D Day
This week saw me at not one but TWO flat meetings – now you don’t see that very often – in fact I think it was a first! Don’t panic I’m not slipping over to the ‘dark side’ – both horses I was supporting were past bumper winners!!
Last Sunday was D Day – D for Dino, who was heading to Southwell for a crack at a big pot. This would be his handicap and all-weather debut, and like the D Day landings in June 1944, it would be the day when we found out if the weeks and months of planning would pay off.
I have detailed the ups and downs of Dino Bellagio’s career ad nauseum on these pages so we won’t revisit those now, but it is safe to say that it has been a rollercoaster with him! Through it all, we I have never lost faith in him – Donald has always said how good his work was – and never shied away from telling me how talented he felt Dino was. His inability to reproduce that form over hurdles was a complete head scratcher, having won two bumpers, and working like a proper horse at home – how could he not win off a mark of 93 over hurdles – he should be picking up the opposition and carrying them over the line! It was at this point that I suggested that we take the hurdles out of the equation and plan a flat campaign with him – three runs in maiden and novice company to get him a mark and then see what he can do in handicaps. There are simply no maiden or novice races run over 2m – so he had to run over middle distances to get his mark – a tough ask as he had to concede up to 22lbs to younger horses at a trip short of his optimum – but he ran well in all three and headed to Southwell on an opening mark of 67, which we all thought was ‘workable’. This meeting was a Sunday Series meeting with incredible prizemoney on offer – this 0-68 handicap would be run for a total prize fund of £22,000 – we had to have a crack at it. The surface would be the unknown – on juicy turf I would have considered him to be very hard to beat – the same would apply if he handled this artificial surface –but there was the IF – If he handled it!
A large group of his owners were there on a sweltering afternoon, and we were keeping ourselves hydrated in the sunshine when I spotted Dino’s jockey Paul Mulrennan walking into the track – I nipped over to see him, and he was pretty confident that it would be a good afternoon – he felt that Dino was on a good mark – and that the two times he had ridden him in the past had given him no reason to believe that he would not handle the surface. Paul was confident!
Dino looked great in the paddock, and when Paul came out, he said that he thought he ‘May get an easy lead’ and would ride Dino forward in the early stages.
That part of the plan went smoothly, Dino broke well, and Paul rousted him up to lead, he had to go quick from the gates to do it – but when he got to the front Dino pricked his ears and was having a lovely time of things. Paul did not let the pace slacken unduly – he knew Dino would stay well and set out to make it a really good test of stamina. He quickened the pace for the first time down the back, and it was soon clear that a few were struggling, heading into the home bend he did so again – and this really sorted them out – only two could go with him, and one of those was soon raising the white flag. That just left two – with Dino still in front and being challenged on the stands side. It looked at one stage as if he would get caught, but no, Dino idled slightly, but in the last few strides, stuck his head down to win his race. The winning distance ½ a length with 7 lengths back to the third – they were strung out all over Nottinghamshire at the end! Paul came back in and was obviously delighted – his judgement was correct – travelling to Southwell for just the one ride was the right thing to do! He said that Dino had relished the surface (which was riding slow and deep), and that we should consider running him on it through the winter – as there are some big pots to aim at then. He said that Dino was better the further he went and that he relished the test of stamina – a track with a stiff uphill finish would be ideal for him! Dino’s owners were in great voice – cries of ‘DIIINNNOOOO’ ringing round the racecourse long after the race – it is a good job it was the last race on the card! A fantastic evening for everyone – huge thanks to those members of his syndicate that stuck with him through the trials and tribulations of his hurdling campaign – and to those that believed me when I said we were not done winning and filled the spots vacated in the syndicate when we switched to the flat with him! It was a special day – to get his head back in front, and grab a huge pot was superb – there were some very tasty bets landed too! It was also great to have Debbie there to capture the whole day – some fantastic photographs once again!
