NEWMARKET REPORT BY DAVE YOUNGMAN
For me, March is always a magical month as it signals the start of things happening in racing, the Cheltenham Festival for the jump fans then the start of the new turf Flat season. And what a Flat season it promises to be this year, Newmarket's young trainers like Ed Walker, Hugo Palmer and Charlie Fellowes will all want to make their mark early in the season.
Charlie Fellowes has set up training with 25 boxes at Saffron House Stables in the Hamilton Road here at Newmarket. He had previously been assistant trainer for five years to James Fanshawe and also had a spell working in Australia for trainer Lee Freedman. The staff at Charlie's yard are very easy to spot out on the heath as they all wear bright red caps, let's hope he do well.
It is so good seeing the first Frankel foals being born. MIDDAY has a lovely filly foal by Frankel and will return to be covered by him again this season. He managed to get 126 of the 133 mares he covered in foal, let's hope there are some that will inherit his ability when they see the track.
As you see from the photo of me with Frankel, he was always a nice horse to be near but he could give anyone a nip from time to time, I was always very careful when near him but feel very lucky to have been so close up with him.
Conditions in Newmarket have been very testing with howling winds and heavy rain but trainers have been pressing on with preparations for the new Flat season. John Gosden has KINGMAN cantering now as he prepares him for a tilt at the 2,000 Guineas. John says he is very happy with the colt since he returned to training after having a chip removed from an ankle. THE FUGUE has been going along very nicely in the Clarehaven string and look set for a good campaign.
Sir Michael Stoute is very pleased with the way TELESCOPE has developed during the winter, he is now a very imposing colt and is already cantering away. Ryan Moore recently rode DANK in some gentle exercise and looked very pleased with the progress she has made during the close season. The unraced colt ALTAAYIL is gently being moved into stronger work and the son of Sea The Stars is looking a colt of much quality.
Trainer William Haggas will have his largest string to train this season, his horses are split between his Somerville Lodge Yard and his newly purchased Flint Cottage Stables. William purchased Flint Cottage Stables from fellow Yorkshireman, trainer Mark Tompkins last year to house his ever expanding string.
The unraced SATELLITE has been moved into stronger work and is looking a colt full of promise. The Haggas-trained colt SEAGULL STAR is starting to impress out on the gallops and look a colt that will do well this year.
Tom Queally has been riding work for a number of Newmarket trainers, he recently rode out for Lady Jane Cecil on a nice colt named TACTICUS, this horse is by A.P. Indy and is owned by the Niarchos Family. I understand Tom is very keen to ride this horse in his races this season, his early work has been very encouraging to say the least.
Trainer Hugo Palmer is aiming ASCRIPTION at the Lincoln Handicap at the end of the month at Doncaster, the son of Dansili has wintered very well and looks in great form, Hugo says, this will probably be the last time the horse run in a handicap as he intend giving him an entry in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.
