Discovery Bay produced a much more encouraging effort to finish 2nd at Bath yesterday. The ground was soft and most of the races finished very spread out. He fought hard to win his race only to be overhauled near the line, he will surely appeal to jumping trainers as he is a big fine, strong horse who will benefit from being gelded.

The latest handicap ratings for this week have just been published and surprise, surprise, poor old Proponent has been raised 3lbs to his highest ever rating of 103 and That's Dangerous who also put up an improved effort was raised 4 to 80. 

We have a busy weekend approaching with the possibility of Sea Of Heartbreak going to France to run at Longchamp on Saturday in the Prix De Royallieu Gr 2 over 12 furlongs. This race was not originally on the radar, but with the likelihood of fast ground which she loves, it might be an alternative to travelling across the Atlantic to Woodbine to run in the E P Taylor Stakes. She is such a tough and consistent filly, but again will need to improve to win at this level. At Ascot we have the possibility of Rex Imperator running in the Cornwallis Gr 3, Genki in the Bengough Gr 3, and Zero Money running in a Listed race for the first time in the Rous Stakes over 5 furlongs.  Thistle Bird is a possibility to run in Listed company for the first time and has an entry in the Severals Stakes a race for fillies over 10 furlongs. Last year Sea Of Heartbreak ran in this race to finish 4th.  Before we decide to send her to Newmarket she will need some further tuition from Gary Witheford as she can make it quite tough to get her installed at the races.

After a routine scope today, Keys was found to have a few streaks of mucus in his lungs having given an occasional cough earlier this week . There is still a reasonable chance that he will be able to run in the Cesarewitch in 11 days time but I suggest that anybody thinking of backing him should wait until nearer the time before doing so.

As usual, Proponent ran another wonderful race to finish 3rd in the Cambridgeshire having hit a "flat spot" with two furlongs to run. He then stayed on really strongly and perhaps in another stride would have been 2nd, this was a valiant effort off his highest ever rating. It is going to be difficult for him to ever win a top handicap as no doubt, the handicapper will raise him a few more pounds again for his efforts, but he does at least pick up prize money and give pleasure.  Cry Fury probably ran a bit too freely and showed his inexperience to fade in the closing stages. He would be better suited to a smaller field and dropping in to allow him to settle over 10 furlongs. He is a horse with plenty of potential and will no doubt improve next year as a four year old.  It is rather amazing to think that Tantina in the space of three weeks had two of her sons Cityscape and Bated Breath beaten by the narrowest margin in the dying stride in two Group 1 races !   Cityscape handled the faster ground well and ran right up to his best form but unfortunately Dick Turpin "robbed him" as you would expect from a highwayman, he was just too strong for him in a race that I gather broke the track record. To be fair to Cityscape,  he had run in Ireland two weeks before and both the handicapper and Timeform would suggest that Dick Turpin's form was just a little stronger than his.  He travels back today and I gather that he was in good shape after the race and eating and drinking on his way home. Future plans are undecided at the moment but might include the Qipco Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Today Discovery Bay is our only runner at Bath in the 4.00pm where he will be ridden for the first time by Jimmy Fortune. He has been a frustrating horse so far this season as his work has always been strong, but last time at Southwell it was all a bit of a disaster as he hated the kickback.  The handicapper has relented with his rating and if he is every going to win a race before going to the sales, he must have a reasonable chance today I hope !

Discovery Bay

An exciting day ahead with Cityscape running at 3.15pm in Milan. He is reported by my Travelling Head Lad, Alan Knight to be in great shape, eating, drinking and sleeping and todays race must surely give him his best chance of collecting a Group 1 as long as the ground is not too fast for him. It has been a dry and hot week but San Siro is a wonderful flat  track with a good long straight.

Cityscape

It is exciting to have to live chances in the Cambridgeshire and I could not be more pleased with the condition that both Proponent and Cry Fury are in, they both look magnificent and are retaining their summer coats. As to our chances, it is a bit of a lottery and I am a little concerned about the lack of natural pace in the race but it was encouraging to see Steve Drowne win on Arabian Star and in the process boosting Cry Fury's Goodwood form. Fingers crossed that there are no excuses and that they both have an opportunity to feature in the business end of the race.

