Japanese Outlook

I'm amazed that War Chronicle has got a berth at Niigata on the 29th. Of course, it hasn't raced for three months, so the chances of a good performance are remote, or I should say even more remote, for we haven't seen a decent run since rejoining the JRA scene the best part of a year ago. Having just got the race-rust free of Belle Plage, the proposed race for the 29th has been dropped, with the following weekend now being cited. Umm... There are gates available in the stated race, so that's not the reason for cancellation. Doesn't look good, does it?

Pop Label and Magic Key keep having races postponed. The planned one for Magic Key at Kawasaki was overbooked, but the back-up on the 4th has now been dropped in favour of a Funabashi run on the 7th. Hopefully it will run properly this time, whenever it finally does make it to the track! As for Pop, I would just retire it, along with Phosphorus.

Rush Attack is still wasting money, too, having last raced in March, and, just as importantly, having last finished in the top three 14 months ago! So, in reality, we are covering an injury that people should have known was going to take almost a year to clear up, and the chances of getting anything back if and when a return does happen are very slim. The horse should have been retired in the Spring. Larressingle should be heading off to a new stable in the second half of November; the future of Another Door hangs in the balance, with another Monbetsu run being lined up until a new stable is sorted, wherever it may be. For a 16,000,000 yen horse to be unable to qualify for Nankan minimum winnings is a disgrace, but this is what has brought about this crazy situation of trying to find somewhere when stables south of Hokkaido are already full to bursting point.

Chocolat Sucre and Kealoha are supposed to be running at the next Funabashi meeting in early November, when hopefully Lotus Blossom will arrive - at last - at its racing stable there. I have forgotten how many times I've heard that, and a spell at a different Northern Farm site before the final move to Funabashi has me wondering if it will ever make it. Whether Million Ways ever makes it back to base is another question mark. Vertice has a race proficiency test tomorrow, and Trovao has a big race booked for next month - some progress at least.

PS. Vertice has passed the test, and will hopefully be making its debut in the middle of November. Before that, Another Door should be out at Monbetsu on the 3rd. Meanwhile, Phosphorus is supposedly doing well - he's doing well at eating, that's for sure. I don't know where they get the idea of training from, as he's now 30kg overweight - a huge amount that will have to go before a race career can be resumed, which means yet more time away from the track...