Nik & Alex with the Chester Cup.
Wet, windy and generally quite miserable.
I hope you all had a good weekend. Nik, Alex, Robin, Steve, Mrs D and I enjoyed an excellent evening with the Trip To Paris partners on Saturday. We had the Chester Cup couriered down especially and everyone enjoyed plenty of photo opportunities with what is a fine piece of silverware. Not too many blurry eyes on Sunday morning either…
A mixed afternoon at Newbury on Saturday, with Dutch Uncle finishing a creditable third in the London Gold Cup. I’ve no doubt that the form will stack up over the course of the season – the winner is surely a Group horse – and we could look quite well treated next time so long as the handicapper is not too severe in the morning!
Red Avenger travelled well enough before not finding a great deal in the concluding handicap and the ground probably wasn’t quick enough for him. We will likely freshen him up for a tilt at the Hunt Cup now.
No runners today but we have five on the box tomorrow with four heading to Nottingham and Scrutinise making the journey to Chelmsford on his own for the concluding 1m2f maiden.
We also declared three this morning for Wednesday – Hanno will go to Lingfield for the extended 7f handicap while Tajathub will make his second start in the 7f maiden at Kempton. Hajeer, a Cape Cross half-sister to Jersey Stakes runner-up Muwaary, will be our fourth juvenile runner of the year in the 6f fillies’ maiden.
A reasonably busy day on the entry front as well with potential runners at Beverley, Goodwood and Salisbury over the weekend.
They include the 114-rated Manndawi, who was runner-up to Flintshire in the 2013 Grand Prix de Paris when trained by Alain De Royer-Dupré. He has been off the track since the September of that year and joined us in late 2014 having been purchased by Jon Haseler and OTI Racing. We will be keeping a close eye on the weather for him. That could be the theme for the week!
Back tomorrow.
Ed