We’re off for another Guineas!”
All roads this week head to Newmarket on Saturday for the first classic of the season, The 2000 Guineas. A race that has been lucky for us over the years and transformed my own racing journey. Victorious with Cockney Rebel in 2007, some may be aware that we also ran second with Rebel Rebel in 2005. Trained by Neville Callaghan, ridden by Oscar Urbina our 100/1 shot was beaten 1 1/4 lengths by FootstepsInthesand, with the favourite Dubawi back in 5th. Bought for only £15k and owned by myself, PC and 4 friends, it was with my share of these sale proceeds that I purchased Cockney Rebel to be my first horse retained in sole ownership.
My first homebred Slim Shadey contested the 2011 running of the Guineas and ran a massive race at odds of 200/1 to finish fourth to Frankel. Trained by Stan Moore and Luke Morris’ first classic ride, this was another wonderful day out.
So, at the time of writing we are only missing the bronze medal on the rostrum. Would we settle for that now? Of course we would – but as race day draws closer we would have daydreamed and played out all possible eventualities, especially after today’s confirmation stage.
Yah Mo Be There is an intended starter, he will be ridden by Jamie Spencer, he has come on bundles from his trial, the drying ground will suit, his last piece of work on Saturday was his best to date …… he will outrun his odds of 66/1 !
Saturday will be a busy day for us at HQ with 3 other runners hoping to take their places in their respective races. Two Tribes hopes to contest the 6 furlong handicap, he ran a cracker at this fixture last year to finish second in the 3 year old equivalent of this race. Next up is Twilight Calls who heads to the Group 3 Palace House Stakes: an unusual purchase for us from the October Horses in Training sale making his first start for Team Rebel. Finally Waiting All Night runs in the lucky last, the One Mile Handicap.
Despite the excitement of such a big weekend ahead of us we have some cracking racing in the lead up. Today, I Follow Rivers heads to Wolverhampton under George Wood bidding to improve on his last time out third place. On Tuesday Con Te Partiro lines up at Nottingham under Neil Callan.
We are all heading to Trials day at Ascot on Wednesday with a couple of runners. Two Year Old Trophy winner Candy (George Wood) takes his chance in the Group 3 Pavilion Stakes, a trial for The Commonwealth Cup and his performance in this will shape his schedule for the season. Before this we debut another 2 year old – Wild Thoughts (Neil Callan) in the opening contest.
Any other week’s Rebel Yell would have been headlined with the stunning victory of Sex On Fire up at Haydock at 25/1 last Saturday. Another superb ride by George Wood and fantastic training performance/placing by Richard Spencer. This pocket rocket of a horse is yet more evidence of all that you need is a big heart.
