HCE Snippets - Two-Year-Old Talk

James Bethell

How Sweet It Is ran a cracking race on Friday [York], we chucked her in the deep end, but she ran a great race and has come out of it fine.

Roger Charlton

Rather frustratingly Supreme Quest was beaten 3 lengths by two fillies that on the form book we should have beaten, but it does appear that her trip is 5 furlongs and that having traveled so well she just ran out of gas.

Richard Hannon

 The boss said:"Besides Dubawi Gold, Avon River, Esentepe, Cristal Gem and King of Jazz were all beaten less than a length, so it was a relief when Trumpet Major broke the spell when winning at Goodwood.


 "Trumpet Major is owned by John Manley, who also has Dick Turpin, and he looks to have another real nice colt in this fellow, who only cost 20,000 Euros.


"We were pleased with Trumpet Major on his debut at Newbury, where he was just mugged close home, and he won easily at Goodwood.


"However, we are not committed to running him at Royal Ascot. I'll talk to John and we will make a plan, but there is always the Newmarket July meeting, and he could take the Dick Turpin route and go to Goodwood for the Richmond Stakes."


"Lord Of The Shadows takes on four other winners in the opener, but he was impressive when he won there last month and we like him, while Puttingonthestyle ran well over the course a fortnight ago and should be suited by dropping back in trip in the second race."


Stan Moore
Our 2nd winner came from Evervescent at Haydock yesterday.  This was only his 2nd run so great to see him get one on the board so early and a huge well done to his owners the Ever Equine Syndicate.  They are new owners to us this season so congratulations to them, let's hope its the first of many !!

HCE Snippets - Two-Year-Old Talk

Michael Bell

Apostle ran too badly to be true last time. We have been delighted with him since and expect him to leave that first run well behind. (finished 2^nd)

Mick Channon

Having shown promise on debut, Noor Zabeel stepped up on his Goodwood run over five  furlongs to win yesterday's six furlong class three maiden at the Knavesmire.

The son of Elusive Quality clearly needed the step up in trip and having been prominent throughout under Ryan Moore, he pressed on in the closing stages to win comfortably by two and a half lengths. Mick was impressed, and is now plotting Noor Zabeel's next assignment.

"This is a super colt. Very professional and a joy to train. He was obviously at an advantage against many newcomers in the field, but we learnt at Goodwood that he needed six and I think in time he'll need to step up again.

"Ascot is probably not on the cards as I think waiting for the seven furlong races will be for the best. That means that the Superlative at the July meeting comes under consideration.

"It's been a good week so far with two two year old winners up here and I was also very pleased with The Thrill is Gone's performance in the conditions race. We'll have some fun with her this season.

Paul D’Arcy

We were very pleased with Edinburgh Knight and Caledonian Spring at Ascot on 7th.  Edinburgh Knight ran a great race to be 3rd in a very competitive handicap on his return to the turf and Caledonian Spring will really benefit from his first run in 4th.  They both won best turned out, which says a lot for Blue Chip Pro, which is fed to all our horses and really helps with coat condition in particular.  Blue Chip's own horse, Come On Blue Chip, ran a great race last week to be 3rd first time out in a hot Newmarket maiden and hopefully goes to York next week.

Richard Hannon

Best Terms never broke sweat to beat two rivals in the Scope Charity Fillies' Stakes, being hand-ridden throughout the final furlong to see off Djarvo.


Robert Barnett's home-bred filly, who is now two from two, looks distinctly smart, and the boss said:"Best Terms will not be two until next Thursday, but she is a quick learner and very professional. She will be entered for both the Queen Mary and the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, and we will decide which route to take nearer the time."


The two-year-old maiden, which we have won in the past with such stars as Canford Cliffs, Strong Suit and Major Cadeaux, passed us by this year, with 40-1 shot Wise Venture nailing our pair, Poole Harbour and Trumpet Major, close home.


Jimmy Fortune told owner Robin Heffer that Poole Harbour was "a lovely horse who had the race won everywhere bar the last 50 yards", while Richard Hughes was similarly complimentatry about John Manley's Trumpet Major, observing "he will come on a ton for that and he ran green, but the penny dropped close home and he would have won in another 100 yards".


The boss said:"They are two nice horses who have yet to do any fast work on the grass, and they are merely ladies-in-waiting," and, while it's true that both are colts and not fillies, we got the jist of his meaning which was "they will both win next time".

Brian Meehan

All Nighter (Newbury 1.40 p.m.) Nice horse owned by a new syndicate, Decadent Racing, managed by Sam Sangster. Will probably need this initial outing.


St Barths (same race) Nice Cadeaux Genereux colt who has been working very well at home. Great chance to make a winning start.


St Barth's (Ascot 4.00 p.m.) He's a nice two-year-old who will probably be better at six furlongs, but he is ready to run. Brian likes him a lot.


