Zero Money unfortunately tripped coming out of the stalls and when James applied pressure midway through the race it was noticeable that he was hanging to the left.  He was found to be a bit sore this morning.  Thistle Bird yet again showed her toughness by winning her third listed race on very fast ground.  We will weigh up various options for her and decide whether she will retire for the season or run again but I am delighted that she is likely to return into training as a 5 year old.  She has now won 5 of her 10 races and nearly £90,000.  Bated Breath was frustrating having stumbled leaving the stalls and then meeting some interference during the race, he produced another consistent effort to finish third.  There is no point in making excuses and I was delighted to see James Fanshawe win another group 1 race.  Genki surprised us all on his favourite racecourse by running a blinder to finish fifth, [fourth last year].  I think he thought that he was running away with Hayley Turner but he did apply the brakes as soon as she produced him for a run.  A decision will be made in the next few weeks whether he runs again or not but he is unlikely to be in training next year and I am hoping to find a very good home for him so that he can be retrained as a dressage/show horse. Derwent travelled well in his race but the 2 year old handicapper probably overrated his winning performance at Newbury.  Silver Lime ran a marvellous race against a very competitive field to finish 3^rd and ran above my expectations.  He is clearly an improving 3 year old and should be a nice horse as a 4 year old.  Primevere ran another brave and consistent race to be narrowly denied a first group race victory. 

 

 

 

Mince

 

Mince appears to be in good form but she will need to improve again as she is taking on older horses for the first time and she has a 4lb penalty having won a listed race.  I hope one day she will be capable of winning group races and she is a smashing addition to our sprinting ranks. 

 

 

Priceless Jewel

 

Priceless Jewel has had a frustrating season with the ground either being too firm or too soft but as options are running out she is likely to run this afternoon and she is capable of progressing on her current mark. 

 

 

 

Tioman Legend

 

Tioman Legend was perhaps a little disappointing last time but his day will come when we least expect it.

 

 

 

Sea of Heartbreak 

 

I am delighted to have secured the services of Richard Hughes to ride Sea of Heartbreak in the Blandford Stakes at the Curragh this afternoon.  He rode her last year and she finished third behind Al Kazeem at Newbury.   There should be plenty of pace in the race which will suit her and I hope she will squeeze into the first three. 

 

Cityscape arrived safely in the international barn at Woodbine in the middle of the night and he will have a few quiet days being led out to help him recover from the long journey.

 

 

Trader Jack ran well in his race at Kempton but unfortunately yet again he was beaten into second.

We have a really busy weekend with runners today at Leopardstown, Haydock and Ascot.

Zero Money (IRE) returns to Haydock at 2.15 to run in the Be Hopeful Stakes which he won last year but off a 5lb lower mark of 94. He should love the fast ground but as usual the 5 furlong sprints are tough and competitive.

Zero Money (IRE)

Thistle Bird runs in the Superior Stakes a Listed race over a mile at 2.50, a race which Cityscape won two years ago. She has a great record this season winning two listed races and finishing second in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood a fortnight ago. She shouldn’t mind the fast ground and I hope she will have a good chance of continuing her owner’s marvellous run.

Thistle Bird

Bated Breath goes back to his favourite racecourse having run 4 times at Haydock winning 3 of them and being beaten a short head in last year’s race. The ground conditions should suit him well and a return to his best distance of 6 furlongs having only run over 5 furlongs this year. In last year’s race he was drawn 15 but being drawn next to Es Que Love in stall 2 should be an advantage as he is one of the few horses who likes to be up with the pace. He surely deserves that elusive Group 1 victory but I have a huge respect for Ortensia drawn 15.

Bated Breath

Genki has been disappointing so far in 2012 but he also loves Haydock having finished fourth in this race last year. An honourable retirement is probably not far away and todays race maybe his swansong. Hayley Turner rides.

Genki

Derwent (USA) is a tough solid horse and a half brother to Three Valleys who should be better suited to today’s fast ground having run second at Ffos Las recently on soft ground.

Derwent (USA)

Silver Lime (USA) runs at Ascot at 4.15 with Martin Harley in the Heritage Handicap for 3 year olds over 12 furlongs. I thought the handicapper was pretty harsh to raise his rating by 9lbs having beaten Assizies narrowly at Goodwood. He was unsuited to the going at York so I hope he will run better today but the race looks fiercely competitive.

Silver Lime (USA)

Primevere runs at Leopardstown at 5.10 in the Kilternan Stakes a Group 3 over 10 furlongs but she may find it difficult to beat Speaking of Which who looked an impressive 3 year old colt when winning a group race in the Spring by 9 lengths and he was thought of as a potential Irish Derby horse.
 

Primevere (IRE)

 

 

 

Rockpool ran as well as could have been expected in a race that will probably come up with plenty of winners before the end of the season.

Lovage ran well to finish third and I hope she will improve for the race, getting tired in the closing stages.

Trader Jack is our only runner today and goes to Kempton to run on the poly track for the first time at 8.50 pm. He seems to be in good form and has been unlucky to have come up against some improving three year olds recently. He unfortunately creeps up the handicap ratings without winning and he surely deserves another success.

