Four Sold On At Horses In Training Sales And A New Addition

We said goodbye to four of our older horses at Tattersalls Horses In Training Sales at Newmarket last week. Shahdaroba was top lot of the draft, making 65,000gns and has joined Micky Hammond's stable. He was generally pretty consistent, although he struggled with the handicapper after winning at Newmarket's Craven meeting, putting in creditable efforts throughout the season. He has done extremely well for his owners, purchased for 25,000gns as a yearling, winning two races and £36,127 in prize money, plus a £10,000 bonus for his maiden win and will do well for new connections in similar handicaps next year.

The Links also sold the three-years-olds Astrum and Poetic Verse, both having done extremely well this season but both probably held by the handicapper at present and it's the right time to sale them on. Homebred Poetic Verse did particularly well, winning four times this season and was placed a further tweleve times in her career from twenty-three starts. She rose 23lbs in the handicap before her winning run came to an end, mainly due to her excellent attitude but found life harder against some classy sorts in Class 4 company. She has joined John Quinn's yard for 16,500gns and her excellent attitude is sure to stand her in good stead. Astrum was very disappointing at two but he came into his own stepped up in trip as a three-year-old, winning twice and placed six times, he probably should have won three or four but didn't get much luck on occasions. He also went up 22lbs in the handicap and has joined Neil King's yard for 36,000gns and will be sent hurdling in the winter, if his antics when jumping over the road at Salisbury as a two-year-old are anything to go by, he will make a super jumper!

Finally, tough two-year-old Urban Dreamer was also sold on, frustratingly still a maiden but he gave his owners plenty of fun this year. In a busy season, he had seventeen starts, finished runner-up on seven occasions as well as four thirds, a fourth and two solid efforts just outside the prize money in valuable sales races. He still picked up over £13,000 in place prize money and was generally progressive at the end of the season, ending up rated 78. We felt he was the type that may struggle in the UK at three, so although winning a maiden should be a formality (we also thought that throughout the season but UD had other ideas!), life in handicaps could be hard. He made 17,000gns and is now enjoying the sunnier climate of Qatar.

While we also have a new addition to the yard as Triple Chief was purchased for 10,000gns from the Luca Cumani yard. The High Chaparral colt out of Trebles is an unraced two-year-old and he's been gelded and put away for the winter. He's a half-brother to a German Group 2 winner in Sherezad and he could be a nice progressive type for next season.

Four At Ffos Las

It's a busy Tuesday evening at Ffos Las, with four runners at the Welsh track, although all four would probably be happier if some of the heavy rain showers hit the track. We have two in the fillies sprint, with both Ivors Princess and Madame Kintyre needing to find some form. Ivors Princess made a great start to her three-year-old career, winning her first two starts with ease at Salisbury but was absolutely hammered by the handicapper as she went up a whopping 18lbs. She then lost her confidence when racing in a higher grade and had a setback in the spring which has delayed her return to the track. Hopefully the smaller field will help her gain some confidence but she will probably strip fitter for the outing. Madame Kintyre has had a lot of problems since denied by a short-head at Windsor in June and although well handicapped, she has completely lost her way. Hopefully the small field will also help her gain some confidence as if returning to form she could certainly go very close but we will be happy if she just gets involved. Sweet Alabama went off too hard in first-time blinkers when fourth at Leicester, having looked likely to win entering the final furlong, which showed she's certainly capable of winning a race. She hasn't repeated the form on two subsequent starts and would prefer some rain today but off a light weight, she's capable of placing at least. Gaelic Ice has been in good form since the hood was applied, having a troubled run when second at Windsor and then got stuck a little wide when third stepped up to twelve furlongs at Ffos Las last time. Dropped into a weak 0-55 handicap, she should go very close and hopefully she gets off the mark as we could do with a winner, as we have found ourselves on the cold list, despite most of the horses running well recently.

