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.

Isis Blue Finally Fulfils Potential

We had high hopes that Isis Blue was going to be a progressive three-year-old this season but things hadn't quite gone to plan this year. He was unlucky when second on his return at Kempton, getting hampered at a crucial stage but ran far too keenly when disappointing on his next two outings. We dropped him right out at Warwick to get him to relax and although he was left with too much to do, it was a step in the right direction as he stayed on well for third. Stepped up to ten furlongs at Salisbury on Thursday evening, he settled well off the strong early pace and as he gradually made his way into contention, he soon put the race to bed when asked to quicken inside the final two furlongs. It was an impressive success and although the handicapper has raised him to 75, we hope he can progress through the grades this season.

One filly that has improved this season is Poetic Verse but a four-timer proved beyond her at Sandown. Stepped up to fourteen furlongs but more importantly up in grade, she stayed on steadily to claim fourth place and it looks as if the handicapper may have got hold of her for now. She has gone up twenty three pounds since winning at Southwell in February and while she has a fantastic attitude, she lacks the scope of some of her rivals and life won't be easy this summer.

Hat-Trick Landed!

Poetic Verse made it three out of three since stepping up to twelve furlongs and recorded her fourth victory of the year at Windsor on Monday evening. The Link's Partnership's homebred filly couldn't be in better form at the moment and ran out an easy two length winner without being asked a serious question by Andrea Atzeni. Hopefully the handicapper won't be too harsh, as the race couldn't have worked out any better for her, with the pace up front far too strong and in such a small field, Andrea had plenty of time to switch her out wide as she made effortless progress inside the final three furlongs. Obviously things are going to get harder in future, as she will be forced into Class Four company and she can't remain in such blistering form forever. Although she has certainly exceeded our expectations so far, hopefully we can sneak in win number five at some point this summer!

Ultimately Monday was still a disappointing day for the yard as both Gladiatrix and Isis Blue ran well below expectations. Gladiatrix had won five of her last six starts but faced by far her toughest test at Windsor and only finished ninth, five lengths behind the winner. She stumbled in the early stages and didn't have a lot of room which may have affected the confidence of a filly that was very hesitant in her early races. Hopefully it won't be long before she's back on the winning trail but we might have to adjust our future plans. Isis Blue was very keen in the early stages which meant he was very awkward going round the bend and his action never really recovered up the homestraight. He was in a competitive event and may benefit from dropping in grade but he is proving quite frustrating at the moment.

Our final runner of the jumps season was Dance and she ran another solid race when third in her final bumper at Taunton on Wednesday. She was a bit keener on her fourth outing and didn't have any more to give when headed entering the final furlong. She will now revert to the flat and will enjoy dropping back in trip. Although we didn't get a win out of our bumper team this season, we did have eight places and Pat certainly gained some valuable experience which he will put into good use this flat season.

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.

Third Win For Poetic Verse

The Link's Partnership's homebred filly Poetic Verse has had a terrific 2013 and recorded her third success of the year at Kempton on Monday. She has proved a revelation since stepped up to twelve furlongs and ran out an impressive length and three quarters winner under Ryan Moore. Although she will go up in the weights and be forced back up in grade, she showed a good turn of foot and could well stay further so hopefully she can keep progressing. While she was our fourth winner in eight days and the horses couldn't be in better form, long may it continue.

Poetic Verse Bids For Third Success

Poetic Verse has had a busy and successful winter, getting off the mark at Southwell in February and then showed improved form when stepped up to twelve furlongs to win at Lingfield three weeks ago. Her dam was a dual twelve furlong winner and this filly has clearly benefited from stepping up to the same trip and should give a good account at Kempton on Monday. She has only gone up three pounds for her Lingfield success, actually drops in grade from a 0-75 to 0-65 and the longer straight at Kempton should suit, so there is plenty in her favour. However, she has already had fifteen starts and may be vulnerable to some unexposed sorts that are starting out in handicaps. The Marco Botti trained Autrisk, by Authorised, may improve stepping up three furlongs on his handicap debut and the Queen's Handiwork has already done so, only beaten half a length at Lingfield last week, are such dangers. However, Poetic Verse has shown she's very tough and with Ryan Moore on board, the horses in great form, she should be in the frame at least.

We also have Sweet Alabama in the one mile maiden and she showed she had strengthened up during the winter when third on her return over course and distance. She should continue to progress with experience but faces much stronger competition on her third start and will probably find life easier in handicaps.