Wasted Opportunity

As usual, I had to keep scrolling the page seemingly forever to find a typical gate draw - gate 15 out of 16 berths, which frankly happens far too often to me to be a coincidence. So, Belle Plage was already at a disadvantage, with what looked like the strongest rivals each finding inside spots from which to start. Despite that, though, she started as a firm favourite.

Ultimately, the start was superb - it was the rest of the race that was a disappointment. As it happens, the second-placed nag was the outside gate starter, although it has to be said that carrying a full six kilos less was a huge advantage, while the winner started from gate 12, so the starting position can't be used as an excuse, much as I'd like to use it. Unfortunately, the jockey allowed himself to get blocked in just as the finishing straight came into sight, and, as a result, she was sixth, just 0.3 seconds and less than two lengths down on the winner. While number 10 finished a lot stronger at the end, it wasn't the horse's fault - as far as I'm concerned, the failure lies firmly with the jockey this time around, as poor positioning delayed the run-in. But whichever way you look at it, my 29th win seems a long way off.

Across the Pacific, American Pharoah (the spelling miss is correct, by the way) has captured the US Triple Crown - the first horse to do so since Affirmed in 1978. The jockey for Affirmed was Stevie Cauthen, of course, who made quite an impact on the UK racing scene when I was a lad, and even had a stint in Japan thanks to the late, great Kawashima-sensei.

PS. The jockey is saying Belle Plage wasn't so happy with the sand in her face (ironic, given her name!), but the opportunity was there to go further forward instead of hanging back, so I would still say Yoshida was at fault for putting himself in a bad run-in position at the end of the day. On saying that, if the sand was a factor, that problem should have been established and accounted for long before a dirt race was even considered - it's starting to sound like a Harmony Fair scenario, except she's already won on dirt twice before, but with Katsuura-san in the saddle! Something smells. 'Wasted Opportunity' is a politically correct title - what I'm really thinking is way too rude to put up on here. The trainer saw things pretty much as I did, incidentally, adding that we've lost priority status along the way. Tosaki-kun, please...

Clinic Debut

While Louis is a seasoned veteran in this area, Sophie made her clinic debut with Miyaki-sensei today, prompting me to turn up at the club for the first time in a good while. For the most part, it was successful, but Sophie wasn't so happy when 'Bugatti' was attached to a lunging rope, as a) she has a certain amount of trauma from an earlier experience, which really was as close to dangerous as anyone would care to go in a kill or cure plot hatched by my friend from Spain, b) she knows how wild - as in totally bonkers - the mad horse can get during rope work, and c) it was virtually all in the direction both parties hate. Anyway, she got through it, and will be much better off for the advice and attention to detail that Miyaki-sensei always provides. In a crazy world that's sometimes hard for me to understand, I truly respect this guy - he's one of a kind...

More Dates & Kochi News

Going through a few new reports, Belle Plage has been confirmed for the 7R at Tokyo on Sunday, with Phosphorus up for the 9R on the 9th at Kawasaki, making a possibility of three runners that day. Also, looking further ahead, Eclat De Reve has been booked for a 1600m turf race at Hanshin on the 14th, Pop Label should be in NAR action that week at Funabashi, and we have two possibilities for the 21st - Irish Harp at Hakodate in a 1700m dirt race, and Massabielle at Tokyo in a 2400m turf race.

Other than Million Ways arriving at Hiromori Stables at Monbetsu, which is a sign that his racing career is to start soon (assuming he can pass his gate test), about the only other bit of news at the moment is that I've decided to make the "Ganbatte Kochi" race a bi-annual affair, as it's difficult to sponsor a race at Funabashi at the moment (everything is up in the air with the introduction of night racing), and I'd been thinking of doing this anyway, as I dearly love the folks and the spirit at the Kochi track. The preliminary dates I've chosen are the 5th September 2015 and 1st March 2016 to get the new format rolling...

Four JP Dates +1

Just a few Japan race dates to add, with Belle Plage entered for a Tokyo-Fuchu (JRA) 1600m dirt race on the 7th June with Yoshida-san, Perfumer booked for the 9th at Kanazawa (NAR), Phosphorus at Kawasaki (NAR) around the same time, and Miracle Rouge lined up for a 2400m turf race at Tokyo-Fuchu (JRA) on the 13th with Tanabe-san in the saddle.

We also have a second run for Blacklister on the cards in the UK, with a declaration being made for the six-furlong Class 5 Bathwick Tyres Maiden Auction Stakes at Salisbury on the 9th June. After coming so close to winning in his debut, this should be an exciting race.

PS. A couple of dates at different have been added for Blacklister on the 12th. Will keep you posted...

PPS. Looks like the Salisbury race is on, with Ryan Moore booked as the jockey, which gives us an excellent chance.

One Of Them

Blacklister fulfilled all expectations with a super run at Leicester. The first of Mick Channon's new Box 41 Syndicate horses to hit the track, he was well on course to win by a length, when - with the finishing post a few yards away - he was suddenly spooked and lost momentum. As a result, he came home in second by a short head, with the third-placed nag three lengths down. A win would have been nice, especially when it was there for the taking, but these things have to be accepted with two-year olds. Given the horses he was up against and the fact that he will be better suited to longer distances, the future is certainly bright with this fella.

The Lord Ilsley Racing (LIR) horses, fielded by Mick's lad, who I have a great deal of admiration for, are resting up for a couple of weeks, with the colt having been gelded during his enforced break following the Bath run, and the filly just being allowed to chill out a bit while her body is changing during a growth spurt. Nothing to report on the other two Box 41 runners at the moment, but one thing is for sure - this is going to be a very interesting and hugely entertaining flat season in England this year.