Shafafya
A chilly start to the day here in HQ and it is noticeable that we are now moving into Autumn. A very interesting day of racing lies ahead with The Sprint Cup at Haydock the highlight. Ascot and Kempton also have some intriguing races and I look forward to watching the action later on. There looks like being a significant amount of rain at Doncaster today but then it is dry through to next Saturday and so the ground will more than likely be on the fast side of good by the end of the week.
Sagaciously ran a career best on fast ground at Salisbury so it was disappointing to see a ground change at Fontainebleau from good to a revised soft/good to soft in places without any rain falling overnight. She disappointed in the ten furlong Listed fillies contest after travelling well and failed to pick up on the ground. Al Nafoorah stepped up on her debut to finish second in the fillies’ Maiden at Haydock, she travelled well and having got caught in a pocket she kept on well to finish second. Michael’s Mount travelled very well in the last at Haydock but the winner stayed very well and he finished second too, he ideally would like softer ground than he got yesterday. Alfahad travelled well at Newcastle but failed to finish his race off whilst Ode To Paris made a very promising debut at Kempton. He was slowly out the stalls and found himself at the rear of the field but he finished his race off well.
We have four runners today at four different meetings. Shafafya disappointed at Newmarket but the ground was too fast for her and we gave her a break and have freshened her up since. She has a lovely racing weight today and if the forecast rain arrives for her then she should have her optimum conditions and have a good each way chance in this competitive and valuable fillies’ handicap. Pantera Negra has headed to Thirsk for the 1m Nursery and we hope that the forecast rain will arrive before her race there at 2:55. She shapes as if she will stay the trip well but it does look a competitive event. The favourite is well bred and despite her race not working out well that she won, she has plenty of potential. Hartswell has a lot of ability but is tricky and Hugging The Rails is making his Nursery debut, his stable had a winner that has a similar profile last week. Our daughter of Champs Elysees does have some solid form in the book at Ascot and Doncaster and she does have an each way chance.
Carol runs in the fillies’ Maiden at Ascot, there are some interesting newcomers and she will have to improve for the step up in trip to be involved in the finish. Vivre Pour Vivre is our final runner in the 8:20 at Wolverhampton. He is a horse we have always liked but he was very keen at Newbury on his last start and we gelded him and gave him a break afterwards. He will wear earplugs today and if he stays relaxed he has the ability to go very close.