Lastrose blooms before summer

Sunday, 29 May 2011

Eamonn Duggan's Lastroseofsummer ran a great race to win the Luke and Luke Construction Handicap Hurdle at Fontwell today under Matt Crawley.  Always travelling well, she sat off the pace before coming to challenge wide two out and fighting off the joint favourite under Richard Johnson to score by half a length.  It was altogether not as dramatic as her last win at Edinburgh thank goodness (when Matt won ride of the year after her saddle slipped after a mile) but it was more than exciting enough and a great credit to her after 108 days off the track.  The yard's fourth winner of the year. 

Runners update

Monday, 02 May 2011

Not quite in the same league as Frankel but good enough was Concilatory at Goodwood.  She ran well on her racecourse reappearance and probably ran above her current handicap mark in finishing fifth to the highly rated Seta. 

Storm Tide ran much too fresh and free earlier in the week but has returned bouncing and she looks incredibly well in her coat and ought to improve for the race. 

Gaselee has been declared at Southwell on the all weather as the lack of rain is making it impossible to run many of these horses on the grass. 

Rae is keen to get on and run them, including the racecourse debutante Rose of Sarratt, who has entries galore in the hope of rain, but we need some of the wet stuff before he will risk her.

In the meantime the others, including the two year olds, are ticking over using the artificial surfaces.  We acquired a new horse with a new owner this week.  The filly, by Dutch Art out of the Sadler's Wells mare Radiate, was consigned to the Craven breeze up sales by Emma O'Gorman's Seven Springs Stables and was bought by Colin Joseph, who, happily, has decided to send her here.  She is a big filly who breezed well and her first season sire has made a bright start to his new career.  Welcome to her and Mr Joseph.

Newmarket Guineas weekend

Monday, 02 May 2011

What an incredible race the 2,000 Guineas run on Saturday at Newmarket was.  Frankel's demolition of a perfectly good Classic field was really something to behold and one that will live in the memory for a long time.  Rae was on hand to congratulate sister Jane and brother-in-law Henry Cecil.  None of us has ever seen a horse win a Classic when 10 lengths clear half way.  Amazing.

Wedding bells in Watford

Sunday, 17 April 2011

Next Saturday sees the marriage of Steven Mills, Chris and Lesley's eldest son and long term other half Sarah.  It has been a long time in the planning with, reportedly, three stag nights and the recall of the prodigal son Robbie from Florida.  Robbie has been here working at the breeze up sales and riding work a couple of times. 

Everyone here wishes the happy couple a fantastic day, a relaxing honeymoon and a long and happy life together. 

Rain needed at HQ

Sunday, 17 April 2011

Very few runners and not that much to report from Newmarket.  Having done all their conditioning work, Rae would normally expect to have some of the older horses on the track by now and the two year olds doing a few gallops.  However there has been no rain at all and the management at the racecourse must be reasonably concerned about the prospect of very fast ground for the Guineas.  As such, many of the horses are ticking over - some are desperate to run, Storm Tide and Mirza among them, but there's no point in getting them jarred up or, in Mirza's case, being tempted to run him on completely unsuitable ground. 

A few groups of older horses made an unusual foray over to Long Hill polytrack yesterday to go six furlongs and all went well.  Gaselee and the unraced Rose of Sarratt went well together; Conciliatory with Mirza; Border Abby, Fully Armed and Storm Tide, the latter going the best; and they were all followed up by Lastroseofsummer, new recruit Toymaker and Albany Rose.

The two year olds went up Warren Hill, although not fast.  The early ones seem to be the Manduro filly Alice Rose, Chris and Lesley Mills' Exceed and Excel/Millyant filly and the Holy Roman Emperor, but it is very early days for them all.  The real test will be when we start to get some rain and can get on the grass gallops.

Flynn's Boy couldn't really get into the race this week unfortunately, but seems none the worse for his exertions.