Primevere (IRE) and Sea Of Heartbreak (IRE) travelled overnight and arrived at Leopardstown this morning. Primevere (IRE) is due to run in the Kilternan stakes a Group 3 over 10 furlongs at Leopardstown tomorrow afternoon. I will know later today what else has been declared and I am delighted to have secured Johnny Murtagh to ride her.

Sea Of Heartbreak (IRE) will then travel onto the Curragh with her on Sunday morning to run in the Blandford Stakes a Group 2 for fillies over 10 furlongs with Richard Hughes in the saddle.

Trader Jack

Rockpool runs in the first division of the two year old fillies maiden race at Salisbury this afternoon. She was very green when she ran at Warwick recently and I hope she shows some improvement but she will be suited by a mile in the future.

Rockpool

Lovage returns to the racecourse after an absence of ninety five days having had an injury. She seems to be in good form and I hope will give William Twiston-Davies a nice ride and a chance of a winner.

 

 

Lovage

 

 

 

 

 

The ground at Ffos Las was unfortunately worse than forecasted being changed to soft after the first race, although it was dry and sunny.  It was a bit of a surprise that Stir Trader was such a short price favourite, as the winner Angel Way was rated 3lb better than us both by the handicapper and Timeform.  He probably ran up to his form and I hope the trainer will get it right next time by finding him a race to win having been second in his four starts. 

We have no runners today, but we have a busy weekend coming up; Cityscape goes for a Group 1 in Canada, Primevere (IRE) is a possible for the Kilternan Stakes Group 3 at Leopardstown on Saturday, Thistle Bird is in a Listed Race at Haydock, Bated Breath and Genki are intended for the Betfred Sprint Cup and Mince may travel to York for the Garrowby Stakes on Sunday.

Not a very profitable weekend for our runners. Rosslyn Castle was not able to pick up in the closing stages and perhaps showed his inexperience against some tough stayers from a bad draw. Rex Imperator again had no luck in running after several of the runners got involved in a barging match. On Sunday retirement beckons for both Runway Girl (IRE) and Estrela after disappointing runs and they will be heading for the December sales at Newmarket.

Stir Trader is our only runner today and performs in the last race at Ffos Las. The form of his last race at Doncaster is working out well with the third and fourth winning their subsequent races. He should not mind the ground but if the handicapper is correct Angel Way is likely to be his main opponent.

 

Stir Trader

 

Inaugural didn't show much on his debut and will need to improve.   He is likely to run again fairly soon.

Newnton Lodge settled really well and will be suited by moving up in distance to 10 furlongs.

Hint Of Promise missed the break but travelled well before tiring in the final furlong but there was a hint of promise.  

Today Rosslyn Castle runs in the second race at Chester and will be ridden by Kieran O'Neill as he only has 8st 4lb.  I hope that returning to Chester having won there in May will produce a better performance than his last one at Haydock.  Perhaps the ground was too fast that  day but today's race is against some good older stayers and from his wide draw is quite a tough assignment.  

Rosslyn Castle

Rex Imperator is due to run at Bath in the 6.10 pm, but I will decide nearer the time if the ground is suitable for him. 

Rex Imperator

 

 

Inaugural makes his debut in the second division of the 7 furlong 2 year old maiden at Sandown this afternoon. He is a very laid back colt by Invincible Spirit out of a Sadlers Wells mare who was bred by Juddmonte Farms, she is from the family of Dancing Brave (USA) and Jolypha (USA) . Like most of my two year olds he will benefit from the experience but I hope he will show some promise in the future.

 

Inaugural

 Newnton Lodge has been a very frustrating horse as he has a tendency to pull too hard in his work.  He runs with a hood on again and  has been gelded since his last race.  He does have plenty of ability but it is a question of channelling it in the right direction.

Newnton Lodge

Hint Of Promise runs for the first time in the 4.35 pm a mile maiden race for fillies.  She is a half sister to Marching Time who was a speedy son of Sadlers Wells and from the family of Zafonic.  She has been slow to get her act together but in recent weeks she has definitely been showing some promise.  

 

 

Alerted (USA) ran on well to finish 5th to more experienced rivals.  From her wide draw she was dropped in, but she ran on well in the straight.  Unfortunately she misbehaved in the paddock throwing James Doyle off and flattening her lad and in the process breaking his finger.  She should improve and be capable of winning a race over 7 or 8 furlongs as long as her behaviour does not let her down again. Rockpool showed her greenness in the early stages but she should benefit from the experience and improve.

We have no runners today or tomorrow.

I thought that it was interesting that Thisle Bird's BHA rating was dropped a pound to 107 as a result of her neck second in The Celebration Mile, whereas her Racing Post rating was raised 3 to 110 and Timeform raised herr rating by 5 to 110.  If only she was a handicapper !

We have two fillies running today at Warwick.  Alerted (USA) runs in the first division at 3.55pm, she is a half sister to four winners which include Exterior (USA) and Acrobatic (USA).  She is also our second runner by Dundonnell's (USA) sire First Defence (USA).  She is a good mover and I hope the rain keeps away as she is likely to improve for the experience as she is still rather backward.

Alerted (USA)

Rockpool is a half sister to Waterclock and three other winners from the family of Spout.  She is an attractive good moving filly but like Alerted (USA)  she will probably need the experience.

Rockpool