Weather looks set to stay fine for our stable visit to Dave Evans yard on Tuesday morning, when we will watch morning gallops and have breakfast before an afternoon at Chepstow races where Dr Mathias will represent us in the seller. It is hoped as many members and guests as possible can make it for what should be an enjoyable day. It was great to get back in the winners last Thursday with War and Peace breaking his maiden at Salisbury, an excellent ride from Matthew Cosham in the hands and heels event helped to continue our excellent strike rate in apprentice races. Pity I had to watch it from a Totesport betting shop on the edge of York with a couple of drunks and typically none of our owners were there to collect the rug donated by Axminster Carpets. The six year old is in good health and form and will attempt to follow up at Yarmouth on Friday without a penalty, he is due to be raised 2lb from Saturday. Johnny Hancocks has had a few quick races and was showing coltish tendencies the more he ran, he has now been gelded and will come back for nursery handicaps in July. Sumner disappointed on Saturday evening at Doncaster after his promising reappearance but returned with sore shins. We will try to find an opportunity for him during June. Dr Mathias is working fine after being withdrawn by the vet at Ripon and he will run before the of the month. Be careful with Derby betting as I am hearing strong rumours that St Nicholas Abbey will not be at Epsom, if you fancy him I would wait. He surely will not be much shorter on the day. My Oaks prefernce would be Principal Role who looks to be improving rapidly and will surely be stronger still at 1m4f, however as Henry Cecil as other cards to play I would rather just wait and follow her wherever she runs which may be Ascot or the Irish Oaks I guess. Johnny Hancocks runs again this afternnon in the Steve Bull Claiming Stakes and would be classed as an appropriate winner of a race sponsored by Wolverhampton Wanderers. He resented the visor at Ripon on Friday and we have quickly ditched that course of action and he runs without headgear. Andrew Heffernan has his first ride on him, given that he rides him frequently at home it is to be hoped he can get a decent tune out of him.
Later in the week, War and Peace is likely to go for an apprentice race at Salisbury on Thursday. Sumner has engagements at Newbury and Doncaster and we will be leaving it until late for going reports before a decision is made as to his participation.
I am off for my annual pilgrimage to York now and will update on the events of the week at the weekend. After a quiet winter in terms of runners, we are lucky that our horses are currently fit and well and break new ground on Friday when we have three runners in one day for the first time.
War and Peace appears to hold our best chance of a winner at Lingfield (4.20) where Richard Hughes is given the task of breaking his maiden tag.
Most of our members are heading to Yorkshire for an evening out as Johnny Hancocks and Dr Mathias head north to Ripon, both hold each way claims. Johnny is having a visor on for the first time in a bid to both focus his mind and overcome the hanging. Doctor is dropped to selling grade for the first time in an attempt for him to gain a bit of confidence. It is hoped that Paul Hanagan can succesfully negotiate the Friday evening traffic across the M62 from Chester in order to take both rides. |
