I thought Mince was really quite impressive winning the Nursery at Pontefract yesterday. She broke quite well but seemd to lose her position which meant that she had to switch to the outside, she then ran on really well to win with ease and as the commentator said she made mincemeat of them !   There are no suitable 6 furlong handicaps left before the end of the season but there is a possibility of a Condition race at Newmarket at the end of the month. She is clearly improving in leaps and bounds and I hope she will make up into a good 6 furlong filly next year.

Mince is our only runner today and travelled up to Pontefract yesterday afternoon in preparation for the Nursery Handicap at 2.40pm. She remains a very laid back character and I am hoping that she actually jumps out of the stalls a little quicker than in her two previous races. This appears to be a bit of a family trait as Steve Drowne reminded me last week that her dam, Strut was exactly the same. She is well drawn in stall 2 but that may become a disadvantage should she start slowly. She is a strongly made filly who should develop into a good sprinter and it would appear that perhaps to be given a rating of 70 having won a Newbury maiden race may turn out to be generous, but there are plenty of other improvers in the race.

Mince

There is a "confirmation of entries stage" due by noon today for the Cesarewitch and Keys has been left in the race. I was pleased with his work on Saturday over a mile and a half.  He has not been heard to cough since early last week and he had a clean scope this morning. Naturally as is the case with all horses, his work and general health will be monitored but at this stage, I am optimistic that he should make Saturdays race in good form.

It was all very satisfactory and  exciting to watch Sea of Heartbreak sprinting to victory in France. For a change the race went exactly as I had hoped with Frankie setting a ridiculously slow place and Olivier Peslier producing Sea of Heartbreak with her good turn of foot (French style)  to sprint to victory in the last 100 meters.  I was asked by someone why I hadn't entered her in the Prix de l'Abbaye!  It was a great thrill for her owner Liz Hardisty to go racing for the first time in Paris and see her win.  She travelled back in the cool of the night and arrived here at 6.00am and she looked very happy and contented turned out in her paddock this morning.  We will consider her future options which include Canada and Ascot in 13 days time.  She has now won 6 of her 14 races and total earnings of  £126,000 (£102,000 this year)

All our runners at Ascot finished 5th so it was lucky that Sea of Heartbreak did the business in France.  Rex Imperator got upset in the stalls, missed the break and had to make up 4 or 5 lengths so he ran exceptionally well to be beaten around 3 lengths.  He is clearly a speedy horse who would have gone close to winning a Group 3 and should be another recruit to our sprinting division next year.

Genki disappointed me a little but mainly because he has been so consistent and reliable in the past.  As usual he missed the break and then was forced wide to make his challenge off a slow run race.  He also hit a soft patch of ground in the final half furlong (where the stands create a shadow on the track preventing it from drying out.) causing him to flounder and lurch to his right.  There is no doubt he is better suited to running in a more competitive race where there is a stronger pace and working his way through the field.

Zero Money I thought ran a good race but he would also have been happier if the ground had been faster.  He will now have a short break before being prepared for the Dubai Carnival where conditions should suit him perfectly.

Valiant Girl as expected showed plenty of inexperience but did run on well having been stopped in her run to finish 7th.

Thistle Bird ran a rather unsatisfactory race and on hindsight my instructions for her to lead if there was no obvious pace, turned out to be wrong.  She was constantly being hassled by the 100/1 outsider Ela Gonda Mou and I am sure she would have finished closer if she had been held up and ridden for a "place".  I am hoping she may turn out to be another Sea of Heartbreak who was also beaten in this race as a 3 year old last year.  

An exciting weekend with runners at three different meetings. Olivier Peslier rides Sea of Heartbreak at Longchamp this afternoon in The Prix De Royallieu Gr 2, which will be an interesting race with the two French fillies looking like stayers and needing more than a mile and a half and Modeyra having previous run over 8 and 10 furlongs this year. Ideally Sea of Heartbreak needs fast ground, 10 furlongs and a good pace as she travels so well and has a turn of foot. I hoping today that she can sit last and produce a better turn of foot than the others.

As Ascot all the fast boys bar Bated Breath are running. Rex Imperator was a little disappointing in his last race at Doncaster over 6 1/2 furlongs where he did not enjoy being crowded and as a consequence did not settle well enough. His recent work with Zero Money has suggested that 5 furlongs should suit him and he will enjoy the fast ground but todays race is competive as you would expect in a Group 3.

