Alqubbah landing the spoils at Yarmouth under Paul Hanagan.
Cold and overcast – autumn is well and truly here.
A couple of owners joined us second lot before paying a visit to Debby’s Diner. Otto enjoyed the smell of the sausages and he will be hoping we have more visitors in the near future!
I would like to offer my thanks to Bill and Kelly Farish of Lane’s End Farm for their wonderful hospitality during my time in Keeneland – they were superb hosts. I haven’t been to Kentucky for eight years and I thoroughly enjoyed going back.
I was fortunate enough to pick up two horses from Book One and while trade picked up as the Sale went on, there were plenty of RNAs (not sold) and it was a difficult week for some consignors. Books 2 and 3 will probably prove the best guide to the relative strength of this year’s Sale as a whole.
One runner this afternoon with Alqubbah set to line up in the seven furlong conditions race at Newbury. She handled a bit of cut well when winning her maiden at Yarmouth, and it was good to see the second win since, although whether genuinely soft ground will suit is somewhat of an unknown. The extra furlong shouldn’t be a problem if she takes after dam and while this is a warm race on paper, we don’t think we have seen the best of our filly yet.
No declarations for Sunday – we are probably entering the start of a quiet week or so.
We made seven entries for Thursday including Scrutinise in the mile and a half three-year-old handicap at Newmarket. I suspect plenty of the opposition will, like us, be entered in the Old Rowley Cup and this could prove the key pointer to that valuable handicap in three weeks’ time. Field Of Light was also given the option of the historic Newmarket Whip.
Excellent news that Newbury will be commemorating Sir Peter O’Sullevan on Hennessy afternoon. It has started to feel like jumping weather and that fixture won’t be long upon us.
Finally, let’s hope we are in for six weeks of top-class action as the Rugby World Cup kicks off this evening. Major sporting events always generate their own unique buzz and this one is no exception.
Back tomorrow.
Ed.