The two-year-olds having a pick of grass this morning.
Overcast and cooler this morning and the rain has just started to fall.
We took a dozen horses to the Al Bahathri first lot. They completed an easy six furlongs. Mr Franklin and Mr Milmo were here over the course of the morning.
There was to be no magical four-time for Trip To Paris in the Henry II Stakes yesterday evening, but by finishing a gallant second this rapidly progressive horse confirmed he is capable of mixing with the best in Pattern company.
Richard Hughes gave Vent De Force a superb ride from the front and while we were checked on a couple of occasions in the straight, it is unlikely we would have beaten the winner with a clear passage. However, it was pleasing to see TTP run on stoutly to the line having travelled in his usual lob-along fashion and we now can firmly pursue a Group-race path knowing he will be very competitive.
Whether the next step along that path is the Gold Cup remains open to question. This horse has come a long way in a short space of time and to move from an 88-rated handicapper in March to Group 1 company in June would be a meteoric rise. A supplementary entry also comes at great expense, so we will need to sit down and carefully plot our next steps. That said, this sort of problem is the type we would like to have every day of the week!
At Lingfield, Ted’s Secret didn’t make much impact on debut and we are unsure about his future. Ejbaar ran a solid race to finish third and he has acquitted himself well thus far – he can go handicapping now.
One runner today with Hanno lining up in the one mile handicap at Brighton. He ran easily his best race of the season when finishing third at Lingfield last week having been checked at a crucial stage. He races off the same mark of 70 today – he’s 1lb well-in on official figures – but this allowed us a crack at 0-70 company before the revised mark kicks in. He ran well on quick ground last summer – he’s by Henrythenavigator – and while most of these arrive in good form, this looks weaker than last week’s contest.
One declaration for Sunday with Imvula heading back to Nottingham for her second start in the fillies’ maiden. X will ride.
A handful of entries for next Thursday including Alqubbah, an Arcano first foal out the May Hill third Musharakaat, who we also trained.
It looks like the miserable weather is nationwide this morning with the start of the second Test delayed at Headingley. It wouldn’t be cricket in Leeds without some rain across the course of the five days, but the quality of the action in between will make up for that!
Back tomorrow. Ed.