Funabashi Bash

As always, a wonderful day out at Funabashi - a chance to bump into lots of friends, and see some beautiful horses running flat-out in close formation. Don't know why, but I didn't take that many pictures today. Hopefully you'll like this one, though...

Carrot Confab

All very quiet on the Carrot Club front - most of the horses are on the treadmill, with a few taking some R&R in chilly climes. Mephisto Waltz is out with Miyuki-san on the 8th at Hanshin (due to run in the meeting opener over 1800m of dirt), and Single Cask has been booked for Nakayama on the 15th; Tosaki-san is in the saddle for this one - the 3R, which is scheduled for 1200m on turf. It should also be noted that Sophisticate is ready to run again soon, possibly before Tenshinramman's comeback on the 21st...

Lording It Up

Courtesy Lord Ilsley

You may remember I put up a piece on Mick Channon in early April, outlining how a sporting hero on the football pitch had become a top class trainer in the UK after hanging up his soccer boots once and for all. Well, the latest addition - soon to be added to the bottom of the page - is stabled with him and his team, including his son, Michael, who runs the Lord Ilsley racing syndicate. I'm happy on so many levels (Mick was one of my favourite footballers when I was a kid, which is a bonus one doesn't expect when investing in a racehorse), that all the ill feelings from my recent work problems are slowly starting to drift away. I'll put up a profile on this pretty filly, known for the time being as 'The Avonbridge Filly', later on...

An Overdue Update

A bit late updating things, as I've been working around the clock on the project from hell for the last four days solid. Thought I'd finished it, but there are still issues to sort out before it can go to the printers. I think I ought to sue for trauma, as well as wasted time when I could be playing with horses!

Anyway, I've just checked on the trainer reports, and there are quite a few of them that have built up. Nothing much to report, though, and even Miracle Rouge's write-up had little to say. The poor thing ran a good race, but came a disappointing 11th at the post - albeit less than a second behind the winner. At least the jockey still has confidence in the girl's ability, noting she wasn't quite herself on the day, so let's hope we can see something good from her again in the near future. In reality, Miracle-chan has been the best 'Bang For The Buck' racehorse I've ever had, with no extreme highs and lows as such, just a dogged performance every time. Perhaps she's fighting a bit above her weight nowadays, though?

It's that time of the year to think up names for the yearlings. I'll have to put my thinking cap on for the Carrot kids, but I've already sent in a proposal for the Vermilion filly (Sunday TC) - Grey Sovereign or Silver Sovereign, due to her colouring. Whether it gets chosen or not is a different matter, but at least I've thrown something into the pot.

One last piece of news - there should be another UK horse coming through soon. Watch this space!