Manndawi: makes his first start in Australia in the Geelong Cup.
Still cold and still overcast.
Today is my 47th birthday and Mrs D and I are celebrating at Windsor in the company of Jimmy Strauss, who jointly owns Chestnut Storm, a Rip Van Winkle two-year-old making her debut in the mile fillies’ maiden. She goes nicely at home but will undoubtedly improve for the experience and is a filly for next year.
We saddle three runners elsewhere. Justice First returns to the scene of January’s course and distance victory in the six furlong handicap at Lingfield and while his last two runs have been poor, he tends to go well after a short break and he hasn’t been on the racecourse for five weeks. Stall nine isn’t perfect, but his mark is a feasible one and he would have live claims if somewhere near his best.
At Wolverhampton, Tartoor will bid to end his run of seconds in the mile and a quarter maiden. He has bumped into sharp improvers the last twice without doing anything wrong, and bar the lightly-raced Swashbuckling there doesn’t appear anything of that calibre in this field. Hopefully Paul can get him into a prominent position and with a bit of luck he won’t be swamped late.
Lastly, Cogent contests the seven furlong nursery and we turn him out quickly following his pleasing fourth at Chelmsford over a mile. The drop in trip isn’t ideal, but he is due to be sold at Horses In Training next week and there isn’t anything else on the all-weather between now and then. Hopefully they will go a good gallop.
Our Australian adventure continues apace in the early hours with Manndawi set to make his first start down under in the Geelong Cup at 6am. This looks a good renewal of the race and Quest For More sets the standard at the top of the weights, while this represents a drop in class for former Andrew Balding inmate Bonfire and Dandino, who finished fourth in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes 17 days ago, gets first-time blinkers. Our horse is ready to roll, mind you, and this is a nice starting point from a good draw. Kerrin McEvoy will ride.
One declaration for Thursday with Rock Lobster heading back to Chelmsford for the mile handicap.
Back tomorrow.
Ed.