Mr Gent
We have hovered above freezing this morning but it has been exceptionally cold here in HQ. The snow has thawed and most of the ice has disappeared but it has been a treacherous few days around the heath. Thankfully we have managed to keep going and our routine has not been affected too badly. It was enjoyable to have some top class action over in Hong Kong to watch on Sunday morning and although Highland Reel would not be classed as the best Aidan has ever trained, he is certainly one of the toughest. He signed off by winning the Hong Kong Vase and on fast ground he was always an exceptionally hard horse to beat. This year he had only just got off the plane when he went on to win the Coronation Cup at Epsom and if his progeny are half as tough as he has been then he will be very successful at stud.
Mr Gent and Sanam run at Kempton today. Mr Gent goes first in the seven furlong Nursery at 4:10. He showed a lot of promise on his debut but hasn’t really built on that and we have reached for the headgear today to sharpen him up. He is well drawn in stall two and I just hope he isn’t too lit up by the blinkers around here if they go slowly. The form of the Yarmouth race has not really worked out but on the Salisbury form where he finished just behind the favourite Dance Emperor and is three pounds better off today he has solid each way claims. It is his all-weather debut but I think he should handle it and I have freshened him up since he last ran disappointingly at Brighton. Is It Off showed plenty of ability on debut but has since gone into reverse and Beautiful Artist is yet to trouble the judge but she cannot be completely ignored given she is trained by John Gosden and her best run was over today’s course and distance. Sanam runs in the 1m Maiden at 5:40 and he has been disappointing so far, he is drawn in eleven which is unhelpful and will have to step up markedly on what he has shown so far to trouble the main protagonists.