Week 1

Day 2

Flat

Have I mentioned how much I dislike flat racing

Vanquish - 3rd - Not being mobbed by my other front runners who dominate her at trial, she had her own way in this one and though she was run down at the end, that was promising showing.

Derby Day - 7th - Not disgraced today, stayed on well enough, and expectations were low. Will do better in the low tier of races.

Saint of the Leger - 7th - Was asleep from the off and got caught last, moved on well to her prefered position as the race progressed, stayed on same pace and lost position when it matters. Not a disaster.

Raahin White - 3rd - Small field but only just lost out in a tight finish. Given the breeding of this horse I dispair somewhat about my flat game, but I'll take any help I can get right now.

Belladona - 5th - Meh..................don't think she gets caught on firmer ground.

Rider On The Storm - 13th - Another game front running performance, did not think she would stay 1.1m, but that was worse than I figured, basically died at the 1f mark.

Calm The Feck Down - 13th - Not especially promising that, looked to be positioned well enough but tied up something awful 5f probably his limit.

Dantes Inferno - 6th - Not all that bad since I feel this horses best options involve a field and a cart. Maybe the racekit likes him more than the CK.

Its A Trap - 8th - Front runners are the future, just not crap ones who die in the closing stages. Carts too good for him after than showing.

Jump

Thank god for jumps racing.

National Pastime - 7th - Stupid race entry really since I have a specialist at this distance who I sent elsewhere. Needs 4m and she is not star at those either, trainer error.

Full Court Press - 4th - Horrible mistake 2 from home ended any chance he had to make Recruiting Agent work for it. May not have made any difference mind, time will tell as I am sure they will meet again.

When the Demon Comes - 1st - Really pleased with that run, dominant performance, maybe aided by Class Hairy falling. Seems like have some very decent 3m chasers.

Word To The Wise - 1st - I thought she would be hard to beat and tough league horse, really battles for it when pressured, probabaly the best Queen Mother prospect I have ever had. Delighted with that. Ewe Lamb was also most impressive.

All Looks Good - 6th - Ugly performance that, there maybe some work to be done with my 2.4m chasers.

Nickerbocker Glory - 4th - Ran in the wrong race should have gone over 3.4m. Happy enough with that as a result.

Lana Del Rey - 1st - Very impressed with that, did everthing right and exceeded my expectations.

The White Witch - 4th - Looked to be doing everything right, maybe took it on a little early. Hit a flat spot and switched off at 4f from home. Very disappointing.

The National Awaits - 4th - Never seen him do anything other than front run, until today, slow start likely the killer. Head scratcher that one.

Bride of Doom - 3rd - Decent run, might be my 2m hurdlers are not as bad as I thought. Just beaten by better on the day.

Josh

Week 1 Day 2 Summary.

Can i please get a replay of the photo finish in Race 14 on the flat

Some decent efforts again on the flat few placed runs again on day 2.

I've never really paid to much attention to the flat league. NH is where my passion lies. But i'm enjoying it so far. Looks like i have a bunch of handicappers at best.

R13 - Chingford Cross (F)
Faller at the first fence. Talented mare when she stands upright. Always next week.

R14 - Misaro Tears (6th)
Creditable 6th place in a good a maiden to kick start the NH league off. Should improve.

R15 Definightly Parnell (3rd)
Ground a little on the quick side today but stayed on very well at the finish. Better days ahead for this 3m Chaser.

R16 Woodcote Amoray (5th)
Another who needs Soft ground to be fully effective. Just got outpaced over the final 3 furlongs.

R17 Athene Bailiwick (4th)
Didn't quicken up and was a little flat footed. Not to be ruled out with deeper ground and an extra furlong.

R18 Lyons Mayhem (3rd)
Was out paced for most of the race and a slow jump at the last didn't help either. Think a step up in trip will suit this horse going forward.

R19 Seraphina Cerise (5th)
Would have been closer if not for a bad mistake at the 2nd last fence.

R20 Megans Xiara (4th)
Will be dropped down in trip next week. Probably 2m3f just stretched her stamina somewhat.

R21 Yeomanry Implication (1st)
Very nice to win my own race!! This horse has a touch of real class and will be aimed at all the top 3m Hurdle races. I thought that was an impressive display taking it up 4f from home and just toying with them behind close him. Easing up near the finish. Very happy to get a winner on the board.

R22 Gwen Tomyra (1st)
Another winner on the board and to win my old rivals R21 Hooleys Race. He was one of the all-time best NH trainers to grace this game in my opinion. The commentary was right won very cheekily in the end. This mare has a devastating turn of foot and stays 2m very well. Better thing await this horse in the coming weeks.

R23 Kahtan Talltallus (6th)
This game breed gelding is an out and out stayer so for a 6th place i'm happy with that. Not sure the age is right maybe should have gone 9yo. But will be back next season i'm sure. Will be aimed at the Grand National.

R24 Jewelled Donna (1st)
Ultra tough front running mare with bags of speed and is a very hard horse to pass. She ran them ragged in the end. All roads lead to Cheltenham with this horse and the Champion Hurdle is the target. I've another 2mH who is equally as good on her day.

3 winners on day 2. Very happy with that. Roll on day 3.

Thanks to the team behind the scenes. It's very much appreciated.