Monday morning and good to get the news that Dino Bellagio had come out of his win the day before in good order – having pretty much destroyed the field, with only one single opponent able to go with him in the last three furlongs, and there being seven lengths back to the third I am sure that the handicapper will have his say and put him up a fair few pounds when his reassessment is published, and as he had won on Sunday – that would not happen until Tuesday 22nd July – so there was the possibility of entering Dino off his current rating of 67 and shouldering a penalty – I had a look through the programme book and there wasn’t a race that jumped out at me – so we will see what we get when he is reassessed and plan from there. One thing is for sure – he will go up in class!
While on the phone to Donald I checked in on Ridin Solo, who has summered well, and would be starting his ulcer treatment the following day. This regime of ulcer treatment is one that we have used very successfully in the past – and we are sure that it will be a huge benefit to him. It will make a huge difference and looks sure to mean a big uptick in his performances this season. This allied with a step up in trip and a switch to fences means that we are in for a very big season with him! Donald has Old Blue Eyes back cantering again – and he is looking and moving great. He too summered well – but in reality, these equine athletes love to get back to the comfort of their stables – three meals a day and a regular routine – the field is all fun at the start but when the horse flies are biting, and the sun is beating down – a cool stable is often a better option!
The rest of the day was spent wrestling the bloody computer – which continues to underperform – just when you think you have the answer – it goes back to its old ways – I feel a replacement is on the cards! At least it meant that while it was going through the umpteenth restart – I could watch a good bit of the cricket – what a Test Match – unbelievable drama – Test cricket really is the finest format! England 2-1 up in the series – it has been quite the summer – with all three games going to a fifth and final day!
Tuesday – Moving Day. We would have to wait until next Tuesday to see what sort of movement there would be for Dino in the handicap ratings, but there were plenty of other movements.
Nevada Samba made the short trip from Ivy Lodge Farm to Barbury Castle – he looked fantastic – and Alan was soon on the phone messaging me to say how ‘amazing’ he looked when he arrived with him.
After dropping off Nevada Samba, transporter Chris Jones headed up to The Elms to collect ‘George’ our two year old (Golden Horn x Savingforvegas) who was heading to Ivy Lodge Farm to start his ‘Primary School’ George will have 6 weeks work – during which time he will learn all the basic skills he will need to be a racehorse – stop, go, left, right – carry a rider, walk, trot and canter, canter upsides and pop over an obstacle. By the time he has done all of that he will be both physically and mentally drained and will go out in the field again to process what he has learned. This is a process that Jason and I put in place for all of our youngsters a few years ago and we really see the benefit of it – just this week one of the staff at one of the yards that have our horses in training commented how well mannered and mature they are when they arrive – they are miles ahead of the horses of the same age that they are sent from elsewhere.
One that headed into ‘Big School’ for the first time was ‘Finbar’ our 3yr old (Falco x Molly Childers) who made the short trip from Ivy Lodge Farm, where, like Nevada Samba he had done a couple of weeks work prior to going into training, to Fergal O’Brien. I am really looking forward to ‘Finbar’ he is out of our old girl Molly Childers who was a very tough and talented mare. ‘Finbar’ has all her traits – and is the perfect size and shape to crack on with now – he will be aimed at a 3yr old bumper in October – and then hopefully onto Cheltenham in January ahead of a couple of runs over hurdles. There are a couple of shares left in him – head to the For Sale Page and have a look – he is a cracker!
With the computer behaving itself (in fits and starts) I was able to get the race report out for Dino’s win! A fun one to write.
Wednesday – and it is clear that it hadn’t taken Finbar long to settle into life at Ravenswell Farm – Fergal on at 6.30am with a video of him cantering around the round gallop! He is just tough and gets on with it – the perfect attitude for a national hunt horse!
Another one who appears to have a similar no nonsense attitude is ‘George’, who having arrived at Ivy Lodge Farm on Tuesday and was in the lunge ring and going really nicely on Wednesday. After work he headed for a wash down – a first for him – and walked straight into the wash box and loved the hose being on him – most horses take a time or two to get used to it – not George – straight in and get on with it. Jason called to say how impressed he was with him – he loves him as a physical model and is very impressed with his mind!
Alan King’s assistant Robin Smith sent through a video of Nevada Samba trotting in the outdoor school. You can tell from the video that they are all delighted with how he looks after his summer break.
