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| Courtesy Carrot Club |
Saturday, March 16, 2013
OUT OF TUNE
Harmony Fair never managed to strike a chord today, despite looking good up until the last corner. From there, staying wide - as had been the pre-race plan apparently - she was bumped and squeezed out of contention, and finished the race in a disappointing 13th. The trainer is saying that the G-III experience will stand her in good stead for the future, but, given the performance of her last two races, I'm not convinced she has a future unless she sticks to sprints. Where on Earth has that 33.6 finishing ability gone to? Let's hope Quick Bread can do better tomorrow...
Friday, March 15, 2013
HOKKAIDO DEBUT
Just had updates on all the Carrot Club yearlings, and only one report stood out as being beyond routine - that on Agua de Vida. This filly may be making her NAR debut in Hokkaido real soon, such is her progress. I'll keep you posted, but it's fascinating to think that some of the crop from a year earlier still haven't reached the track yet - this is a seriously speedy debut being planned...
Just had updates on all the Carrot Club yearlings, and only one report stood out as being beyond routine - that on Agua de Vida. This filly may be making her NAR debut in Hokkaido real soon, such is her progress. I'll keep you posted, but it's fascinating to think that some of the crop from a year earlier still haven't reached the track yet - this is a seriously speedy debut being planned...
Thursday, March 14, 2013
CONFIRMATION
Both Harmony Fair and Quick Bread (pictured here) are running at the weekend - 'Harmony' in her first graded race, and the big fella in his first race ever. I'm so looking forward to seeing Quick Bread run, to see just how much of that Nijinsky blood has been passed on - he looks just like my four-legged hero, but will he run like a legend? Well, we'll find out soon enough I guess!
As for Harmony Fair, it's a taste of the big time for her third outing, and with the trainer happy with her condition, she might just make it a bit further. By all accounts, she's certainly a lot better horse than she was both physically and mentally, and she's already won the one race...
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| Courtesy Carrot Club |
As for Harmony Fair, it's a taste of the big time for her third outing, and with the trainer happy with her condition, she might just make it a bit further. By all accounts, she's certainly a lot better horse than she was both physically and mentally, and she's already won the one race...
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
SOME NEW DATES
They've been booked, and with a bit of luck, these races should be coming up over the next couple of weeks - Harmony Fair, having missed out on the Stakes race last week, will hopefully run in the G-III Flower Cup on Saturday (Nakayama 11R), with Shu Ishibashi lined up as the jockey.
On Sunday, Quick Bread will make his long-awaited debut in the fourth race of the day at Nakayama with 'Kacchi' Tanaka in the saddle. This is a 1800m Dirt race. Well, he is a big lad being a Nijinsky cross. I'm so looking forward to see him run!
On the following Sunday, the 24th, Miracle Rouge is down for a 2000m Turf race (Nakayama 3R) partnered with Hironobu Tanabe. So far, she's come fourth and sixth in her two outings, so it's time for her to break the duck. Somehow, I have confidence she will...
They've been booked, and with a bit of luck, these races should be coming up over the next couple of weeks - Harmony Fair, having missed out on the Stakes race last week, will hopefully run in the G-III Flower Cup on Saturday (Nakayama 11R), with Shu Ishibashi lined up as the jockey.
On Sunday, Quick Bread will make his long-awaited debut in the fourth race of the day at Nakayama with 'Kacchi' Tanaka in the saddle. This is a 1800m Dirt race. Well, he is a big lad being a Nijinsky cross. I'm so looking forward to see him run!
On the following Sunday, the 24th, Miracle Rouge is down for a 2000m Turf race (Nakayama 3R) partnered with Hironobu Tanabe. So far, she's come fourth and sixth in her two outings, so it's time for her to break the duck. Somehow, I have confidence she will...
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
A TALE OF WOE
As you'll have guessed by the lack of articles, I'm still working around the clock on my latest book - it really is turning out to be a mammoth project! But I've got to the point where the end is vaguely in sight, and I've decided to stay at home and continue working until I've finished. That means missing Funabashi this week, which definitely goes against the grain (even more so when I've got my mug on one of the posters!), but it also means I can relax next month and enjoy every day in peace. I can't even sleep properly at the moment...
Meanwhile, my apologies to Gen Hayashi for not being there today (I always try and support the photo days), and to all the other jockeys and grooms who have been expecting to see my face in the paddock. As soon as this job is done, let the good times roll.
On the racing front, Fairy Robe was supposed to be running at Funabashi on Thursday, but, with the race oversubscribed, she was unfortunate to be one of those that couldn't run. Luck of the draw!
On a brighter note, Kota Motohashi had his 400th win ceremony at Funabashi yesterday. I wish I could have been there, but the rest of the family were present at least. Congratulations, Kota!
As you'll have guessed by the lack of articles, I'm still working around the clock on my latest book - it really is turning out to be a mammoth project! But I've got to the point where the end is vaguely in sight, and I've decided to stay at home and continue working until I've finished. That means missing Funabashi this week, which definitely goes against the grain (even more so when I've got my mug on one of the posters!), but it also means I can relax next month and enjoy every day in peace. I can't even sleep properly at the moment...
Meanwhile, my apologies to Gen Hayashi for not being there today (I always try and support the photo days), and to all the other jockeys and grooms who have been expecting to see my face in the paddock. As soon as this job is done, let the good times roll.
On the racing front, Fairy Robe was supposed to be running at Funabashi on Thursday, but, with the race oversubscribed, she was unfortunate to be one of those that couldn't run. Luck of the draw!Sunday, March 10, 2013
DESERT SONG
I was hoping to bring you lots and lots of nice pictures of the show-jumping at Higashi-Kanto this weekend, but Saturday the timing was all off, and today the sand storm that hit the Tokyo Bay area meant escaping to Tokoro RC early on. Having seen a friend jump, we ran for cover, and when the weather finally cleared, the afternoon's events had already been cancelled on safety grounds.
Anyway, Harmony Fair is booked to run at Nakayama on the 16th now, but again the race is oversubscribed, so we'll have to wait and see if luck is with us this time. Until confirmation comes through, though, there's not much point saying anything else.
You'll notice that we've now shot past the 15,000 visitor mark. Since the last update on audience locations, folks from Chile, Bulgaria, Portugal and Macau have been tuning in, taking the country count to a nice even 50, covering all corners of the globe between them. I promise I will write more again as soon as this current book project is finished - right now it's ruling my life! Meanwhile, my sincere thanks to everyone for your support...
I was hoping to bring you lots and lots of nice pictures of the show-jumping at Higashi-Kanto this weekend, but Saturday the timing was all off, and today the sand storm that hit the Tokyo Bay area meant escaping to Tokoro RC early on. Having seen a friend jump, we ran for cover, and when the weather finally cleared, the afternoon's events had already been cancelled on safety grounds.
Anyway, Harmony Fair is booked to run at Nakayama on the 16th now, but again the race is oversubscribed, so we'll have to wait and see if luck is with us this time. Until confirmation comes through, though, there's not much point saying anything else.
You'll notice that we've now shot past the 15,000 visitor mark. Since the last update on audience locations, folks from Chile, Bulgaria, Portugal and Macau have been tuning in, taking the country count to a nice even 50, covering all corners of the globe between them. I promise I will write more again as soon as this current book project is finished - right now it's ruling my life! Meanwhile, my sincere thanks to everyone for your support...
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