You know you’ve jumped into the deep end when you bring an undefeated horse to the racecourse and you go off the longshot.
Ella Diva has done everything we’ve asked so far, but tomorrow we’ll see what’s really under the hood. Luckily, she can’t read the program, because she’ll be standing in the starting gate next to a slick miss trained by Andre Fabre who cost 720,000 euros as a yearling. On her other side will be a royally bred Khalid Abdullah filly trained by Pascal Bary. The two of them are supposed to finish first and second in the race, the only question is in which order. Ella doesn’t know that, though, so she will do her best to crash the expensive party.
Four other horses are also fighting for the scraps. None of these fillies has run a mile, so there are a lot of questions to be answered tomorrow. What we do know is this: Ella likes a fight, and she needs a decent pace. The problem is who will set it. None of the horses are necessarily front-runners, so we might run the risk of having to go in front. I hope not. Six other trainers are going to bed tonight hoping not, too. Well, maybe not – Andre Fabre is probably going to bed tonight wondering about his next polo match. He’s done this so many times I can’t imagine he worries about anything one way or another. Not so for us. This is our big day. We’re hoping our little filly does her best, and we hope her best is good enough to keep her in the mix. Stay tuned.
Like most readers on this site, I’ll be rooting for the ‘Diva’ tomorrow, but everything considered this is a big step up in class from the listed win at Vicky The British entry is also not here to make the numbers up.
All things considered; finishing in the first three will be a tremendous achievement But the only story in town, will be if the ‘Diva’ gets her head in front where it matters; that will really bring the house down.
Will be holding good thoughts here in the States. Given the forces beyond your control (ground, pace), as long as she shows you she fits there or has the potential to do her part there, you have reached the next level. Yeah, easy for me to say :-), but she and her story make it easy to cheer for her.
One step at a time. Go, Ella.