Runners update

Sunday, 25 April 2010

Indian Valley endured another frustrating defeat last night at Wolverhampton, once again finishing second, this time to Michael Bell's Bakongo who won well and is clearly a good horse. She did nothing wrong, leading most of the way under a sensible ride from Martin Dwyer. Surely she will win soon? This week we have two possible runners, both on Thursday at Folkestone - Hill of Miller and Midnight Fantasy. The latter definitely wants rain but Hill of Miller is likely to run in order to break his duck. Most of the horses in full work went up the Peat Moss again on Saturday, as did the more forward two year olds. Serious Attitude went well again under Robbie Mills, drawing clear of Corton Charlemagne under Emma-Jane Jenkins.

Serious Attitude succumbs

Saturday, 08 May 2010

Serious Attitude was the latest this week to succumb to seconditis, finishing in the frame but beaten half a length at Nottingham in the Kilvington Stakes today. Although everyone would have preferred it if she had won, she did well considering that this was her first race in almost nine months and she was impeded at a crucial stage in the race. Owners Derek Willis and Rae were philosophical in defeat and are aiming to get her back on the winning trail as soon as possible. Another second this week was Gaselee who looked a certain winner at various stages of the race, but as a front runner was always going to be vulnerable to a late flourish and so it proved. In the main, however, the horses look well and are running well and it can only be a matter of time before they get in that first spot in the winners' enclosure.

News update

Sunday, 16 May 2010

Rae is getting a bit frustrated with the lack of rain at HQ and elsewhere and feels that he was lucky to get the right ground for Serious Attitude last week as it would not have been in evidence this week. She is fine after her race and has done nothing more than a couple of steady canters this week. Her target is the Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot but that is ground dependent. We have had a few horses with multiple entries unable to take them up owing to the fast ground everywhere. Rae is keen to get a run into, for example, Conciliatory and Eye of Eternity but not keen to jar them up so they will have to wait until conditions are more suitable. Most likely runners are Dancing Jest and Hill of Miller, the others are waiting for rain.

Dancing Jest is first turf winner of the year

Wednesday, 19 May 2010

It would be fair to say that not that many people really expected Dancing Jest to win at Lingfield today on her first run of the season. Thank goodness she didn't know that she was 20-1 though; as she well and truly put her best foot forward, being still on the bridle two furlongs out and winning by two lengths! Really well done to Jane and Oliver Lury, who have been such longstanding supporters of the yard and deserve every success.

Yard's mixed fortunes continue

Wednesday, 19 May 2010

It has been a funny old week or two for runners. Some that you would have thought would run better (Retrato, for example) have not really come up to the mark but others (Filligree) have run well. The last named ran another great race at Bath to be second on Friday night. Many intended runners this week are ground dependent, the exceptions being Hill of Miller who will run at Salisbury (Tuesday) and Zubova who is due to run on the all weather at Kempton (Wednesday). Rae would like to run Midnight Fantasy at Yarmouth on Thursday if there is enough rain; and by Friday (given the forecast of patchy rain all over the UK) who knows what will be suitable. Last week of course saw Dancing Jest do something completely out of character and nearly flip over in the stalls anticipating the start (now she needs a stalls test) and Jeninsky run well on her seasonal debut.