One runner today at Newton Abbot with Forecast who now runs in the colours of our Racing Club and will be partnered today by James Best. Forecast has been a real favourite in the yard since an owner of ours bought him at Tattersalls Autumn Sales as a 3 year old in 2015. He won 3 times for us and one of his best runs must have been at Aintree in October 2018 when he was just 4 3/4 lengths behind Paisley Park who went on to win the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham that season.
A subsequent change in ownership saw him move to Dr Newland’s yard but we were thrilled to be able to buy him back at the first opportunity when he went through the sales last autumn. He hasn’t run for over 200 days and, even though it’s a 4 horse race, the top two in the betting are very short with the 3rd horse close behind and Forecast a massive price as the outsider of the field. It’s great to get him back to the track for us and is the highest rated horse the Racing Club has ever had in it and if he finished closer than his price suggests today too we’ll be thrilled. He’s sure to come on for the run and we hope he’ll give everyone lots of fun.
Yesterday Katy Barr brought HRH The Princess Royal’s Cloud Formation here for a gallop and he seemed to enjoy himself and looks well. We look forward to him returning very soon.
Gorgeous weather here and great to get the horses out without rugs on which is quite rare here as we are so high up there is quite often a breeze. They love the sun on their backs and look really well too and it’s obviously perfect for the horses who are on their summer hoildays as well.
Us Trainers are never happy though are we and whilst I’m thrilled that the team and horses are loving the sun, we are desperate for rain too to be able to keep running them safely….but that may be coming next week if the forecasts are to be believed!