We have mainly had a dry morning here with the occasional light shower, it is amazing to think that they may end up watering on the Rowley mile before the Guineas given how bad the weather was until recently. The horses remain in good health and we put them through their paces on Warren Hill and Long Hill as well as the Town canter.
All three of our runners ran well yesterday and we were very unlucky not to have a winner at Doncaster. Red Verdon is a horse who saves himself for the racecourse and he was unfortunately stopped in his run on numerous occasions before finishing fast to be denied by a short head. The race looked like a competitive affair beforehand but on reflection it might not be as hot as we first envisaged. It was great to see him show so much promise and he is an exciting horse to have at La Grange for the rest of the season. Alqubbah ran a very promising race in the six furlong handicap, she did everything right and looked to have won the race before the John Gosden trained favourite came fast and late from the rear to beat us. She can hopefully win races for us this season and I hope she can improve for her seasonal debut. Gloryette was sixth in the first division of the ten furlong fillies’ maiden at Sandown and she stayed on takingly to suggest she can win races for us in the future.
We have four runners today at three different meetings. Opposition heads to Doncaster to contest the three year old twelve furlong handicap. He is a horse with a lot of scope who was always going to be better with age, he seems to have wintered well and I hope he will run well although he will improve as the season progresses. Flinty Fell runs in a warm one mile fillies’ maiden at Haydock, she showed promise on debut before disappointing on her second run. I have given her time to get over that run and she seems better in herself so I hope she can show us some promise for the future today. Shafafya makes her seasonal debut in the 1m handicap, she is a horse I like but I feel she will be better over further as the season progresses. She can be keen so running her over a mile on her first start of the campaign makes sense. Zauffaly runs in the 0-75 seven furlong handicap in first time blinkers at Leicester. His head came up slightly in the finish at Kempton and I felt blinkers were needed to make him try a little harder.
What a fantastic days racing we have in store, there are some interesting Flat races but the finale to the Jumps meeting at Sandown looks like it will be box office stuff. If Mullins can land the first two races where he has the favourite it really will make for a thrilling afternoon’s action. I expect there will be a huge crowd there once more although not as many people as for Sir Anthony’s farewell last year. It is a shame that the mixed card was changed as it used to be a unique and fun two day meeting but it is fitting that the end of the Jumps season is solely a jumps card. The quality of horses on show is very high indeed due to the championship battle and it would be great if it can go down to the last race.