Sir Anthony Page-Wood meets Champs Elysees.
Warm and pleasant with a beautiful day in prospect.
A hectic morning! Charlie Gordon-Watson and Will Douglass were out first lot as we worked 13 on the watered gallop, including 10 two-year-olds. We were also joined by Tony Bambry and his family who are enjoying a summer holiday in Europe. Tony is a trainer and commercial breeder in New Zealand and they expressed an interest in visiting us yesterday when they met Hannah and Sir Anthony Page-Wood at Banstead Manor.
Sir Anthony was very keen to meet Champs Elysees, sire of Trip To Paris, and he was kind enough to take Hannah along as well. The resemblance between TTP and his father is quite uncanny!
We hosted a tour of three for breakfast before third lot, while Mr Milmo and a number of his staff will join us shortly before lunch to see his battalion and have a tour of the yard. They are heading up to the July Course this afternoon and while we aren’t represented there today, Red Avenger lines up in the Shergar Cup Mile.
Nothing went right for him at Goodwood last week, with the steady gallop and wide draw scuppering his chances early on. He’s probably handicapped to his best, but these conditions are his optimum and we are fortunate to have been handed Olivier Peslier. Hopefully they will go a good pace.
The Shergar Cup continues to grow in stature and is an event I am keen to support. While the day isn’t to everyone’s taste, it’s a bit of light-hearted fun and a good opportunity to showcase some of the best riders in the world. The early start and early finish works quite well, and the crowds Ascot manage to attract regularly for this meeting shows racegoers are voting with their feet.
We also saddle Pyla at Lingfield this evening in what looks a moderate race. Only one of her rivals have won before, we know she handles the course and trip and ground seem her optimum. She has a handy draw in nine and looks to hold solid claims.
No declarations this morning and a handful of entries for Friday evening.
The Ashes come home today – now there is a thought to spark excitement into the weekend!
Back Monday.
Ed