York ground unpredictable again

Sorry we missed the News update last week, we had runners in France and attended the Deauville sale.

Carlton Blue's jockey ignored the instructions at York, he crossed over to lead, effectively writing the horses' chances off, instead of going straight. He is a nice horse and should win again.

Dance With Dragons was very disappointing at Windsor, all three runs on the soft have been dissapointing and the one run on firm was good so this speaks for itself.

Kalicamix runs today at Deauville, we are hoping for a repeat of his win 2 weeks ago, he is fit and fancied.

Sovereign Power is weak and backward and should make up into a nice horse.

Puteri Nur Laila runs on Thursday at Lingfield, I'm sure she has not reached her potential but doea not want soft ground. She is fit and fancied.

Daring Damsel is a disappointing filly with an exceptional USA pedigree and is for sale. Any reasonable offer would secure.

Circumvent is back in full work and should run soon.

We have one or two nice two year olds in the pipeline which we are looking forward to running before the end of the season.

Making plans with these strange weather conditions is almost impossible. York, one of my favorite tracks and a place we always do well there, continued with its unpredictable going last week. It is like the straight at Ascot and some form should be taken with a pinch of salt.

English prize money contiunes to dip and I wonder at the heavy presence of the major owners wo operate at the bottom of the market, as I see it, for no purpose at all. Picking up races all year round which is the bread and butter of the smaller indigenous trainers.

Deauville bekons...

Our spec horses are beginning to work out. Carlton Blue now goes for the DBS Sales race at York after his win at Ascot and is in fine form.

Dance with Dragons now goes for the Median Auction Novice at Redcar on 25th August after his win at Doncaster.

Kalicamix has won £11,500 for coming 1st past the post at Deauville and runs there again at the end of next week.

Composed was second at Thirsk and now runs on Saturday at Deauville, we think he is still improving.

Our two Strategic Prince colts who are not named yet are shaping up very well and are not too far off a run.

Sovereign Power runs today at Salisbury and will improve from the race.

Don Libre has a poor draw tomorrow at Kempton for a front runner.

Mystic Melody has had problems and will need the race.

Gifted Girl is back in full work and may run at Goodwood on Sunday week.

Mons Calpe runs at Newbury on Saturday in the Ladies Amateur race, he is not an easy ride and will probably have to wait until Windsor next week for that win.

Deauville runner this week

We were very pleased that Kaiser Wilhelm could followup his success with another win at Folkestone. He found the ground too quick at Newmarket last time and should run again soon.

Carlton Blue ran a great race to win the Nursery at Ascot under apprentice Ashley Morgan. He has come out of his race well and may go straight to York for the DBS Premier sales race at the end of August.

Kalicamix finished a good 2nd to The Gold Cheongsam from Jeremy Noseda's stable, she has since won again (40k race) at Newmarket, and now goes to Deauville tomorrow for a valuable claimer. We are hopeful he will run a big race.

Ziefhd won her claimer at Lingfield and got claimed by David Evans so she has left the yard.

Composed ran a better race in the claimer at Thirsk to finish 2nd. He may go to Deauville for another claimer or stay here for a nursery over 7f.

Don Libre came back to form on the All Weather on his latest start at Kempton when he finished 2nd. He found the ground too soft at Salisbury when he finished 6th, he should have a better class race in him.

Dance With Dragons race a much improved race to win his maiden and 10K bonus at Doncaster. He is a nice, improving horse and is still for sale. We are looking at conditions & valuable nursery races for him if he doesn't get sold to go abroad.

Ground looks hopeful

At last better ground, we have a few runners this week that are working well and have been waiting for a trip. There isn’t much between Composed and Standing Bear, both are going well. Composed is penciled in for some Deauville claimers, afterwards.


Mons Calpe has been waiting for faster ground for entries, to give him a better chance. Zing Wing is in good form, he runs at Lingfield on Wednesday. Don Libre hated the bad ground at Newmarket and found it difficult to run. Gifted Girl is back in work, we have high hopes for her. Kaiser Wilhelm came out of his race well and runs at Folkestone, he could be improving. Silver heels runs at Goodwood, looking forward to that. Swing Land is back in work, after a rest. Carlton Blue has not yet shown her true potential, on the course, hopefully this will happen at ascot on Friday.



I though Lee Newman's punishment was totally out of order like most of racings penalties, it was way over the top. Poor lad had his punishment, in the fact it happened at all. One week would have been enough. One of the dangers of backing an apprentice, is that, we all make mistakes all our lives.

Rain delays runners..

Many of the horses here require fast ground so until the weather changes there won’t be much action. We were pleased with Dance With Dragons first run at Windsor as it was too short for him and he was green, he should have a chance on Wednesday 18th July at Sandown. Kalicamix may run at Lingfield on Saturday. We are not sure if he 6f or 7f. Don Libre runs at Newmarket on Friday 20th July, he won well at Lingfield but I'm not sure how he will go on the soft ground. Silverheels received a bump at Newbury which may have cost him the race according to the jockey. There is a possibility he will run again at Haydock on Saturday as he does go on the soft. Kaiser Wilhelm runs tomorrow at Lingfield, he has a chance but he wouldn't carry any of my money.



Charlie Mann's loan effort to improve prize money was given the thumbs down by the media, lots of tut tutts on channel four but no suggestions on what else should be done?! With racings weak leadership we have been run over by the government, especially the tote fiasco, the Rubens brothers and Northern racing and every Tom, Dick and Harry but I am lead to believe his protest has probably worked.



On a lighter note Sheik Mohammed’s stallion parade hosted by Nick Luck is one of the most enjoyable days and lunches of the year. Fantastic food in a beautiful setting, very well organized and New Approach, who I saw as a yearling, looked magnificent.

Picking up a bit..

The weather is still affecting the horses performance but of course it is the same for everyone. The jump trainers should be cleaning up with these conditions. Carlton Blue runs at Epsom on Thursday if there is no more rain, he needs the fast ground. Composed who needs 7 furlongs may run at Newmarket on Saturday in the Nursery if he gets into the race. Dance with Dragons (Namid Colt still for sale) ran well last night at Windsor (4th ) he needs better ground and seven furlongs but he looks like a winner. Standing Bear runs at  Warwick on thursday if it is not abandoned, he needs seven and it's anybodys guess what will go on the heavy there. Cut No Ice ran well at Newbury but would like faster ground. Don Libre is working well and will run when the ground is better. Velvet star has imporved with a tongue tie on at home and is probably well handicaped. Looking at the results from France, their prize monet for claimers are nearly the same money as our Listed races. Even if you halfed their prize money it would be better than ours. Without the Arabs, racing in the UK could collapse. At least the trainers at the top are ok but I think 70% of trainers must be losing money.

Rain still getting in the way

Carlton Blue was a little disappionting at windsor, he was struck into at the four pole but then finished well and was only beaten by 1 1/2 lengths. Kalicamix runs today at Wolverhampton in the 3.15pm maiden. It looks like a stiff task but he will run well. We will have two or three runners at newbury on Thursday but none of them will like it if the ground if it remains soft but Cut No Ice is looking well. The good news is that our two best fillies are back on the move, Gifted Girl's form at kempton was given a boost at Royal Ascot when Fallen For You won the Coronation Stakes andSwingland has recovered from her virus and is back in work.