July racing update

July was a very busy month at the yard. Avenue du Monde (Champs-Elysees) ran her final race, we attended the Tattersalls Horses in Training sales in Newmarket, two new horses entered the yard from claiming races – Never Compromise (Astronomer Royal) and Surewecan (Royal Applause) – and we ran the racing festival in Vichy.

Avenue du Monde’s last race

Avenue du Monde’s last race before becoming a broodmare was in Vichy on the 20th of the month, the last day of the festival. We were hoping that she would drop to the third division of the handicap that day but ended up in the second with Grey Sensation (Aussie Rules) and Gascon (Heliostatic).  Gascon proved to be the best of the three on the day finishing a good second while Grey picked up fourth and Avenue was just out of the money at sixth.  By then, we were running on a turf that was well worn from the week of racing and the heavy rain that fell the Monday before and again that day.

Ray Of Hope finds his form

Earlier in the month, we took Ray of Hope (Layman) back to Deauville and the fibersand and he ran much better than his previous outing at Longchamp. This time picking up second place, one of two that he would run this month.

Ray of Hope earing the yard its 19th second-place finish of the year in Deauville, the 31 July 2018.

Further notable runs included Gascon again, finishing fifth at Compiegne, Never Compromise was seventh in a Quinte handicap and Mr. Chuckles (Arcano) adding a seventh in the second division of that same Quinte handicap.

The Mickaëls – Forest, and Barzalona – did most of the riding except for Mr. Chuckles who was ridden by Delphine Santiago and Maxime Guyon who rode Gascon in Compiegne.

The best paying horse in July was Ray of Hope with his second place on 4 July, paying €9,90 for a one euro place bet.

The week that was…

We entered last week optimistic. We had some good chances at the track, the horses in the yard are in form, and Gina had just returned from a successful trip to Royal Ascot.

Things, however, started to unravel mid-week. Mr Chuckles – Arcano and Caribbean Escape (Pivotal) – who is in peak form, was entered in a handicap in Maisons-Laffitte, only to be eliminated from that race. A new entry was found for the following week, but that one started to look complicated for him, so he will have to wait a few more weeks before running again.

Gina, hesitant to run at Longchamp for what are known problems with the track (unevenness of the ground that was not properly maintained during construction the last two years), decided to forge ahead there and so we went to France Galop’s Thursday night after-work meeting, Jeuxdi,  a nice play on French words and marketing effort that did actually succeed in getting a younger public to the racetrack, albeit most of them were nowhere near the racing and unaware that it was taking place.

Ray of Hope – Layman and Risque de Verglas (Verglas) – ran that night, his second race after more than a year off to repair a hind-leg fracture. The jockey who was supposed to ride, Mickael Forest, couldn’t make it because his flight was canceled. With much deliberation on the way to Longchamp, Gina reflected on her options of available jockeys. We weren’t sure that the rules of racing would allow the one she chose to ride, Mickaelle Michel, to take the ride. In the end, the stewards deliberated and she saddled up and did a fine job on such short notice.

Ray looked perfect, and seemed ready to race, but didn’t fire in the stretch. He will try again next week in Deauville on the surface that he prefers, fibersand.

Saturday we headed back to Longchamp to try and get our first results at the new ParisLongchamp, which reopened in April after two years of work to install new grandstands. This day we arrived with Eternal Gift – Layman and Get The Ring (Linamix) – who has won at Longchamp and Grey Sensation – Aussie Rules and Sensasse (Imperial Ballet). Eternal Gift was not the horse that we saw a couple of times earlier this year.  Gina had this to say the following day:

Eternal Gift has earned his retirement. I’ll never forget pulling him out of the box in Newmarket all those years ago (2012!) and what a stunning horse he was. He still is, but it’s now time for a second career. He’s won four races and placed 27 times in 65 races, and given many good memories to four different owners, particularly to Clément Rollin who has looked after him for nearly five years now. Ponito, as he’s known around here, will give someone many years of enjoyment to come. He retires with no health issues, four good legs and a kind heart. We’re looking for his next home, but we will take as much time as we need to find the right one!

Eternal Gift is available to a new home. You can see some photos of him in this gallery. Contact us for more information.

The second runner Saturday was the standard-bearer of the High Street Racing syndicate, Grey Sensation. Like Ray earlier in the week, we went into the race expecting good results, but this time with a cheering block as several High Street members showed up for the event.  

