What a week it’s been so far and we’re only halfway through! After such a torrid few years it’s great to be back at Ascot and the action on the track has been wonderful.
Obviously, it kicked off at the Goffs UK London Sale and I was lucky enough to secure Derby runner-up Hoo Ya Mal for £1.2 million and he will race on for Go Bloodstock and Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, who have been such wonderful clients of mine and Susie for a number of years, so it was great to be able to get the horse for them.
Hoo Ya Mal (GB) when sold at Goffs UK London Sale | Image courtesy of Goffs
I am already looking forward to seeing what he does in Australia, because I think he will really suit it down there - it is very exciting.
The Sale is a great way to kick off a brilliant week at the races. Goffs do put on such a brilliant event - beautiful setting, nice horses and plenty of rosé - what more could you want?
Wednesday was a brilliant day. To watch State Of Rest back up his win in the Cox Plate was thrilling and I was so pleased for Henry Field, because not only is he a great mate, but he does so much for the industry so it is brilliant to see all his hard work come to fruition. But it was also wonderful for the Cashmans from Rathbarry, who will stand the horse during his time in the Northern Hemisphere.
Johnny McKeever and Ryan Arnel at Royal Ascot
I am a big believer in Starspanngledbanner and I think State Of Rest will fit so well into the Australian breeding sphere. To win four Group 1 wins in four different countries is quite remarkable and in such a short space of time too, he is some horse. He is such an amazing horse because I think he will have significance in many places and looks to be a really exciting prospect for both Newgate and Rathbarry.
I was also happy to see another great mate Steve Parkin (Clipper Logistics) have a winner with Dramatised in the Queen Mary S., and also one that he bred as well, which was brilliant and the performance was outstanding - to watch a 2-year-old filly do that on her second start was quite brilliant.
But then I was also pleased for Ben and Lucy Sangster who won the Duke Of Cambridge with Saffron Beach and that was such an impressive performance from a very good filly, she seems to be getting better with every run and she could definitely have more to give.
Susie and Johnny McKeever
The atmosphere on the track has been electric, I can’t think of any time I have felt an atmosphere like this, it’s amazing. I was at a picnic in the Owners and Trainers and there were about 50 per cent Australians, 25 per cent English and 25 per cent Irish - so we were totally outnumbered by our Australian friends and you can imagine, after their meeting so far, how loud it was!
Australians have made the meeting this year - they just bring with them so much enthusiasm and they just know how to celebrate, with a few beers. After the past two years, everyone is saying this year is different, it is like a breath of fresh air - it’s like a new life and everyone is grateful to be back, genuinely I think people have been so humbled and now grateful to be back on a racecourse.
The Newgate picnic was most certainly the place to be last night (Wednesday), it was a lot of fun. It was like being in The Oak in Double Bay, every Aussie under the sun was there getting stuck into the festivities, which is what Ascot is all about.
God knows what will happen if Home Affairs or Artorius win the Platinum Jubilee - it could get really wild!