She's Flawless (Newmarket 1.50 p.m.) Lovely daughter of Smart Strike who has been working very well at home. Will improve for this first race.

Ballesteros (Haydock 2.30 p.m.) Nice horse who will need the run but has been working very well at home.

Tom Tate

We have some very nice two year olds for the season. Of the early ones, I particularly like Keep Swinging (an Oasis Dream colt), Mean It (colt by Danehill Dancer out of Lilssa), Parc De Launay (a colt by Monsieur Bond) and an unnamed Haafhd gelding. 

Peter Winkworth

Foxtrot India, a 2 y/o colt by Tagula, won his debut race, the 5 furlong EBF Maiden, at Goodwood today at 14/1. He rather missed the break from his far side draw but soon caught up and went forward at the business end just repelling the renewed effort of the Hannon trained runner-up. This may turn out  to have been a competitive race (horse “looks a useful type” - Racing Post)  and gets us off to a cracking start. A couple of shares remain in this fun Partnership, email contact dan@foxtrotracing.com.

HCE Snippets - Lots of Two-Year-Old Talk

Roger Charlton

Tioman Legend was a very different colt to the one that ran at Newbury, always travelling strongly and winning by an easy 5 lengths. It was probably a weak race but I hope he will continue to improve and be capable of staying 6 furlongs in time.

John Best

Bayleyf followed up his second place on his racecourse debut at Folkestone in a maiden stakes at Ascot over 5f today. Partnered again by Luke Morris, he was prominent from the start and stayed on well in the final furlong to battle it out with the favourite to take third place,  Congragulations go to Graham Jones and partners.  

Trainer John Best said: "Bayleyf ran really well in a competitive race.  It looks like it was a fair improvement from his debut at Folkestone.  He will probably take his chance in the Windsor Castle Stakes at the Royal meeting next, although he will need to improve again to be competitive."

Mick Channon

"Bollocks!" screamed MRC from the balcony of Ascot's Box 511 as Insignia Racing's Represent endured a nightmare passage in the fillies maiden on debut last night.

It's probably fair to say that Martin Harley would make different decisions with hindsight as the daughter of Exceed and Excel was the last off the bridle but had nowhere to go. She was brought around horses over to the far side, when a little more patience would might have seen her prevail, but despite all of this, the manner in which she failed was pleasing enough.

"I was pissed off at the time," reflected MRC this morning, "but these things can happen and I'm certainly not getting on Martin's case about it. It was a thrilling run and a cracking contest with us finishing third, beaten only a head and a short head.

"I seem to be able to get some real good ones beaten first time up. Nahoodh suffered a similar fate in the same race four years ago. She went on to win the Lowther and eventually the Falmouth so I suppose it's about winning the war and not the battle."

Such a comment is bound to encourage people to go a little bit overboard and this was pointed out to the Boss. As a result, he kept his summing up to a minimum.

"I think REPRESENT is good."

Mick On Chester

A rare visit North saw MRC greatly enjoy the hospitality laid on by Chester Racecourse on Wednesday. The North is often the source of great humour in the office as we always enjoy The "How many words until Tom O'Ryan mentions North Yorkshire" Sweepstake when he pens his latest column in the Racing Post.

Michael Junior currently leads the seasonal table having been closest on five occasions so far this campaign, and he stretched his lead to three yesterday with his guess of 27.

However, for all of the "Greet fut'North" comments that you hear after every Yorkshire based winner at York/Ascot/Goodwood etc. etc. there is something admirable about Northern racing folk and the way in which the courses treat their owners.

Mick couldn't believe the spread laid on at the Roodeye yesterday where he enjoyed the hospitality extended by Dr Marwan Koukash. It put the majority of Southern tracks hospitality to shame.

"Roast Beef, Yorkshire Pudding and all the trimmings, with service with a smile. The drinks were even cold. This is service that is seldom seen at Grade 1 tracks down here.

"I was at Sandown the other day and to say that it was poor is something of an understatement. The Owners' and Trainers' Bar by the Weighing Room is about five foot long, the staff were totally disinterested and the drinks were warm, expensive and the queue was ridiculous.

"It was a little embarrassing that some of my owners chose to buy some beers from the mobile bar by the main entrance.

"Ascot spent hundreds of millions on the new stand and the owners are catered for above the saddling boxes that couldn't be any further from the track. Their viewing area is on the lowest level of the grandstand steps and very poor.

"Chester haven't reinvented the wheel. They provide good food, spacious surroundings, excellent friendly service and above all make owners feel like an integral part of a raceday. They are THE main players in racing, although from what I've witnessed at several tracks you'd be hard pressed to notice." 

Brian Meehan

Ballesteros (Haydock 2.30 p.m.) Nice horse who will need the run but has been working very well at home.

  

HCE Snippets - Two-year-old talk...

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.