A mixed week for the horses with a couple of good seconds but some disappointment as well.
Morana ran a really good second to a possibly top class horse at Sandown. It was a good time and these Sandown maidens generally work out very well. I don’t know where we go next but a tilt at the Royal Lodge is a possibility. Quaker Parrot ran a very nice race on Sunday, also coming second. She isn’t much to look at and is short of top class but I like her attitude.
Ruler of my Heart was very disappointing in her group 3, coming last of the 8. Clearly she’s capable of better, but it gives us a problem as she’s in the next sale at Longchamp and she won’t sell well after a run like that. Open Glory ran very badly again, and she’s looking like a lost cause.
Maxwell Hawke ran down the field, but there was plenty to like about the run – he looked as if he was coming with a rattle but he got caught in a pocket and had nowhere to go. We have the head waiter on board today and his mark has fallen further – we’ve been working through the list of problems and today could be the day – I’ll be backing him again. I’ve said this before several times and been wrong of course.
A friend of mine owns Thief of Time, and he might have a chance at Newmarket after a break.
In the last at Wolver tonight Tom runs Emerald Rock, a former inmate of Nicky Vaughan’s at Manor House. He steps up to 12 furlongs having never run beyond 9 before – this is following a couple of pieces of work at the racecourse. I’ll be watching with interest.