Blog

We’re back tomorrow for the first time in what seems like an age. It’s exciting to get back racing. Not just because we have runners but for the whole thing to get moving again. 2 year olds, stakes horses, new faces and old reliables. Browsing results, pedigrees, watching the odd replay has been trickling back in to the routine since the UK resumed but we need to get going in this country to really feel like we’re rolling. I have been borderline breezy for the last few weeks. The snakes in the belly have returned with a vengeance in the last 3 days. I’m sure everyone is the same but I spend all my time looking for bogeymen. A nod at a jog, a stray snot, a spontaneous cough, an untouched lunch. So far so good. Tomorrow we start with a 2yo. It’s his first run, as is the case with the remainder bar one. This fella is by Twilight Son out of a Miswaki mare (Galileo’s Dan sire). Twilight Son is a first season sire and I think the general consensus would be positive. This fella is a nice horse that we have about 6 or 7 weeks. He was breeze up bound and slotted in to our routine quickly. He flashed himself in to shape without very much pressure and after a couple of away days I’m looking forward to starting him. I had thought about hanging on to him a bit longer but he’s got quite fit looking and I’m happier to be running him rather than working him and then looking to find a race. He goes well, will want 7f or a mile and tomorrow will tell us plenty. This is an incredibly deep maiden but that was always going to be the case. To see him travel and finish well would be nice and we can make a plan thereafter. Musalsal runs immediately after. He’s a 4yo Shamardal out of a Sadler’s Wells mare with as good a pedigree as you’d find anywhere. He’s a fine, big horse with loads of bone and plenty of power. His previous form is poor and he’s going to need to leave that behind him to do anything. He has been a dream to have around the place, never missing a beat since day one. His work is much better than his mark but I believe that was the case in his previous residence too. I’m starting him short intentionally, if one is well handicapped at 7f or a mile they’ll get away with 6f for a run or 2 and that’s the logic here. He could spend tomorrow finding his feet but as long as he finishes and hits the line then we’ll have fun with him. If he got rolling and found a rhythm then he could be competitive, a strong finish is what I’m looking for. He has a kink, I just haven’t found it. He’s not as assured mentally as I’d like but that’s being picky. Chessman runs in The Woodlands Stakes, a listed race over 5.5f. It’s a deep race and probably Group 2 in Irish sprinting terms. He’ll run and with a run under his belt we can see if we’re going high end handicapping/Listed races or if we can consider a step higher. He needs to find 8 or 9lbs and it’s not obvious that’s there to be fair. He looks terrific and if he is fit enough he’ll rattle home and we can see from there. As a throwaway remark I told a little girl here if we have 7 winners before July end we can stay in a hotel for our holidays as opposed to an apartment. I found her praying at the top of the stairs before bed, she explained she was praying for winners. Seven seems like a lot but every little helps.