20th June 2015

It’s been a great week and it would be wonderful if Huntsmans Close could bring home the Wokingham.

Temptress ran a blinder in the Hunt Cup on Wednesday having switched sides, and then come from last to first, to be second, beaten by an inspired ride from Ryan Moore, who has been unstoppable all week. We were delighted and as we knew before, she is a black type filly.

Time Test did what we hoped he would do on Wednesday, and it is a relief that he did, as his work has been exceptional. Timeform have published a rating of 130p, which puts him one behind Golden Horn, one ahead of Gleneagles, and above his illustrious stablemate Al Kazeem. He ran the Tercentenary in a time more than two seconds faster than Free Eagle on Wednesday, and faster than Al Kazeem in 2013, which I think was in the top 3 Prince of Wales times in the last 50 years. They obviously went a fair pace to achieve that, which makes running the final 3f in 35 seconds, whilst unextended, all the more impressive. All options are now open to him, and we will talk to his owner and make a plan. There is a poor 3yo schedule over 1m 2f in England, and therefore he would either step up to take on the older horses here, or appear in France against 3yo's where there are more options. 

Huntsmans Close runs in the Wokingham today. It is safe to say that it is not an easy race to win. We have achieved it with Harmonic Way, but even Patavellian who subsequently went on to win the Bunbury Cup, Stewards Cup and the G1 Abbaye in succession, failed to win it! We have had this race in mind for Huntsman since he won the Silver Cup at Ayr. He is in fine form and looks a picture. There appears to be pace in 12, 20 and 22 and the fancied horses are around us in 17. So we are happy on that front. Its not easy to win, and I just hope he can run a great race for his very enthusiastic owners who have had a ball with him so far.

Libbard and Star Fire both ran honourable races last night. Libbard may need further in time, but needs to learn to settle before that is the case. She stuck on well. Star Fire has had a hectic schedule, but when the handicapper puts you up 9lbs, you have to run under a penalty. She ran a blinder to be second, to what looks to be an improving horse.