Category: Updates from the yard

Abwaab finished 5th today in Deauville, which means he brought home a little cash and was faster than 15 other horses (there was a field of 20, the usual size for handicaps here). He had won at 1,200 meters in England, but I hadn’t tried him at that distance yet, so this was a good effort, especially on the straight course. I’ll probably look for something around the same distance next time – and he’ll let me know when that will be. Meanwhile, he’s back home in his box, tucked into dinner, and he’ll have a walk and some grazing tomorrow.

The track in Deauville was fantastic, exactly the kind of going he needs. So let’s hope for victory next time out!

Abwaab’s trip to Vichy last week was unfortunately unsuccessful. I’m starting to call him Goldilocks, because he needs everything just right for him to run his race. The track in Vichy was unfortunately rock-hard, despite the official going rating of “good to soft.” There had been racing the previous night, and the track was left full of ruts and holes, which was not at all to Abwaab’s liking. We’ll see if he likes the track at Deauville a little better. He is entered to run the 1,200-meter handicap there next Tuesday. It’s a shorter distance for him, but he won at this distance in England, so maybe he can pull something out here.

The new arrivals are coming along. Pixie looks like the real deal, and I hope she can be ready to run in Deauville in late August. She still needs to settle down a bit — she seems to have a philosophical opposition to trotting and thinks the only galloping worth doing is worth doing fast — but she’ll get it. Tyke will need more time; he seems to be in a bit of a growth spurt, which is a good thing, so we’re not asking too much of him yet. Amour is rebuilding her fitness base after her three-month vacation, so she’ll let us know when she’s ready to step up to harder work.

Well, the two new three-year-olds have been here for about a week, as has the returning Amour Creole, and they are finally starting to settle in to the routine. Cape Tycoon’s favorite part of his new surroundings seems to be the feed bin, while Pixie and Amour are a little more focused on when they can get out and stretch their legs. Pixie has been quite a handful, because she hadn’t been ridden for about a month before coming here. Amour, despite having spent three months on vacation, thinks she should be back to full gallop, so the challenge is to convince her that we have to work up to it gradually.

Abwaab runs at Vichy on Thursday, and we’ve had to change jockeys because our regular, Gregory Benoist, isn’t available. I’ve put up Davy Bonilla, best-known for piloting Marchand D’Or to  Group 1 success. I’m hoping Abwaab handles the expected hot weather and the transport OK, because he’s in very good form at the moment and I think this is a good race for him.

Welcome to the Gallop France blog. I’ll keep you updated here on all the latest news from the yard as I fill the stable and get started on my new career. I plan to run a very small operation, with not more than 12 horses in training at any one time. That way, every horse and every owner gets individualized attention.

Two horses bought at the sales in Newmarket last week arrived this evening: Pixie’s Blue, a three-year-old filly by Hawk Wing, and Cape Tycoon, a three-year-old gelding by Cape Cross.

Pixie was placed several times in England, and we hope she’ll move up to win here. Cape Tycoon hasn’t shown much yet, but all of his siblings are winners over hurdles, so we hope with some time to grow, he’ll come into his own.

They join Abwaab, a five-year-old Agnes World gelding who was bought in Newmarket last year and has won and placed for us, and Amour Creole, a three-year-old Trempolino filly who is just coming back from a break. Hard Way, my three-year-old homebred gelding, also has been in the fields and will come back into training next week.

You can follow their progress (and comment on it) here. It should all be quite an adventure.