What a disaster at Southwell yesterday on a track/surface that I have to admit has never been my favourite. We were hoping to make the running but they jumped off as if it was the Breeders Cup Sprint and going flat out for the first 2 furlongs, with most of the runners outpaced and trying to avoid the kickback. Discovery Bay was never in a position to dominate the race and hated the kickback, so a run  that was embarrassing to all and best forgotten, probably trainer’s error !     

Our only runner today is La Bocca (USA) who runs at Kempton in the  6.50pm this evening. Her first race was full of promise at Windsor where she perhaps did a little too much from a poor draw and got tired in the closing stages to finish 4^th.  She is well drawn today but I hope she does not run too free and it is possible that 5 furlongs may suit her better but there are a lack of suitable races over that trip.  I gather she is the only two year old in training in England by Latent Heat  (first season sire) who I am told has made a very promising start in America with 7 individual winners that include,  a Stakes winner. 

Excavator was very disappointing yesterday, not really facing the blinkers and putting very little effort into his race. I was pleased with Corsican Boy who got tired in the closing stages to be beaten five lengths and he should improve and I hope win another race perhaps over a mile and a half before the end of the season.

Our only runner today is Discovery Bay who runs with a pair of blinkers for the first time at Southwell in the 5.40pm. He has been a little disappointing recently and I am hoping that he will have an easy lead and keep going. Not all horses are suited by the fibresand at Southwell but I am hoping it may suit him.

Discovery Bay

I thought that Definightly ran another smashing race on conditions that suited him. He made the running, travelled well on the bridle until being run down in the last 100 yards by Marchand D'Or who has in the past won 5 Group 1 races.  Definightly is wonderfully consistent and provides his owner/breeders, Simon and Rosalind Emmet with a really fun horse, who travels well and is capable of picking up good prize money. His next race could be at Goodwood in the Starlight Stakes  on September 10th, which he won last year or he could return to France in the Prix Du Petit Convert on the following day at Longchamp.

Unfortunately, Primevere seemed to hit a "brick wall" just when she was about to mount a challenge and Kevin Manning reported that he had heard her gurgling on pulling up. As far as I know this is the first time she has been heard to choke and I would imagine that after a break of a few weeks, she will be fitted with a tongue strap and cross noseband for her next race.

We have two runners today at Warwick, with Excavator running in the 5 furlong plus Nursery Handicap at  2.45pm. His first race at Bath was full of promise when he finished 2nd to B Fifty Two in April on fast ground and he finished second in his two subsequent races but perhaps running below his best form. He is wearing blinkers for the first time today which I hope will sharpen him up  but he has a poor draw and may not be suited by the rain softened ground. 

Excavator

Corsican Boy has been off the course since winning a weakly contested 7 furlong maiden race at Kempton a few days before Christmas. He may well need his race today as he steps up considerably in trip which his pedigree suggests will suit him. He is a big scopey horse who may well have a future over hurdles.

Corsican Boy

 Although the ground at Windsor had become sticky which did not really suit Rex Imperator it became a rather messy race as is often the case when there are only 3 runners. Maybe he was actually beaten by a better horse and they did manage to pull 14 lengths clear of a 90 rated horse in third. His next target will be in the Weatherbys Insuarance Stakes at Doncaster on September 8th, worth £150,000 to the winner.

 We run Definightly today in the Group 3 Prix de Meautry  with Thierry Thulliez riding.  We have had to be very patient waiting for the ground he likes and he hasn't run since Ascot where he ran well.  It has been raining alot in Deauville recently, but the ground is now drying out to being sticky with heavy patches. He relished similar conditions at Maisons-Laffitte in the autumn when he won the Prix de Seine-Et-Oise Group 3 with great ease. He escapes a 4lb group penalty after it elapsed yesterday.

We run Primevere at the Curragh this afternoon in the Dance Design Group 3 for fillies over 9 furlongs. Her recent course record victory at Salisibury was boosted last night by Opera Gal's easy listed success at Windsor.

Unfortunately there was a heavy deluge of rain before the first race at Ffos Las yesterday and Steve Drowne reported that the ground was riding lose and by his race it had become soft.  It is always tempting to run but I know that Zero Money would not have performed well so he was scratched.

