HQ ERUPTS INTO FULL BLOOM
David Youngman relishes the busiest time of year at Newmarket
THIS is a wonderful time of year at all the stud farms around Newmarket with all the foals now born and the mares covered and back in foal, the gestation period is normally between 335 and 360 day’s but the mares are watched closely after 300 days.
This is a photo I took at Sheikh Mohammed’s Dalham Hal in Newmarket of some of the mares. They make a great sight at this time of year.Who knows, they could be carrying the next Derby winner!
THERE is a hive of activity now at Warren Place and there will soon be a new Godolphin trainer there and it will be a training yard once more. How nice it would be to see a Classic winner come from there again, like I saw in the years with Noel Murless and Henry Cecil. The as-yet unraced GHOSTWATCH is a 2.1 mllion guineas juvenile colt I like a lot in the Godolphin string. I watched it work recently and it looked very nice indeed, Kieren Fallon has ridden it work and told me he likes it a lot.
GEORGE Scott has an ever-increasing string at Saffron Stables on the Hamilton Road, including some unraced juveniles. SLIPSTREAM, a bay colt by Invincible Spirit owned by the Spencer family, is working very well. He was purchased by agent Alex Eliott and looks a fine prospect. Former Henry Cecil employee Billy Brown is head lad and doing a fine job. Billy is great with the yearlings and Henry Cecil rated him highly.
ROGER Varian has in the unraced ORBAAN a very promising unraced son of Invincible Spirit. He is one of the stable’s best youngsters and should do well. CALL ME GRUMPY is a horse from this Carlburg yard that is very well handicapped and will be placed to advantage this season. The new assistant trainer TJ Kent has settled into the job well and is enjoying his position.
JOHN Gosden is very pleased with the progress made by CRACKSMAN since his fine run in the Derby.
That race came just a little too soon and his inexperience showed at stages. He should take a lot of beating when he goes to the Curragh for the Irish Derby. Nicky Mackay is hoping to be back riding work for the yard very soon and race riding again in August. His brother Jamie is getting married at end of this month .It will be good seeing Nicky back again after his leg was so badly broken in his riding accident.
GAY Kelleway has seen her string increase at her nearby Exning yard and is currently using boxes at Jon Scargill’s Red House Stables on the Hamilton Road in Newmarket. Gay told me recently she is looking to purchase a 50-box yard in Newmarket so she can have all her horses in one place.
RACING is now on the July Course at Newmarket and it is Panamas and Pimms for some. There is sure to be some of our better juveniles coming out on this track. John Gosden and Godolphin like to introduce nice types there and have some classy youngsters lined up to make their debut at this venue.
OUR July Festival is from July 13 - 15 and there will be some of the best horses racing, do get here if you possibly can, I will be on course each day and look forward to seeing as many of you as possible.
IF you have any comments or requests, please feel free to contact me at daveyoungman@btinternet.com. I will be most pleased to hear from you all.