Looking ahead...

Sunday, 01 July 2012

Two runners today, Million Faces and La Confession.  This will be the first time the former has encountered the ground that we think she will like, so please pray it doesn't rain at Windsor.  La Confession has run one or two encouraging races and does threaten to win a race so let's hope that former stable apprentice Noel Garbutt can bring out the best in her.  On Tuesday, Miss Cato gets out her earplugs and eye mask for a transtlantic flight to meet the stars in California, where she will contest the American Oaks at Hollywood Park on 14 July.  She will have one run for Rae (assistant Nick McKee will be supervising her out there) before staying on with a local trainer, possibly Simon Callaghan.  This is a race where ex Europeans have seen success (Megahertz and Ticker Tape) and we hope that she will run well for her new owners Three Chimneys LLC.  She is certainly on great form at present although you can never be sure how she will handle the travelling.  Look out for intended runners this week - Minalisa at Pontefract, Alice Rose at Brighton, Flynn's Boy, First Class, Albany Rose and Emperor's Waltz.

Busy times at Chestnut Tree Stables

Sunday, 01 July 2012

It has been all go here at the yard for the last few days and so it will be for the next.  We have had a load of runners (although not quite as many as we had expected owing to flash floods at Leicester meaning that meeting was called off in the week) and the weather continues to rule when it comes to making plans for the rest of them.

To round up on the recent runners:  First, Ed de Gas, ran an absolutely fantastic race to be third in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot.  It felt like a historic occasion as the Queen's horse, Estimate, won and the Duke of Edinburgh did the presentation to her in the winner's circle.  Particularly as it is Diamond Jubilee year, the atomosphere was electric and it was an auspicious occasion for his Australian owners Mr and Mrs Pegum to meet the horse, trainer and jockey! There was the slight suspicion that he did not see out the two miles in soft ground so Rae is going to give him a break and then think about targets like the St Leger.  Other than that we have had a few not liking the soft ground (Millika, Albany Rose) and most of the others (particularly Flynn's Boy, Macchiara and Poisson d'Or) running with credit in the circumstances.  Mirza made an unsuccessful trip to the Curragh yesterday - probably feeling the effects of a few quick runs - but he is so ground dependent that you have to crack on when you can.

Minalisa starts as she means to go on

Thursday, 21 June 2012

Chris and Lesley Mills were vindicated in keeping hold of their homebred Oasis Dream filly out of Mina, Minalisa, who made a winning debut under a hands and heels ride from Chris Catlin at Warwick this afternoon.  Rae has always thought she had talent but he also thought that she would be too green to do herself justice first time out.

Happily he was proved wrong and although it was not a strong race she could do no more than win and will certainly improve for the racing experience.  There was also a bit of classic commentary during the race as Minalisa came to beat one of her rivals, the aptly named Missus Mills.  So the second winner this week for the Mills team, after Mirza on Sunday; and long may the hot streak continue.  Well done to Chris and Farman who looks after her.

Mirza scores in Listed race

Sunday, 17 June 2012

Chris and Lesley Mills' homebred Mirza proved himself the best offspring of his illustrious dam, the multiple Group winner, Millyant, by winning the Galtee Midsummer Stakes at Cork this afternoon.  There has been so much rain in Ireland that the meeting had to survive an inspection at 1pm yesterday so Chris and Lesley had to make heroic attempts to sort out flights to get them all there.  Thank goodness it was all worth it when Mirza secured this well deserved success in hs favoured very soft ground.  At the age of five he does seem to be improving not unlike his dam who, although winning a Group race at two, was really at her best at six.  Very well done to Chris and Lesley and to their son Robbie who prepared Mirza for training this winter.

That takes the yard to 17 winners for the year and a strike rate of more than 25%.  Rae has run 25 individual horses this year.

Miss Cato is rags to riches story

Friday, 15 June 2012

There is nothing like horses to amaze you when they get on a roll.  Miss Cato has done nothing but improve since beginning her racing career back on 1 January and, but for a bit of pilot error, would probably have been unbeaten until yesterday when she ran in the Listed Ballymacoll Stakes at Newbury.  That first race was a seller and anyone could have bought her at Southwell.  Happily no-one did and Miss Cato's lowly beginnings have allowed her to progress stealthily up the handicap, picking up four wins.

Yesterday, however, the cat was well and truly out of the bag when she ran second to John Gosden's Great Heavens, a regally bred sister to Nathaniel, last year's King George winner, at Newbury.  The slow pace did her no favours and she pulled too hard but she was still the only one to land a blow on the winner and was beaten just 2 1/4 lengths.  As she was sold before this run to Three Chimneys LLC (previously the buyer of Rosa Grace), she is likely to continue her career in the States at some point, but they must surely be pleased with their new acquisition. Likewise Mr Bennett, her breeder and former owner, who has valuable black type for his mare, Regal Fairy, and her offspring.  So well done to everyone concerned.  Of course we will be sorry to lose her, but it is great to be involved with improving horses who try their hardest.