No rain is a pain

I may have been basking in the spell of pleasant weather this time last week but you can only have so much of a good thing and the dry conditions that were so welcome are now starting to become a disruption.
As Henry Cecil has been so publically saying this week with regards to his horses, not being able to work on the grass due to it being too firm is a pain. It's not that you can't train without the green stuff - there are a vast array of all-weather canters in Newmarket - it just makes a nice change for the horses to gallop on a bit of lush grass and it also means you can work the stayers over a bit further than a mile.

Anyway, there's nothing wrong with the horses at the minute and I hope they can show their well being with all the runners we have this week.
Tomorrow sees our first two year old runner of the year when Red Hearts goes to Windsor. We only bought her three weeks ago from Kempton's breeze-up sales but she's very sharp. It's a hot looking contest and it's hard to gauge how good the youngsters are when you haven't had a juvenile runner yet but she is pretty precociuos and I hope she shows some promise.
At the veteran end of the scale that same day, nine year old Bavarica runs. The trip, track and ground are perfect and as long as the race pans out in the right way I can see her going very close.

We're busy on Tuesday as well with three runners. Richard Hughes' agent rang up for the ride on Premier League at Bath and he thinks he should go close so it looks positive. My only concern is the fast ground as all his best form is on the deep surface at Southwell.
Night Orbit runs in one of the longest flat races you will see all year (2m5f) at Pontefract. He has no stamina doubts and as long as he doesn't get too detached when he hits his customary flat spot halfway, he will be flying at the finish.
Emmeline Pankhurst makes her seasonal reappearance at Wolverhampton. She's showing plenty of speed at home but might find it hard to make the running from her wide draw.

Generous Genella looks to have a lot in her favour at Southwell on Tuesday. It's not a great race and the step up in trip will suit her. She's needed a few runs to get fit and I hope she can win.

After that there's barely any racing as we hit the Easter period but the Lester Awards are on Thursday and the yard as plenty of interest as Baggsy and Mattie Batchelor are nominated for 'Jumps Ride of the Year' after their epic win at Towcester late last year. My, apprentice, Adam Beschizza, also has a nomination for 'Apprentice Jockey of the Year'.

Good Luck to them both.


Three to Follow Update:
No change to last week's standings.