No luck in the week with both of my runners finishing down the field. Peintre D’Argent ran ok for a while but was run out of it at the end of the race. I’m not concerned by that – she’s never had a turn of foot and the pace wasn’t strong enough for her. She was noticeably up behind in the ring beforehand – when the grow they grow behind first and then in front. She needs to grow if she is ever to do anything on the course. Lilac Moon ran poorly – she lead for most of the race but faded tamely. She seems to have lost her appetite for racing and we will retire her now – I’ve given half of her to Michael and I’m going to put her in foal to Winker.
I went up to Newmarket yesterday and I checked out the horses there. Morana was looking well – he isn’t big or beefy and is clearly built for stamina rather than speed, although he has time to fill out. If I had to pick another that stood out it would be my Pivotal filly – very athletic looking with strong muscle definition. I have three filly foals at Duke’s Stud – one looks fantastic (Veiled Beauty), one reasonable (Baldovina) and one awful (Park Acclaim).
I’ve had a quick look today. The Gold Cup looks a good race – I’ll take a chance with Sky’s The Limit, a horse I nearly bought many years ago. Eddie O’Grady sends him across to Cheltenham, and there aren’t many who know the job better the Eddie. He’s a course and distance winner, albeit over hurdles, and on that occasion he hacked up by half the track. In the hurdle it’s very hard to get away from Celestial Halo, who is said to have improved by a stone this year. If that’s true then he should win in a canter, but he’s no price. I’ll take the big odds on the disappointing Ashkazar in the hope that this highly talented individual may give his best today.
… and of course come on the reds against Bristol Rovers today. If we win this one the we’re really cooking.