Grey looked every bit the part, but like Ray of Hope on Monday, simply didn’t fire in the stretch. Mickael Forest felt that the unevenness of the surface didn’t help so we’ll send him out again on a track that we know will suit him better.

We hope that we’ll have a winner at ParisLongchamp soon, but we’ll wait a while for the surface to get sorted out before returning to this track. We have other options.

So, what was supposed to be a good week for Ecurie Rarick, didn’t quite end up that way. But as the old saying goes, “That’s racing”.

 

Grey wins the Prix de Pont Vivaux

Grey Sensation easily took control in the stretch, with plenty to run on, of the Prix de Pont Vivaux in Lyon today. After placing seven times this year, Grey was finally able to get across the finish line first. After his 13th run this year, he solidified himself as the prize money leader at the stable of Gina Rarick and places himself well for the winter meeting coming up in Cagnes-sur-mer.

Relive the race through the YouTube video below.

Grey Sensation comes through

25/01/2016 - Cagnes-sur-Mer - Prix du Roussillon : Arrivée

Grey Sensation (number 16 pictured above) earned his High Street Racing shareholders their first check at Cagnes-sur-Mer on Monday when he finished encouragingly to get up for fifth place in the 26,000-euro Prix de Roussillon, a 2000-meter (1 1/4 mile) handicap on the fibersand course.

Fifth place in the race was worth 1,300 euros, but more importantly was the style with which the 4-year-old son of Aussie Rules did it. Towards the rear for most of the way,the 12-1 Grey Sensation was short of room entering the 3-furlong straight. Gradually angled out by Alexei Badel, he was finishing fastest of all at the end, where he was just 1 1/4 lengths behind the winning favorite, Polkarena.

This was a performance that hearkened back to Grey’s third-place effort going 100 meters shorter at Deauville on Dec. 11, and had trainer Gina Rarick singing his praises.

“He’s a really consistent horse, a really nice horse,” she said., “and he loves this distance. My only regret is that he got stuck as the bottom weight (53.5 kilos, or 118 lbs.) in the second division of this handicap. But for one pound in the weights he would have been in the much easier third division, which he would have won.”

So there are a number of positives to take from Grey Sensation’s second outing for High Street Racing. Moreover, his handicap mark will remain the same after today, offering even greater encouragement for his next outing at the Hippodrome de la Cote d’Azur.

Grey Sensation to run the Prix du Roussillon

High Street Racing’s Grey Sensation makes his second start of the Cagnes-sur-Mer winter meeting on Monday when he squares off against 15 rivals in the 26,000-euro Prix du Roussillon, a 2000-meter (1 1/4-mile) handicap on Fibresand.

Both trainer Gina Rarick and rider Alexei Badel were agreed that Grey was in need of a longer distance after his sixth-place finish last Saturday in a one-mile handicap. In his previous start at 1900 meters (1 3/16 miles), he had run what was probably his best race to date when finishing strongly to be third in a 1900-meter (1 3/16-mile) handicap.

So a return to about 10 furlongs should prove beneficial.

Badel will be back in the saddle again on Monday when Grey Sensation will carry lightweight of 53.5 kilos (118 lbs.) and break from post 11 in the 16-runner field. Post time for the Roussillon, the third race on he card, will be 2:50 pm (CET); 1:50 pm (GMT); 8:50 am (EST).

Grey’s first outing

Grey Sensation came home sixth of 15 in his Cagnes-sur-Mer debut on Saturday in the 1600-meter (one-mile) handicap, the Prix du Val Carei on Fibresand. Towards the rear after breaking from an unfortunately wide number 12 draw, he made up some late ground to get within 2 1/4 lengths of the victorious Bucentaire, who covered the distance in a quick 1:38.18.

Sent off as the 2.40-1 favorite on the opening day Cagnes card, Grey Sensation was perhaps compromised by a fast early pace and the relatively sticky ground produced by the new Fibresand course at the Hippodrome de la Cote d’Azur. The sharp pace of the race was confirmed in the next event, a good conditions race which was run .26 of a seconds slower than Grey Sensation’s.

Trainer Gina Rarick said: “The way he ran today shows he’d be more comfortable at 2000 meters (1 1/4 miles), and Alexis Badel agreed. He may go next in a handicap at that distance on Jan. 25.” In his previous race last time race at that distance, Grey Sensation had finished a fast finishing third at Deauville. A return to what appears to be a distance he now finds preferble should result in an improved effort.

