A great weekend with a treble from our five runners.  Bishop Roko set the ball rolling in the first at Newbury putting up an impressive display first time out to win by six lengths, it will be interesting to see how the handicapper views his victory. There is a possibility that he will run in a Condition race before being aimed at the Tattersalls Millions Three Year old 10 furlong race at Newmarket on Saturday 30th June. Border Legend ran in the second division and weakened in the closing stages and I came to the conclusion that he is still weak, but that he may not have quite got the trip and will drop back to a mile in the future.  At Newmarket Mince managed to give her growing band of followers a bit of a heart attack having to make up a considerable amount of ground in the closing stages to win by the narrowest of margins.  She is a thoroughly tough and game filly that keeps on improving and it will be fun contemplating her future plans.  Tioman Legend ran a remarkable race to finish 5th behind Mince beaten approximately half a length having trailed the field in the early stages he finished with good effect down the far side. Lets hope that there is a decent handicap on the horizon for him and perhaps over five furlongs.  Captain Cat won his division of the mile maiden race in good style but Jamie Spencer confirmed my feelings that he is still very weak so the plan is to give him at least two months before running again. He should develop into a nice horse given time and patience from connections.

We have no runners today or tomorrow.

Waterclock ran a nice race yesterday but slightly lost his position and showed his inexperience halfway up the straight and perhaps got tired in the closing stages to finish 5th, he should improve and stay further.

We have a busy day tomorrow with three runners going to Newmarket and three at our local track Newbury. Both Mince and Tioman Legend run in the Coral Sprint Cup which is a tough 20 runner sprint handicap. Mince is ridden by Frankie Dettori for the first time who won this race for my predecessor Jeremy Tree on Didicoy on the 13th May 1989 when he was a 5 lb claimer. Interestingly the race had the same sponsor (Corals)  and the prize money in 23 years has only increased by 15% ! which is a bit disappointing.  Mince was a little unlucky last time when she finished 2nd and I hope she can make the improvement to win but Tioman Legend was very free in the same race and  needs to settle better.

Mince

Tioman Legend

Captain Cat runs in the mile maiden race with Jamie Spencer at 4.30pm. He ran well to finish 3rd at Newbury behind Juddmonte Farm's Noble Mission but perhaps he saw too much daylight that day and did not finish his race. His pedigree would indicate that he should be staying 10 or 12 furlongs in the future, but he is still rather weak and measures 16.1.50 hh.

Captain Cat

Bishop Roko runs in the first division of the 10 furlong maiden race at Newbury where the ground should be good. He is a nice scopey gelding by Rock Of Gibraltar and from the family of Carmelite House,  Kris and Diesis. He was too immature to  run last year but he should develop into a nice horse as the season progresses.

Bishop Roko

Trader Jack runs in the race that his cousin Al Kazeem won last year.  Having won at Ffos Las on heavy ground in November he was rather disappointing in his comeback race at Sandown recently also run on heavy ground.  Rather to my surprise he was a bit free that day and the ground did not suit him as it was virtually unraceable.  Tomorrows race as you would expect is very competitive but I am hoping that he will produce a better performance.

Trader Jack

Border Legend is another big gelding who measures 16.1 hh by one of my favourite stallions Selkirk, who sired the winners Cityscape, Priceless Jewel and Rosslyn Castle for us this season.  His debut at Newbury a month ago was full of promise and he should be suited by going an extra two furlongs tomorrow but he has not yet reached his full strength.  Given some time and patience he should develop into a nice horse later in the year and I hope he runs well tomorrow.

Border Legend

On the face of it Sea Of Heartbreak was rather disappointing yesterday at York but there may have been reasons. She seemed to be rather fresh and full of herself before the race and was perhaps using too much energy and not really getting enough cover. In the straight she moved up but then got a bit squeezed for room which coincided with getting tired, as a result she faded to finish last. I thought that she was fitter but hopefully the race will have done her some good and she can get back on Group form  soon.

Rosie Probert ran an eyecatching race to finish 3rd having been "all at sea" in the early stages of the race with Hayley nudging her along from the beginning. In the last two furlongs she picked up really well and produced a good turn of foot to make up a considerable amount of ground.  She should have learnt plenty and a mile and a half on a more galloping track should suit her in the future.

Our only runner today is Waterclock (Ire)   in the 3.45pm at Newbury.  He sprung a little bit of a surprise to win first time out over a mile at Newbury in the Autumn but he should improve as he was inexperienced that day and had suffered from sore shins during the summer. His pedigree would suggest that todays trip should suit but it is a competitive race with plenty of good opposition, but he is progressing well in his work at home.

Waterclock (Ire)

Sea Of Heartbreak (Ire) runs at York in a really competitive Middleton Stakes a Group 2 for mares.  She should never be under estimated as she is so enthusiastic and consistent and her work has been as good as ever.  In her last race in the E P Taylor Stakes at Woodbine, she came from an impossible position to be beaten a length and a half on ground that she did not particularly like. It is impossible to know whether they have improved from four to five, but she is everybodys favourite here and even with a penalty, she should run well.

Sea of Heartbreak (Ire)

Rosie Probert has taken time to mature both mentally and physically and there should be improvement to come as she gets stronger. She is bred to stay well and is a half sister to Clowance House who won a mile and a half maiden race at Salisbury a few years ago. She is starting to show some promise in her work and I am looking forward to seeing her run.

Rosie Probert

It was very exciting to watch Dedication get up and win by a nose at Kempton last night. Yet again James Doyle gave her a good ride taking the initiative on the bend to get into a good position and having received a hefty bump, she did well to win without having too hard a race. She should be suited by a mile and a half as long as the handicapper rates her below 80 she might have a chance of winning again.

Definightly has been declared a non runner at York today as his preference is for soft or heavy ground.

Dedication should be suited by going up in distance having been a rather immature filly last year, both mentally and physically.  She is not mad about the kickback at home but we seem to have very few opportunities with the ground being so soft  and the weather being so unsettled.  Stir Trader (Ire)  is a non runner as he was slightly stiff  behind yesterday morning.

Dedication

I got the impression that Estrela probably did not stay the mile and a half in the Lingfield Oaks Trial on Saturday and she was easily beaten by the impressive winner Vow who must have a good chance of being placed in the Oaks.  Estrela did at least achieve being Listed race placed and obtaining some black type which pleased her owner who intends to breed from her.  I will be looking for Listed races over 10 furlongs on fast ground during the summer and hope that one day she might win one.

No runners today.

Selfara was perhaps a bit disappointing yesterday and James reported that she did not really handle the bend and got a little unbalanced in the closing stages and perhaps the penny has not quite dropped yet. I am sure there is improvement to come and perhaps 6 furlongs on the turf will suit her better.  Lovage ran well on her reappearance but was short of space when she needed it and finished a good third.

Estrela is our only runner today and it is a touch experimental as her pedigree has a mixture of speed and stamina. Her sire Authorized stayed really well but her dam Wannabe Grand won the Cheveley Park over 6 furlongs and most of her progeny do not stay a mile and a half. Ideally I would have liked to of run her over 10 furlongs and on fast ground but she must have a good chance if she gets the trip of least gaining some black type.

Estrela

We send two three year old fillies to Lingfield this afternoon with Selfara running in the first division of the 7 furlong maiden race at 3.15pm. She unfortunately sat back in the stalls and completely fluffed the start on her debut at Newbury a month ago.  As long as she does not miss the break again, she should run well.

Selfara nearside working with Inchina

Lovage was slightly disappointing last year being placed on several occasions but I hope that she may have strengthened up during the winter and she ought to be competitive in this grade.

Lovage