Minzaal A Group 1 Winner!

Finally Minzaal showed everybody what we'd been seeing at home for the last few years! What a stunning performance in last Saturday's Sprint Cup at Haydock! Obviously it has come at a cost because we have had to retire him as he was injured in the race. The ground was very quick but he bounced of it and broke the track record! Whether it will stand is up for debate as the official timing equipment failed so it was only hand timed but I think everyone will agree it was an exceptional display!! He only had Ascot on Champions Day left to go for, then he was off to stud, but it was still gutting for myself and everyone in the yard, especially Shaun Muscroft who has ridden him & looked after him since he arrived as a yearling. Shaun insisted Minzaal was in the form of his life going into this race and credit to him, he was spot on!!

I feel very privileged to have trained 2 Group 1 winners this season but luck hasn't been on our side afterwards!! Things were put into perspective last weekend though with the tragic death of Jack de Bromhead in a freak accident over in Ireland! I don't personally know the de Bromhead family, but my heartfelt condolences go out to them. I have a 13 year old so can only imagine what they are going through at this sad time.

Also such rotten luck for Charlie Appleby and his team with losing Coroebus over in France. An excellent winner of the 2000 Guineas and The St James Palace at Royal Ascot this year. We know all to well that it can be a tough game at times but we are lucky that our 2 boys are still with us! Hukum is actually recovering really well and has started trotting back at Shadwell. A decision is still to be made on whether he'll come back into training next year or head off to stud! Obviously I'd love to have him back!!

We've finally had some rain so have managed to get back on the grass this week which is great!! I think it was the week leading up to Royal Ascot that we last used them!!

We've a few entries over the next week but runners will depend on how much rain we get, probably too much!!

Us trainers are never happy!!!!