Kicking Off Cagnes

Grey Sensation will debut High Street Racing’s new yellow and green colors on opening day of the Cagnes sur Mer winter meeting on Saturday when he takes on 14 rivals in the Prix du Val Carei. The 1600-meter (one-mile) handicap, with a value of 19,000 euros will be a drop down in distance for ‘Grey’, who will carry co-highweight of 60 kilos (130 lbs.).

Trainer Gina Rarick was unconcerned on both scores. “He’s run well at this distance in the past and the weight will not be a factor as there is only 3 lbs.separating top from bottom.”

Alexis Badel returns to the saddle on Grey Sensation, having ridden him twice before but not last time when he finished a strong closing third in a 1900-meter handicap (one-mile, 1 1/2 furlongs) at Deauville. Grey Sensation will break from the 12 post in the 15-runner field. He was scheduled to arrive at Cagnes sur Mer early Friday morning after a 14-hour van ride from Maisons-Laffitte along with High Street Racing’s second horse, Bleu Astral, and four other Gina Rarick trainees. The fourth race on Saturday’s card, the Val Carei will go off at 2:15 pm (1:15 pm GMT, 8:15 am EST).

Heading South

High Street Racing twin standardbearers, Bleu Astral and Grey Sensation, are headed to Cagnes-sur-Mer for the winter meeting at the Hippodrome de la Cote d’Azur, where the syndicate’s brand new yellow and green colors will be unveiled on Saturday.
The occasion will be the Prix du Val Carei, a 1600-meter (one-mile) fibresand handicap worth 19,000 euros in which Grey Sensation will fly the High Street flag. A fast closing third in his last start in a 1900-meter (one-mile, 1-1/2-furlong) fibresand handicap at Deauville on Dec. 11, the Aussie Rules 4-year-old has maintained his form over the Maisons-Laffitte gallops since then and a good effort is expected in his Cagnes debut.
Both Grey Sensation and Bleu Astral will be loaded into the van for the 945-kilometer (547-mile) trip south on Thursday afternoon along with five other Gina Rarick trainees. The team is scheduled to arrive at Cagnes between 6 and 7 a.m. on Friday.
“Both horses are training well,” Gina reports. As for Bleu Astral, “His objectives are a claiming race on Saturday, Jan. 23 and a conditions race on Monday, Feb. 22. He’ll have another one in between those two somewhere.”
Both horses worked on the straight gallop Saturday morning, and both showed they were ready to race. “They’ll get one more work before getting on the truck as long as the weather leaves the track in good shape. If not, they’ll shipp off this work and stretch their legs down south.”

Welcome Grey Sensation!

Grey Sensation is the latest addition to the High Street Racing stable. The 3-year-old gelding joined Bleu Astral in the High Street fold on Monday in a private deal from previous owner Michael Nelmes-Crocker.

The move is a cosmetic one for Grey Sensation as he has been under the care of High Street trainer Gina Rarick at Maisons-Laffitte since Sept. 24. He showed immediate improvement after the move, earning a check in all four of his subsequent starts, most recently on December 11 when he was a fast finishing third in a 1900-meter handicap on the Deauville fibresand.

“He’s extremely consistent, sound and tough and is effective over any distance from 1500 meters to 2000 meters (7 1/2 to 10 furlongs),” Gina said. “He seems to love the fibresand but he’s also fine on turf where he needs the top of the ground.”

Like his High Street Racing stablemate Bleu Astral, Grey Sensation is the son of a French 2000 Guineas winner, in this case Aussie Rules, who also won the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland. Out of a mare by Royal Hunt Cup winner Imperial Ballet, Grey Sensation possesses a solid one-mile pedigree that frequently translates into a more versatile foundation.

For his High Street Racing debut, trainer Rarick will aim him at a 1600-meter (one-mile) handicap at Cagnes-sur-Mer on Saturday, January 16, opening day at the Hippodrome de la Cote d’Azur, and the first of 19 days of racing at the seaside winter meeting which runs through February 27. We hope all High Street Racing shareholders- and prospective shareholders- will be able to join us at Cagnes for a closer look at both Grey Sensation and Bleu Astral.

Grey Sensation, number 14, finishing third in his most recent race at Deauville.
Grey Sensation, number 14, finishing third in his most recent race at Deauville. Scoopdyga