Post by alicekcrose on Jun 4, 2012 3:17:41 GMT -5
Alice and Roy work for the Winter Cup G5 Dirt*
[/center][/sub][/blockquote][/blockquote]The bay colt stepped elegantly on to the track. His ears were pricked as he braved the brisk northern wind. Tomorrow, he would be racing in the Winter Cup, against some good horses - but nothing we couldn't beat. The one we were looking out for was the chestnut filly, Mizadori. She was strong, and with her recent second place in another race, she was todays major threat. Roy was the son of Hall Of Famer, Royal Red Richard. He'd been racing excellently this season, and it was time to step up and win this race in immense style. In Gate One was the Gelli Aur dapple grey three year old filly, Enchantress. This season, she'd only raced twice. She won the Seaspray Cup maiden, and placed fifth in the Autumn Cup Grade Five. The previous year, she only raced four times, placing 2nd in the February Maiden Dirt and the November Maiden Dirt. She also placed 7th in the October Maiden Dirt, and 7th in the September Maiden Dirt. She'd been seen working this morning and she was ready for this race.
In Gate Two was another Gelli Aur runner, Gold Fox. He was a nice chestnut and he'd raced in some of the Triple Crown Preps at the start of the year. He placed 4th in the Santa Anita Derby, sixth in the Wood Memorial, and his other runs include a win in the Concorde Stakes and the Golden Start Stakes. We'd beaten him in the Comet Cup, but he was still a very strong contender for this race. In Gate Three was yet another Gelli Aur Runner. This colt has had a great season so far, winning the August Maiden Turf, placing second in the Seaspray Cup Maiden behind Enchantress, and placing third in the March Maiden Turf, Maiden Turf Stable Face Off and May Maiden Turf. He was a very competitive light grey runner and if he was to make his move, he would be at Roy's shoulder flying down that home stretch,
In Gate Four, Crowned Clown. She didn't have the best start to the season, and she didn't really continue it very well, bless her. She's a nice bay filly, and funny, almost a 'clown'. But that hasn't stopped Roy from having a go. With Isa being a Grade 4, it was time for Roy to be a Grade 4... all we needed was two more wins. In Gate Five, another Close Racing grey filly. She is called Erin Shore. She's practically the same as Crowned Clown, but she is doing a tiny bit better, always placing a few places higher than her in the same races. She did well to place fourth in the Kentucky Derby this year, and her only win in the April Maiden Dirt kickstarted her TC/TT campaign. Unfortunately it was not to be when she placed 5th in both legs of the TT, with a fourth in the TC.
In Gate Six, there was Carmilla. She was a threat. A real threat. Since ARS has been back, she's raced well, with a second in the Lucky Penny Stakes, and a fourth in the Excalibur Stakes. The year before, she placed a second and a third, and two years before that, in Year 8, she won two races. She is a lovely mare, and a beautiful five year old, I have to say. In Gate Seven, Prison Hills very own Lady Ophelia. This dramatically coloured filly was the one that would stand out in the parade ring, definitely. She was absolutely huge this filly was. She stood at an amazing 17.2hh... She hadn't had the best season so far, her best place being a third, but maybe her two-year-old season would reflect on a good performance in the big race tomorrow.
In Gate Eight, Mizadori, the beautiful chestnut sabino filly of Silver Stride Stables. She was an absolutely beautiful filly - she's currently got a show, two places and a win on her record, as well as a fourth and two fifths. She was one to watch out for... definitely. She had the strength, despite being a two year old. She will race with Prince Arthur, in the middle of the pack. Now it was time for our work. The tall colt embraced the brisk northern wind as the snow flurried to the ground, perfect for the Winter Cup, haha... erm, not really... they'd had to postpone the Novizio Derby until next week due to the conditions and the fact horses wouldn't get worked for it. I understood why, which meant Isa's comeback race was tomorrow too!
I asked the colt for a trot, and he responded quickly. We were going to breeze from the mile pole... we'd start the workout at seven furlongs and work the last two furlongs as fast as we could. My automated stop watch was programmed to start timing between the two and the finish. The colt trotted forward, and I rose with his quick paced trot. I asked him for canter and he responded quickly and easily. I stood in my stirrups and let him canter. I began to quicken up a little bit, as we breezed past the seven. I didn't push him, I just let him run, like he'd do in a normal race.
I continued to relax, and as we came round the far turn and past the three, the colts stride lengthened. I pushed him forward and he responded. We came to the two and he was all out, sprinting like a cheetah, his over dramatic leg movement and long strided gallop covered the dirt. The snow blew on my face and the wind made tears run from my eyes and my face go red, but I continued to drive him forward with every last thing I'd got. The tears on my face began to freeze, and I wiped them away, pushing with one hand. We flew under the wire, and I was so shocked with how fast he had worked. I looked at my stop watch. Twenty one seconds... flat. I gasped. Good boy, we were ready to crush this field in his first win since January.
Words: 1026
Distance: Seven furlongs: Five furlongs breeze, two furlongs gallop.
Listening to: My grandparents muttering downstairs and me typing, and teh messed up fan on my laptop which sounds like it is taking off.