Allez Feilden!

If last week's blog qualified as being international because it came from Scotland then this week's most definitely is as it comes to you via Paris. John and I have been meaning to go to the Arc at Longchamp ever since having a great time there in 2005 and we finally got ourselves organised to do it again. It was a fantastic day and it was just a pleasure to enjoy such top-class racing as a spectator rather than stressing about your own horse. It was a shame Treve couldn't win it for a historic third year but Golden Horn was a worthy winner and just goes to show that bad horses don't win the Derby!

A victorious Golden Horn returns to the winner's enclosure

Meeting up with owners Kevin and Maureen Case

Treve: beaten but unbowed

On the home front, Dakota City blew his chance last time with a really slow start so we've tried to get him a bit more on the ball with a fair bit of stalls practice and he seems to be quick enough out of the gates now. That's not to say he will be the same on raceday but hopefully it means he can break better. Also in his favour at Kempton on Tuesday night is the return to an all-weather surface. He won at Lingfield and then ran a blinder at the same track before two poor runs on turf. Maybe he is just an all-weather horse so I expect a bounce back to form for him.

Dakota City (Mark) & Star Of The Stage (Adam)

Attain has been a credit to us all year with three wins on the board and hopefully he can get a fourth before the year is out. He has been in the handicapper's grip for a while but is slowly dropping back down to a good mark and he returns to Nottingham on Wednesday - a track he won at earlier in the year. He is a bit wooly in his coat now but is still galloping well at home.
At the opposite end of the experience scale, Little Orchid is yet to hit the racecourse but will hopefully make her debut at Wolverhampton on Friday. She hasn't done much wrong since coming into work but has needed some time grow and then got a few niggling problems which held her progress up. She is more than ready for a run now and it will do her the world of good.

Duke of Diamonds (Caitlin), Little Orchid (Luke) & Attain (Ross)

The previous day Duke Of Diamonds gains a bit of experience too with a trip to Chelmsford. His planned third run was called off when Yarmouth got flooded but the extra couple off weeks did him good and he's ready now to qualify for a handicap mark.

On Saturday I'm looking forward to seeing what Star Of The Stage can do. I bought him in July and gave him some time to put a bit of weight on as he looked quite light. He has done really well for the break and his homework has been very pleasing so he's more than ready to make his debut for us. I expect him to improve for the run but it'd be nice if he could show us some promise for the winter season ahead.


THREE TO FOLLOW
Top of the leaderboard:

Mark Rimmer	25
Adam Beschizza	24
Jim Stevens	24
Shelley Birkett	21
Ros Cousens	19
Steve Moore	17
Julia Feilden	17
Dominic Lisle	17
Sarah Macdonald	16
Tessa Stone	16
Malc Shields	14
Poppy Feilden	14
Eddie Partridge	14
Rita Aspland	14
Paula Smith	14
Steve Clarke	14
Martyn Clark	14