Cry Fury

Proponent

I thought That's Dangerous looked very professional and handled his upgrade into better company in good style, he has come a long way from just being beaten over 5 furlongs at Kempton in April and winning a seller at Leicester over 6 furlongs in July.  He is a tough and sound horse who keeps on improving and he has  now earned over £10,000. 

Next week I am planning on running Genki in the Bengough Stakes at Ascot on Saturday which is the Group 3 race that he was narrowly beaten in by Bewitched last year.  He is in such terrific form, very fresh and well that I think that it may suit him to run there followed by the Qipco British Champion Sprint Stakes on Saturday 15th October, which is worth over £140,000 to the winner.  Both Bated Breath and Sea Of Heartbreak may be heading to Woodbine in search of fast ground on the same weekend.

We are back in action today with That's Dangerous doing the business at Newmarket in a mile Nursery at 2.45pm. The handicapper raised him a pound for his good third at Doncaster on St Leger day where he met with interference in the closing stages which probably cost him 1/2 length. He is well suited by a mile and I hope he will run another solid race today.  For a £9,000 purchase at Doncaster as a yearling, he continues to give pleasure to his owners.

That's Dangerous

Cityscape left Beckhampton to travel to Milan in the care of Marlborough Transport and was accompanied by his main opponent Dick Turpin. They arrived at Troyes south west of Paris at 8pm last night and are now on route to Milan, having had a restful night .  There are likely to be a total of 7 runners in the Group 1 Premio Vittorio Di Capua with runners from Italy, as well as Germany.  Although the ground was riding heavy at the weekend, the forecast is now dry with temperatures reaching 22 degrees during the day, so the likelihood is that the ground maybe will be on the fast side by Saturday afternoon. There are now few opportunities for him to win a Group 1 race, but we will have to be brave and take a chance.

Our two Cambridgeshire horses, Proponent and Cry Fury are still in good form and due to be declared this morning for Saturdays race.

Two more very consistent and valiant efforts from Al Kazeem and Sea Of Heartbreak on Saturday.  Al Kazeem was perhaps left in front for too long and was "mugged" by the fast finishing Green Destiny.   It is amazing to think that Proponent was beaten nearly 4 lengths by Green Destiny (receiving 8lbs and rated 87 now 117) at Newmarket at the end of April.  There is a possibility that Al Kazeem could run in the Cumberland Lodge at Ascot on Saturday week.  The plan for Sea of Heartbreak is for her to go to Woodbine for the E P Taylor Stakes in Mid October as Richard Hughes said that fast ground and 10 furlongs would be perfect.  I was slightly disappointed by Moidore who had taken the preliminaries well but was unable to hold his place after 2 furlongs and  I hope to run him again over a mile in the next few weeks.

We have very few runners this week but Primevere is a possible for the Princess Royal on Thursday at Newmarket and both Cry Fury and Proponent are on target to run in the Cambridgeshire at the weekend.  There is also strong possibility of Cityscape travelling to Milan during the week to run in the Premio Vittorio Capua Group 1 on Saturday.

Life is full of surprises and Mince was certainly one of them and it is lucky that I am not looking for a job as a tipster. Having missed the break by several lengths, she caught up the field before running on with her ears pricked to win and in a slightly faster time than the 2nd division. She also went to the races weighing 12 kilos heavier than she had done when previously well beaten at Newbury !  In contrast, Corsican Boy was a little disappointing as he was never seen with a realistic chance and I suppose his future will lie with a jumps trainer as he is a big fine horse and closely related to Katchit.  I really thought that Himalya might run better than he did as he was very relaxed in the preliminaries and good on his way to the start, but unfortunately as soon as he went behind the stalls he started to sweat.  I am sure one day given plenty of time, he will return to his previous form but not in the immediate future.   La Bocca ran with credit and fought all the way to the line to finish 2nd and as I hoped, she was well suited to the fast ground and 5 furlongs. She may now go to the Sales and I am sure will provide her new owner with an instant winner together with a filly that has a good pedigree. She is a half sister to 8 winners that include; Alpha Plus, who was Group placed and Monzante who won a Group 1 at Del Mar. 