Our only runner today is Rex Imperator who runs in the 5.40pm at Windsor this evening with Frankie Dettori. On the ratings, he has an excellent chance of winning again but the good to soft going is a concern as I know he handles quick ground.  Not many two year olds have had the opportunity to either work or run on soft ground and I am sure the change of going on alot of todays courses will produce some unusual results.  Rex is in great form and I am looking forward to running him in the Weatherbys Insurance Stakes at Doncaster on the 8th September.

Rex Imperator

Our website seemed to crash yesterday but we are up and running again with Zero Money heading to Ffos Las for the 3.40pm. He is in great form but does require fast ground. The forecast is to be good to firm, so lets hope the rain keeps away.

Zero Money

We have got two overseas runners on Sunday with Definightly heading across the Channel to Deauville this evening to run in the Prix Du Meautry a 6 furlong Gr 3. He is now unpenalised for his Group 3 win at Maisons-Laffitte on the 1st November last year.  He relishes soft ground and if the forecasts are correct, there could be plenty of rain in Normandy during the next few days.  Primevere goes west this evening to go to the Curragh to run in the Dance Design Gr 3 for 3 year olds plus fillies on Sunday. There are likely to be alot of runners but unfortunately there seem to be very few alternative races for her in England at the moment.

I thought Loxton Lad ran a more encouraging race and he was staying on over 7 furlongs to finish 4th. I would imagine that he will have a handicap mark in the high 60's and that a mile Nursery in the Autumn should suit him. On his two previous visits to Salisbury he had played up in the preliminaries but he seems to be growing up and the threat of having his wedding tackle removed seems to have improved his demeanour.

Sergeant Troy goes to Chepstow with the headgear discarded and a tongue strap instead. It is possible that he held his breath when asked to quicken at Nottingham,  a problem that he does not seem to suffer from at home on the gallops.  He is capable of winning again but his chances are running out if this does not work.

Sergeant Troy

Ali Hope runs at Kempton this evening for the first time in a mile Median Auction Maiden Stakes.  He is an attractive son of Three Valley's that we bought at the Newmarket October sales out of a mare who won twice as a two year old and his half sister Scarlet Rocks won three races as a two year old in 2010. There is plenty of stamina in his pedigree and he is related to plenty of stayers including Jadalee and Sir Percy. He has not yet been lighting up the gallops with some of our more promising two year olds, and he is still rather mentally immature but I hope he will show plenty of promise this afternoon for the future.

Ali Hope

I was pleased with Tiger Cub yesterday, she behaved well and coped with the kickback to finish 6th in what I think will turn out to be a competitive race, there were plenty of well bred fillies, Galileo's etc., amongst them. 

Loxton Lad is our only runner today and he runs in the first race at Leicester. I hope he will improve a little for going up to 7 furlongs but his future probably lies in handicaps.

Loxton Lad

This weekend we are hoping that there will be plenty of rain either in Deauville or at the Curragh as Definightly (who has been waiting patiently)  holds two Group 3 engagements. Should he go to Ireland, he might be joined by Primevere who is entered in the Dance Design Stakes a Group 3 for fillies over 9 furlongs on Sunday.

We managed to fire two blanks at Folkestone yesterday with Dawn Glory being extremely disappointing and for no apparent reason.  For the first half of the race she seemed to be happy and travelling well but then completely faded away to finish a rather dismal second last.  At this stage I have no explanation as she is healthy and sound this morning but maybe the occasion just overwhelmed her.

Goldtrek wasn't allowed to have "the easy lead" that suits her style of running as she was being pressed to go faster than was necessary.  Maybe the handicapper will drop her a few pounds in the future but she does need fast ground for her to be seen at her best.

Tiger Cub goes to Kempton this afternoon for her 2nd outing in a mile fillies maiden race.  She is still a little physically and mentally immature and her chance of winning is more likely to be in handicaps.

Tiger Cub - Helena Halling

We have two fillies running this afternoon at Folkestone. Dawn Glory (Oasis Dream) runs for the first time in the 3.10, a 7 furlong maiden for 2 year old fillies. She's  very attractive, has a relaxed temperament and she's related to several good stayers including Kingdom Of Fife Gr1, Blueprint Gr2, Ask Gr1 and from the family of Naswaan and Nayef.  There are a few with chances but I hope Dawn Glory will be in the ''shake-up''.

Goldtrek  likes making the running on a sharp track and on fast ground so she could have conditions to suit her this afternoon.