Wednesday Wobbler

Sayesse was cruised home at Newbury as soon as it became clear there was no chance of a good finish - the problem with a 5F race, at the end of the day, as everything has to come together double quick. But he'll be ready to fight another day as a result of George Baker's actions, and the odds were staked against the pair anyway after the handicapper walloped us with an even greater weight penalty than we had already. There's no doubt, though - this is a super horse...

The Carrot Club reports are just the same, despite me complaining bitterly to head office the other day. Massabielle has had a vet go over it and more care is needed. No change there, with no plan even! Rush Attack is on a long, long road to recovery, but will never recover all the time off, either financially or in worthwhile results - it's simply been away from the track for far too long. Perfumer needs more care - again! Actually, what it really needs, like the training staff, is a kick up the arse to get it moving or retirement, as this horse will never perform, even in top condition (assuming it can ever achieve it!). Lotus Blossom is still moving to Kanto, and has been for so long according to reports, that it could have walked to the Bay Area from Hokkaido by now. And Trovao, all that treadmill work really justifies its huge - and growing - monthly bill. Please explain how treadmill work is more expensive than a stay at a racing stable, with better care and a costlier diet. As always, bollocks, bollocks, and yet more bollocks.

Meanwhile, we might have The Jazz Singer (pictured) out in Ireland this week, depending on the weather and the ground it gives, and All Rosie is having a run (over a slightly longer 1200m) next Tuesday in Oz. According to Jo, this may be All Rosie's last chance to show what he can do, as he simply hasn't performed anywhere near what we know he is capable of in recent months.

All told, we're not having a very good run of late, but it's the Japanese outfits - Carrot Club, Shadai Thoroughbred Club and Sunday Thoroughbred Club - that are annoying me the most (by a huge margin, as it happens), offering absolutely nothing in terms of value for money, month after month after month. Of 17 horses out here, only five are at racing stables (better than before, but still a disgustingly poor ratio) and one 'runs' from NF; of those five, one hasn't even got a licence yet, another is nowhere near ready to race, and the others are doing so badly they bring in nothing. For the record, my last JRA win came at the end of last year; it's almost half-a-year since the last Carrot NAR winner, over three months since the last Sunday TC winner, and well over a year since the last Shadai TC one. Blacklister in England won three times in one month!

PS. All Rosie has been pulled, as Jo at JLH isn't happy with the chances offered by the field. Magic Key was supposed to be returning to Funabashi in August, and that's now moved to the last week of August (well, seeing as it's the 25th, it won't be earlier now, will it?) or the first week of September. It will be interesting to see how long it takes to get it race ready after that. Larressingle is running on the 28th, but I think we can guarantee another month of zero income and big bills for next to nothing in the way of Japanese action.