Bahrain, Dubai & Lingfield

In March I went to the Dubai World Cup meeting towards the end of the month, principally to see Strawberrydaiquiri run in the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free.  She was up against the boys and ran a good race to be only beaten 5¾ by Presvis.  Owner/Trainer Fawzi Nass kidnapped me the day before the Duty Free and we did a day trip to Bahrain, where he lives and trains, to attend their biggest meeting of the year!  As it was in the middle of the ‘troubles’ in Bahrain it caused me a certain element of concern.  Fawzi had Book Of Numbers running in the Bahrain Gold Cup (their top race for imported horses) – a colt I had bought at the 2010 Tattersalls July Sale out of Jim Bolger’s stable.  On the way to the racecourse Fawzi kindly kept on pointing out the place he would drop me off if the horse didn’t win – I think he was joking!  In the event Book Of Numbers won in good style over the 2,400m distance, which was probably a little too far for him.  I was delighted for Fawzi that he has won their biggest race for the very first time and hopefully the colt could now make up into a Dubai Carnival horse for the future.

Back in the UK, trainer Bryan Smart had a couple of winners bought with me and Gerard Butler’s Pachattack showed her wellbeing by finishing third in the Group 3 Winter Derby at Lingfield on her seasonal debut.  She will probably have another start in the UK before joining a handful of horses that Gerard is going to station in a satellite stable in USA to take advantage of the better prize money and better opportunities.

In March I attended the Goffs Kempton Ready-to-Run Sale but didn’t find anything to suit my orders.  Even though Goffs moved the sale back by 2 weeks (good move by them), I still find that it is so early in the year that I personally find it hard to motivate my clients to concentrate and buy at.

Aislabie Stud is now in full flow with foals coming thick and fast and mares being scanned in-foal.


I will be attending the following sales –
Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale (Tuesday 12th to Thursday 14th April)
– Europe’s leading 2yo Breeze-Up (in 2010; 96 sold for a median of 70,000 Guineas)
Doncaster Breeze-Up Sale (Tuesday 19th & Wednesday 20th April)
– a leading 2yo Breeze-Up (in 2010; 122 sold for a median of £19,750)
Doncaster April HIT Sale (Thursday 21st April)
for horses-in-training (in 2010; 96 sold for a median of £4,000)
I may attend the new Tattersalls Ireland Flat Breeze-Up Sale on Thursday 28th April at Fairyhouse depending on orders.

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