Courage and correctness win the day

I'll just fit in a few minutes now to write a quick chapter at the end of a busy Saturday morning and before heading off to Wolverhampton with Batgirl for this evening's meeting.  I wouldn't usually do so, but it would be wrong not to give little Grand Liaison a chapter while her brave victory yesterday is still fresh in the mind.  She'd won by 10 lengths the previous Friday, but yesterday was much more hard-fought, with the margin being a short head.  She actually seemed to have the race won, but the runner-up came again in the final 30 metres, which seemed to last an eternity.

Hannah rode her really well, doing exactly as instructed at every stage of the race.  It was an odd race because it was sort of hybrid 'hands and heels' apprentices' race: the riders were allowed to use their whips to a certain extent, but with restrictions (over and above the usual restrictions).  Jimmy Bleasdale had given them guidance beforehand.  Hannah, mindful of being correct, put down her whip in the last 100m and continued to push her horse out.  The lad on the runner-up showed considerably less correctness, hitting his mount 13 times, which helped to reduce the deficit to a short head.  He got a 7-day suspension for his misdemeanours.

Anyway, thank God we won.  We've had this in theory, but this is the first time that this has loomed in practice for me: I'd have been seriously pissed off if we'd been beaten a short head instead of winning by that margin, because the runner-up only got as close as he did because of his rider's disregard of the rules and of the specific instruction which the riders had been given beforehand - because, of course, he'd have copped his ban, but the result would have stood.  As it was, natural justice prevailed.  Thanks to a really brave and tough filly, and thanks to a very sound ride from Hannah.

So now we're off to Wolverhampton with Batgirl.  I'd be very hopeful were this race run over seven furlongs at Yarmouth, but 7f around the AW is a completely different kettle of fish.  So we'll just see what happens.  She's run at Wolverhampton twice.  She ran a very good third there in her third maiden race with Iva a couple of years ago, but that was only a small field and a less competitive race; when she ran there in a competitive handicap (this day 12 months ago, but in a different race, in the 8.5-furlong handicap) she was tailed off.  So we'll see what transpires. Whatever happens, the weather has been kind to us so far today (as you can see in the final two photographs, taken this morning first and second lots respectively) so we're doing OK so far.