Progressive three-year-old Astrum runs on the AW at Lingfield on Wednesday and although we would prefer turf, there are only eight runners and hopefully the weather isn't quite as hot as it will help reduce the kickback, which is particularly bad in the summer. As long as he handles the AW, he should go very close as it doesn't look the strongest of races and he was unlucky not to get his third win of the season when second at Pontefract last time as he was left with too much to do, having been hampered at the start. We also have Into The Wind at Sandown in the evening, the obvious question mark against her is the rise in grade as she is at her most competitive when racing at Class 6 level. However, she is progressing with age and her chance would be greatly increased if the thunderstorms hit Sandown as she loves soft ground. She had too much ground to make up last time and is better in smaller fields so she certainly won't be disgraced.

Lots Of Recent Places

It has been a few weeks since a news update and although we would like some more winners, the horses have been running well in recent weeks. It was a very narrow defeat for Gladiatrix when she was denied by a short head at Newmarket on Friday evening, with the rejuvenated Tax Free taking advantage of a reduced handicap mark but Gladiatrix posted a career best effort in the process so we can't be disappointed. She had been unlucky on her two previous starts, a bad draw at Sandown costing her victory when third and then got badly hampered at Salisbury next time out. Another homebred filly to be busy is Gaelic Ice who has posted solid second and thirds at Windsor and Ffos Las in the last ten days.

We took two of the Links Partnership's horses to Haydock earlier in the month and both Astrum and Icebuster ran good races, both finishing second to useful horses. Astrum was unlucky not to go one better when second again at Pontefract on Monday, unfortunately he got hampered at the start and was too far behind to catch the winner. His attitude has been brilliant this year and he has improved with every start.

Unfortunately we did endure disappointment at Royal Ascot as Master Carpenter was only fourteenth in the Chesham Stakes. It wasn't ideal for him to make the running on Ascot's straight track and perhaps he may benefit from dropping back to six furlongs but no obvious excuse has come to light and we will just ignore that effort and he will be out again shortly.

Busy Bank Holiday Ends With A Winner

We had a very busy Bank Holiday Monday with six runners at four meetings and most ran with credit before Astrum won the finale at Warwick. The Haafhd gelding has turned the corner as a three-year-old and this was his second success of the season, both at Warwick and he looks set to progress again as he wasn't given a hard time by Andrea and still won by a length and three quarters. His previous Nottingham third, where he ended up poorly placed, has worked out extremely well and hopefully he can get win number three in the coming weeks.

Pat had a good ride on yard veteran Shavansky and the pair didn't quite get up when losing out by a neck in a London Mile Qualifier at Kempton. Once again the £43,000 Final which he won last year will be his main aim this season. Isis Blue returned to form when third at Warwick, having disappointed on his two previous starts where he raced too keenly, so we decided to drop him out the back and made sure he settled in the early stages. While, he ran his race much more professionally, the first two raced prominently and he just had too much ground to make up but it was a step in the right direction.

Although she finished third, it was a slightly disappointing effort from Gladiatrix in the fillies handicap at Kempton. She didn't really pick up in the closing stages and it may be that six furlongs stretches her stamina but she needs to improve again before we target some Listed races. At Bath, Blue Anchor Bay was fourth in a maiden, he would have finished closer if he wasn't hampered by the third.

Hat-Trick For Poetic Verse?

As usual on a Monday, especially now Windsor is back up and running, we're very busy and have three runners tomorrow. The best chance would be Poetic Verse who runs in the finale at Windsor and this tough filly is going for three victories in a row. Having looked exposed off marks in the low sixties this winter, a step up to twelve furlongs has seen has seen plenty of improvement and she was impressive when winning at Kempton a fortnight ago. She is six pounds higher and eventually the handicapper will get hold of her but is extremely well in herself at the moment and certainly full of confidence. Small fields suit and her turf form over shorter distances was comparable to AW efforts over similar trips so that shouldn't be a problem and she has to go well again.


Meanwhile, if Gladiatrix hadn't gone over the top when third at Bath in October, she could be bidding for a six-timer, having won on her return at Southwell. We were slightly surprised that she won there, as the fibresand surface wouldn't have been ideal and it certainly augurs well for her this season. She is in a sixteen runner sprint at Windsor and it is by far her hardest test yet so it won't be an easy task. Some have suggested that she may be better at five furlongs but her first two wins were over Bath's extended five which is pretty stiff and she's normally doing her best work at the end of her races, so we don't think stepping back up to six will be a problem. She only went up two pounds for that Southwell success and we still feel she's well handicapped so we're hopeful she will go close, especially as we hope she can compete for black-type in Listed company this season.

