Everybody is enjoying the wonderful weather except for racehorse trainers who universally are waiting for some rain to soften the ground and make the grass grow, everywhere is very dusty at present. A trainer can get horses fit on the all weather gallops but by their very nature they are not good for assessing a horses' trip or how well they are going against each other.
Although there is some interesting racing this weekend, we have very few runners. The two yer olds are shaping up well and we could have some fairly early runners maybe in the middle of April. We have one or two sharp fillies and one that is shaping up well is Cut No Ice.
We were delighted with Circumvents run at Lingfield in the Winter Derby (3rd), like the 1st and 2nd placed we were poorly drawn but we really pleased he was only beaten a head and a neck as we think he is a better horse on grass. We have made a tentative entry for him at Maisons Laffitte where he is only a possible.
Monday, 26 March 2012
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Silverheels a possible for Free Handicap...
Circumvent's target is the Winter Derby at Lingfield on the 24th of March. He is in fine form and with a reasonable draw he is a live contender. Jimmy Fortune is booked for the ride.
Unusually for us we have a runner over hurdles at Kempton on Saturday. He jumps well but he lost his enthusiasm in the last couple of years so if he runs well we will continue, if he doesn't he will be retired as a hack.
The horses are in full work, although the ground is good on the grass gallop it is a little on the fast side for unfit horses so we are just on the all weather gallop. We are likely to have a few early runners at Kempton and Lingfield. Silverheels has wintered well and is a possible for the Free Handicap at Newmarket.
I think most of our winners for the coming year will probably come from the two year olds, they look a precocious bunch and for the first time we have Strategic Prince's offspring and they are shaping up well.
Our numbers are down this year but it's hard to compete without middle eastern backing, their battalions are getting even bigger and they seem quite happy to win the last at Dundalk or the first at Southwell.
Unusually for us we have a runner over hurdles at Kempton on Saturday. He jumps well but he lost his enthusiasm in the last couple of years so if he runs well we will continue, if he doesn't he will be retired as a hack.
The horses are in full work, although the ground is good on the grass gallop it is a little on the fast side for unfit horses so we are just on the all weather gallop. We are likely to have a few early runners at Kempton and Lingfield. Silverheels has wintered well and is a possible for the Free Handicap at Newmarket.
I think most of our winners for the coming year will probably come from the two year olds, they look a precocious bunch and for the first time we have Strategic Prince's offspring and they are shaping up well.
Our numbers are down this year but it's hard to compete without middle eastern backing, their battalions are getting even bigger and they seem quite happy to win the last at Dundalk or the first at Southwell.
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Lovely weather!
It is a wonderful morning down here at Whatcombe, dry with a light frost with plenty of sunshine. We had our first work morning today, some went well and some got a little tired. Circumvent pleased and is on target for the Winter Derby which is shaping up to be a competitive race. He was plagued with poor draws last year, his last draw at Lingfield after running a good 2nd in the Listed, had him going wide the whole way.
The two year olds went through upsides today, Carlton Blue, Another Name and the Sakhee's Secret look early. It is a great time of year, it is like being dealt a new hand of cards and the expectation before picking them up. I'm sure all trainers all over the country will be in the same position, eager to get the turf season started after it seems to me even more boring All Weather racing which seems to be deteriorating in prize money and interest and looks like bookmakers fodder. Roll on the grass and the proper racing.
The two year olds went through upsides today, Carlton Blue, Another Name and the Sakhee's Secret look early. It is a great time of year, it is like being dealt a new hand of cards and the expectation before picking them up. I'm sure all trainers all over the country will be in the same position, eager to get the turf season started after it seems to me even more boring All Weather racing which seems to be deteriorating in prize money and interest and looks like bookmakers fodder. Roll on the grass and the proper racing.
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