Newnton Lodge was a non runner at Salisbury due to some heavy rain changing  the ground to soft. 

Today we have two runners at Salisbury with Sakhee's Rose making her debut in the second division of the Median Auction Stakes at 2.20pm.  She is by Sakhee's Secret, who I believe has had nine winners from his first crop.  There are several others in the race that have good form and she is likely to benefit from the experience.

Tantamount runs in the 5.05pm a mile and six handicap. He disgraced himself in his previous race at Bath when he ran wide on the home turn and was virtually pulled up.  The trip should suit him and I hope the ground will dry out as he is suited to fast ground and I am hoping we have not seen the best of him yet.

Tantamount

Sea Of Heartbreak (IRE) is declared to run in the Darley Prix Jean Romanet a Group 1 at Deauville on Sunday.

Sea Of Heartbreak (IRE)

Supreme Quest anticipated the starter and missed the break in her race at Bath and the ground was not really fast enough to see her at her best.

Selfara at last delivered what she has been showing on the gallops and won in good style and in quite a fast time.

Newnton Lodge is our only runner today and goes to Salisbury for the 3.35pm.  He has not run since disappointing in the Spring at Newbury, where he pulled too hard.  He has been gelded recently and is equipped with a hood again, but he still has a tendency to be too strong in his work.  He has the ability and I am hoping that the rain does not affect the current fast going.

Newnton Lodge

Supreme Quest is due to run at Bath in the 5 furlong handicap at 4pm and she is being ridden by Brendan Powell, who is very good value for his 5lb claim.  Unfortunately Bath had 6mm  of rain yesterday and there are a few showers  about today.  In an ideal world Supreme Quest would prefer faster ground, but I will make a decision regarding her participation nearer the time.

Supreme Quest

Selfara drops back to 5 furlongs for the first time in the last race at Nottingham this evening.  She showed terrific speed in her last race at Ffos Las but unfortunately she did not quite get home.  She deserves to win a race and she is equipped with blinkers together with a tongue tie for the first time

Selfara

I was naturally thrilled with the way Cityscape performed for us at Deauville yesterday., He coped well with the fast ground and stayed on bravely in the closing stages to be beaten a length and a half by Excelebration.  He may go to Toronto for the Woodbine Mile Group 1 in mid September and his main target is likely to be the Qipco Queen Elizabeth 11 stakes at Ascot in October.

Definightly ran another consistent race to finish 3rd having traveled extremely well he probably failed to see out the last furlong.  5 furlongs on soft ground is perfect for him.  He may return to The Curragh on August 26th to run in the Flying Five, a Group 3 over 5 furlongs. 

We have no runners today.

Rosslyn Castle travelled well but unfortunately the ground was much too firm for him, I suppose having won on very soft ground and being a son of Selkirk it wasn't a huge surprise. Estrela was again rather disappointing and I hope the handicapper will drop her a few pounds. Zero Money (Ire)  was perhaps saddled with a slight disadvantage but I hope that he will find a winning opportunity as long as the ground remains fast. Mince was a complete revelation being allowed to make the running and produced an incredible performance to beat the 6 furlong course record. For a three year old to carry 9st 10lb and beat the times achieved in the Golden Jubilee and Wokingham was rather incredible. If she recovers from yesterday's race there is a 6 furlong Listed race for fillies at Pontefract next Sunday.  Dawn Glory produced an improved effort to be beaten a couple of lengths in her maiden race at Lingfield.

Definightly travelled well to the Curragh where the ground is currently good but I hope the forecast of some rain materializes. Cityscape had a good trip to Deauville via Portsmouth and Le Havre and he is reported to be good form. Todays race is the most competitive Group 1 that he has contested so far and he will need to produce a career best to beat so many previous Group 1 winners.

Sanctioned ran a much more encouraging race to be beaten a little over 8 lengths into 4th place.  His wide draw was a huge disadvantage and James had to move him up to race prominently in the early stages.  He should improve with time as he is still a big baby.

Zero Money goes to Ascot to run in the Shergar Cup Dash at 2.05 with Chantal Sutherland taking the ride on him.  She was born in Canada and has had a hugely successful career as a model, television presenter and jockey in America riding over 1000 winners and $45m in prize money which included three Group 1 success on Game On Dude.  Zero Money loves fast ground and ran a race full of promise two weeks ago over course and distance. 

