Ground conditions are seriously affecting the way the horses are running. Newbury was a bit of a disaster unless your horse wanted testing ground. We ran a very nice two year old in Carlton Blue, although only beaten 5 lenths he ran well below his gallop work. Hunt A Mistress ran well enough but could not handle the ground. Daring Damsel came good at last, being out of an Alleged mare she should stay further. She is beautifully bred and will probably go back and run at Kempton
Zing Wing runs at Kempton on Wednesday and should go well. Silverheels in on schedule to run in a Conditions race at Doncaster.
The two year olds are shaping up well, they could be our source of winners this year. We have some shares for sale in two year olds that are on the verge of running and are going well. I think it will be three weeks before the string really get going.
Monday, 23 April 2012
Tuesday, 17 April 2012
Here comes the rain
Everything we have ran so far has run up to expectations, the horses are a little behind this year by choice. We have our first two year old runner on Friday at Newbury, Carlton Blue is probably not fully wound up and he is bred to get further but he is expected to run really well.
Daring Damsel runs tomorrow at Kempton, although she looks well, we do not expect her to win. Our nice fillies, Gifted Girl & Swingland are on course for their intended starts. Gifted Girl at Ascot on May 2nd and Swingland at Pontefract on May 2nd. Circumvent is in good form and goes for the big handicap at Newmarket on 5th May. Moynahan who ran extremely well yesterday at Windsor, only beaten 2l, goes to Doncaster Sales on Tuesday.
The horses continue in good form and we expect to have some winners in the near future.
The rain is most welcome not only for racehorse trainers but ducks as well, trainers like to see the damp weather at this time of year to knock the pollen out of the trees and fields and to keep the dust down so it's not breathed into the horses lungs creating mucas problems.
I thought it was a fantastic Grand National this year, a great spectical which racing should be proud of and look at the positive side of things and not the negative. It seems everything that can be done to make the race safe has been done. You get accidents in all sports, I think people would be shocked if anybody published the deaths and accidents on the ski slopes.
Daring Damsel runs tomorrow at Kempton, although she looks well, we do not expect her to win. Our nice fillies, Gifted Girl & Swingland are on course for their intended starts. Gifted Girl at Ascot on May 2nd and Swingland at Pontefract on May 2nd. Circumvent is in good form and goes for the big handicap at Newmarket on 5th May. Moynahan who ran extremely well yesterday at Windsor, only beaten 2l, goes to Doncaster Sales on Tuesday.
The horses continue in good form and we expect to have some winners in the near future.
The rain is most welcome not only for racehorse trainers but ducks as well, trainers like to see the damp weather at this time of year to knock the pollen out of the trees and fields and to keep the dust down so it's not breathed into the horses lungs creating mucas problems.
I thought it was a fantastic Grand National this year, a great spectical which racing should be proud of and look at the positive side of things and not the negative. It seems everything that can be done to make the race safe has been done. You get accidents in all sports, I think people would be shocked if anybody published the deaths and accidents on the ski slopes.
Tuesday, 10 April 2012
Flashbang a good bet!
It is nice to see the recent rain, it has helped the grass grow and dampen the dust down but not improved the ground so most work is continuing on the All Weather gallops.
Silverheels who was a Listed and Group performer for us last year is a possible for the Free Handicap at Newmarket. Although he has done very well during the winter, it is not easy to get ready on the All Weather gallop.
Gifted Girl and Swingland both showed promise last year and are in good form, we are short of races for them at the moment.
The runners we have coming up this week should all be in the frame without having strong win chances. Possibly the best chance is Flashbang at Kempton tomorrow although her draw is not ideal.
Gripe - Queen's Prize - It is my understanding that handicaps should be competitive and that the handicapper tries to get a close finish as possible. The Queen's Prize at Kempton on Saturday is normally a competitive race but was fought out by two Maktoom horses, both obviously thrown in, with the rest of the runners no-where. If this is the best the handicapper can do, maybe he should become a starter.
Silverheels who was a Listed and Group performer for us last year is a possible for the Free Handicap at Newmarket. Although he has done very well during the winter, it is not easy to get ready on the All Weather gallop.
Gifted Girl and Swingland both showed promise last year and are in good form, we are short of races for them at the moment.
The runners we have coming up this week should all be in the frame without having strong win chances. Possibly the best chance is Flashbang at Kempton tomorrow although her draw is not ideal.
Gripe - Queen's Prize - It is my understanding that handicaps should be competitive and that the handicapper tries to get a close finish as possible. The Queen's Prize at Kempton on Saturday is normally a competitive race but was fought out by two Maktoom horses, both obviously thrown in, with the rest of the runners no-where. If this is the best the handicapper can do, maybe he should become a starter.
Tuesday, 3 April 2012
Just getting going..
It is another quiet week at Whatcombe with regards to runners, we should be in full swing by mid April. All the horses are fit and working well. The ground remains very firm which makes grass work difficult.
Pearls from Sydney runs at Southwell tomorrow, as yet she has not shown a lot.
Hunt A Mistress is fit and well, she ran a promising race at Newbury last year and is ready to do herself justice. She is entered on Thursday at Folkstone, a decent draw would help and it would be nice if the race split, she should run well.
The World Cup was enjoyable to watch but I think one day a year would suffice. The Dubai World Cup lacked depth and I think that the Dubai Sheema Classic was the quality race of the meeting which was beautifully ridden by Olivier Peslier. All credit must go to Roger Charlton for producing Cityscape to win such a massive prize. With regard to the staying race, the fatalities amongst the older horses who have run many times before would put me off running in that race.
Pearls from Sydney runs at Southwell tomorrow, as yet she has not shown a lot.
Hunt A Mistress is fit and well, she ran a promising race at Newbury last year and is ready to do herself justice. She is entered on Thursday at Folkstone, a decent draw would help and it would be nice if the race split, she should run well.
The World Cup was enjoyable to watch but I think one day a year would suffice. The Dubai World Cup lacked depth and I think that the Dubai Sheema Classic was the quality race of the meeting which was beautifully ridden by Olivier Peslier. All credit must go to Roger Charlton for producing Cityscape to win such a massive prize. With regard to the staying race, the fatalities amongst the older horses who have run many times before would put me off running in that race.
Monday, 26 March 2012
Not much chance of rain...
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.
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.
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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