Frustrating week despite Weather
Bob Le Beau was my fault at Down Royal on Friday because in most of the races he has won on the flat, he has raced prominently but for some reason, on his hurdling debut, I told Robert to sit in.
He travelled very well and didn’t run a bad race in finishing fourth, but he should have been closer to the front and will be from now on.
I thought Naas would be a bit better on Monday, but it didn’t happen that way. Royal Blue Star was coming back off a long lay-off but she will be back in a conditions’ race at Fairyhouse on Wednesday.
We’ll put a claimer on board as well and I would be hopeful she will be much more competitive.
Homeric Hymn couldn’t go on the ground and Fran looked after her, which was good. It was a pity, as a repeat of her previous run would have seen her finishing third or fourth.
It looks like Bendzoldan rather likes being in foal. She’s lost a little spark and the handicapper has probably gotten a grip on her too.
Empress Of Tara had a very good run in her first run of the year, finishing fourth and less than three lengths behind the winner, Love And Cherish. She will hopefully pay her way in these handicaps.
I was delighted with Weather Watch. He showed an awful lot of fight to win by a head from Gerdago. It was Emmet’s first winner for us and he was very strong. I was very pleased for him too and hope there’s more to come. Weather Watch is a bit of a slow learner, he doesn’t realise he’s a racehorse yet so he’ll continue to improve.
We got away with it a bit with Beyond Berlin, as the ground was too quick for him, but he came back fine – as they all did this week thankfully – while we now know for sure that Macnicholson doesn’t stay the two mile distance over bumpers and so will revert to 1½ miles on the flat for the summer.
The yard has just two runners over the weekend, with Kheleyf Diamond our sole representative at Navan today.
I was very pleased with her debut when fifth of 11 to one of Aidan’s two-year-olds, Stubbs, three weeks ago. She is a nice filly and I would be hoping she runs a nice race.
Protestant showed a lot of guts when winning on just his second racecourse appearance at Roscommon and is taking in his first handicap at the Curragh. All the other runners have more experience but he is clearly tough and was very green the last day. There is plenty of improvement in him, but needless to say, the experience will stand him in good stead regardless of what happens.
He is going the right way though and we would be delighted if he ran into a place. You’d expect more to come after that.
We schooled Steps To Freedom and Jetson ahead of their intended engagements at Roscommon on Monday. Steps will be the only one in his beginners’ chase jumping fences in public for the first time. He has schooled well and will love the ground if it stays as it is. I’m very much looking forward to him finally getting going.
The smaller fences should suit the diminutive Jetson but we will be hoping that Liberty Counsel stays in or else he’ll be carrying top weight of 11st 10lbs, which would be far from ideal.