Back to Newbury today with three runners. Both Al Kazeem and Sea Of Heartbreak unfortunately are destined to run in the same race, the Dubai Duty Free Group 3 over a mile and three furlongs. They are both fit, healthy and well and are expected to run with credit in a tough and competitive race. Al Kazeem is a progressive and attractive three year old by Dubawi who put up a creditable performance when he finished 2nd to Sea Moon in the Voltigeur and Sea Of Heartbreak has been amazingly consistent and reliable and always tries her best. There is a possible plan for Sea Of Heartbreak to travel to Canada in the middle of October to run in the E P Taylor Stakes at Woodbine, a Group 1 for fillies. 

Al Kazeem

Sea of Heartbreak

Moidore runs in the second division of the two year old 7 furlong maiden race. He is a beautifully bred colt by Galileo out of Flash of Gold who is by Darshaan, which is a cross that has worked well in the past.  He is a neat and attractive colt with a very good action and will be suited by staying trips next year, but  he can have a tendency to be a little immature mentally.

Moidore

Korithi ran an encouraging race to finish 4th and Graham Gibbons reported that she had traveled really well but had got tired 2 furlongs out and he suggested that she had enough speed to come back in distance to a mile.  Probably a small amount of trainers error as she is by Oasis Dream out of a Zafonic mare which would suggest 8 furlongs, but she is a very laid back worker and her riders had suggested that she needed a mile and a quarter ! 

Today at Newbury, Mince runs in the first race and I hope she manages to get her body out of the stalls slightly quicker than she did last time when she completely missed the break. She gives me the impression of being like a laid back teenager who likes eating and sleeping rather than working and thinks that Beckhampton is a holiday camp at the moment. She is bred to be speedy but the penny still has not really dropped with her.

Mince

Corsican Boy should strip fitter than he did at Warwick and he should be suited by coming back a furlong to a mile and a quarter. He runs with a pair of blinkers for the first time as he does have a slight tendency to hang to the left. He has plenty of ability and Eddie Ahern is riding with alot of confidence which should suit him.

Corsican Boy

Himalya is all very new to me, having arrived from Stef Higgin's yard recently. He is a complicated character who has probably not had a very happy time in the past .  He is now enjoying going out on his own and being ridden by Frankie Braiden, (Genki's partner) to explore the various different areas of Beckhampton which I think is suiting him.  As he has only won once in 21 starts, it would be a bit of a turn up should he greet the judge today but he is a challenge which I am enjoying.

La Bocca  I hope will be suited by dropping back to 5 furlongs and she will be suited by fast ground, so lets hope it does not rain. She is well drawn but as a small filly she remains vulnerable to improvers.

I thought that Rosslyn Castle ran a most encouraging race, looking green in the early stages and being a little unbalanced on the bend, he stayed on really well to be beaten under a length and a half.  Only time will tell as to whether it was a weak or strong maiden and I hope that he will run again in mid October before a winter break.  Loxton Lad as I feared, was not particularly well suited to Kempton having been slightly outpaced early on, he did not really enjoy the kickback, sadly opportunities on the turf are all too infrequent.

Korithi travels up to Pontefract this morning to run in the mile and a quarter maiden at 5.00pm.  She has had an allergic reaction which has prevented her from running since the Spring when she was rather outpaced at Kempton over 9 furlongs. That race was won by Sure Route and the current Cambridgeshire favourite Dare To Dance finished 3rd and Mashaaref was favourite and finished 6th.  Her work has been more encouraging and as a half sister to Top Offer, it is fairly important that she wins a race before the end of the season.  I am hoping that she will run well but also, expecting her to improve again as she is not yet fully fit.

Sadly Newnton Lodge had a dirty scope, so he has been scratched from the Novice at Sandown today, but Rosslyn Castle a colt by Selkirk out of Margarula, who won the Irish Oaks for Jim Bolger in 2003 which makes him a half sister to Marywell who was a winner last year for John Gosden.  He is an immature colt both physically and mentally, but it is time to go to the races to give him a chance to grow up and become a racehorse !  

Rosslyn Castle

Loxton Lad runs for the first time in a Nursery Handicap at Kempton with Steve Drowne in the 6.40pm. He ran on well to be 4th at Leicester in his previous race and I hope that going up a furlong will suit.  I don't have a huge amount on confidence in the surface at Kempton which appears to need rewaxing, the kickback is becoming increasingly difficult and most of the races are won by well drawn horses which are ridden prominently.

Loxton Lad