Workers after first lot this morning.
A bright start but some ominous-looking clouds have gathered overhead now. The temperature does not feel like June.
We took 15 older horses to the watered gallop first lot and they were followed by 11 two-year-olds second lot. Richard Hills rode one for us.
No runners this afternoon and the rest of the week is looking pretty quiet. Dark Red is now a non-runner at Haydock tomorrow.
The return to better ground failed to spark Mahsooba back into life at Thirsk yesterday and she has been retired as a result.
Cogent ran with more promise at Windsor – he was far better behaved in the preliminaries than at Nottingham and Jim didn’t knock him about when his chance had gone. He will be one for nurseries.
Just the one declaration for Thursday this morning with Kafoo, who ran a promising race at Leicester first time out, heading to Nottingham for the six furlong juvenile maiden.
Three entries for Monday. Hanno has been given an alternative option in the mile and a quarter handicap at Nottingham, while Biff Johnson and Island Authority have both been entered in the ten furlong maiden at Windsor.
Four early closing entries as well. Zarwaan and Red Avenger have been given the option of the Bunbury Cup. The former remains on target for the Wokingham and we had planned to run the latter in the Hunt Cup but he won’t get in.
Red Avenger has also been entered in the John Smith’s Cup at York on the same afternoon. So too could God Willing.
Finally, ARC announced this morning that Newcastle will rip up the turf and install an all-weather circuit, with racing to be staged on synthetics from as early as next year. There is no doubt that northern trainers will be major beneficiaries of such a move, and the north badly needs an all-weather track, but it is a real shame to lose one of the best turf courses in the country, and it’s hard to imagine that the Northumberland Plate will be the same sort of spectacle in the future.
Back tomorrow. Ed.