We introduce a new horse tomorrow evening. Arc Royal runs in the first, a 5 furlong sprint handicap and he carries top weight. David Haddrell sourced him at the recent horses in training sale at Newmarket and he has been syndicated through the power of Twitter. He’s owned by a fantastic group of enthusiasts and I’m optimistic he can provide them with a bit of fun. He was sourced on the basis that he should take to the all weather and hopefully that’s the case.
It’s a learning curve with him, he has lost his form and it would be nice if he could show he’s on the way back. There’s a nice sequence of races over the coming months and this is an ideal start. He’s bred to sprint and looks like a sprinter but has a long languid way of going that would suggest he’ll probably be better over further. He’s drawn 10 which is likely a negative. This race is restricted to riders that have ridden less than 10 winners since March. Emmet McNamara qualifies due, I suspect, to his Ballydoyle commitments and I’m delighted to get him.
Last week was a chastening experience. I was convinced Beach Bar would be in the shake up. He missed the break and tanked amongst horses before finding trouble twice in the straight. This game has a wonderful way of clipping one’s wings and the journey home was a quiet one Friday last. Still we’ll hit off tomorrow full of optimism and give it another go.