Ann Duffield
The horses we took to Ripon to work yesterday morning all went well, the five two year olds were led by Riverdale, a 77 rated three year old who did well last year winning impressively at Beverely. With George, Silvestre de Sousa, Phil Makin, Amy Ryan and Paul Mulrenan on board the babies, Lee Newman set a good strong pace on Riverdale. They all learnt a lot from their racecourse experience and will start their racing careers very soon. The lovely Medecis filly who is in our ladies only syndicate "Girls on Top" worked very nicely at Ripon and I am looking for a suitable race for her. We have two extra members in our group and we are all looking forward to seeing her run, there are not many shares left and the ladies who are already involved in her are, I am sure, going to have a good Summer.
Tim Easterby
The horses are starting the season well enough with Queens Revenge becoming our first 2-y-o winner of the season. The filly started very slowly in the five furlong Nags Head Pickhill Maiden Stakes. Ridden by David Allan, Queens Revenge had to squeeze between horses entering the final furlong but finished strongly to win by a head.
A first success for the first season sire Multiplex who is currently standing at Mickley Stud.
The yard won the same race last year with Cocktail Charlie and has now won the race five times in the past six years.
David Evans
Our smart two-year-old filly Redair - just touched off in the Brocklesby- will now be aimed at Chester's Lily Agnes Stakes.
James Millman
Garrarufa, a full brother to the best 2yo I have ridden so far in Roi De Vitesse who was second in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket. However Roi showed nothing at home and ran very moderately on debut at Folkestone but improved tremendously through the season. Gary also shows little at home, although his work has improved of late. We hope he progresses at much as Roi throughout his two-year-old career.
Tim Pitt
I was pleased with Sonko on her debut yesterday at Nottingham even though when one reads her finishing position reads that she finished 6th of seven runners. She took everything in her stride beforehand and behaved beautifully in the prelimanries. She was swiftly away and travelled very nicely away to the mid part of the race. The ground was very quick due to the fixture being moved from the inner track to the previously unwaterded outer track in the morning due to a patch of false ground being found on the inner track. She was the last one off the bridle but then showed signs of greenness and drifted out into the centre of the track before being swamped late on. In hindsight I felt if Amy had pulled her stick through a little earlier and kept her straight when she started to drift then she may have been fourth but she didn't give her a hard time as a result reported that the ground was was plenty quick enough for her. She came out of her race fine this morning and is currently enjoying some of this beautiful spring sunshine by having a day out in the field in company with Dark Ranger and Dark Spirit.