18/07/21

Summer has finally arrived and it isn't doing anything by half measures this weekend with the mercury hitting 30c. We're starting work a bit earlier in the mornings so the horses are out before it gets really hot and the staff won't melt away either!

Obviously the ground is going to get baked and be very firm everywhere so we'll have to keep an eye on that with regards to our upcoming runners.
There will be no worries of that for our first runners on the all weather at Wolverhampton on Tuesday as Heer's Sadie and Sir Gregory run in separate divisions of the seven furlong handicap.
Heer's Sadie has been running very well since switched to handicaps and she ran a career best on the all-weather last time when only narrowly beaten. She has the same conditions here and a good draw so should go close again.
Sir Gregory looks like he needs this step up in trip to seven furlongs so hopefully that's enough to see him run better than last time.

We missed racing at Yarmouth last week because of the firm ground and it clearly was very fast by the seaside as some track records were broken there. We have four entries but I'll see how conditions are before deciding whether to run.
Queen's Company probably won't be declared as she had a good blow after her gallop at the weekend so looks likely to need another gallop before she's fit enough to run again.
Smokey Malone found the ground a bit too soft at Brighton last time so the firmer conditions here should be a lot better for him, as will the bigger field which helps keep him interested. He's won two races already this year but I think there is still more to come from him, particularly if he stays this extra distance.
Maybe the firmer ground will help bring Winter Snowdrop back to form as she has been disappointing this year for no apparent reason. She is getting down to a winnable mark now and likes the track so there's no reason why she shouldn't perform.
In the same race will be Fen Tiger. He bumped into a well-handicapped rival last time and there doesn't look to be any in this field on paper so he should have a good chance to get his first win on the board providing he handles the firm ground.

Completing the week will be Raha with an entry at Salisbury on Saturday but she definitely needs some rain to come before then. She was disappointing at Chepstow last week but the ground had dried up a bit and the undulating course wasn't to her liking so that effort can be easily forgiven.