Al Kazeem is our only runner at York today and probably my first runner in the Great Voltigeur.  His last race was at Newbury on the 14th May when he beat Labarinto, Fulgur and Dominant who have all gone on to win good races.  Unfortunately he had a slight setback after Newbury and he may well need his comeback race this afternoon particularly against such strong opposition.  He is a beautiful looking horse by the hugely successful Dubawi and out of a Darshaan mare from a good staying family and I hope that he is capable of stepping up to 12 furlongs.  

A long trip to Deauville for Cityscape and he did not really run up to my expectations.  He was drawn 1 and the plan was to let him follow the early pace (with Goldikova having two pace makers) but on hindsight he might have run better if he had been dropped in as the race quickened from 4 furlongs out.  A lack of a recent race perhaps found him out having not run since Royal Ascot.

I was very pleased with our two Windsor runners.  La Bocca showed good speed and finished 4th against more experienced two year olds.  I may run her over 5 furlongs next time as I think she could have enough pace.  Thistle Bird behaved herself  well and is maturing mentally all the time.  She won by 3 lengths and the handicapper is likely to take a dim view of her easy victory and she may re-appear next Monday at Windsor with a 6lb penalty.  Unlike with Camberley Two she will be harder to place again.  It is very easy to find any number of races to enter horses rated in the 60s & 70s and this seems to be the way our race planning is heading.  i.e. plenty of races for bad horses and the occasional opportunity for the better horses.

Thistle Bird

Unfortunately Folly Bridge missed the break and never really had the chance to get herself into a challenging position and Jimmy Fortune said that she didn't really "face" the visor.

Cityscape had a good journey on the ferry to Deauville on Saturday night and arrived in the racecourse stables at 8.30am.  I gather they have had over 30mm of rain and that the ground is likely to be on the slow side today.  Let's hope that it is too soft for Goldikova and her two pacemakers and there is also a possibility that Sahpresa will not run.  As you would expect of a Group 1 race there are plenty of other high class horses in the field but it is at least a relief to have him back on the course again having not run since Royal Ascot.

This evening we have two runners at Windsor with La Bocca, a half sister to Marzante and Monzante by Juddmonte's stallion Latent Heat  (USA) running in the 6 furlong two year old maiden race.  She will be ridden by James Doyle who will be having his first ride for me, he started riding work here a few weeks ago and looks to be developing into a talented young jockey.  She is a rather highly strung individual but she does have a bit of zip.  Thistle Bird and George Baker run in the 7.10, a fillies handicap over 8 furlongs, she does show a bit of temperament but her work is improving and she will be suited by a fast pace.

What a magical day for Beckhampton when we completed an across the card treble which I gather we have not done since 2002 !    There was a certain amount of apprehension in the air yesterday morning as there was such high expectations for Top Offer who had been ticking all the boxes and I was more than pleased to see the way he finished his race, but also his relaxed and sensible attitude. Lets hope he does not get overhyped, but he is a horse with an immense amount of potential and we will plan his future with care.  Deck Walk at 16/1  was a happy surprise but she showed her  inexperience when rolling about in the closing stages.  As she is such a big filly she should be capable of improving and I hope that she can win a handicap, perhaps over a mile and a half with a high 70's rating.   Rex Imperator had little to beat at Nottingham but he won with great ease and he would be a possible for the Weatherbys Insurance £300,000 six furlong race at Doncaster on September 8th. 

We have no runners today but Folly Bridge heads off to Pontefract this afternoon to run over six furlongs tomorrow for the first time since winning at Nottingham in May last year.  Naturally I am desparately keen to get some "black type" for her, so she will be wearing a visor for the first time to perhaps help sharpen her up as she can hit a flat spot.

Folly Bridge

Zamarelle behaved like a little star and was extremely good about going into the stalls and I thought she ran with promise but in keeping with her pedigree, she will need further and ought to stay a mile and a half next year.  Goldtrek went a little too fast again but unfortunately there is not much choice with her as she is not happy when she is in behind, but she returned sound which is the  most important thing.   We have had to be extremely patient with Cry Fury, but it was very pleasing to see him settle well and quicken to win comfortably.  I would expect his rating to move up into the high 90's and I need to plan a future campaign for him which might include the Cambridgeshire, but having spoken to Steve Drowne, moving back up to a mile and a half will come on the agenda.  He comes from a long line of stayers that include; Princess Pati, Sarah Siddons, and his dam Cantanta won her maiden race over 2 miles at Nottingham for me in 1992. 

Today we have three runners with Rex Imperator travelling to Nottingham for the first race to be reunited with George Baker. He was unlucky not to have finished closer on his debut at Windsor and the form of the race seems to be working out quite well. 

Rex Imperator

 At Newbury, Top Offer runs in the second division of the maiden race, a colt that I have always held in high regard, but it should be remembered that not many of my two year olds win first time out and also, he has the make and shape of a colt that will improve to be a good three year old (measuring over 16 hh). This race has produced at least two good colts in the last few years including, Saamidd (115) and Pounced who went on to win the Breeders Cup Juvenile in Santa Anita in 2009.

