Blog

We head to Naas tomorrow with 3 runners. That’s Mad is our first runner in the 6f maiden. He’s well drawn in 6 and having already beaten the favourite he has to have his chance. Aidan’s improve of course but maybe one of mine will too. There are about 44 others to contend with so a good run would be nice. He was in the background and I hoped he’d show enough the last day to suggest there would be days in him. He did that and more and if we were a little more aware of what was under the bonnet he may have won. He’s a poster boy for the power of training, he tips away every day, eats and rests, does his 2 canters and he was obviously coming away every day and improving. Anyway tomorrow will tell a lot. May Remain runs next. He was eye catching the last day. He was in the process of running quite well and got blocked, after a hiatus of 50 yards he was asked again and passed a few to finish 10th of 23. All very encouraging but these eyecatchers can be overstated. He has to back it up now tomorrow. It’s up to him now. Bianca runs in the last. She disgraced herself Sunday and it feels a bit risky turning her back so quick. Of course I wouldn’t contemplate it if something showed but it didn’t. She went racing in apparently terrific form, ran like a drain and came home in terrific form. Hopefully she gets back on track. Horses disappoint all the time and growing up it was always explained away immediately with the first plausible excuse. Didn’t stay, ground too sticky or not sticky enough or not the right kind of sticky, the virus etc etc. Staying and ground conditions or tactics can make the difference of lengths but falling out the back of the telly is lameness, sickness, bursting ( EIPH) or being in season. Fatigue is preventing me thinking of others. The first 2 should be obvious post race. The 3rd and 4th can be insidious and difficult to diagnose. I’m hoping she was in season. It’s the time of year for it. Tomorrow will tell a bit more.