Pretty much everyone in the barn worked this morning in preparation for races in the next week to 10 days, and they all did pretty well. We started with the older distance horses: Turfani, Hard Way and Rapsodie worked upsides. They are all five-year-olds and all run 2,000 meters and up, so it’s a good combination. Rapsodie probably was the star of the bunch. She has been really progressing since her surprise 2nd at St. Cloud, so I hope she can confirm in the lady amateur rider race next Sunday. It’s the same easy claimer and same course and distance as last time. Turfani was a little less motivated, but she knows the game and will be ready for Longchamp on July 3. Hard Way is looking more and more relaxed – so much so that I hope there’s nothing wrong with him. He seems fine, so hopefully he will be ready to win his race next Sunday.
Skid Solo worked alone in front; he would have better off working with George, which he will do on Wednesday on the all-weather track in preparation for Deauville on July 1. George, meanwhile, partnered Rose of Egypt, who is coming along nicely and will probably debut at Compiegne on June 29. Brazil and Timelord paired off, but Brazil was very lazy and disappointing this time around. She is a frustrating horse at the moment, working erratically, but she is coming around. I think it’s harder to have patience with her at the moment because she is finally showing progress but not steadily. She will go to the starting gates with Rose next Friday and work on the grass, which should wake her up a bit – sufficiently, I hope, to finally get her back to a racecourse. I think she will be much like George was in his comeback race – not quite ready but needing to get on with it anyway to get things rolling in the right direction. George has come on really well since Longchamp and should have a good chance at Compiegne on June 29.
Meanwhile, my visiting Irish contingent is happy because one of their two-year-old colts finished third in Maisons-Laffitte yesterday and was claimed for 28,000 euros. Mission accomplished, so now they’re down to two for the sales on June 30. The two will both have runs this week, at Compiegne and Amiens.