Sharp Distinction trotting
TOMORROW sees the start of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival but that also means the start of the flat season is just around the corner! To be precise, the new turf flat season begins on April 1st, just 19 days away!
The Racing Manager went up to Newmarket today and met up with some owners to see the Solario Racing “string” bar Dancinginthewoods, who had just left for his spring holiday at Martley Hall Stud in Suffolk where he’ll enjoy chilling out just being a horse. Sharp Distinction has recently returned from the same stud after a winter holiday and judging by how well he’s done and how chilled out he was, “Woody” will enjoy his 5-star break!
“Sharpie” returned to Southgate Stables last week and he was out trotting today in blustery conditions but the 4yo son of Tamayuz is so chilled out, it didn’t faze him one iota! He’s a real gent and should be in for a good season. The question is…when will he go hurdling? He does have the stamp of a hurdler written all over him. Hopefully, we can get some scores on the board on the flat before crossing that bridge.
Taritino cantering
Taritino, who won on his second outing as a 2yo and is rated 76, has been in training since the start of the year and should be out fairly early. He’s filled out and while not the finished article, he looks less gangly than last season and is beginning to look a proper racehorse.
I then went on to WC Equine, who are based at Robert Cowell’s Bottisham Heath Stud, off Newmarket’s Six Mile Bottom as the 2yo colt by Al Wukair has been chilling out there since being broken in. He’s a lovely, good-looking scopey colt, who’ll be a middle-distance prospect but he just needed some down time after being ridden away.
Al Wukair colt with Racing Manager and owners
Despite the blustery conditions, this imposing colt posed for photos and didn’t turn a hair. Ellie and Tegan who run WC Equine, have done a great job on him during the last month and the time off will have done him the power of good before going back into full time training.
Enjoy Cheltenham…but bring on the flat!