Our third runner is Isis Blue at Kempton and unlike Gladiatrix, he failed to handle fibresand when a disappointing third nearly three weeks ago. He was slightly unlucky when runner-up on his handicap debut over course and distance in March and off a one pound higher mark, he is another with a solid chance tomorrow. He's a horse we really liked last year but was on the weak side and picked up a few minor problems but still showed some solid form on his first two starts. He has strengthened up nicely over the winter and we feel he's capable of exploiting a mark of 70 and progressing through the handicap ranks. It's a competitive handicap tomorrow and he needs to bounce back from a below par effort but he too shouldn't be far away, hopefully it will be a good day!

However, we didn't have much success on Friday and Saturday with the two-year-olds running well below expectations. Seaham was in a very competitive maiden at Newbury and probably ended up on the slower ground but he didn't look very comfortable at halfway and perhaps he will prefer a sounder surface. Meanwhile, Urban Dreamer got very upset in the stalls at Bath and while he showed plenty of speed, dropped away tamely from halfway. Hopefully both will leave these efforts behind next time. At Nottingham on Saturday, Astrum stayed on well for third and was slightly unlucky, getting shuffled back early on a track which favoured those racing prominently. He showed more resolution than when winning at Warwick and he should keep progressing off his low handicap mark.

Astrum Finally Repeats Homework

Astrum

During his two-year-old season, Astrum showed more temperament than ability but had always worked well at home so we were hopeful he'd come good at some point. He's strengthened up nicely this winter and in a modest seven runner contest at Warwick, we were hopeful he'd go close on his seasonal return. He travelled nicely throughout the race and gradually asserted up the home straight to win by three quarters of a length. Hopefully this win has boosted his confidence and he can progress this season.

Isis Blue Bids To Go One Better

We ended up having no runners last week but it’s a much busier week in prospect with runners at Warwick on Monday, Southwell and Kempton on Tuesday.

 Astrum was very disappointing last season, showing more signs of temperament than ability on his first two starts before a glimmer of promise at Leicester. He had excuses when disappointing on the AW in two nurseries (6f too short/hampered next time) but needs to fully focus on the track this season. His work at home suggests he’s well handicapped off 54, so hopefully he can show more on his return at Warwick on Monday. There are only seven runners and while the tacky ground isn’t ideal, it isn’t the most competitive of races, so he could run quite well, although nothing would surprise.

Tuesday sees the yard back at Southwell, our horses tend to do well on the fibresand surface but both Isis Blue and Gladiatrix are making their debuts there and until they have actually run on it, you don’t know how they will handle it. Isis Blue has strengthened up nicely over the winter and he made a very promising three-year-old return when runner up in a competitive race at Kempton, staying on strongly inside the final furlong despite been checked. He has only gone up a pound and as Tuesday’s race isn’t any stronger and as long as he handles the fibresand, we’re hopeful he will go close. Gladiatrix really progressed in the autumn, landing a four-timer and she should progress again this season. There aren’t many options for her in the opening weeks of the ‘turf’ season and she was balloted out at Kempton on Saturday, so our hand is forced to go to Southwell. It probably isn’t the ideal track to run her, as she can get behind early and it provides a unique test against some course specialists like Even Stevens. However, she needs to get a few runs under her belt and she has plenty of ability so it will be interesting to see how she gets on.

Nothing really went right for Icebuster last season, he missed most of the turf campaign and was then unsuited by slowly run races on the AW but showed he retains all of his ability when third at Kempton in a very competitive handicap in the autumn. He has had an uninterrupted preparation this winter and we’re hopeful he can regain the winning thread at some point this season. Once again, the main concern on Tuesday would be a slowly-run race but there are a couple of prominent runners and there are only ten runners so he should find some space up the home straight under Jamie Spencer and he definitely has each-way chances.

We have just uploaded a Stable Tour onto the website. At the moment it only contains the older horses but a two-year-old tour will be uploaded later next week.