January 2013 and Petal is now 1 year old

Safely back at Grove Farm after her adventures at Tattersall's and the disruption of Christmas and New year, Petal is settled back into a routine at home.
On Friday 4 January Barbara and David, together with their friend Annie, visited to see her. Even one month on from the sales, Petal seems to have grown, but she is still as friendly as ever.
We made a great fuss of her and she responded very
positively to all the attention!
On Friday 4 January Barbara and David, together with their friend Annie, visited to see her. Even one month on from the sales, Petal seems to have grown, but she is still as friendly as ever.
We made a great fuss of her and she responded very
positively to all the attention!

Mid-April and at last some good enough weather for the yearlings to enjoy themselves in the paddock.
With her big white blaze Petal stands out amongst her friends, even at a distance. Petal remains very friendly and always seems pleased to see us.
She is always the first of the group to come and say hallo,
and is always ready for a cuddle.
With her big white blaze Petal stands out amongst her friends, even at a distance. Petal remains very friendly and always seems pleased to see us.
She is always the first of the group to come and say hallo,
and is always ready for a cuddle.

After more wet weather, come early May Petal again has the chance to get out in the paddock with her friends and get some sun on her back.
Petal looks really well and has been developing nicely. Despite the more feral behaviour of a group of yearlings loose on their own, she has not lost her friendliness.
With the grass starting to grow, we must hope that the
Spring weather holds, and that Petal has the chance to
continue her development as a potential racehorse.
Petal looks really well and has been developing nicely. Despite the more feral behaviour of a group of yearlings loose on their own, she has not lost her friendliness.
With the grass starting to grow, we must hope that the
Spring weather holds, and that Petal has the chance to
continue her development as a potential racehorse.

Here is a lovely picture of Petal in her stable, snapped by Carol, during a visit to Grove Farm mid-May.
It will not be long now, before the representatives of the thoroughbred sales organisations come round to see the various yearlings and advise on sales prospects.
We would very much like to see Petal have her chance to race on the flat: she is put well put together and moves easily. She looks to have the potential to be a good athlete, she looks alert and interested in life, yet she is always so easy to handle.
At the moment we are exercised by the question as to whether Petal should go to the yearling sales at Doncaster, where there may be more interested in Monsieur Bond progeny.
But the success of her 3-yo half-brother Lexington Blue could also
influence the decisions we make for Petal's future.
It will not be long now, before the representatives of the thoroughbred sales organisations come round to see the various yearlings and advise on sales prospects.
We would very much like to see Petal have her chance to race on the flat: she is put well put together and moves easily. She looks to have the potential to be a good athlete, she looks alert and interested in life, yet she is always so easy to handle.
At the moment we are exercised by the question as to whether Petal should go to the yearling sales at Doncaster, where there may be more interested in Monsieur Bond progeny.
But the success of her 3-yo half-brother Lexington Blue could also
influence the decisions we make for Petal's future.