Three-year-olds

Elraaed 3 ch c Dubawi – Into The Mystic

He had just the one run last year at Ffos Las and I managed to find soft ground during the hottest summer we can remember, and he ran no race. I gave him the rest of the year off before bringing him back last month at Southwell, where I thought he’d take a lot of beating. He was only fifth and I don’t know what went wrong, although it was nothing alarming. I had hoped to run him last week at Chepstow, but the ground was good, good to firm in places, which I won’t run him on. I still have faith that he’s okay.

Embrace 3 b f Lope De Vega – Whazzis

A nice filly who won impressively on the second of her two runs last November at Wolverhampton. Her work had been good this spring and we started off in the Fred Darling, where she ran a nice race to be fourth on ground that was plenty soft enough. Her owner was keen to go for the 1,000 Guineas, where I thought she would run a nice race. I thought she’d travel better but she was behind the bridle very early, yet with a furlong and a half to go she picked up and passed several rivals. She seems well and the Sandringham at Royal Ascot is a serious option. Ultimately the big aim this season is to get some black type.

Fair Wind 3 gr g Tasleet – Gone Sailing

He came to us this year as an unraced threeyear-old having been with Andrew Balding. He improved with each of his first three runs, culminating in victory at Wolverhampton over 5f. I gave him his first run on turf at Salisbury late last month and he finished fourth, but he’s better than that. On that occasion he was drawn high and had to be dropped in and didn’t see much daylight. Luke [Morris] said he changed his legs as the ground was plenty fast enough. Off his current mark of 76, he should be

competitive, but he can be keen in his races and needs to learn to settle better. I think we have something to look forward to.

Halla Dubai 3 b c Expert Eye – Soft Ice

He made his debut at Kempton in April when running a pleasing race behind Onight, but most importantly he learned plenty there. We ran him three weeks later at Lingfield against a red-hot Roger Varian-trained favourite in Dragon Icon. I thought Jim [Crowley] rode a brilliant race and almost stole it from the favourite, getting collared in the shadow of the post. I know Roger rated the winner as he subsequently ran him in the German 2,000 Guineas. Halla Dubai has trained well since and we gave him his first turf outing last week at Doncaster, where he was beaten by another Roger Varian favourite, who was drawn on the other side of the track to us. I was very pleased with that effort as it was a step forward again. We’ll wait and see what his handicap mark is, but I wouldn’t rule out a closer look at the Britannia at Royal Ascot.

Lajooje 3 b c Showcasing – Evita Peron

I’ve liked him since he first arrived at the yard. We sent him to Ffos Las for his debut last summer and he was a real eyecatcher, then duly stepped up on that to win a Newbury maiden. He was pleasing me a hell of a lot at home but then he had to go back to Darley for rehab after a small issue. He’ll be back next month and hopefully is one to really look forward to later in the summer.

Mantoog 3 b f Kingman – Mudawanah

This lightly raced filly has put in two encouraging efforts. We ran her at Kempton over a mile to get a run into her last year and I knew she had stepped up from that experience with her work at home. Her comeback run this year was at Salisbury, where she did nothing wrong before going down in a head-bobber behind Truthful, who looks a nice prospect. If I can place her properly, she should take a lot of beating on her next run. We’ll stick to 1m2f for now but I think she’ll stay further.

Rowayeh

3 b f Dubawi – Alaflaak

She had one run last year when finishing middivision over 7f and returned this spring at the

Craven meeting with a good third over a mile in a decent maiden. She duly won next time when taking a 1m½f maiden at Beverley in a close finish. She has been given an opening mark of 81, which is fine, and I’ll be disappointed if she isn’t capable of winning off it. There are a couple of races coming up next week, one over the stiff 1m2f at Sandown.

So Farhh So Good 3 b f Farhh – Collate

She has had two runs, finishing fourth each time. I thought she would nearly win last time out at Ascot, but things transpired against her. Despite it being only a five-runner race she found herself locked up on the rail after jumping a little slowly at the gates. The fractions were slow and they all sat on her outside. She’s a big, galloping filly who covers a lot of ground and it was just one of those days when it didn’t happen for her as it inevitably turned into a sprint. She won’t go on fast ground and I’m keen to get some rain so we can run her again. I need to get her out as soon as possible so we can get that third run and get her into the system with a handicap mark.

Tarjeeh 3 b c Churchill – Myturn

He looked a lovely prospect last year after winning a 7f novice at Newbury in July on only his second outing but hasn’t run since after a setback. We’d just got him back on track when he had another little problem, which has been sorted out now. I expect him to be back in action by midAugust. The race he won at Newbury was a strong affair with the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth all winning shortly afterwards. The plan this spring was to start off over 1m2f in a Listed race at the Guineas meeting before the niggle put paid to plans. It’s possible we could start him back over a mile and step him up later on. I do like him.