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.

Third Success In Valuable Pontefract Conditions Event

After getting outpaced in a competitive five furlong conditions event at Ascot, we were confident the stiff six furlongs at Pontefract would suit Master Carpenter and he'd make it a successful 560 mile round trip to the Yorkshire course. The £15,000 Conditions event is a race we like to target with our best two-year-olds, having had three representative in the event, winning it in 2003 with Cop Hill Lad (later runner-up in the Super Sprint) and 2009 with Roi De Vitesse (runner-up in Group 2 Superlative Stakes) while Glenmuir was second in 2005. With Master Carpenter's running style and breeding suggesting he was only going to improve stepped up in trip, we were slightly surprised that the Richard Hannon trained Malachim Mist was such a hot favourite, as both had showed a similar level of form and he'd already had a run over six. Although the fact that Richard Hughes highlighted him in his Racing Post column certainly gave confidence to his many supporters. However, those that kept the faith with the smaller yard were rewarded with an 11/4 winner as Master Carpenter won a shade comfortably, always doing enough to win by a length and three quarters.

Master Carpenter's next target will be the Chesham at Royal Ascot and he fully deserves to take his chance at the Royal meeting. Andrea suggested that he needs seven furlongs already and as the Chesham is restricted to two-year-olds whose sire have won over ten furlongs or more. This means it's by far the weakest two-year-old race at the meeting, as most early two-year-olds are ineligible for the contest and we're hopeful of a big run.

Improved Hurdles Third For Annabelle

Despite schooling well at home, Princess Anabelle had jumped very slowly and deliberately when disappointing on her first two hurdle outings at Newton Abbot. We decided to put some blinkers on her and with new jockey Mark Quinlan gaining some confidence on her by schooling at the yard, she posted a much improved effort when third on Monday. Ridden handily, she jumped much better and travelled strongly in the blinkers before she was headed three out. She stayed on determinedly and was only beaten nine lengths and ran up to her solid bumper form. The handicapper has rated her 96 which is high enough, so we may keep her to Mares Novices for the time being.

Icebuster hasn't had much luck this season and he got no run whatsoever at Windsor on Monday evening. He settled quite nicely in the early stages off a steady pace but the field were still well bunched entering the home straight and he saw no daylight up the inside until it was too late. He stayed on well for fourth and confirmed he's in rude health and he can win races off 86.

Three Meets On Monday

It's a very busy Monday for the yard with three runners at three meetings, unsurprisingly Dad has chosen to go to Newton Abbot, nice and close to home!

The best chance would be Icebuster at Windsor who steps back up to twelve furlongs, having been outpaced throughout dropped back to nine at Newmarket last time out. He isn't an easy horse to win with, as slow starts mean he needs a strong pace to be seen at his best and that might not be guaranteed tomorrow. Tom Queally takes the ride and if he can be ridden prominently, without been chased up off a slow pace, he should go quite well with just nine runners. The handicapper put him up six pounds for his Haydock success so he needs to keep improving and Proofreader will be difficult to beat, as he looked a very well handicapped individual when meeting all sorts of trouble at Chester last time. However, lets hope he continues his good run of form and picks up some more prize money.

At Leicester, Winnie Perry needs to get his confidence back after losing his action at Bath last time out. The race may be too competitive but hopefully he has a trouble free run. A similar comment applies to Princess Anabelle who hasn't jumped well on her first two hurdle outings, having made a very bad mistake at the first on her debut. She has schooled under Mark Quinlan at home and jumps really well, so hopefully she at least gets involved today. Although the step up in trip should suit and she was only two lengths behind one of the favourites Garryleigh in a bumper at Taunton, so has the ability to run well.

Shahdaroba Hampered At Newmarket

It was a wasted trip up to Newmarket on Saturday, as in a very rough race Shahdaroba got bumped about and lost his action quite badly going into the dip. Andrea eased him down in case their was a problem but he seems fine after the race. He needs a fast run race and ease in the ground to be seen at his best but a mark of 94 makes life very hard and we're not too sure where he heads next.

Duel Returns After Gelding Op

Dovils Duel was by far our sharpest two-year-old back in March but he proved very disappointing in two runs on the track. Although the ground may have been too soft at Doncaster when fifth in the Brocklesby, he was very badly behaved in the preliminaries. At Kempton, he behaved better but produced an average effort, dropping away in the home straight. In his defence, he had the outside stall and was always stuck wide and it was a competitive maiden. However, we felt that he was clearly not performing as he should and decided to have him gelded, in the hope he will start concentrating on the job in hand. He returns to the track at Bath on Wednesday evening and we have lowered our sights by dropping him into a Class 6 Maiden Auction Stakes and it doesn't look the most competitive of events on paper. The other two-year-olds have caught him up at home but he should still be capable of going close in an ordinary race.

Dance has performed creditably in her bumpers, finishing placed on her last three starts. She makes her flat debut at Salisbury in a strong looking fillies maiden. The drop back to ten furlongs should suit but she would need to improve plenty on her bumper form to get involved. However, she should make a nice handicap prospect in time.

Unlucky Defeats For Two-Year-Olds

It was a slightly frustrating Saturday as both our two-year-old representatives were unlucky as Urban Dreamer and Seaham were second and third respectively. After his no show at Bath, Urban Dreamer showed much improved form when runner-up at Chepstow and probably improved again when second in a Bonus Maiden at Lingfield. He looked set to win entering the final furlong before been collared by Cool Bahamian, an Eve-Johnson Houghton newcomer, well inside the final furlong. Stall two, with the stands side rail such a big advantage and the ease in the ground, probably cost him victory and it shouldn't be long before he's off the mark.

Like Urban Dreamer, Seaham was very disappointing on his debut at Newbury, although in his defence that race was extremely competitive and he ended up racing on the much slower ground on the stands side. He was still green in the early stages at Warwick, which meant Andrea wasn't able to take the gap up the favoured stands rail as they entered the home straight. Unfortunately that gap had closed by the time Seaham had reached top gear and he had to be switched around his rivals. He was only beaten three quarters of a length in third and he should improve again for that experience and he's certainly capable of winning some nice races this season.