New Broom

Compton Grace was supposed to be running on the 23rd, but was balloted out, although Macho Mover's debut is scheduled for the same day. Meanwhile, just had the HRI paperwork all confirmed, so watch out for the Godiva Racing colours in Ireland over the coming months and years. The Jazz Singer should be out soon, by the way, with the newcomer getting closer to a first run, too...

PS. Macho Mover sadly just made up the numbers at Newbury, so all we can do is wait and see if the experience can be put to good use next time out. We've thrown in the towel with Compton Grace, which is probably the right call. Terribly disappointing run from Dusty, maybe due to the heavy ground, so we're really suffering on the England front right now. By the way, the new one in Ireland is now officially registered as Godiva's Bay. 

PPS. Jazz has picked up a slight injury, so joins Sayesse on the walking wounded list. Bad year all-round this one. Let's hope we get some better news on the 6th, which is our next outing in England... Sadly, it wasn't good news. Looks like Macho Mover will be used until the end of the month, and then given a break until next season.

PPPS. Another awful run with Macho Mover, ending what has been my worst flat season ever (and by a very long way), full of bad luck, and horses that just didn't make the grade. Well, I guess things can only get better, and hopefully we'll get some action out of the Irish ponies - also plagued with niggling maladies and bad timing all-round. Ummm. 

Bad Runs

The Jazz Singer simply made up the numbers at Down Royal as September dawned. I'm just hoping that was a pure training run, with the trainer having something up his sleeve for the near future. To be honest, there's not much more can be said about the run, although I later learned that a diet change had been a bit part of the problem...

Compton Grace ran a stinker at Kempton Park, which must bring the horse's future into question I'd have thought, as Rockwell Lloyd was dismissed after four starts of similar quality and West Ilsley isn't the kind of outfit to keep throwing good money after bad. We'll have to wait and see, but getting that 75th win this year is looking increasingly unlikely.

All Change

Sayesse was pretty dreadful the other day, missing the jump out of the gate completely. We now know he has picked up an injury, though, explaining a lot of things... Rockwell Lloyd was going well at Lingfield but got bumped out of contention on the run-in. Damn! Much the same scenario for Compton Grace at Windsor on the 7th August, and a cruise in at the back at Bath two days later. Meanwhile, Mirzam has gone, and with mild injuries in the same camp, it means nothing much is happening on the UK front at the moment.

Not sure about The Jazz Singer (he should be out again in three weeks), but a new Irish horse has arrived on the scene. This bay gelding, born in April 2014, is the 65th racer I've had a stake in (25% in this case). The little fella's father is Tobougg (by Barathea, out of Lacovia), meaning the same bloodlines on the sire side as The Jazz Singer, while the dam is the Irish mare, Ivy Lane. She passes on the DNA of Be My Native (more solid than outstanding in his performances), and Native Thistle from the female line. This brings in Ovac from Italy, and some fascinating French blood in the shape of Match and Tantieme. He looks a treat anyway, and should give us some excellent sport in the P2P arena. Will write more after he is named.

I've also made a firm decision on Australian racing following my break from the scene. I've decided to call it a day, as the races are simply too short. This puts too much emphasis on luck for my liking, often wiping out the good work of the trainer. So, goodbye Oz - thanks to a great bunch of folks, especially Jo Hassett and her family, I enjoyed my spell with you, but it's time to move on. The Singapore idea seemed a reasonable one at the time, but my first impression after trying to get a stake in a horse out there wasn't particularly favourable, so having slept on it that's a non-starter - if the feeling isn't enthusiastic before they have your money, what chance is there of a good service after they've got it? As such, we're left with England for flat racing, Ireland for jumping, and the possibility of my own nag in Japan's NAR arena at some stage - the club option, which is nothing more than a complete waste of time and money, disappeared a long time ago...

PS. A disappointing run from Rockwell Lloyd at Newmarket. Only one win away, but that landmark 75th victory looks very far away right now.

PPS. Another bad run from 'Rocky', this time at Goodwood... It looks like the distance didn't suit him on the day, but going for very short races will limit his entries, that's for sure. Not sure what the best way is to go with this one. 

PPPS. A few minutes ago, it was noted that Rockwell Lloyd's racing career is over. You get the odd one that looks good but doesn't want to race, and this fella falls into that category. Hopefully he will find a job as a polo pony, as per one of the earlier LIR runners. 

