It's hard to say what the score is with Single Cask. Starting as fourth favourite, Maruyama (who actually did the last training session with the horse) is saying he felt he could win, but fifth is a long way off that, and even though second through fifth were all close, the winner romped home by quite some margin. So, will that necessary win come? If I was a gambling man, I'd put the odds at about 10/1 - it's not impossible, but the conditions and race scenario would have to be just right, as she's obviously not a distance runner.
Meanwhile, from today's performance and the decent burst for the line, one can conclude that 1200m is probably too short a distance for Harmony Fair - at least on turf. On saying that, had she raced yesterday (which, if you read the blog, you'll know that is what I was hoping for), she would have posted the same time as the winner of the 8R, and would now be guaranteed a future had she managed to edge out in front. As it is - once again! - the trainer aimed far too high, and she came home in seventh, 0.9 seconds down on the top pony. One can only assume the trainer is either incapable of learning from mistakes - which, it has to be said, seems par for the course at JRA establishments - or he needs space at the stables for a customer that pays better than Carrot Club does. Whatever, one thing is for sure - we might as well write her off. If a trainer enters a horse in race as 11th favourite of 16 runners, he obviously has no intentions whatsoever of giving the nag a shot at winning.
On a brighter note, at least 'Jaguar' was back in form today, going for a nice stroll in the countryside to freshen him up. I thought I'd give him a good brushing down afterwards to dislodge the last of his winter coat, but he wasn't having any of it - he sensed it was close to lunchtime, and his stable was calling strongly as a result. With an appetite like that, there's nothing seriously wrong, that's for sure!
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