Blog Four - Monday 28/03/2022
Monday, the exciting day that starts a new week and lots to look forward to!
The flat has begun and wow the first race was won by a super impressive sort from Amo Racing. He just looked the part during the preliminaries and won as easy as you’ll ever see. It was great to watch Doncaster over the weekend and many years ago it was the first racecourse around 1998 that I visited in the UK and Dubai Millennium was the first horse I remember seeing winning that day, also as easy as you like… talking about Dubai, or should I say Japan? The Dubai World Cup meeting did not disappoint. First of all well done to all the winners, in particular the Japanese and Frankie Dettori. Some great racing on the night and something the world definitely needs to look into, the Japanese dominance. My personal opinion is, if we keep going speed mad and making such a big thing out of breeze up and sales races, we will stay just there and the Japanese will continue to dominate the worlds great races, until we realise that the classics and The Derby winning post is what matters most! I would love to see syndicates and racing clubs put more focus on winning a Derby or St Ledger or Dubai Sheema Classic or Prix de le Arc De Triomphe, rather than focusing on a early horse and selling it quickly. Whilst there is good money in a early horse, there is way more fun and money in a Classic horse and way more prestige and it keeps owners in the game for a lot longer. So in short, forget all the speed mad craze we are going through and get back to classic breeding and breed with the Derby winners! As the great Tesio said; “ The thoroughbred exists because it’s selection has depended, not on experts, technicians, or zoologists, but on a piece of wood: the winning post of the Derby!” (Pretty much backs up what I’m saying).. On the subject of the Classics, I can’t wait to see all the classic trials in the springs, always a great time of year.
Our first runner Mr Fayez, was due to run at Kempton on 8 April but as horses go, he had a reaction to his flu vaccine last week and needed a few days off, so that put pay to that and we will now aim him for a race on 28 April. He is 100% fine again but as always, the horses welfare and wellbeing comes first and the flu vaccine is compulsory so it’s just one of those things. It’s not ideal when you really need your first runner, but, it’s not my first rodeo, I’ve seen it all before and I’m doing all I can to get that first runner in the UK. Our two year olds are coming along nicely but patience from my side as always, and we look forward to trying to purchase a few more during the year.
It is sales time again and we are actively looking for support. It’s extremely difficult to play in the Premier League without players, so we attending all the Tattersalls and Goffs Sales to stock up and also looking for horses in training, so please join us and support us and give our Gr1 winning team a chance in the UK.
A last bit of food for thought this week; racing is much healthier when the bigger owners and breeders spread their horses among many yards. It makes for bigger fields and more competitive racing. At the moment the big yards are just too big and dominant which isn’t good for the game. Trust me I’ve seen SA racing on the brink of collapse partly due to this. In the great era, the big owners and breeders had horses among many trainers and it created strong competition. Let’s hope to see a bit more spread of quality horses among trainers.
I leave you for the week with a thought from Peaky Blinders’ Tommy Shelby; “don’t let small minds convince you that your dreams are too big”
Until next Monday, follow our social media, website and YouTube channel for more.