Lots of action but no winners.
Blue Jack was the biggest disappointment, seeming to travel well but not quickening in the closing stages. He didn’t like the ground very much and was badly jarred up the following morning – it was too bad to be true and for now we’ll just draw a line through the run. He goes for the King’s Stand – lets hope it doesn’t come up too firm.
Maxwell Hawke ran terribly again, and he’ll have a change of scenery now. Toucan Tango never got going after a poor start – he’ll improve. Cheddar George found trouble in running and never got moving – again I put a line through the run as he was very green.
Mon Michel ran a stinker on Wednesday and has become disappointing. Malpas Missile ran nicely in the Hilary Needler finishing a close third – it looked as if she didn’t quite see it out but there may have been mitigating factors. Foghorn Leghorn was probably the best news – he was a well beaten fifth in the National Stakes last night, but he was looking a possible winner when he choked, probably on his tongue, which stopped him in his tracks. If we can remedy this he may yet live up to our hopes for him.
I’m still very busy, splitting my time between business, horses, football, building works and family. Jane and I went away for a wedding on Saturday, catching up with a few old friends. We got down just in time to see Blue Jack beaten in the Temple Stakes. Jane owns a quarter of a horse called Nono Le Sage – he’s won three times this year. She asked me after the race if her horse had won more races this year than my entire string – I wasn’t best pleased.
We got to the church and hour later. Jane told me to look out for the bride’s mother who looked like the queen. I wandered into the churchyard and there was a little lady standing there who was the absolute spitting image of the Queen Mother. “That must be her” I whispered. Jane frowned – “No – I said she looks like the queen”. I made a comment about people who think about probabilities all the time and people who don’t.