All good thanks. Life with 2 small children (eldest turning 4 tomorrow!) plus the return to work means not much free time!
Henry Cecil was probably the best trainer of our time. He knew his horses and he knew the difference between Schooling and Breaking. I firmly believe Frankel might not have done so well under another trainer. Cecil used Frankel's temperament, he never tried to 'cure' him. And that was the genius of the man and the power of the horse. The only other trainers I've known who use their temperament were Noel Murless and Dick Hern. Although there is a trainer whose knowledge and ethics spring to mind as a possible Frankel offspring partner and that's Dermot Weld. There's a man who can read a horse.
CRACKSMAN looks set to return in the Prix Ganay next month, connections having taken the decision to bypass Dubai. Monarchs Glen will head to Dubai, however, having received an invitation to the G1 Dubai Turf.
Looks like she has a very good front. Would love to see her stride when she's galloping around with her mum
Elarqam is going straight to the 2000gns, he's having a couple of racecourse gallops beforehand. Mark Johnston said he's wintered well and he did the same with his dam Attraction before she won the 1000gns, who looks just like Elarqam. There is a video of her winning on Racing Post. Everything will be crossed for that.
I’m told that Mark Johnston would have run him more often at 2 if he’d been given the chance. The way things work with the Shadwell runners is that the trainer calls the shots until the horse shows decent ability, then Sheikh Hamdan takes over and whatever he says goes! Allegedly John Gosden found out from the Racing Post that Taghrooda was going to run in the King George - he wanted to keep her against her own sex! Aidan O’Brien reported at his press day that NELSON will likely run in some Derby Trials before they make a firm decision on his campaign.
It's a shame that Sheikh Hamdan is not like Khalid Abdullah who i think lets his trainers and Lord Grimthorpe advise him. There are more than a few who have good chances this season if they have trained on from 2. It would be good for racing if Aidan O' Brien did not have it all his own way this year unless it's a Frankel of course.
CHATEAU LE FLEUR, a full-sister to French Group winner TOULIFAUT makes her debut for Dermot Weld at Dundalk tonight. She cost 900,000gns as a yearling and has an Irish 1,000 Guineas entry.
CHATEAU LE FLEUR only managed 3rd but SIMOLY BRILLIANT notched up another win in Hong Kong this morning.
