Harriet and Red Cadeaux.
Quite gloomy and cold this morning.
Qeyaadah didn’t give his running in the Coventry yesterday – he seems fine this morning and we live to fight another day.
Otherwise the first day of the Royal meeting was a wonderful spectacle. Ryan Moore was simply superb, Gleneagles showed a devastating turn of foot to win the St James’s Palace Stakes and Solow confirmed his place amongst Europe’s best in the Queen Anne. While it’s a shame the match with Able Friend did not materialise, the prospect of Solow and Gleneagles meeting in the Sussex Stakes is a fascinating one.
We have no runners on day two but another strong card lies in store. There is an open feel to the Prince Of Wales’s – the talented, but fragile, Free Eagle remains capable of better but The Grey Gatsby looks somewhat of an insulting price this morning given the strength of his form last year. The return to quick ground will suit him well.
It will take a mighty performance to thwart Integral in the Duke Of Cambridge and she is a worthy favourite to land the race for the second year in succession.
Ayaar, too, looks well worth his place at the head of the market for Hunt Cup given he should have won the race last year but suffered trouble in running. He’s 5lb higher now but turned in a career best of his reappearance at Newbury and this ground will be right up his street. Don’t let stall one put you off too much – there was an even spread yesterday and pace, which there looks to be enough of low, will dictate matters.
Back in Newmarket, we made two declarations for the evening meeting here on Friday. Zauffaly will make his debut in the six furlong maiden under Freddie Tylicki while Ejbaar lines up in the one mile handicap with Paul Hanagan aboard.
Finally, I am back in the yard today before heading back to Ascot tomorrow but Mrs D has the pleasure of attending Queen’s for the tennis this afternoon with Rose, our middle daughter, who has just finished her exams. Not bad for some!
Back tomorrow. Ed