Dark Red
Beautiful blue skies this morning but it was very cold overnight and there was a ground frost subsequently early on. The horses were all in good order and had an easy canter up the recently resurfaced Town Polytrack canter.
Today’s meeting at Epsom used to be shown on the BBC and whilst that is no longer the case and indeed the meeting is not broadcast terrestrially at all, it is an informative meeting. We run two horses in the Great Met and one in the City and Suburban handicap.
Both Oasis Fantasy and Scrutinise had winter breaks and were turned out at grass, they are making their seasonal debuts. Oasis Fantasy has course and distance form and has some solid runs in decent handicaps, he can be keen in his races which would be a worry but we have Ryan Moore booked, he is in good form at home and he would look to have a solid each way chance. Scrutinise was progressive all through last season and there should be some juice in today’s ground which he will appreciate, Paul Mulrennan heads down South to take the ride and we hope he can run well today before progressing once more throughout the season. It is a big ask to carry top weight on your seasonal reappearance but he is a very tough horse who tries hard in his races.
Dark Red runs in the valuable City and Suburban handicap and we hope he is an improved horse this year. He showed a willing attitude at Chelmsford and we are hopeful he will be able to handle a softer surface back on the turf. He is three pounds wrong at the weights but given the value of the race and the fact he is in good heart at home, we are taking our chance.
The Derby Trial has not been informative in regard to the big race itself lately but it looks like an interesting field. Claudio Monteverdi was a big eyecatcher on his seasonal debut and subsequently won his maiden, he shapes as if this step up in trip will suit. So Di Mar won her Windsor maiden well for John Gosden and she has been quietly supported for the Oaks. Most of the rest of the field are rated in the low nineties plus and Top Beak is the most unexposed having won on his sole start.
Team Dunlop took on Team Gosden in the inter stable rounders league last night and just held on to win 3 ½ to 2 ½. We made a fast start and held the Gosden team to half a rounder in the first innings but after a lacklustre second innings we let the Clarehaven side back into the game with Tony Proctor firing in his second rounder, luckily we held our nerve and started the campaign off with a victory.