Looking To Impress

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The stable was building quickly, with the addition of four new horses from the illustrious Star Thoroughbreds more than doubling their active stock. Mighty News, Everyday Smile, Blazing Kiss and Special Edition had arrived a week ago and were ready to start working with their new team now that they had settled in. Which meant that Lillith needed to decide which of her two jockeys would be riding each horse.

Staring down at her sheet, the red-head frowned as she tried to figure out who might make the best matches to who. Vincent already rode Secret's Surprise, a two year old turf filly and Blindsided, a two year old who ran dirt classics. This meant that Lucas would probably ride Everyday Smile, and given that they already knew one another this was surely no bad thing. For this reason, she also wanted to put the newer of her jockeys on Mighty News. Vincent would understand. As for the three year olds, she had decided that it would likely be best to give one horse to each jockey. She would try putting Vincent on the feisty filly, Blazing Kiss, and Lucas on the ever-determined Special Edition.

With that decided she grinned. Today, the jockeys would work with the new imports and with any luck they would not fail to impress.

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The Tick Tock Sprint was going to be an amazing race, even with only two entrants, as now ex-stable mates Special Edition and Attractive Flight went head on head in a two way battle. It had been a risky entry, but one which had been carefully considered. After all, Lillith did not want Ed to sit in undercard races for his whole career, not when he was so bursting with potential, and the Sprinter Crown could just give the colt the break he needed on the track.

Of course, Attractive Flight was the favourite. He'd ran more major races, had perfect consistency and was more settled in his home stable - not to mention he had a bond with his jockey which had been carefully built over the last year and a half to ensure the best chances of success. But Ed was not out of the picture yet, and sometimes the least likely of horses pulled the biggest upsets. Not that it would matter if he did not win, this experience would be a positive no matter what came to pass.

It would also be a positive experience for Lucas, and hopefully give him the confidence boost to go on to be a great jockey. The young, blonde-haired man certainly had the potential and in his trial had shown a stubborn determination beyond the norm. It was this that had swayed her toward matching Lucas with Ed and she hoped that together they could beat the odds and make the racing world realised that they had just been joined by quite the team.

The jockey certainly looked at ease as him and the chestnut colt were led out onto the track. Ed pulled away from Jack, tossing his head and snorting as he was led toward the starting gate; tail snapping at his rump. This was a colt in need of a run, although there was nothing nasty about his behaviour. More, he had become more energetic as he was led out onto the dirt and was perhaps a little too excitable. Maybe it was something they would work on with him over the next few months, but for now it was important to see that he was running well.

Loading was simple enough, the colt if anything a little eager as he entered the stall and when the gates did crash open he broke at a pretty average rate and settled quickly on the dirt track with audits pressed forwards. From the stands, Lillith could not help but giggle a little at the look on the colt's face. Even now, at the very beginning of the short race, he looked like he was grinning and the way he held himself was not resentful in the slightest. If she had to guess, she would say he was enjoying himself and that was a good sign indeed.

For one furlong, Lucas allowed the chestnut to set his own pace. Ed's stride was short but sure beneath him, his pace about what one would expect in the early stages of a race. Certainly he looked comfortable on the track, and Lucas felt comfortable as he found the colt's natural pace. "That's a boy." he whispered, patting the muscular neck before driving onwards as they reached the beginning of the second furlong and Ed's speed began to pick up.

To be frank, Lucas was a little taken aback by how quickly the colt responded, their speed surging quickly from the second push. The three year old was clearly pushing himself as they came into the start of a short bend, but still seemed to be enjoying the run. As they came to the two and a half furlong mark Lucas tapped the crop the the colt's rump and Ed found even more to give. Now his stride lengthened, his movement flowing in bounding lengths and he flew onwards. Together, the pair worked for the post. Determination lined Lucas's young face as he drove and the colt's audits had flicked backwards - betraying his effort. But their joint determination paid off. They were running at amazing speeds, and holding that pace as they passed the post at the end of their three furlongs work.

Lillith could not have been more pleased. His rest since May had clearly done the colt a world of good and Lucas was proving to be a strong jockey. There was room for improvement, but then there was no such thing as perfection.