Computer troubles continue!
Thursday – Debbie and I headed off in different directions – both physically and also socially – whilst I headed up the A6 to a mid weeks meeting in Leicester – Debbie was along the M4 to Windsor Castle!
My trip to Leicester to see a horse make his flat debut – like our own Dino Bellagio, this horse was a bumper winner, who was making the switch to the flat after an inauspicious hurdling campaign. It was another very warm afternoon – great to catch up with so many folks, many of whom had been in Southwell on Sunday and took the time to congratulate me on Dino’s win. The celebrations had not gone unnoticed, as when I collected my badge from the office on arrival, the lady who had looked after us in the winners room after the win, happened to be there and commented that I hadn’t got the ‘Rowdy bunch’ with me! She said she had enjoyed the Dino celebrations – ‘but they were a bit loud’!! I said it had been a long time coming!
The horse I was there to see ran a absolute cracker to be third – his jockey jumping off and saying ‘He’s quite a smart horse’ – he ended his debrief by saying that ‘There were some nice days to be had with him, and that he was going to be plenty of fun in the future’ – which was music to my ears, as he is due to be part of a project that we are currently putting together. We will be moving on with that next week – and should be in a position to launch at the start of August! I am thrilled that we are to be involved, and both myself and Debbie are really looking forward to cracking on with it! Stay tuned – this will be an exclusive opportunity, and one that you will not want to miss – unbelievable value – and great fun for sure!
While I was enjoying the delights of Leicester (in fairness it was a fun afternoon), Debbie on the other hand was at a charity evening in Windsor Castle and was kind enough to write about her evening.
Windsor Castle
Whilst the majority of my day-to-day photography jobs are what you’d expect – racing,
sales, trainer’s yards and stud farms, I do get the occasional last minute, “can you help us
out” request. This week’s skill challenge was a 25th Anniversary reception and dinner for a
charity I’m happy to support, Racing Welfare, held at the Dean’s Cloisters and the Vicar’s
Hall, Windsor Castle. To be honest I don’t mind doing a few people shots, Tattersalls expect
them when I cover their sales, and snapping the great and the good corralled into the
Dean’s Cloisters wasn’t too taxing – though the initial request of “don’t walk on the grass”
[the quad was mostly grass!] was a bit alarming, but it was evident that rule was relaxed
when the time came.
HRH The Princess Royal is President of the charity and having spent a very generous hour
chatting to the guests announced that she will extend her role for a further three years. In
her address, as well as support for mental health of racing’s workforce, she spoke about the
unpredictable nature of horses and the associated dangers for those working with them -
clearly uppermost in her mind following her own equine accident a year ago!
Guests then dined in the Vicar’s Hall – reputed to have been the location for the first
performance of The Merry Wives of Windsor, with both Shakespeare and Elizbeth I in
attendance in 1597. Allegedly. I have to say, though I was seated ‘out the back’ (so I could
edit, but still be on hand for speeches), the catering staff and the food that they served up
was superb. I’ve certainly never been surrounded by so many lemon tarts in my life!
As far as I could tell as I zipped off home, the evening seemed to be a great success. The
charity, which supports everyone in racing from grounds staff, to stable staff, to stud
workers, and yes, even racing photographers, holds many different fundraising events
throughout the year. I note that an amongst the usual list of sponsored walks and rides, the
latest addition is ‘Racing Come Dancing’ where anyone who fancies themselves as a Darcy
Bussell or even a Bill Bailey, can sign up for eight weeks of professional ball room coaching
with a live finale at York Racecourse on November 8 th … There’s minimum fundraise of £375
per person – see https://racingwelfare.co.uk/events-archive/racing-come-dancing/ for
further details!
