Harry Barlow's stable whispers

WHAT a difference a week can make in horse racing.

After having a terrible couple of weeks with Ribble Pet being found dead in his box and Swan at Whalley breaking blood vessels, things could not get much worse.

Then last week I had a call from Ernest Wilde of Cross Hills who is a faith healer.

Ernest told me he could cure Swanny and after only one treatment he raced at Beverley yesterday where he showed a lot of improvement and never bled afterwards.

If Glenn Hoddle can use a faith healer then I thought why not give it a try, as Ernest was so confident of curing him.

Then Ribble Assembly put the icing on the cake for the week with his very impressive win at Carlisle after being left several lengths due to rearing up when the stalls opened.

He will go on to win more races this year.

Now my racing exclusive.

It concerns one of the oldest training establishments in the country - Hambleton Lodge which is situated a few miles from Thirsk on top of Sutton Bank. The training at the stables is being taken over by ex-national hunt jockey Kevin Ryan, who is at present assistant trainer to Richard Fahey, and previously head lad to Jack Berry.

Previous trainers at Hambleton Lodge include one of the greatest-ever trainer Sir Noel Murless, F Carr and the Ramsdens among the famous.

Kevin has been a very good friend of mine for several years and you will see some of my horses running for him in the future.

I have helped Kevin with negotiations for the move which will take place over the next week.

Kevin is a great horseman and I will be passing on a few of his stable whispers during the season.

He has some of the best gallops in the north of England and will be replacing A B Mulholland. If you placed a £1 win on my NAP tips and £1 each way on each way recommendations, you will be in profit to the tune of £25.

Spring Noblequest won at Carlisle on Friday, it was one of Tim Easterby's horses to follow.

Richard Fahey's horses have started to run well in the past week and I am looking forward for a double in the coming week with Ribble Assembly and Top of the Form.

Harry Barlow runs the Swan At Whalley Racing Club

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.