IT IS great to finally be up and running again after a long break and everyone is chomping at the bit to get started, not least the lads who have been brilliant during this whole pandemic and have just got on with it carried on as best as they can. We’ve obviously had to enforce strict social distancing measures but we have all complied with the rules and hopefully our patience will be rewarded and we can get the flat season off to a good start. We had plenty ready to go in March so had to ease back off them again when racing was shut down but they’ve all come to hand at the right time and are raring to go. It’s not a conventional start to the year but the BHA have done a great job getting the wheels back in motion and we’re just happy to be going racing again and looking forward to the Guineas meeting followed by Royal Ascot in a couple of weeks time. We took the view that Threat will skip the 2000 Guineas and instead head straight to Ascot for the St James’s Palace Stakes as will Dark Lady (Coronation Stakes) but Cloak Of Spirits, who I took to Kempton last week and is absolutely flying, will represent us in the 1000 Guineas.

We head to Kempton tomorrow with plenty of runners and I’d like to think we’ve got some good chances among them.

KEMPTON – TUESDAY

1:00 Unibet Thanks The Frontline Workers Maiden Stakes

MAFIA POWER (Pat Dobbs)

He’s a very nice colt and has been to Kempton for a gallop where he worked very well. I was really encouraged by his first run at Newmarket last back end where he finished his race off well and was only beaten about three lengths. It’s not an easy race but we think he’s quite a decent horse and I’d like to think he won’t be far away over a new trip that should suit.

2:45 Maiden Stakes

HOST (Sean Levey)

He’s another very nice colt by Mehmas, who won the July and Richmond Stakes for us and this horse is just like his daddy, albeit a little more thick set. He’s also been to Kempton and I thought he worked very well so it will be interesting to see how he fares. As you know, we don’t hammer our two year olds at home so he’ll improve massively for it, and he’s not drawn ideally in 11, but he’s tough and definitely a nice colt.

KOOL MOE DEE (Pat Dobbs)

He’s another smart colt who has done everything we’ve asked and worked well at Kempton the other day. As with Host, it’s just a case of getting races into these horses and learning where we stand with them. Sadly there are no Windsor Maidens at the moment so some of them have to take each other on, which is not ideal but there’s nothing we can do about it. He’s been ready to go for a while and we’ll see how good he is after this.

3:20 Unibet Three Uniboosts A Day Maiden Stakes

AL HAAJES (Rossa Ryan)

We had her last year and she was actually declared to run at Goodwood but was quite big and heavy and picked up a little injury so I sent her back home and she’s really filled into her frame. There is a little bit of history in her family of being tricky in the stalls so I hope this filly behaves and she might well want seven furlongs, but she is quite a nice filly and been working very nicely. Put it this way, she will run very well.

3:55 Unibet Extra Place Offers Everyday Maiden Stakes

PHOTOGRAPH (Sean Levey)

This looks another good Maiden but Photograph is a nice colt who put up a very good performance on his first run last backend at Newmarket. He has a lovely attitude and will get further than a mile in time. There are plenty of others with a very similar profile to him but he’s fit, ready to go and I think he has every chance.

I’ll be at Newmarket on Thursday where we run a smart colt called Ventura Tormenta in the Novice Stakes at 1:50 and the likes of Oh This Is Us, Tabarrak and Yafta will be flying the flag for us during the weekend; all of which are in great form, as is Floating Artist who will more than likely run in the Coronation Cup.