Rex Imperator

Genki my old friend does battle again having run seven times at Ascot in the past. He appears to be in good form but I am a little concerned about the possible lack of pace but we will have to take pot luck and hope that George Baker can deliver him in the race that he was just touch off in last year. It should be remembered that he is effectively giving 4lbs to the rest of the field having won a Group 3 at Newcastle in May and under those terms, Elzaam could reverse recent Haydock form.  

Genki

Zero Money should be suited by todays conditions as long as the ground isn't over watered but he has had a long season and you can never be sure that he has retained his form having run a bit tamely at Doncaster last time. 

Zero Money

At Newmarket Valiant Girl runs for the first time in the mile maiden race for two year olds. She is an immature and rather babyish filly who will definitely need the experience.

Thistle Bird moves up in distance and class to run in the Listed race that Sea of Heartbreak was fourth in last year. God willing, she will go in the stalls and I hope she has a good chance of at least being placed, but  Principal Role will be difficult to beat. 

Thistle Bird

Brickfielder was a little disappointing again, he seemed to lose his position when he got squeezed up on the bend. Although the ground was described as good to firm the jockeys reported that it was on the easy side in places which was born out by the slow times. Brickfielder belongs to Richard Pegum who lives in Australia, and is likely to be going to the Horses in Training Sale later in October. We have no runners today and I have just received the news that Sea of Heartbreak had an uneventful and smooth crossing to France and arrived at Longchamp this morning. She will have a nice restful day enjoying the sunshine and french air before tomorrows exertions.

I thought that Estrela ran a very encouraging race to be only beaten a length.  She travelled well and just tired in the closing stages and she would have been aided by quicker ground.  I hope that I will be able to find a maiden race for her to win before the end of the season, and she remains a nice scopey prospect for next year.

Dedication got a bit fretful both before and after her race and showed plenty of inexperience when going away from home for the first time which can be typical of a homebred who hasn't been to the sales.  She ran quite well and should improve as a three year old particularly over staying trips.

Korithi was a major disappointment and ran a very "flat" race.  Her work has been good but maybe it was trainer's error for running her too soon after her tough race at Pontefract.  She deserves to be given a little time and patience and I am still confident she is capable of winning and handicaps will also be an option for her.

Tiger Cub ran a smashing race only to be beaten by a well handicapped "good thing" rated 48!  There is a chance that she can still find a race to win before the sales.

Brickfielder is our only runner today and goes to Warwick for the 4.40. He was disappointing in his previous race at Haydock in a higher grade and in an ideal world he would perhaps prefer a bit more cut in the ground.  I am not sure quite why he was so heavily fancied at Haydock as his victory had been achieved at Folkestone against very moderate opposition.

Brickfielder

Two fillies go to Salisbury to run in the two divisions of the mile two year olds maiden race. Estrela runs in the first division with James Doyle. She is by the first season sire Authorized who has made a slow start to his stallion career out of Wannabe Grand who won 4 races including the Cheveley Park. She is the dam of 6 winners that include,  King of Argos and Wannabe King who were both rated over 100. She was bought as a foal by Seasons Holidays and she has now developed into a big strong scopey filly. She still lacks a bit of experience but her work has been encouraging and I hope to see her run well.

Estrela

Dedication is by Beat Hollow out of Total Devotion and from the family of Slightly Dangerous, Commander in Chief, Warning and many other fine Juddmonte horses going back to Rainbow Quest.  She is a slightly nervous and an apprehensive filly who needs a blanket for loading into the stalls, she also has not yet come to terms fully with any kickback. She is bred to stay well but perhaps lacks a turn of foot and it is always interesting to see how two year olds perform first time out.

Dedication

Korithi seems to have improved since her last race at Pontefract when she ran over a trip of 10 furlongs which was too far. She should be suited by todays conditions and I hope that she will make the frame.

Korithi

Tiger Cub goes up 2 furlongs in distance and runs in a handicap for the first time. She is equipped with a tongue strap as she choked up a little in her work at home recently.  I hope that she will have a reasonable chance as time is running out for her, as she is likely to go to the sales at Newmarket in October.

