Terrible lows and one incredible high

All the emotions we can experience in life are encapsulated in the microcosm that is racing and it's extraordinary how they can so often all come at once, especially on a day like today.

The day started as have so many this summer, with glorious sunshine and a peaceful, enjoyable, incident-free morning's exercise for all. An hour or so after riding Panto was spent grooming and cuddling one retiree and one on the injured list: Brief Goodbye and Risky Cry, currently occupying adjacent outdoor pens as they each recuperate from tendon injuries. Though Brief's injury was slightly more severe (affecting both front legs), it is not so sad as Risky's. Brief's had a long, fruitful racing career marked by soundness and genuineness and his seven wins brought joy to many. After six months on the easy list, he's well on the road to becoming an excellent riding horse for someone and the search is on for the perfect 'retirement' home for him.

Risky's injury, though not life-threatening or even career-threatening, is, however, incredibly galling for both his owners and his trainer. Les Trois Amis syndicate bought him in France in December as a three-year-old and he came here just before Christmas. It was my duty to muck him out every day over the Christmas holidays and he melted my heart instantly. A strapping, gorgeous chestnut, he has the loveliest character and I'm not the only one to have fallen for his charms as John had started riding him every day and simply wouldn't let anyone else sit on him, apart from when Will Kennedy came to school him a few weeks ago.

That schooling session had us all looking forward to his hurdling debut, which would have been anytime now, but only a few days later John detected some heat in his near fore and, despite this being only very early signs of slight tendon damage, he still requires at least a year out of training. A frustrating setback, which we hope will be only temporary, but I'm afraid I'm already missing seeing lovely Risky bounce around the heath every day. The picture at the top of the page is typical of him: always smiling, ears pricked, loving his work. God I hope we get him back.

Far, far worse than our woes is the news of a fatal fire that has killed two apprentice jockeys in Malton this morning. They are yet to be officially identified but word is already out and it would seem that racing has lost two highly promising young individuals. It's a shocking waste of life and I know the thoughts and prayers of the racing world will be with the families of the young jockeys. May they rest in peace.

Adding to the sadness was watching what transpired to be a fatal injury to Curtain Call in the September Stakes. He was a horse with a wonderfully quirky nature who I don't believe we had yet seen to his full potential. His loss will be a real blow to the Cumani stable and to his owners Jimmy George, Patrick Cooper and Bill Oppenheim.

It's easy to get very attached to horses in a small stable such as this but if you are in any doubt that they matter as much in big yards, I can say with certainty that they do at Bedford House Stables. One of my more enjoyable commissions this summer has been to photograph the four-legged and two-legged incumbents of Luca Cumani's yard and when I had to snap his assistant Ed Walker, he asked if he could be photographed with his favourite, Curtain Call. It's heartbreaking to think that that was only three days ago. Ed will miss him terribly, as will everyone involved with the lovely little horse.

Life, as always, gives the odd high to balance out the lows, and who could not be moved by the remarkable Sea The Stars winning his fifth Group 1 in a row in the Irish Champion Stakes? It is a privilege to be alive in 2009, the year that will always be remembered in the racing history books as the year of Sea The Stars. Long may he run. And there's still Rachel Alexandra to come tonight...