Toast of New York Diary

Dexter · Jul 6, 2014

PNkt said: ↑

Final Entry

He looked poised to grab the result we so wanted

SATURDAY once again proved that the emotional rollercoaster our beloved sport creates isn't for the fainthearted. In the few seconds from the home turn to the line, Toast provided us with extremes from both ends of the elation-to-gutted scale.

He loomed up to make his challenge off the final bend, looking poised to grab the result we so wanted, only to flatten out very quickly and dribble over the line in sixth, beaten five and a quarter lengths.
It's clear he underperformed. Sometimes we don't immediately have all the answers, but we'll certainly be looking for them.

He'll fly home tomorrow, we'll dust ourselves down and formulate another plan. I'm still in favour of a crack at Del Mar's Pacific Classic, worth a million dollars, over ten furlongs on Polytrack on August 24.

When the horses are running well we might hit a 20 per cent winning strike-rate, but it should really be called an 80 per cent disappointment rate. Like it or not, disappointment is something a trainer has to continually deal with.

And not only personal disappointment but disappointment of others also. Dealing with the weight of responsibility for the expectation of each horse's owner is every trainer's everyday battle.

Michael [Buckley] and I have been playing this game for long enough to be philosophical about days like Saturday, but they're always bitter pills to swallow.

If that pill slipped down easily then winning could be less important, less meaningful and, eventually, lose its lustre. Nobody will survive the test of time in racing unless the thirst for winning is unquenchable, and right now I'm very thirsty.

This morning Katie and I fly back into Heathrow. I'll be getting a full debrief from the trusty team at home who sent out a double in my absence on Saturday and the show will roll on to Windsor tonight when we introduce Ian Barratt's Toast Of Newbury.

Clearly he has a sense of humour.

We have High On Life and Field Of Dream to prepare for Newmarket's July meeting this week and some nice two-year-olds to look forward to.

I hope very much you have enjoyed the Toast slices. I have enjoyed writing them. It's been said I was setting myself up for a fall. Well fall we did, but it's still been fun.
Click to expand...

Very candid of Jamie and a great read.

Cheers Princess.

attivo · Jul 7, 2014

Dexter said: ↑

Very candid of Jamie and a great read.

Cheers Princess.
Click to expand...

Captivating thread.....Thanks a mill Princess

Toast of New York Diary

Dexter Well-Known Member

attivo Well-Known Member

Share This Page

About Us

Quick Navigation

Like us on Facebook

Buy us a beer!

Useful Searches

Toast of New York Diary

Dexter Well-Known Member

attivo Well-Known Member

Share This Page