Otto and Molly sat outside
An evening blog today as we have not had any runners and the unpredictable weather forecast led to a hectic morning searching for jockeys as our plans changed. Newmarket has not had any rain yet today and they may even have to use irrigation tomorrow to maintain the ground on the fast side of good. We do not run anything here at HQ on Saturday therefore but we have declared five horses at four different meetings. We just had a routine day today and took the horses up Warren Hill, I continue to be happy with how the horses are looking and the younger horses are gradually progressing.
We just had the one runner yesterday at Kempton, Harlestone Hopes dropped back in trip as his turf options have been too competitive or the ground has been too firm so we ran on the all-weather. Unfortunately we did not get away with the one mile three furlongs and he could not match the turn of foot of the principles.
There has been some fantastic action this afternoon and there is some decent racing at Sandown this evening. Skiffle went in a lot of people’s notebooks when third on her debut at Ascot and she still looked green when winning the mile and a quarter Listed fillies’ contest at Goodwood. The progressive The Black Princess and herself pulled seven lengths clear of the rest and they will surely be upped in class next. I was glad we did not run Scrutinise last night in the eleven furlong handicap at Kempton as the David Lanigan trained Almodovar who holds Group One entries won by six lengths heavily eased down and he looks a very ncie prospect. I hope we can run Scrutinise on Saturday at Goodwood and we just need the forecast rain in the early hours of Saturday morning to materialise.