Teenage Gal
Good morning from a soggy Newmarket! Yesterday we continued our little run of improved form with a winner at Beverley, though rather than gloat about my own insignificant success, I would rather reflect, with great pride, on the excellent victory of Knight To Behold in the very valuable Gr.2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano at Deauville yesterday. It was a superb training achievement by my brother Harry, coaxing the horse back to his best after disappointing runs in the respective Derbies at Epsom and the Curragh, and the horse benefitted from an enterprising ride from the front by Oisin Murphy. With the Prix du Jockey Club winner several lengths behind, it was also a success that provides great excitement for the future. I doff my cap to Harry and his whole team.
Although the day remains young, we have not been short of drama. Our horsebox taking Cue’s Folly to Wolverhampton for the 3.20 has broken down in transit. Alternative plans have been made, and we must hope that the filly gets to the course on time. Provided there are no further hiccups, we hope to have found the right race for her. She has been slow developer, showing very little prior to stepping up to two miles at this venue last month, when a running on fourth. That was a step in the right direction, but I am nervous about dropping her in trip by two furlongs. She seemed to need every yard of the two miles last time, so whether she will have the tactical speed to get involved I do not know. However, she had a host of options in the last week or so and I am happy that we are in the weakest race. David Probert has ridden the filly before and rides again today.
Our second runner of the day is the three-year-old Dagueneau, who goes in the 4.00 at Beverley, a two mile 0-85 handicap in which he takes on his elders. He has been installed as a short priced favourite, though I am by no means taking this race for granted. Vision Clear got away with the ground yesterday, but there is a feeling that Dagueneau wants a little bit of ease in the ground – certainly his form suggests that. The combination of fast ground and taking on seasoned older horses makes me nervous, but there is hopefully some upside to this horse from a mark of 73, so we go in hope.
Our final runner today is Teenage Gal, who ventures to Chepstow for the 6.40. This seven furlong 0-70 race has cut up somewhat, but Mick Appleby’s recent winner Slipstream looks quite hard to beat. Unfortunately the course has been drenched overnight, so we are dealing with genuinely soft ground. Although Teenage Gal has handled it before, it might not play to her strengths. That said, she is a tough and improving filly that should give a good account.
All the best,
Ed.