Spooky. Havent heard this song in years and Paul Gambaccini just played it on the wireless 15 mins ago. Hope you’re well Ron
From Arc to Cesarewitch. Much more subtle than mine Chan . Fine thanks. Had a smile on my face ever since Sunday
Delighted with the return to the winner’s enclosure for Silver Knott on better ground; but Jason Weaver told you why Holloway Boy would not be winning beforehand as in the race he did not go down into the Dip very well and coming out of it had to get re-balanced and then wait for a gap to open on the rails. Having seen the form franked in the previous race, I was confident when Frankie got an uncontested lead in the Dewhurst on Chaldean. Experience told out as Nostrum did not travel well into the Dip and had too much to do in the run to the line while Naval Power was the first of the principals under pressure. A great effort by Royal Scotsman in second suggests his Gimcrack run can be forgotten. It looks like Juddmonte have got two live Guineas contenders. I picked the wrong horse with a single figure draw in the York 3:15. Mine stayed on to get fifth having hardly got a mention while Strike Red (drawn 4) was always thereabouts and landed the money for Richard Fahey.
The money was right not the form book in the Newmarket 4:50 – three year old Azure Blue ran down her older stablemate Gale Force Maya (who failed to hold on for a place) to graduate from handicaps to pattern company. Another one to watch for next year from Michael Dods. He keeps finding these sprinters...
Must be a surprise how far the first two were ahead of the rest in the Dewhurst. They can't all have had an off-day. Royal Scotsman has seemed a bit inconsistent but ran well enough today. Chaldean has been wonderfully consistent. Is Chaldean a 2000G horse? I'd say possibly as that seems the classic he's best bred for. He seems more of a 'grind it out' horse than one who is blessed with a turn of foot. You have to admire his cruising speed though, as he saw most of this field off by the furlong pole. It's his damsire (Dutch Art) and great damsire (Green Desert) who make you think he'll be best at a mile, or indeed 7f. However, looking further back there is plenty of French-based stamina. Alkumait is his half-brother and stayed 6f and others were best suited by 5f: but they weren't by Frankel.
