Well, Tyke (Cape Tycoon) is start-declared for Longchamp on Sunday. I had a brief scare with a cough over the weekend (the horse, not me, unfortunately), but the vitamin C seems to have helped and he worked well this morning, so I think we’re going to give it a shot. It’s a relatively good-level claimer on a day with three Group races also on the card, and the field looks strong, but it’s time to get on with it and see what’s really under the hood. It will be interesting to see how he is to handle at the track. He clearly had a bad experience in England, having run five races in eight weeks at varying distance on the fibersand when he was clearly backward and not capable. After trailing in last in every race, he was chucked into the sales. We gave him five months off in Normandy, and he came back a different animal. He’s huge now and clearly still growing, but nothing like last year, when he couldn’t trot round the courtyard without landing on his nose. He really has bloomed into a good-looking horse, and he’s really come into himself coordination- and character-wise, so I’m excited to finally see him race. Now (and yes, you’ve heard this before) we need RAIN! It’s been dry and sunny for the past eight days or so, and I really want some cut in the ground for him at Longchamp. Start dancing…
Well, if you feel any kind of sympathy for your jockey, please advice him/her to be extra careful right after Tyke passes the post. He might try to get someone to pay for a bottle of champagne again ;).