Disappointing that yesterday was the only overcast/showery day of the week, which was a shame as it was 2,000 Guineas Day. However, I'm sure that anyone who was at the Rowley Mile won't have had their day spoiled by the weather, because they'll just have ended up feeling privileged to have seen yet another magnificent performance (on what looked a very firm and disappointingly loose track) by the mighty Dawn Approach. Surely the Derby is his for the taking - and then will be be talking about the best horse of all time? I wouldn't put it past us, bearing in mind that that's what we do nowadays.
The further good news is that today (Sunday, the day of the 200th running of the 1,000 Guineas) has reverted back to the pattern of last week and looks set to be a beautiful day. Yesterday Tommy, Iva and I were luckier than those who stayed in Newmarket as we hardly got rained on at all. We drove through some threatening weather on the way to Goodwood and it was overcast when we arrived, but it perked up as the afternoon went on, ending up very pleasant for our race and then a lovely evening thereafter.
As Tommy finished second last, one could hardly say that it was a successful trip, but it wasn't devoid of positives. He was outstandingly calm, content and relaxed throughout the day, characteristics which generally help a racehorse to realise whatever potential he or she might have; and he travelled very easily for much of the race (before, admittedly, finding very little towards the end). However, the obvious negative (that he ran badly) can be taken in the context of the fact that, for the second successive Saturday, we had a runner at a Grade One track whose disappointing performance was explicable enough to end up in the stewards' report.
Last weekend Grand Liaison was reported by her jockey to have lost her action and, God willing, she'll bounce back. This time Tommy was reported by his jockey to have found the ground (good, good to firm in places) too firm. And, again, one hopes that he ought to be able to bounce back granted a more giving surface underfoot - although 'bounce back' probably isn't the right phrase to use about a maiden. Anyway, it was easy to understand that he didn't like the ground.
I'd been sure that he would not like it too firm so hadn't declared him for a very suitable race at Redcar because I'd felt that he'd hate the ground (which ended up described as 'good to firm'). I'd thought that Goodwood's easier surface would be alright, but I was wrong, and it clearly wasn't easy enough. But no harm was done, and we're wiser now - so, fingers crossed, we'll be able to use that newly-acquired wisdom to help him to find his way to a winner's enclosure, somewhere, sometime. One likes to live in hope!
Disappointing that yesterday was the only overcast/showery day of the week, which was a shame as it was 2,000 Guineas Day. However, I'm sure that anyone who was at the Rowley Mile won't have had their day spoiled by the weather, because they'll just have ended up feeling privileged to have seen yet another magnificent performance (on what looked a very firm and disappointingly loose track) by the mighty Dawn Approach. Surely the Derby is his for the taking - and then will be be talking about the best horse of all time? I wouldn't put it past us, bearing in mind that that's what we do nowadays.
1 comment:
Your opening paragraph is apposite John. It was great to see a very good performance from a top class horse and the racing on Saturday was good all round, which means profitable as well :)
The only negative was the downpour which came just as the Guineas horses were in the pre-parade area, so the opportunity to get a long look at the horses was curtailed as they were, sensibly, kept in boxes for as long as possible, the exception being Toronado. Dawn Approach was certainly a magnificent beast and let's hope he goes on to show his quality again and again.
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