Dali Mail suffers a fatal fall at Carlisle yesterday

We're all devastated.

Dali Mail was tracking the leaders at Carlisle on Saturday when falling heavily at the 3rd last. He died instantly.

Dali Mail was originally a Goffs UK Spring Store Sale acquisition from May 2016, consigned by Willie Murdoch who had bought him as a yearling in France.
The gelding was soon sent down to Tim Reed who undertook his initial education and he arrived at Dodlands Steading in October of that year.

In that early spell, he caught the eye of prospective first time owners Nicola & John Mackin and indeed Dali Mail provided the couple with their first winner on his third bumper run when winning at Kelso as a 5 year old.
He followed that up with a run (mid division) in the Grade 2 bumper at Aintree's National Festival. Worth a try though, giving his owners such a thrilling day out.

But that was not the only highlight of the grey's career for he proved a fine hurdler showing good form in each of his four races - winning once and placed three times. But he was to prove an even better chaser, winning on debut at Newcastle in December '19 and running several excellent placed efforts thereafter.

You know, in their own way, all horses are lovable.
Some will shy away from the attention of a visitor, some will throw back their ears and dare a human to come closer, others only too willing to take a carrot but resent a friendly pat or scratch. All lovable.
Dali Mail?
He always presented himself at his stable door, quietly seeking attention of a visitor - were that be an owner or friend-of-the-stable. Certainly, for his owners he was such a wonderful horse on the racetrack but more so, a gentle, kind 'person' who always had time for a cuddle. Always.

We feel so privileged - as a training team, his owners and Greg with whom he spent his summers - to have Dali Mail for the last 5 years.
We miss him dearly.

Dali Mail pictured not long after he came into the yard in 2016