Saturday, April 07, 2007

Touch of class

I'm settling down for the usual Saturday afternoon in front of the television. Today's racing isn't great - nothing like last Saturday's sport from Nad Al Sheba or next Saturday's Grand National fiesta - but a quick look at the runners at Leopardstown shows that spring has arrived, as there is a definite touch of class to the card. The first race is an eight-runner three-year-old fillies' maiden. It contains three Sadlers' Wellses and one Danehill (plus a Pivotal ...). Aidan O'Brien's pair are a full-sister (Sadler's Wells ex Jude) to Quarter Moon and Yesterday, and a half-sister (Unbridled's Song ex Helsinki) to Shamardal. John Oxx runs Dance The Classics, a filly by Sadler's Wells from Head In The Clouds, a Group Three-winning full-sister to Millenary ...

The second race is the 1,000 Guineas Trial, in which Aidan O'Brien runs two: Theann (Rock Of Gibraltar ex King's Stand Stakes winner Cassandra Go) and Rock Of Gibraltar's full-sister Nell Gwyn (Danehill ex Offshore Boom). Leaving aside the minor quibble that one could say about the latter that the 1,000 Guineas trial which is run at the Craven Meeting should be the race in which she should be resuming ("the race has got her name written all over it ..."), when horses with these pedigrees start appearing in droves, the best action is upon us.

And so we should start to crank things up here. Well, I'm pleased to report that this morning felt, in an extremely small way, as if that is what's happening. We had a touch of class in our string too this morning, courtesy of having Chris Dwyer in our midst again. He'd been here last Saturday at the end of the morning, but today the lot which he joined pulled out just after nine, so the Heath was busy - and it was great to see a reminder of just what a popular guy he is. Cheery greetings galore came from every string we passed - even the laconic Ed Dunlop hailed him heartily - as people saluted a much liked respected face which isn't seen on the Heath so regularly these days. When we came to the gallop (Al Bahathri), it was Brief Goodbye's turn to provide the touch of class, as he carried me effortless ahead of his workmates. Compared to the residents of Ballydoyle mentioned above and to many of their two or three hundred stablemates, Brief is a very ordinary horse; but to us he's a superstar, clearly the best horse in the stable (and that's not to belittle Jack Dawson's past achievements, but Jack just isn't as young as he used to be), and today he provided a timely reminder of that. I only ride him rarely, but today's ride was a joy. Only two days ago the thought worked its way to the surface of my brain that Brief must be getting nearly ready for a run so I pulled out the programme book and found my eye drawn to the fixture at Newbury on 21st April (two weeks today). Today's work, therefore, was a very welcome affirmation that he should be able to do himself justice then. Earlier in the morning, By Storm had galloped under Martha who declared herself very pleased with her mount, so let's hope things are indeed progressing as they should with at least some of our charges - so that one or more of these younger unraced or lightly-raced horses can soon be providing Brief with some competition for his stable star's mantle.

3 comments:

fiddlerselbow said...

Blimey,looks like cruelty to cats on Emma's blog.As long as you stay away from the supreme Giant its ok by me.Is Olly supplying any other prizes?

problemwalrus said...

All this talk of music takes me back to the line up for Newmarket nights.Apparently there is still one act to be signed up, so there's time for all these characters you write of to get through The X Factor, negotiate with a major record label and appear live at the July course.

holy roman emperor said...

They couldn't be any worse than Wet Wet Wet.