which is no great bag, 3 bucks and 2 doe's, and all retrieved in the most efficient and quiet way by Pippa  -(de peed) and gutted and into the carrier by 11 am. Back to the car and back at the pub by noon. Smashing meal and chat  in front of a wood fire.

 Shared the bounty and home by 4.30 hosed down and cooked to perfection by 7.30 and all the cold forgotten dogs laying in front of the fire, home is the hunter home from the hill and the sailor home from the sea and all that stuff  can it get any better than this ?

Today will be off to get some Christmas shopping done for my girls  Debenhams  just does not hold me in great thrall (have you noticed the perfume counters are always straight inside the door and designed to make you gag and sprint past the ladies who look like clowns with so much make up they look orange)

So there is a race that interests me on the AW at 6pm kempton - incidentally the richest race of the day at only £3886 and am toying with laying Spring Jim who does not have the profile of an Aw winner in my eyes why at the age of 9 its trying the surface for the first time? Can only mean its ready for a run and they want to keep him on the go - was entered in plenty of hldes that have been called off.
My idea of the winner comes from Sinbad the Sailor who has all the blues but not sure the track will suite it as much and a weight disadvantage off  Satwa Gold who seems well in for this race and track has been beaten by Sinbad (Lingfield) but is off a mark of only 76 today and gets weight from that one  have already backed at 13/2 and will see later what's happened to the market .
Good luck today everyone
 Bob