In reality, the fairytale start to July - success for Snow Fairy on her comeback run in the Eclipse - was always a long shot but in all honesty we were using the Sandown race as a stepping-stone to the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood and dreams apart, the month could hardly have kicked off better for La Grange Stables, with six winners last week, including success for Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's TANFEETH at our own July meeting.
Ed, conceding that Dame Fortune was on his side in the Egerton House Stables Handicap at HQ, said: "We got lucky in that Luca Cumani's horse (Spifer) looked to be coming to win his race when he hung badly left in the last half-furlong, but Richard (Hills) never gave up on Tanfeeth and I think the step to a mile and a half was a big contributory factor in our fellow's improvement. He never handled the track when fourth at Epsom's Derby meeting and was much happier here and I was thrilled for Sheikh Hamdan. We'll sit down and make plans but I am sure that there is a decent handicap in him this summer."
We were in double form the previous day, with Sheikh Hamdan's KANAF bouncing back to form at Ascot and ARSAADI, owned by Sultan Ali, winning at Newbury." Ed added: "Kanaf picks up a 6lb penalty for the Stewards Cup at Goodwood and while he is not yet committed to that sprint, it was good to see him recapture the form he showed last summer."
"Arsaadi confirmed the promise she showed on her debut at Kempton when winning quite impressively at Newbury and it was a first winner for us for promising apprentice Harry Bentley. He has bought a house in Newmarket and comes here to ride out every Tuesday and Friday and he is a very talented young jockey and excellent value for his 5lb allowance."
Ed was not too disappointed with BURWAAZ being beaten by Harbour Watch in the conditions race at Newmarket on the opening day - "we bumped into what looked a very good two-year-old and while I make no excuses whatsoever we might consider dropping back to five furlongs" - an observation which suggested he could join the Goodwood team for a tilt at the Molecomb Stakes, while of our two big players in the yard, Ed said: "NATIVE KHAN is enjoying his break at the National Stud, but SNOW FAIRY has definitely improved for her comeback run in the Eclipse, in which she just got tired in the straight and she is bang on target for a return to her own sex in the Nassau at Goodwood on July 30."