Story
<p><strong><span><em><span><em>Monday 15th November 2010</em></span></em></span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span><em><span><em>The Raceday.....morning after</em></span></em></span></strong></p>
<p><span><span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;" lang="EN"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A very BIG thank you - to everyone who made a donation to the Greatwood Charity Race. The race day at Cheltenham was amazing. Panadin was just as nervous as me - bless him. </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;" lang="EN"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Down at the start of the race Panadin thought his audience had the right idea and decided that it would be much better to be a spectator! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the starter dropped the flag - we watched the other horses gallop off into the distance for a few seconds, but what was going through Panadin's mind - I will never know - "Now...I know I'm here for something?" </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;" lang="EN"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Once Panadin realized that he was supposed to have gone with the others he eventually took off to the sound of a cheering crowd. Galloping together he did his best and covered a lot of ground in a bid to rejoin his fellow competitors.</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;" lang="EN"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We caught up to the trailing last horse with about 4 furlongs to go, Panadin digging in deep when asked and galloping flat out for me we got closer and closer to the rest of the pack – eventually just failing to pass the last horse by the finishing post.</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;" lang="EN"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Having finished last was countered by the cheers from the welcoming crowds as we returned to the paddock.</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span><span><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;" lang="EN"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></span></span></span>An altogether great day.</p>
</span></span><strong><span><em><span><em>Friday November 12th 2010 - Three days to go..</em></span></em></span></strong></p>
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<p>Panadin: So far so good, Panadin has achieved a level of fitness and hopefully endurance that will see him through his last endeavour. Hill gallops and all weather track training are not his idea of retirement. A fact which on occasions he likes to remind us.</p>
<p>Suzie: Aches and pains, soaking wet socks, waking at the crack of dawn, mucking out the girls stables and then a couple of hours having the arms pulled out of their sockets by Panadin. And thats the upside!</p>
<p><em><strong>Thursday November 11th 2010 - 4 days to go!</strong></em></p>
<p>Patience, not a little faith and blind optimism...</p>
<p><span><span> - see <a title="Panadin's waiting.." href="http://www.thetripproject.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Panadin (Ire) on the T.R.I.P Project Blog</a></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span><em><span><em>Sunday November 7th 2010 - One week to go!</em></span></em></span></strong></p>
<p>A punishing training regime, twelve hour working days and little time remaining to the raceday...</p>
<p>Daily working with Panadin, 0530hrs start. Progressing well with speed and endurance now. Little to indicate that Panadin will be anything but underwhelmed at the prospect of competing against the 'creme de la creme' of his protaganists.</p>
<p><em><em><a title="The TRIP Project -Panadin(Ire)'s You Tube Channel" href="http://www.youtube.com/user/TheTripProject" target="_blank">Panadin (Ire)'s You Tube Channel - The TRIP Project</a></em></em></p>
<p><strong><span><em>Monday October 18th 2010 - Panadin obliges! </em></span></strong></p>
<p>It has been such a busy weekend!</p>
<p>Training at Southfield Stables with Panadin on Saturday, had a really good day. After tacking up Panadin, Bryony, his stable lass took him to the gallops for a warm up and shortly after it it was Panadin's opportunity to show me he can be a real racehorse for our first time on the gallops. He was a star and I was so pleased he had the manners of a gentleman!</p>
<p>Sunday I had my own horse, Miller to do and I took him out for a hack at South Weald, our local park, with my stirrups jacked up racing style. I am starting to feel more at ease with having my stirrups shorter now.</p>
<p>My instructions are to get as much riding in as possible on The Slider at home. So today, I have been out again with Slider on our grass gallop at home. She wasnt too settled for a while, but after a couple of hissy fits, she obliged with a few more circuits under my belt. Oh! but still a long way go. Looking forward to hearing when I shall be able to go to the British Racing School and my next chance to ride Panadin at Southfield Racing stables, with Mrs Jewell. </p>
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<p><em><strong>Friday October 15th 2010 - 30 days away!</strong></em></p>
<p>It still doesn't feel real, I can't believe in just over a month Panadin and I should be at Cheltenham!</p>
<p>Panadin is well and buckling down to his 'work regime'. Some physio treatment and his daily exercising appear to be bringing him on - hopefully for a planned peak of fitness on race day! </p>
<p>There is so much to do in such a short space of time. I am now grateful that we have a grass gallop that I can train on with "The Slider".</p>
<p>Looking forward to some hardcore training with Panadin tomorrow at the racing stables. Lets hope he wants to play ball this time and not "Panadin gives you wings" lol -</p>
<p>Suzie</p>
<p><em><strong>Sun October 10th 2010 - Five weeks to go</strong></em></p>
<p>Suzie has to persuade Panadin (Ire) that entering the Greatwood Charity Race at Cheltenham on November 14th 2010 is the grandest of ideas! - see <a href="http://thetripproject.blogspot.com/">Panadin (Ire) on the T.R.I.P Project Blog</a></p>
<p><strong><em>Fri Oct 1st 2010 - Panadin comes out of retirement</em></strong>.</p>
<p>Leaving his comfortable grazing paddocks in Kent behind Panadin (Ire) rejoins his racing peers at Linda Jewell's racing stables. He's not a happy chappy!</p>
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<p><strong>About Suzie</strong></p>
<p>"Horses have always been a huge part of my life, the special one's having shaped the person I am today. Riding since the age of six, I have enjoyed competing in show jumping and cross country.</p>
<p>A year ago I responded to a job advert for a groom/rider with the TRIP Project founders rehabilitating racehorses and havent looked back. We heard about the charity race and the choice of horse had to be Panadin (Ire) for so many reasons"</p>
<p><strong>About Panadin (Ire)</strong></p>
<p>All is not what it seems with Panadin (Ire) - he has form - a twice rehabilitated retired ex-racehorse. To start - compete and to finish at Cheltenham - Now that would be an achievement...</p>
<p>Not your average racehorse, son of an Irish Derby winner but unplaced in 19 starts. The 2009/10 season saw Panadin campaigning at six furlongs on the flat through to three and a quarter miles NH over hurdles in one season - all after a year recovering from a broken right scapula (shoulder blade) which he incurred at Lingfield Park in a 1m 2f flat race on 28th August 2007. Rehabilitation with The TRIP Project and training with Linda Jewell saw Panadin come 5th and 6th hurdling, his best results. Eventually, needing a rest to chill out, Panadin was stood down and taken in by his dedicated stable lass, Bryony in October 2009. A restful winter some light work through the spring, a spot of show jumping in the summer..and now Cheltenham!</p>
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<p><strong><em>Please support the Greatwood's Ex-Racehorse Charity by sponsoring Suzie and Panadin (Ire)'s unenviable challenge.</em></strong></p>
<p>Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - Suzie and Panadin raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.</p>
<p><strong><em>So please dig deep and help Suzie and Panadin (Ire)support Greatwood with a donation now, however small.</em></strong></p>
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