Friday – and a trip up to Warren Chase stables to see ‘New Daddy’ Olly and the team up there. We do not have a horse up there with him yet – but he will be getting the stunning 3 yr old grey gelding by The Grey Gatsby in September. Olly is really looking forward to training him and was keen to know how he was progressing. Gatsby is currently still with Jason Maguire and is back doing plenty of cantering after a short break. He has already seen plenty of life – he schooled really well at 2 and has had several away days both this year and last. He is another one that will benefit from the system we have in place and will arrive with Olly knowing pretty much all he will needs to know to allow Olly to train him from the get-go, and for him to show his best early in his career. Amazingly there are still 2 shares for sale in him – head to the For Sale Page and have a look – he is a stunning horse, with a great walk and trot, and who has proven to possess plenty of ability judged on what we have seen in his work to date.
Olly’s string all looked in good order – the trainer could be heard sighing frequently, which we took as an indication that he was ‘doing his share’ with his new son, Max!
Alan King sent through a video of Rockola putting in a very pleasing piece of work up the Sharpridge gallop. She is in great form but with no mares races for her in the programme book she will have to take in the geldings next time out. Judging by her last run – we feel that there may be a bit more left in the tank with her – and she is sure to run her race when we see her out again!
Saturday – Rockola’s work yesterday earned her an entry in Uttoxeter next Friday. There really are limited options for her just now, and with the August National Hunt break on the horizon, we are keen to get a run into her as soon as possible. This 0-120 against geldings will be the strongest company she will have run in if she takes her place, but her work suggests that she is in great form, and we may just give it a go!
It was good to see Ridin Solo’s form get another boost in the afternoon when Laravie won again in Market Rasen. That is that mares 4th win in a row, and her 4th win in her 5 starts since being beaten by Ridin Solo in Sedgefield. A closer look at the form of that race illustrates why we all feel that Ridin Solo is a very well handicapped horse, Laravie who was second that day has now won her last 4 and won another novice event yesterday. The form of her win yesterday looks like it backs up the handicappers view that she has a rating of 117 – so Ridin Solo on that form alone looks well in! One place behind the pair in third place in Sedgefield was Rock On Cowboy who won a maiden hurdle in Warwick in April, and the fifth placed horse from Sedgefield has won two since as well! We know that Ridin Solo was suffering with ulcers when disappointing in Kelso so put a line through that run – with those dealt with, and the step up to three miles and a fence all sure to see him in a better light – he will be loads of fun for the Racing Club this season – make sure you have your share – 10% discount for all NBR members past and present!
Head over to www.redsashracing.co.uk to get the full details and grab your share!!
While the computer was behaving yesterday, I did a little bit of research. I had noticed that Dino, along with gaining a Timeform Rating of 80 for his win in Southwell had been allotted a pretty respectable time figure as well. I knew that that the time of the race – given the standard to slow description of the surface was pretty good in comparison with the other races on the card – working out the fastest per furlong – but just how good was it compared to other races at the same trip at Southwell – the findimgs surprised me to say the least – Dino clocked the second fastest time for the 2m 1/2f at Southwell in the last 12 months – it is by far the fastest time when the track has been rising as described last weekend – with the only time faster that his coming on an evening when all the races were run in a fast time as the track was obviously rising very quick! The clock backs up what we saw visually, that his performance was a good one and that he should be up to a step up in grade next time!
Around the remainder – Greyval is in great order and is cantering away, Intrepide Sud is back on the walker and will be reassessed next week – hopefully he will be given the green light to resume work after a niggly little problem with his pelvis.
And She Was is on her break at Barbury Castle and reports are that she has found herself a ‘holiday romance’ while in the field – he’s a brave lad! Floyd – our homebred 3yr old (Falco x Savingforvegas) is still out in the field with Timmy Murphy and will remain there until he returns to work in the autumn.
Floyd
Next week looks like this – this afternoon I will be heading up to Doncaster - where the Goffs Summer Sale takes place tomorrow. Tuesday I will be heading down to Barbury Castle for a meeting with Alan and to see the team there. On Wednesday I am heading to Newmarket for an eagerly anticipated yard visit for evening stables – and I will be out early on Thursday to see the first three lots from one of the most famous yards in the town – all of which I will be writing about on here next week – make sure you log in for that! Then on Friday we could be heading up to Uttoxeter for Rockola should Alan decide that this is the right race for her.
It will be a busy week – be sure to check in next week to read all about it – I promise you – it will be worth it!
