It has been a miserable day here in Newmarket and the rain has fallen steadily since breakfast time. We have started a lot of the horses back in gentle cantering exercise and I am pleased with how the horses have done for a short break over the holiday period. I like this year’s crop of two year-olds at this stage which is something us Trainers all say about our youngsters at this stage of the year but they are by a variety of different stallions and they are coming along well.
King Kevin has been a revelation this Winter and he defied another rise when coming from last to first at Wolverhampton last week. He showed a good turn of foot and despite a new mark of 72, the form he is in he could well win again. Arnarson won well on the same card and the seven furlongs around Wolverhampton was perfect for him. He quickened nicely clear when a gap appeared and his rating has now shot back up nine pounds to around the mark he was given when he qualified for handicaps early last year. It was a much improved performance and I hope it will allow him to gain in confidence and remain competitive up in class. We are running him tomorrow under a penalty as he is three pounds well in.
Colourful Career is our only runner at Kempton this evening. He has a nice draw in stall four and whilst the trip is slightly further than the 1m2f he tackled last time I hope he will be able to see it out. It looks an extremely open race and he will need to improve a little on his win last time to take the honours here. He has the ability to do it and I hope he builds on his last run. Deeley’s Double has been consistent and has crept up the weights without winning and Mac O’Polo is in the same category. Mullarkey hasn’t run up to his best form around Kempton so far and fellow last time out winner Daily Trader disappointed on his sole start around Kempton. Ice Canyon has fallen to a decent mark and suggested he is coming back to form last time whilst he is unexposed over this trip. Becca Campbell is on a fair mark on the all-weather and is another that could run well whilst Zambeasy has fallen to a competitive mark and ran better last time. Squire is an infrequent winner and is drawn badly whilst Sufi should win one over the Winter off his current mark but has a tricky draw in stall twelve. Rahmah is returning from a break and Lazarus needs to improve stepping up in class.