Great to be able to celebrate a double at Kempton with yesterday's runners. Sahkee's Rose was the first winner for her owner John Dwyer, so a great thrill for him and it was also Sahkee's Secret's 21st individual winner of the season. George Baker gave her one of his confident and polished rides to win cosily.

So pleased to give Graham Lee another winner on Hint Of Promise, he has had a great season and he was thrilled to ride a winner in Frankel's colours. 

We have two runners today at Kempton with Sakhee’s Rose running in the 4.40 pm and Hint Of promise running in the following race at 5.10 pm. 

Sakhee’s Rose was perhaps a little unlucky to be beaten two lengths in her last race over course and distance three weeks ago, as she was drawn very wide on that occasion. She has not been blessed with a particular good draw in stall nine but I am hoping that she will be able to get off the mark today in what appears to be a weaker race. 

Hint Of promise has been gradually improving and it would be a good result if she could go one better having finished second at Wolverhampton recently. It is her last chance for us today as she is due to be sold by Juddmonte at Tattersalls December Sale.

Hint Of Promise

Our trip to California with Dundonnell (USA) was overall a success, although the whole trip was quite challenging for him. He took the travelling extremely well and he adapted to the different training regime on the track up to the race.  On the big day he took the preliminaries in his stride and happily joined up with his new best friend ‘the pony’.  Unfortunately so many of the Breeders' Cup races seemed to be won and lost at the start and having become a little restless in the stalls he did miss the break, by the time he reached the first bend he had made up the ground but unfortunately he ran wide on the turn and in the process lost several lengths. To be beaten less than three lengths into fourth place was a fine effort under the circumstances and there is no doubt that both he and James will have learnt plenty from the experience.  He arrived back at Beckhampton two days later looking well and showing no side effects from his arduous journey.  Although it was disappointing as second favourite not to win, his visit to Santa Anita may have turned him into a man.

Dundonnell (USA)

We are only likely to have a handful of two year olds running on the all-weather over the next few weeks and sadly no horses to prepare for Hong Kong or Japan.  The yard is now going into a very quiet period with a big emphasis on cleaning, painting, refurbishing and maintenance going on.  We have recently installed a new woodchip trotting and cantering ring which will be a valuable asset to the rest of our facilities, particularly if the current soggy conditions continue. A few of our older horses are due to leave us this year, with Bated Breath having already gone to Banstead Manor Stud. The news from Newmarket is that he has been well received by breeders and his excellent temperament has allowed him to relax into his luxurious surroundings !  The number of breeders likely to visit him will no doubt increase substantially during the December Sales especially with Frankel joining him at Stud.  Genki has joined Mac Love and he is enjoying getting muddy in one of Sally Doyle’s paddocks in Hampshire. He is due to be ridden by a young Australian eventer in the New Year and it would be a good result if he was re-trainable as a dressage or show horse. 

Genki and Mac Love enjoying paddock life with a new friend

who said three was a crowd?!

Genki, Mac Love & their pal

Primevere has been retired and has returned to her owner's Hascombe and Valiant Stud in Newmarket and Definightly has gone home to Simon Emmet’s farm near Malmsbury where he will deservedly get spoilt before returning here in January, in the quest to win more races. Thistle Bird and Mince are both having plenty of T.L.C. at Waddesdon Stud and I hope they will both continue where they left off next year. 

Mince just resting!

Sea Of Heartbreak is looking magnificent and she is due to be sold at Newmarket in the Mares Sale on Tuesday 4^th December.  She ought to be very popular with breeders as there are only a handful of mares in training that have won Group 2 races in the catalogue.  Cityscape’s future still remains undecided but I am hoping he will continue his racing career either in the Dubai Duty Free in April or the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May.  With the retirement of Frankel and Excelebration he will be the highest rated miler amongst the older horses in Europe.  Al Kazeem remains in training as a five year old in 2013 having injured himself whilst winning the Jockey Club Stakes Group 2 at Newmarket in the Spring. He remains a horse of great potential and I hope he and Mince will be able to keep the flag flying in this part of Wiltshire.  

Cityscape

reminiscent of a Mince pose!

Cityscape

His very own unique pose!

Al Kazeem remains in training as a five year old in 2013 having injured himself whilst winning the Jockey Club Stakes Group 2 at Newmarket in the Spring. He remains a horse of great potential and I hope he and Mince will be able to keep the flag flying in this part of Wiltshire.

Al Kazeem

First Secretary made her debut at Lingfield yesterday but unfortunately she was drawn wide and was forced to race on the outside and in the process giving away lots of ground. She will be put away for this year and she should be better suited to racing on the turf next year.

First Secretary (IRE)

At Kempton Serenity Spa was a little disappointing having had every chance but not finishing off her race. Tartary (IRE) improved and won nicely and he will wait until next year before running again.

Serenity Spa

Tartary (IRE)

Lovage is our only runner today and goes to Wolverhampton for the 7.15 pm, at last she gets a chance of running on ground that is not heavy. Time is running out for her as she is destined to go to the December sales at Newmarket. She deserves to win a race having been so consistent.

The news from Santa Anita is all very positive.  Dundonnell took his journey well. Steve Raymont who is supervising his training, until I arrive to see him work on Thursday morning, is delighted with the way that he is eating everything put in front of him. Having done 48 hours of quarantine he went out on the track for the first time on Tuesday morning with James Doyle and his allotted pony. I am looking forward to my first visit to Santa Anita since Wandesta ran in the Yellow Ribbon Grade 1 in November 1994 for Juddmonte.

Dundonnell (USA)

photo by kind permission of  ©Neville Hopwood
 

So Beloved was a big disappointment to us having lost his race by pulling too hard. He cantered to the start very happily and relaxed but he seemed to get increasingly upset before going into the stalls. He then managed to nearly trip over when the stalls opened and ran most of the race with the choke out. 

Inaugural

So Beloved is our only runner today and runs in the Houghton Stakes at Newmarket at 3.05 pm. This is the race that Proponent won for us in 2006 and So Beloved goes there with a similar profile having won his maiden race at Salisbury. The form has been boasted by the second Tawhid winning readily at Nottingham recently. He is a huge colt and I hope he will improve as he gets older, but he remains an exciting prospect.

So Beloved

Cityscape ran another smashing race in defeat finishing second to Excelebration. In Timeforms opinion achieving a rating of 126 which equals his rating when he won the Dubai World Cup in a course record time. You have to be proud of his consistency and durability to have held his form for so long. He will not run again this year but a decision about his future is still in the melting pot. 

CITYSCAPE  

Dedication ran a better race to finish 5^th and beaten about 4 lengths staying on well in the closing stages. She will now head to Newmarket for the Horses In Training sale where she should be popular as a potential hurdler.