New Camera

Just trying out the new camera I got for Christmas, and while I'm struggling with the size and multitude of buttons and programmes at the moment, I think I'll get used to it. If all else fails, I'll just switch everything to fully manual and enjoy the guesswork. Happy enough with the results, though, to the point where I wish 'Bugatti' had been brushed before I took the photo rather than after it!

On the training side, recently the big fella has been something of a handful, so he's going back on the 'Relax Me' supplement to try and take the edge off his ultra-high tension, and then hopefully we can get some mileage in on the outer track before attempting training. As of late, he's been that wild that it was better to keep him in a tighter arena, taking things gently until he was fully prepared to play the game mentally. For every plus there's a minus and vice versa, and in this case, Louis has gained valuable experience in the art of rodeo riding. But 'Bugatti' isn't being nasty, that's for sure - he's just young, enjoying the cooler spell, and full of the joys of Spring...

Now We're Talking

J'ai Un Reve (pictured on the left, courtesy Carrot Club) makes his long-awaited debut at Kyoto on Sunday, running in the 6R - a mile over turf - with NAR master Masanori Higashikawa in the saddle. This Kasamatsu-based rider is a true track veteran, being almost the same age as me, and has had a fair bit of JRA experience in the past. Certainly got my fingers crossed for him, as this is probably the first Montjeu kid to run out here...

A Lord Ilsley Pair

The eagle-eyed amongst you may have spotted a couple of new names at the foot of the page. Yep, the sale on the pair of Lord Ilsley Racing ponies has been confirmed, and while they have yet to be named, it's worth looking at their bloodlines. Both were born in the Spring of 2013, and both can boast Danetime as the father of their sires.

Looking at the colt first, he was sired by Baltic King. Baltic King had an incredibly long history on the track by UK standards, and won a few Stakes races along the way before being sent to the Tally-Ho Stud in Ireland. His father was Danetime by Danehill, the latter successfully combining the blood of Tesio's greatest to go down in history as one of the most successful sires of all-time, while his female line has Roberto (Hail To Reason) and Northern Dancer DNA running through its veins. Hail To Reason and Northern Dancer pop up again on Baltic King's dam side via Lindfield Belle. The colt's dam was Regal Lustre, who carries yet more Roberto and Northern Dancer blood, which is fine by me - I love Roberto! Her sire, Averti, picked up a 5-2-6 record from 41 starts, and had Warning as his father, who had a fabulous record, including a win in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Her dam was Noble Lustre, a Kentucky mare that has given birth to numerous successful racers. 

As for the filly, she is by Bushranger out of Miss Megs. Bushranger won a couple of G1 races, combining the blood of Danetime and Danz Danz, the latter carrying on the Danzig line via Green Desert, as well as a drop of War Admiral and Sir Ivor DNA. Her dam, Miss Megs, won twice as a three-year old, and has given birth to three winners from her six kids. Her sire was Croco Rouge, who won a couple of G1 races thanks to his Blushing Groom and Alleged bloodlines, with Princequillo providing the Irish link. On her dam side, we have Shirley Heights (Mill Reef) and High Top. 

We'll drop up these profiles again, separated and with some pictures, as soon as the pair are named. I'm looking forward to another fun season of English flat racing...

Quick News

Just heard that Pretty Gully is doing well in Australia, and should be back on the tracks real soon now that the weather has finally cooled down Down Under. Danielle's Journey (pictured, courtesy of the Realta Horse racing Club) is also looking good in Ireland, and will hopefully be able to make her third outing in the very near future.

Meanwhile, Beat The Boarder is set to run at Tokyo's TCK track on the 26th. She will compete in the C2 Class seventh race, held over a mile. I can't say as I'm particularly looking forward to this one, though, as she has been incredibly disappointing in her last four outings. Fair enough, the gate draw and subsequent decision to take it easy explains the first two, and while the same outside gate covers the lack of a win in the next race, it doesn't excuse the awful performance she gave. As for the last race, well, it was enough to prompt me to ask for a change of trainers or retirement. We shall have to wait and see what happens, but until I see a spark of hope, I'm certainly not bothering to trek across to Tokyo to go and see her unless I have business in town or something else running there that day.

Trovao

This is an interesting colt that has been left on the Carrot Club sidelines, so we'll take a chance on him and see what happens. He was sired by Kane Hekili, who we profiled in July 2014 when we looked at the Sunday Thoroughbred Club newcomer, while his dam is Sawa's Song.

Courtesy Carrot Club

Sawa's Song picked up a 1-1-0 record from three runs, and passes on the DNA of her father, Cox's Ridge, who clocked up 16 top class victories from 28 runs. The fact that he was successful is hardly surprising given that he carried the blood of Turn-To, Swaps, Bull Lea and Man O'War - all American heroes one and all. Another US (via Canada) hero, Secretariat, pops up as the grandfather of Yestday's Kisses (six wins from 23 starts, including G2 and G3 outings), who gave birth to Sawa's Song.

Size-wise, he's a bit small at the moment, but he was born late in the Spring, a couple of months later than most of his mates at the training centre, so he's still got some growing to do. I'm hoping this will allow him to avoid a Hokkaido campaign, and come straight down to the Kanto area as soon as he's ready to run. With luck, he'll be allocated a Funabashi trainer, which will make it a lot easier to follow his progress on the track.