Zero Money

Mince runs at 3.50 in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint.  She is in great form at home but her last two races have been slightly disappointing.  She is being ridden by Matthew Chadwick who was born in Hong Kong and was champion apprentice in 2008/9  and he has ridden many winners in Hong Kong but recently he has been riding in the UK for Charlie Hills.

Mince

At Haydock we have two runners with Rosslyn Castle running in the 2.20, a very valuable 12 furlong handicap for 3 year olds.  Since his last victory at Chester in May he has been gelded and although his home work has never been impressive, he looks fit and well but seven of the nine runners won their last race in good style. 

Rosslyn Castle

Estrela wears cheek pieces for the first time in the 5.05 which I hope will sharpen her up. She should enjoy the fast ground and she is well drawn in stall 1.

Estrela

Dawn Glory runs at Lingfield at 6.15, a 6 furlong race for 3 year olds.  She should be suited by dropping back in distance and the faster ground.

Dawn Glory

Both Definitely and Cityscape left Beckhampton on Friday evening to catch their various ferries to Ireland and France.  Friday evenings are busy on the roads with plenty of holiday traffic and they are both likely to have long journeys but at least it is cooler travelling overnight and they should both arrive at the racecourse stables in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Definightly

Cityscape

Cactus Valley delivered in good style at Sandown last night and did not disappoint his followers as he had done at Thirsk.  It would appear that for the moment 10 furlongs suits him better than 12 furlongs.  He was still a bit green in the closing stages and I hope he will continue to improve. 

Sanctioned will struggle I fear to keep the good run from the yard, having won with our last 3 runners.  He is a big fine staying gelding, but his best chances will come when he is handicapped and when there is a bit of cut in the ground.

Sanctioned

Cactus Valley (Ire) is our only runner today and goes to Sandown for the 7.50pm.  In his last race at Thirsk over 12 furlongs he travelled like a winner for most of the race but failed to pick up in the closing stages.  I am not sure whether it was a lack of stamina or race fitness, but he drops back in trip today and I hope that he can produce a better result.

Cactus Valley

We have no runners today, but we are looking forward to a busy weekend.  Cityscape is an intended runner in the Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville on Sunday and we should have a better idea after todays forfeit stage what is running.  With Frankel frightening off most of the runners in the Sussex Stakes Sundays race is likely to be very competitive.  Definightly may travel to Ireland again to run in the Phoenix Sprint Group 3 at the Curragh on Sunday.  He will need the ground to remain on the slow side and Johnny Murtagh has been booked to ride again.  Rosslyn Caste is heading to Haydock for a valuable 12 furlong handicap on Saturday having been gelded since his win at Chester.  We hope to have 2 sprinters running in the Shergar Cup with Zero money and Mince intended.  To finish a potentially busy day we have Dawn Glory running in the 6 furlong maiden race at Lingfield on Saturday evening.

I was so pleased to see one of my favourite fillies Sea Of Heartbreak returning to her best form to be beaten just over 3 lengths in a very competitive Group 1. A faster pace and quicker ground might have suited her even better as she scrambled a bit on the ground when James asked her to quicken up in the closing stages.  That race has given me the confidence to continue trying at the highest level and there should be some opportunities in Europe during the summer or abroad later in the season. Dundonnell (USA)  was very impressive when winning his race at Lingfield by a wide margin of 12 lengths breaking the juvunile course record held since 1978. He continued a long way into the back straight before James was able to pull him up. It was a very encouraging performance and Timeform have raised his rating by 18lbs to 102 which puts him up with some of the best two year olds seen out so far this season. He might run in a 7f novice back at Lingfield on Saturday 18th August before he is raised into pattern races or go to York to run in the Acomb Stakes on 22nd August.

Derwent (USA) showed considerable improvement to win the first division of the 6 furlong maiden race this afternoon at Newbury.  He was much happier on the quicker ground than he had been on his first start on soft ground at Windsor, only time will tell how good the opposition were and the second division was run in a faster time.  Derwent (USA) is by the Juddmonte stallion Mizzen Mast who continues to have good season with a strike rate of 50% runners to winners which included Silver Lime and Nimble Thimble.