I was really pleased with the way Supreme Quest ran at Warwick yesterday and she was only beaten three quarters of a length in the closing stages by a filly that seems to have the scope and reputation to do well.  She will be unlucky if she does not find a race in the next few weeks as she is so game and genuine.

I am off to York today to look after my old friend Genki who has now run 26 times but never at York. He is in great form and although he works by himself, I get the impression that he has improved since winning the Abernant.  York tends to favour front runners over 6 furlongs and todays race contains several that like to go from the front, so I am hoping that a fast pace will be in Genki's favour, and Steve knows him well but he has a tendency to "pull up" when he hits the front, so it will be a case of timing it well.

Genki

Discovery Bay runs in the last race and steps up 2 furlongs in trip having been second to Laajooj in a mile maiden race at Newbury. Laajooj boosted the form by running well in the Dee Stakes and as long as Discovery Bay settles (he was a bit keen at Newbury) he should run well but it looks a competitive race.

Discovery Bay

At Kempton this evening Waterborne runs in the mile and half handicap at  7.20pm. He got a little tired in his last race and should run well but for a low grade handicap there are plenty with chances.

Waterborne

Keys has not run since the 1st January when he won a Listed bumper and became Beckhampton's first Cheltenham winner.  It will be interesting to see how he does on the flat and this race, I hope, will be a good starting point.

Keys

Supreme Quest runs at Warwick today in the 2.40pm in the 5 1/2 furlong fillies maiden race and according to the betting, it will be a three horse race between Richard Hannons, Barry Hills and ourselves.  She is in good heart and ran a pleasing race at Windsor three weeks ago when conceding weight to the others, she stayed on to finish fourth. 

Supreme Quest

Both Zero Money at Ascot and Folly Bridge at Haydock ran as if they need their races tiring with a furlong to run, although Folly Bridge was a little outclassed at this stage of her career and a mile might suit her better in the future.   I was naturally thrilled with Bated Breath, he settled well and always looked as if he was going to win. Perhaps the ground was a touch on the slow side for him after 9mm of rain and he arguably hit the front too soon but he is an improving colt who one day I hope might win a 'big one'.  His next race could be in the Leisure Stakes at Windsor on Monday 23rd May, a Listed race over 6 furlongs which both Harmonic Way and Tamarisk won for us.

We have got two runners at Haydock this afternoon where I gather they have had 5 mm of rain and the ground is currently good to firm, good in places.  Folly Bridge moves out of handicap company and runs in the 2.00 pm 7 furlong Listed race for colts and fillies and according to Timeform has to find at least a stone to be competitive with Redford.  She has done really well during the winter and it is important for her owner/breeder  John Deer to try and obtain some "black type" before she retires to his Oakgrove Stud near Chepstow and I will be delighted if we can sneak into third place. 

Folly Bridge

Bated Breath runs in the 6 furlong condition race at 4.10pm and I hope that he does not meet the same trouble in running that he experienced at Doncaster !    He is in great form and I still believe that he can make the grade in to Stakes company.

Bated Breath

At Ascot Zero Money runs with Keiran O'Neill claiming 5lbs in the Victoria Cup, where he is drawn 8 of the 29 runners. A massively competitive race but he is in good form and maybe with only 7st 13lb on his back, he can be competitive.  In the event of there being lots of rain, he is unsuited to soft ground.

Zero Money

A mixed bag at Lingfield this afternoon with Lucy being rather disappointing, she got very unbalanced coming down the hill and she also hated the small amount of 'kickback' where the ground was well watered before entering the straight... room for plenty of improvement.  Tioman Legend was a very different colt to the one that ran at Newbury, always travelling strongly and winning by an easy 5 lengths. It was probably a weak race but I hope he will continue to improve and be capable of staying 6 furlongs in time. He could possibly run again in a novice at Windsor on May 23rd over 5 furlongs. Full Footage I thought ran as well as could be expected, staying on well to be 3rd and behaving like a dream which was a bit of a surprise. 

Off to Lingfield today with three runners, Lucy Limelites runs in the first race, a Classified 0-75 over 10 furlongs. She won her maiden race on very soft ground at Newmarket in August in a faster time than Havant won the second division !   I hope she handles the faster ground and gets the extra distance. 

Lucy Limelites

Tioman Legend runs in the 2.05pm a 5 furlong maiden race, the form of his debut race at Newbury is working out quite well with several winners emerging from behind the easy winner Magic City.  I would expect him to have improved since that race but being by Kyllachy, I hope the ground is well watered. 

Tioman Legend

Full Footage is a rather highly strung and lightly made filly who ought to be suited by the ground but her pedigree would suggest that at least a mile will suit her in the future.

I thought Starlight Walk made a very encouraging reappearance staying on well to be third and beaten less than 2 lengths. She handled the fast ground and Hayley Turner gave her a really nice ride, teaching her as much as possible but not giving her an unnecessary hard race. She may be suited by going further than 12 furlongs later in the season.

Our only runner today is at Goodwood in a mile and a half maiden race, at 5.30pm. Starlight Walk, who is a beautifully bred filly belonging to the Queen, by Galileo out of Tempting Prospect, which makes her a half sister to Promotion and Tactician who are both well above average performers.  She ran once at Newmarket over 7 furlongs in October, finishing down the field, and todays trip should suit her, but her best chance of winning will be in handicaps.

I had hope that That's Dangerous would be happy on fast ground as he's such a good mover, but unfortunately it was much too fast for him and I wouldn't be surprised if he had sore shins tomorrow. From the start he wasn't happy and never looked balanced..trainers error...  

Our only runner today is That's Dangerous at Bath in the two year old 5 furlong maiden at 2.30 pm. I seem to have picked a race against a potential Royal Ascot two year old, Signifer, from Mick Channon's yard, who finished second in a very hot two year old maiden race at Newbury. That's Dangerous missed the break when he made his debut at Kempton but ran on well to finish second. He is a little hard to assess, as the form of that race has not yet been "franked".  He is a good moving colt who I hope will not mind the current firm ground. Three Valleys (USA) may have to wait a little longer for his first winner.

I am not particularly pleased with the  handicapper who has now raised Proponent by 3lbs (for finishing second). It will be virtually impossible as a 7 year old to win off that rating. I noticed that Green Destiny who won the race was raised 12lbs.