Out on the Heath.
Still cold and still overcast.
We worked nine two-year-olds on the Al Bahathri first lot including Raasmaal, a colt by Poet’s Voice who holds an entry at Nottingham on Tuesday, and Global Avenger, who was given an entry this morning in the mile nursery at Chelmsford on Thursday.
Rock Lobster ran a super race to finish second at Chelmsford last night and that was his final start for us as he goes through the ring on Monday. He’s now one win and one place from two starts at the course and he clearly loves the surface. He will prove a fun horse for his new owners throughout the winter as the all-weather suits him particularly well.
We saddle two at Newbury this afternoon in both divisions of the mile maiden, which has been rather annoyingly split with a two-and-a-half-hour gap in between! Vivre Pour Vivre goes first and he will know more than when ninth on debut at Sandown, but this looks a warm race and he is very much a middle-distance prospect for next year.
Similar comments apply to Opposition, who has stayed on steadily in two mile maidens so far. He is progressing, both physically and mentally, all the time and is another lovely three-year-old in the making.
The cricket in the Middle East has been pretty innate viewing bar the last two sessions on day five and a bizarre couple of hours this morning, where Pakistan seemed intent on smashing England out of the park and inadvertently pressed the self-destruct button in the process. Intriguing.
Finally, the very best of luck to all the connections involved with Arod as he contests the Cox Plate tomorrow morning. Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore bid for back-to-back victories through Highland Reel, but it wonderful to see a British-trained horse land the spoils, and we will be cheering home Peter Chapple-Hyam’s super colt.
Back tomorrow.
Ed.