Coming back

After a quiet few weeks it was good to see the horses run well this week with some good performances at Nottingham on Wednesday.
Oud Metha Bridge blew away the cobwebs after his recent holiday with a solid fourth place whilst Paintball Wizard ran his best yet when filling the second spot later that afternoon. Also coming home in second was Telekinetic who made a bold show from the front and was only caught inside the final furlong. A few of the horses had a cough and snotty nose last month which seemed to just take the edge off them so hopefully they are back in rude health now ready for the all-weather season.

Paintball Wizard and Shelley at Nottingham

It looks like we'll be double-handed at Kempton on Tuesday with War Empress and Lily Bonnette entered there. Lily has been given a very low rating after her three maiden runs and the form of them has worked out very well with Group performers coming out of them so it is no surprise she couldn't match stride with them. We've tried her with some blinkers on at home which seemed to get a little more out of her so I'm hoping she can get involved this time and prove the handicapper's assessment to be wrong.
War Empress will also be in a handicap for the first time but her rating is probably a tad high. Suitable races have been hard to find for her so she is stepping up to two miles here but it is a distance she will get eventually, whether she is strong enough for it now remains to be seen.

The next runners won't be until Saturday at Southwell when we will have two entries in the same race. Limerick Lord is a standing dish at the track with four wins there and hopefully a summer away from the place will have revitalised him for another campaign there. He has had a couple of months off to freshen up and will improve for the run but hopefully he can still go well.
Sea Shack may be taking him on and it will be his first go at the course. He has the characteristics of a horse who will like the surface there so he will take his chance if showing us he is fit and well after his run last week.

Thursday will be a busy day with five of our horses heading to the Tattersalls Ascot November Sale. With a good bunch of yearlings entering the yard, it is time to move on some of the older horses and I feel they all have something to offer potential buyers.
Lot 32 - Exning Queen: a well-bred filly who has the ability to win a 6/7f race but keeps blowing her chances with very slow starts.
Lot 33 - Telekinetic: a lovely, big mare who has needed time to mature but has improved throughout the year. She finished second on soft ground at Nottingham last week and will win on the flat but also has the scope to go hurdling.
Lot 34 - Boxatricks: a well-made gelding who won at Newcastle last winter. He is a straight-forward horse who has a tendency to hang right in his races but will win again in the right grade.
Lot 52 - Any Smile: a strong filly who shows lots of ability at home but hasn't matched it on the track yet. Will win if someone can find the key to her!
Lot 53 - Ride and Prejudice - showed ability in three novice runs earlier this year and is handicapped to win a nursery over the winter.