Tiger Cub

Discovery Bay produced a much more encouraging effort to finish 2nd at Bath yesterday. The ground was soft and most of the races finished very spread out. He fought hard to win his race only to be overhauled near the line, he will surely appeal to jumping trainers as he is a big fine, strong horse who will benefit from being gelded.

The latest handicap ratings for this week have just been published and surprise, surprise, poor old Proponent has been raised 3lbs to his highest ever rating of 103 and That's Dangerous who also put up an improved effort was raised 4 to 80. 

We have a busy weekend approaching with the possibility of Sea Of Heartbreak going to France to run at Longchamp on Saturday in the Prix De Royallieu Gr 2 over 12 furlongs. This race was not originally on the radar, but with the likelihood of fast ground which she loves, it might be an alternative to travelling across the Atlantic to Woodbine to run in the E P Taylor Stakes. She is such a tough and consistent filly, but again will need to improve to win at this level. At Ascot we have the possibility of Rex Imperator running in the Cornwallis Gr 3, Genki in the Bengough Gr 3, and Zero Money running in a Listed race for the first time in the Rous Stakes over 5 furlongs.  Thistle Bird is a possibility to run in Listed company for the first time and has an entry in the Severals Stakes a race for fillies over 10 furlongs. Last year Sea Of Heartbreak ran in this race to finish 4th.  Before we decide to send her to Newmarket she will need some further tuition from Gary Witheford as she can make it quite tough to get her installed at the races.

After a routine scope today, Keys was found to have a few streaks of mucus in his lungs having given an occasional cough earlier this week . There is still a reasonable chance that he will be able to run in the Cesarewitch in 11 days time but I suggest that anybody thinking of backing him should wait until nearer the time before doing so.

As usual, Proponent ran another wonderful race to finish 3rd in the Cambridgeshire having hit a "flat spot" with two furlongs to run. He then stayed on really strongly and perhaps in another stride would have been 2nd, this was a valiant effort off his highest ever rating. It is going to be difficult for him to ever win a top handicap as no doubt, the handicapper will raise him a few more pounds again for his efforts, but he does at least pick up prize money and give pleasure.  Cry Fury probably ran a bit too freely and showed his inexperience to fade in the closing stages. He would be better suited to a smaller field and dropping in to allow him to settle over 10 furlongs. He is a horse with plenty of potential and will no doubt improve next year as a four year old.  It is rather amazing to think that Tantina in the space of three weeks had two of her sons Cityscape and Bated Breath beaten by the narrowest margin in the dying stride in two Group 1 races !   Cityscape handled the faster ground well and ran right up to his best form but unfortunately Dick Turpin "robbed him" as you would expect from a highwayman, he was just too strong for him in a race that I gather broke the track record. To be fair to Cityscape,  he had run in Ireland two weeks before and both the handicapper and Timeform would suggest that Dick Turpin's form was just a little stronger than his.  He travels back today and I gather that he was in good shape after the race and eating and drinking on his way home. Future plans are undecided at the moment but might include the Qipco Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Today Discovery Bay is our only runner at Bath in the 4.00pm where he will be ridden for the first time by Jimmy Fortune. He has been a frustrating horse so far this season as his work has always been strong, but last time at Southwell it was all a bit of a disaster as he hated the kickback.  The handicapper has relented with his rating and if he is every going to win a race before going to the sales, he must have a reasonable chance today I hope !

Discovery Bay

An exciting day ahead with Cityscape running at 3.15pm in Milan. He is reported by my Travelling Head Lad, Alan Knight to be in great shape, eating, drinking and sleeping and todays race must surely give him his best chance of collecting a Group 1 as long as the ground is not too fast for him. It has been a dry and hot week but San Siro is a wonderful flat  track with a good long straight.

Cityscape

It is exciting to have to live chances in the Cambridgeshire and I could not be more pleased with the condition that both Proponent and Cry Fury are in, they both look magnificent and are retaining their summer coats. As to our chances, it is a bit of a lottery and I am a little concerned about the lack of natural pace in the race but it was encouraging to see Steve Drowne win on Arabian Star and in the process boosting Cry Fury's Goodwood form. Fingers crossed that there are no excuses and that they both have an opportunity to feature in the business end of the race.

Cry Fury

Proponent