Deck Walk disgraced herself when she was a beaten odds on favourite at Lingfield, but I hope that the galloping track at Newbury will suit her better as she made an encouraging debut at Nottingham over a mile in May.

Deck Walk

That's Dangerous missed the break unfortunately having sat down in the stalls and in a slow run race he had little chance of getting into a challenging position but he did well to be beaten less than 4 lengths.  He will be suited by a mile in the future and the ground was probably a bit too fast for him yesterday.   For most of Discovery Bay's race, things seemed to be going very smoothly and he was travelling well, but unfortunately he did not deliver as I would have hoped in the closing stages, so back to the drawing board.   Primevere saved the day in great style getting her first and deserved success in a Listed race.  She won in pleasing fashion and in the process demonstrated her determination and that she stays 10 furlongs without a problem.  She is a tall, leggy filly and there surely must be better to come and I will be encouraging her owner, Mr Oppenheimer to keep her in training as a four year old.  I don't plan on over racing her this year, but I will be looking for a 10 furlongs fillies Group 3 in the Autumn.  She now holds two course records which is quite unusual having broken the track record as a two year old at Kempton and again yesterday.   The previous Salisbury record was held by Zante in the same race in 1998 and she is the dam of Korithi and Top Offer who makes his debut tomorrow at Newbury.

Yesterdays prize takes our earnings so far this season to £470,000 which passes the totals achieved for the whole season in 2009 and 2010.

Todays runners:Zamarelle runs in the second division of the 7 furlong two year old maiden auction stakes. It will be fingers crossed again that she goes in the stalls aided by Gary Witheford and she should be suited by the current fast ground, more than the polytrack at Lingfield. She stays well and a mile will suit her in the future and I hope she runs well as she belongs to me.

Zamarelle

Goldtrek seems to have fully recovered from the injury that she incurred having won at Epsom. She is suited by dominating her races, but she was a little disappointing the last time she ran at Salisbury but perhaps was forced into going too fast.

Goldtrek (USA)

Cry Fury comes back after a long break having been troubled by sore shins and he drops back to a  mile and a quarter this evening having been a little free in his last race at Haydock over a mile and a half.  He should be suited by the small field today and he is a progressive three year old but unfortunately he started with a rating of 90 having won his maiden race at Kempton which in my opinion was rather harsh.

Cry Fury

A great picture below of Camberley Two after his memorable six timer at Haydock on Friday evening, a very proud Uilson De Souza with his six fingers and Charlie Bishop who was so excited that he could hardly speak after the race.

Today we have three runners at Salisbury with That's Dangerous running in the 3pm and being ridden by his regular pilot Keiran O'Neill. He steps up to 7 furlongs for the first time which should suit him and I notice that the handicapper has raised him another 2lbs to a rating of 77 for any races after today.

That's Dangerous

Discovery Bay runs in the following race the mile handicap for three year olds and I hope he will eradicate his disappointing performance at Ascot in the Ladies race. His work has been consistent and I found no reason for that disappointing run, but perhaps running against seasoned handicappers over 7 furlongs was not the right recipe.

Discovery Bay

Primevere moves back up to a mile and a quarter for the first time since she disappointed me in The Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket in May. Her recent form has been consistent and she has been staying on well in the closing stages suggesting that it is worth trying 10 furlongs again.  She looks extremely well and is in good form but I would prefer a more level track as she can become a little unbalanced.

Primevere

Jimmy Fortune who rode in the first race at Windsor last night reported back to me that the ground was dead and a bit tacky which I know does not suit Zero Money, so we decided to withdraw.  We have no runners today but hopefully three tomorrow at Salisbury.  The new handicapper ratings have just been published and Camberley Two has been raised 7lbs to a rating of 85 having run off 79 when he won his last race at Haydock.  Not surprisingly, the handicapper is making quite sure that he does not win again having had his fair share !   

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A neck and a nose separated Genki from the £50,000 second prize at Deauville yesterday. As usual he ran another courageous and valiant race and in the process he finished nearly 3 lengths closer to Society Rock than he had done at Royal Ascot. It will be interesting to see (on the 16th August) whether the handicapper raises his rating and in the process confirming his best performance to date, not bad when you are aged 7 and having your 31st race !    He deserves a rest and a few days turned out in a pen to enjoy some grass and sunshine. There are several options for him that include; the Haydock Sprint Gr1 followed by the New Champions Sprint Gr 2 at Ascot on the 15th October which is worth £140,000 to the winner.

Zero Money is due to run this evening in the same colours as Genki at 6.40pm and he will be ridden by Jimmy Fortune for the first time as both William Buick and Steve Drowne are suspended.  He is suited by fast ground and being able to dominate the race from the front.  Windsor had 5mm of rain over the weekend and there is a possibility of further showers, so should the ground become slow, he would be an unlikely runner.  He has been in good form recently and if the conditions are right, he should have a good chance.

Zero Money