Our Turf Season came to a close last Saturday with both Ivory Madonna and Bernardo O’Reilly lining up in the last race on the card at Newmarket. Ivory under Rab Havlin was slow away and made up some ground late on to finish mid division, with this being her first start on conditions softer than good. She remains a maiden and we’ll look to try and gain that first victory before the end of the year where a career at stud hopefully beckons – it seems a long time since her third place in The Albany at Royal Ascot where she was narrowly beaten by subsequent 1000 Guineas winner Mawj. Bernardo finished a few places ahead under Hayley Turner who was chasing her 1000th career winner. It would have made fantastic headlines especially as it was the last turf race of the season and at HQ, whilst looking a contender heading into the dip we found the extra furlong a bit too far. Bernardo heads off for a well-earned break and we intend to bring him back for the start of the 2024 turf season – as an ever youthful 10 year old!
Result aside, a good fun day and evening was had by all as we entertained Aidan and the team from Rebel Records.
This week head to Kempton on Wednesday with Cross the Tracks in the 6 furlong nursery. Successful on debut over the same trip at Yarmouth this will be his first run in handicap company (albeit off top weight) and also his first start on the all-weather – Billy Loughnane takes the ride.
On Thursday Con Te Partiro heads to Chelmsford for his second start, upped slightly in trip we hope he will concentrate more on the job in front of him as opposed to what’s down below.
On Saturday our other old boy, Keyser Soze, holds an entry at Kempton. Our plan will be to find him a lovely home and retire him at the end of this year – wouldn’t it be great to see him get his head in front for one last time.
Sweet Harmony also holds an entry in the Listed Wentworth Stakes which has been re-routed from Doncaster to Newcastle, in search of the Black Type which has narrowly eluded her on more than one occasion this season.
The yearlings continue to progress up at Vicarage Farm ….. Keep a watch out this week on our social media channels as we see the start of the Christening process for the Class of ’24.
