It’s finally here and there is definitely a Festival buzz as we await the roar as the tapes go up for the first race. Even the boys have gone off to school with a spring in their step wondering who is going to win the Champion Hurdle and glad there is a racing friendly teacher who will let them know the result!
No runners for us today and sadly Solstice Star was balloted out of the Cross Country race tomorrow. A disappointment but these things often happen for a reason and he’s in great form and more planning to be done with him.
Stratford yesterday and Debden Bank was putting in a promising run until stopping quickly as the pace quickened on the final circuit. He’ll be thoroughly checked out again as we are sure he’s better than that. Even Aidan Coleman cantering to post told his jockey Conor Shoemark that he was sitting on a ‘proper horse’ as Aidan has worked him at home. Frustrating.
Pinnacle Peak was a big raw green baby and babyish in the paddock too. But he has such a likeable attitude and despite rolling around on the bends and not really realising he was in a race, he kept on galloping and was beaten less than 7 lengths into 7th. A very promising debut which he’ll come on a lot for despite working regularly on our grass gallops and having a racecourse gallop it just goes to show some are less forward when the hit the track than others. Happy owners though and a nice horse for the future.
Hope to see lots of you at Cheltenham. Enjoy!