Kazontherazz ran a blinder yesterday on her racecourse debut, outrunning her odds as I hoped she would. She settled and relaxed well and although she turned for home towards the rear, she finished like a speed train to finish 3rd – beaten less than 2 lengths. Her owners, The Meagher Family, were unsurprisingly absolutely delighted and she certainly showed she has the family toughness that half brother Back On The Lash also has. An exciting future ahead of her I’m sure.
Zara Tindall’s lovely mare Cut And Run didn’t enjoy the ground and, as it was probably the best we are going to have for some time now, shes’ going to her to take her home for a winter holiday and bring her back when it starts drying up again. She’s a top of the ground horse and loves her racing when the ground is decent and finds it much easier to jump and travel.
Richard East was in this morning to watch his Solstice Star do his first swinging canter up the grass upsides the other Foxtrot Racing horse we have in training, Witness Protection. Solstice cut himself quite badly when he ran at Cheltenham and it is huge thanks to the veterinary team there and my team here that it’s healed so well. He’s such a good patient too and it won’t be long before he’s back on the track again as he’s feeling very well!
James Best, Patrick Cowley, Kai Lenihan and Warren Marston all in this morning and we worked Reve, Big Nasty, Samtara, Dariya, Dreamsundermyfeet, Enforcement, Cul De Poule, Eclat Des Mottes, Ten Past Midnight and Debden Bank up the grass. The rest either did a swinging canter or a steady canter on the grass.
Physio Hannah Ashton was in with her fantastic Indiba Machine so lots of the horses benefitted from her treating them with that and farrier Nick Partridge was in too. With our horses being turned out every day – and loving their time out in the field turning themselves inside out often – Nick’s services are called on regularly as they are often pulling shoes off. The benefits of turning them out certainly outweighs that though as it helps keep them happy and relaxed and no doubt makes them easier to ride too! This year we have all realised how horrible it is in self-isolation and/or lockdown and horses must feel better being out of their stables in the field for a few hours every day.