With only one more possible runner on turf before the season finishes on Saturday, it was a brilliant result for Definightly to win his first Group race this afternoon in France.  He was well drawn in stall 1 and Thierry Thulliez popped him out down the stand rails, he was probably never headed and won easily by 2 1/2 and 8 lengths. He beat the Swedish trained Alcohuaz (rated 110) who started life in Chile, where he won 6 races before coming to Europe, he has now won another 5 races including a listed race on heavy ground over course and distance recently. I hope that he can return again in 2011, and as long as he has soft or heavy ground he could continue to give his owners lots more fun.

Knockdolian runs at Wolverhampton at 5pm and I hope I can give Richard Hughes some help to win the title of champion jockey.  Knockdolian is a late maturing horse and having lost his way a bit earlier in the season, he should start to repay his owners patience.  Nothing went in his favour in his last race at Kempton a month ago, where he was drawn on the outside. Steve Drowne's instructions were to 'drop him in' as he had been a bit free in the past, he then had to sit and suffer at the back of the entire field in a slowly run race. Eventually he saw some daylight but it was too late as the winner had flown, and he did well to finish 2nd.  The form of the race has not worked out well which is a slight concern. 

Definightly is now on his way to Maisons-Laffitte having been stabled at Saint Cloud with Pisco Sour since Friday, his race is at 2.15 this afternoon. The form of his last race at the Curragh where he was second (giving 3lb to Luisant) received a boost yesterday when Luisant  won another Listed race in good style. Today's race has plenty of horses with recent and consistent form on soft ground at his level and above and I will be delighted if we can finish in the money.  I have managed to be placed in this race in the past so victory would be very sweet. 

Starlight Walk ran as expected, just keeping on at the same pace when the race quicken to finish 11th. Faster ground, 12 furlongs and a handicap rating around 70 next year before she starts getting competitive I suspect.

The jockeys championship is rapidly becoming the only excitement before the flat season finishes, and looks like going to Friday with Richard Hughes only 4 behind Paul Hanagan. I think Paul is very good and he has done really well to ride the number of winners (mainly in the north) that he has, and Richard Fahey has supplied him with a fantastic stream of winners every month, but he will have many more chances in the future to be a champion than Richard.  It's amazing to think that he was quoted at 40 to 1 to win the jockey's championship in March and that he would only be the 2nd jockey in a century to be a northern based champion.

 Since 1997 Richard has ridden over a 100 winners for Beckhampton, with 4 so far this year and I am hoping that Knockdolian can be another for him on Monday at Wolverhampton.  I would love to see him crowned as champion jockey, he has a good brain and he must be a terrific help work riding for Richard Hannon. Considering his height and the amount of wasting that he has to put up with, it must be a lot tougher for him than for Paul who I understand can eat pretty normally. His legs are a lot slimmer than most peoples wrists !  Good luck Richard.

Sadly nothing went right for Avertor last night at Wolverhampton. He missed the break, got squeezed back and then he had to pull wide off the bend to get a run.  It was an impossible task and he did well to be beaten less than 2 lengths in 3rd.  There was no doubt that with better luck in running he should have won.  He remains the ' bookmakers friend ' having started favourite yet again !

Starlight Walk is still a real baby and very weak, she should gain some experience today before returning to her owners stud for a winter break.  Next year she will be suited by 10 furlongs plus.

Definightly left this morning at 6am in a LRT box to join up with Hughie Morrison's colt Pisco Sour who runs in the Group 1 on Sunday at Saint Cloud. They will then travel on to Maison-Laffitte for our race on Monday. The race looks tough but Definightly's owner Simon Emmet will be thrilled if he reaches the frame as it's a Group 3 and he has all ready won and been placed in Listed races, we will have the final declarations later today.

Our only runner today, Avertor runs at Wolverhampton in the 7.10 with William Buick.  He has probably become our most frustrating horse in the yard and so far a bookmaker's dream. He has run well (except at Goodwood last time) all summer but without winning.  His sprinting companions that he's capable of working well with have included Genki + 8 lb,  Definightly + 27 lb,  Bated Breath + 22 lb  and Zero Money +12 lb.  Blinkers didn't seem to work last time so we're running out of options.....!

Starshine got the trip well and stayed on to finish 3rd, there was a moment 2 furlongs out that it looked as if she might win but she lacks a finishing kick.  There may be another opportunity on the AW  to win a race before she retires to stud.

No runners today but there is a possibility that Definightly might travel to France  tomorrow. There's a 6 f Group 3 at Maisons-Laffitte (The Prix De Seine-Et -Oise) on Monday, I will study the opposition before making a decision. At this stage it looks competitive with horses like Main Aim, Dalghar, Artic and from Sweden Alcohuaaz, who has won his last 3 listed races.  

Our first four yearlings being ridden and  doing really well.

Bahamian Bounty ex Digger Girl Colt

Diamond Green ex Savioli Filly

Exceed and Excel ex Spanish Quest filly

Three Valleys ex St Edith colt

Starshine runs this afternoon at Nottingham in a 2 mile handicap at 3.40pm.  Her last race at Ffos Las was a bit of a wasted journey to Wales as they crawled for at least 10 furlongs before leaving her rather flat footed when they sprinted up the straight.  Whether she will 'get '  2 miles in slow ground we will find out this afternoon but there aren't many options left.

Silbury got very lost in the heavy ground at Leicester yesterday and she will be returning to Waddesdon Stud shortly.

All the horses at Newmarket found new homes and I was particularly pleased that Spoken sold so well for £105,000 to Mr.Khalifa Bin Shael Al Kuwari and he will be continuing his racing career in Quatar.  I hope he does really well for them as their quality standard of racing is improving, he should be suited by their conditions as he loves fast ground. 

Silbury  runs in the 2.00 pm at Leicester today and she's our only runner. She steps up in trip to 7f which should suit her as long as she settles, but the heavy ground is likely to be against her.

Tomorrow afternoon we sell our draft at the Horses In Training sales at Newmarket.  They include :--

LOT 627   Cheam Forever  won 3 times and placed 7 times.

LOT 629   Truly Asia  won once and placed 8 times. A  jumping prospect.

LOT 632   Spoken  won 4 times and £27,483. I will be sorry to see him go as he as turned out to be a very progressive horse and I can see him winning decent races in the future. He should suit buyers from the USA, Hong Kong and Australia as he loves fast ground.

LOT 633   Thistle Stikk has run twice with some promise and as a big gelding he should make a jumping prospect in time.

LOT 635  Walcot Square  won once and loves fast ground and AW.

LOT 636  Yabtree  won once and placed 3 times.

LOT 637  Embezzle a backward 2 year old.

LOT 638  Sriking Priorite a 2 year old who won first time out in June.

LOT 639  Sugar Beet  a 2 year old, won twice and placed twice.