Tegan and Sharaakah.
Overcast and humid although we had some rain late morning.
No workers today with the majority of the string having had a run or galloped earlier in the week.
Two runners at Epsom this afternoon and Mrs D and I are on the way to the course now. God Willing lines up in the extended one mile handicap and he has acquitted himself well in his two runs this season. The ground will be right for him and he’s not too badly drawn, but he’s probably on the wrong side of the handicapper and we all have Abseil to beat.
The closing seven furlong handicap has been the plan for Fieldsman for some time and you can forget his reappearance run at Newmarket where he was too free early and tired late over one mile. He has a course and distance win to his name as a juvenile and remains relatively lightly raced. We are pleased to have secured William Buick.
Two very different performances from our runners yesterday. Pyla bounced back to form in first-time cheekpieces to finish third at Lingfield. She probably took up the running a little soon and we should be able to find a small race for her returned to a mile. Tocororo again disappointed – she is in the July Sale.
One declaration for Sunday this morning with Manndawi heading to the Curragh for the Silver Stakes. Wayne Lordan will ride.
Manndawi has been off the track an awful long time but his three-year-old form is superb, with him filling the runner-up spot behind Flintshire in the Grand Prix de Paris. A mile and a quarter will be on the sharp side for him, but we couldn’t run him in the Festival Stakes or the Brigadier Gerard on account of the fast ground, and it looks like they will have a beautiful racing surface in Ireland at the weekend. Hopefully this can provide a stepping stone for the rest of the season.
A good spread of entries for next Thursday with Kitten’s Red and Hanno given alternative engagements while Island Authority, a half-sister to our Group-placed filly Island Remede, could make her debut in the mile and a quarter fillies’ maiden at Newbury.
Finally, today’s Oaks has an intriguing look about it with Guineas winner Legatissimo the standout form pick although a number of unexposed fillies, not least Crystal Zvedza, are hugely exciting prospects. I hope all those heading to Epsom have an excellent afternoon.
Back tomorrow. Ed.