No Champers

Well, the All-Japan Championship was disappointing. Poor Louis had to deal with a crazy 'Bugatti' (pictured in his weekend home), who would be in high-tension mode anyway having travelled so far and being in new surroundings with a competitive atmosphere. But what didn't help this year was the self-defence force deciding to hold an exercise a few minutes down the road, firing cannon and other equipment, which is frankly mad when people are working with flight animals in the country's most important annual event. It's not like the SDF has a pressing schedule, or even a lack of places to practice, and the AJC dates are known by all and sundry. I hope someone in the FEI lodges a very strong complaint.

Sophie did okay in the afternoon, but she was disappointed with the scoring of one of the judges - the others were reasonable enough. At least she has managed to team up with the big fella before jockey school beckons, and she has my respect - she can handle 'Bugatti' well (and few could, believe me!), but the finer points of dressage are a lot to ask for given that a rapid move up the classes means that a lot of the techniques are still new to both parties.

No bubbly on the racing front either, as the UK stuff hasn't ran for a little while, and The Jazz Singer could only muster a fourth at Perth last night. The 75th win (which would be my next) seems a long way off right now...

PS. All sorts of things happening on the Irish front. Will update you as soon as things firm up. Rockwell Lloyd did nothing on his debut at Newbury - the gate drama may or may not have made a difference, although this was always going to simply be a run for experience anyway.

PPS. Compton Grace ran a solid debut at Windsor - nothing spectacular but something to build on. We may have some news on Mirzam soon, and Sayesse is out again in a few days after a bit of a holiday. When everything has settled down, we can review the buying and selling spree.

Here We Go Again

Another sickening display of people with more money than sense showing off at the Hokkaido Sales this weekend. People celebrating $2m sales is not the way forward, especially when the same guy did the same thing last year (buying Satono Victory) and has been rewarded with a 7th, 13th and 14th for his investment - no mention of that in the hype, of course. By my reckoning, if he was an eskimo, he'd buy snow from a salesman knocking on the entrance to his igloo!

And now the Arabs have got in on the act, too - that will push Japanese prices that are already ten times (at least) too high even higher. They've totally ruined the market in Europe with their bulk buying tactics, throwing huge amounts of money at anything with four legs, distorting prices that had until recently allowed real enthusiasts to stay in the game. Although they seem to believe it is, bragging rights is not what racing is about...

Galway Plate

The Jazz Singer was fourth at Down Royal in the Galway Plate Trial, but seemed to be baulked a little at the final run-in. In addition, the poor nag was carrying some serious weight thanks to the handicappers. As such, the result wasn't as disappointing as it looks on paper, given that only nine ran and there were two fallers, albeit unfancied horses.

We shall have to wait and see if the race we were aiming for - the Galway Plate itself - is still on the cards. Hopefully it is, but if not there's always next year or other alternatives. With any luck, we have a big race in the pony...

PS. Not so good for Sayesse at Windsor, but it was a very hot race. A slow start didn't help his chances, but the handicapper is still not really playing the game in any case. Maybe now the nag will be given a fair crack of the whip having come in at the tail of the field? Mirzam failed to shine after being cooped in at Newcastle, and was cruised in at the end. At least Dusty was a handy third at Windsor, looking good, with the outside gate draw in a large field hampering her chances - a kinder draw may well have seen her win in my opinion. 

PPS. Checked up on my old Japanese stuff after a gap appeared in my schedules, and boy am I glad I pulled the plug when I did! Just seen Raining Dollars had a bad run at Oak Park, too, although I do miss my Aussie campaign. Maybe we'll give it another whirl one day.

Dusty

Dusty was sired by Paco Boy - a lovely horse that won 11 times, claiming three G1 victories amongst them, including the Queen Anne Stakes. Rated as one of the best horses in the world in 2010, his DNA is now starting to come through thanks to his new role as a stallion, with a fair bit of early success, such as a 2000 Guineas winner in his second crop. Of course, his ancestors were good, too, with Desert Style passing on Green Desert's bloodlines (Sir Ivor and Northern Dancer standing out further back in the male side of the family tree), while Red God and Tudor Minstrel add interest to Tappen Zee's side of the equation.

Dusty's dam is Hairspray, who won four times and passes on the blood of G1 winner Bahamian Bounty, who had the benefit of having Cadeaux Genereux as his own father. On the female side, Quickstyx passes on the DNA of Reference Point and the legendary Mill Reef. Add it all together, and Dusty should be quite a tool over the coming months - that first race was simply a warm-up!