Terry Yoshida on the Heath this morning.
Overcast and quite gloomy but not that cold.
I enjoyed an excellent evening at the London Sale followed by dinner with Mr & Mrs Arculli yesterday, but the games are about to begin in earnest. Mrs D and I are just about to leave for Ascot and there is always a special buzz on the first morning of the Royal meeting.
It’s always a great privilege to have runners there and we send one this afternoon with Qeyaadah lining up in the Coventry. He surprised us all when making a successful introduction at Newbury – a race that looked warm on paper – and the form has been well advertised since, with the second finishing runner-up in the Woodcote on Derby day. We feel our horse has stepped forward again for that experience, but this looks a deep renewal and there are at least a dozen with obvious claims.
We also saddle Dark Red at Beverley this evening and he goes there having finished third in a hot Goodwood handicap last time out. He was unlucky on his penultimate start at this course when just being touched off by the reopposing Thorkhill Star having met trouble in running, and we think there is plenty of life in a mark of 75.
Two declarations for Thursday with Trip To Paris lining up in the Gold Cup. Clever Cookie does not run so Graham Lee maintains the partnership while Dutch Uncle goes for the King George V Handicap under Paul Hanagan.
Back to today, I hope Able Friend can stamp his class on the Queen Anne field and prove himself to be the best miler in the world. While there are question marks about the suitability of the track, his performances at Sha Tin have been breath taking and a strongly run race on quick ground is ideal. Solow is a fast improving horse, but he has to prove himself under these conditions and he has yet to face the calibre of miler he lines up against this afternoon.
For those who like a flutter, I think Areen could be worth a small each-way bet in the Windsor Castle. Nothing went right for him the National Stakes – easily the best five furlong juvenile race of the season so far – and it was testimony to his ability that he was able to finish where he did.
Finally, I was privileged to bump into Terry Yoshida on the Heath this morning, who was out watching his horse with Roger Varian. Mr Yoshida, who owns Shadai Farm, is arguably the biggest breeder in Japan and he was in excellent form prior to heading to Ascot.
Have a fantastic first day. Ed