Overcast but not too cold this morning.
I trust you all enjoyed an excellent weekend. I had a pleasant afternoon at the Curragh with my father and Mrs Patino yesterday, flying from Farnborough.
Prince Gagarin ran a respectable race in the Gallinule – we decided to try and make all with no other likely pace candidate in the line-up and he was only collared late. The winner is a beautifully-bred filly who is on a steep upward curve and Adam Kirby suggested we try a mile and a half with our horse now.
On Saturday, his half-brother – Oasis Fantasy – ran a pleasing race upped to 1m6f at Goodwood, although it was a little frustrating to finish runner-up. Despite the field being well strung out at half-way, the leaders didn’t appear to go particularly quickly and Quest For More, who got first run, was the one to beat on form anyway. The way Oasis ran suggested he got the trip fine and that opens more options for him now, with a similar contest at York next month a possible next step.
One runner this afternoon with Rock Lobster lining up in the 1.15 at Windsor. He travelled well for the most part at Nottingham and then didn’t appear to stay on the soft ground, so we are dropping him back in trip here and obviously underfoot conditions are very different. The lightly-raced No Delusion is the one to beat, but other than her this doesn’t look a great race.
No declarations for Wednesday but a handful of entries for the weekend. They include three for the Listed Grand Cup at York – Trip To Paris, Times Up and Red Galileo – and we will need to do a bit of juggling to work out running plans for each.
A solid recovery in the cricket yesterday, which was a pleasant surprise, with Stokes exercising his wow-factor again. Let’s hope the clouds shroud Lord’s for the afternoon, Jimmy can get to 400 and the New Zealanders have a rare off-day!
Gleneagles stamped his class over his contemporaries in the Irish 2,000 Guineas on Saturday. This might be an average crop, but there is no doubt who is top of the one-mile pile.
Pleascach showed a tremendous attitude to fend off Found in the Irish 1,000 yesterday and it was telling that her trainer, Jim Bolger, nominated the Irish Derby as the next target. That is some statement.
Finally, I received the following photograph in an email off Andrew Stone this morning. Something to help all those working on a Bank Holiday Monday!
Back tomorrow. Ed.