A good day for me

NH

R13 Await you Reply 1st Showed his great turn of foot to come from last and win well. Definitely on track for Auteil

R14 Recruiting Agent 1st My best and most consistent 3 mile hurdler won well in perfect conditions for her

R15 Golem in the Gears 4th Never been chasing in game ran well enough, but the fences took there toll and faded late. Much better over hurdles

R16 False Horizon 8th Ran a shocker but as I said in the write up, a Cheltenham specialist might need further at other courses

R18 Daenerys Targaryen 1st Bred after about 20 season but alutra consistent mare justfied her inclusion finishing well to take this. Great coms Martin, you clearly haven't watched Game of Thrones

R19 GI Joe 1st Won well, made a mistake late but keep going well. Hoping he will do as well as Hereditory Rule for me. On track for Gold Cup

R21 Lateral Thinking 2nd My 3 mile chaser ran well enough over hurdles, will be better went sent chasing

R23 Don Quixote 9th Perfect run not too close to ruin handicap mark. I have won 3 Grand Nationals and he will be the following the same path as my other winners. 3 runs and then kept on ice. 4 miles is too short he won't get anywhere near them over that short and should come into the GN nicely weighted

Equal with Josh now but he has a lot of good front runners, and Hemz had 3 winners, he used to dominate NH and both Gray and John's horses are running well. Going to be an interesting season.

Flat

5 runners for me 2 Juveniles and 2 3yo's and the one older horse. My younger horses ran as expected I know they no where near my older horses. The shock for me was Brother in Arms, a firm ground horse aged 7 winning a 12f race on soft ground. Ideally she wants further. That's 3 maiden wins on the flat never done that before in week1 on the flat. I think I have much better chances at Dubai than normal because of the runs by my older horses in day 1 and 2. Well done Nick on the 3 winners. Not sure but like me don't Nick has had 3 maidens winners in week 1

Thanks to Doug, Nick and Martin for the comms. And especially Gray for putting it all together. Without Gray there would be no league he puts an incredible amount of time putting everything together. Glad to see both his flat team and jumps teams going well

well after a good start on day one (no winners but some good placers) my suspicions were confirmed that my middle distance horses do indeed run like me nanna 1 even got tripped up by gray's horse!

many thanks to all involved who make this happen I still get a buzz even after all these years

congrats all runners

More topn 5 places for me on day 2, without a winner, still encouraging signs, although may not help as I've got 2 horses rated over 100 now who finished way down the field in their maidens? One (lipu plan) was miles back an got rated 102? Seems very harsh. Not having a go at the handicapper btw, not an easy job that

Day 2 was ok but jockey Greatrex will get the sack pulling up horses before the finish lol lol

Zaakhir 2nd, ran a good race but needs further & not Greatrex riding again
Saahid 2nd, ran ok but didn't pick up faster enough
Mileela 4th, ran no sort of race & looks like a handicapper

I'm looking forward to day 3, hopefully Murafrif, Mootawel, Tajawuz & Kafi can do what they do in ck

Well done to all the winners & placers, the comm's were great again thanks guys


all the best all in the day 3

Forgot to upload my Dubai horses lol, i thought id uploaded them at the start & entered them first lol 20 horses missing 5 lol
Oh well i will wake up one day

good luck everyone today,
have no runners till next week.
im mostly looking forward to the Dubai Duty Free.
Thatll image looks interesting!

No winners today but still very, very happy with how mine have run. Swift As Air ran very well over 7f finishing 2nd and Creme Carnation ran a great race in the Godolphin Mile even if only finishing 7th. The rest will have some nice marks to work with I hope.

Not seen the ones I haven't commented on yet but I feel there may be a big siesta at Casa Del Rensburg tonight! Some serious performances.

Just the 1 winner for me. Golden Shaheen for Wuwei Damsel. Pretty good performance coming from the back to win well. I actually beat this at home by 4 lengths. So good signs. She was a very early breed too

Akniste tower was very unlucky in the 5f maiden too. Think it may have won that well, hopefully gets a decent Mark now as it won’t be a group horse

Great comms from Martin, Doug an Nick. Really enjoyed them and as expected I watch a few races again. I have been in the league since SO2 and never won a G1 in Dubai so what an amazing day

Flat

Dubai Sheema Classic Blood Harvest 1st won by 3 and 3/4 lengths. Amazing still can't believe it. Showed his incredible turn of foot to race away in the end

Golden Sheehan Waterfall 5th all sorts of trafiic problems. jumped well but ran into repeated trouble. Course not ideal for him and will improve. Well done to Vinny looks like all your hard work paid off

Dubai Duty Free Dancing Goddess 1st Awesome commentary from Martin. Awesome performance from her. She is a tough front runner with an amazing kick at the end of a race and makes for a lethal combination and she powered away in the final furlong to win by over 4 lenths. Amazing. Gets 1m to 10f. Think it may be a great season for her

Dubai World Cup Mystic Lake 4th Great start to the league for Dan Hughes to win the Dubai World Cup. Mine was close and a stiffer track is going to suit him much better

Al Quaz Sprint Hood Sickle 2nd Thought he had won when he powered to the lead with a furlong to go but Paul's got back up to win. Even after the photo still thought I had won. Well done to
Paul.

Godolphin Mile Rampage Town 1st Dead heated for first. I'll take thatt as thought he had got beaten. Shared it with Josh but I think we both lucky the line came because Lamego was flying

Dubai Gold Cup Desert Harvest 1st Came from near last to win going away. He will win again as an incredible finish. I don't have many 4yo's in my stable and only have the 4yo version of him in my trials. To think I sold this at 4 in my game Still breeding with him though

Race 34 Moral Disorder 1st Nick your commentary was amazing. And yes it was a massacre and based on the comments in the notes there were oaks, derby and ledger hopefulls in the race and he destroyed them. I have said that my older horses destroy my younger ones and seems he has done that here too. Also proving a monster in the barn siring great flat and NH horses. Lot of options with him distance range is 12-16f

Of the other 3 Bloodstone ran on ok over a distance to short. My 2 juveniles ran ok. I will give my NH write up when I have calmed down a bit. Had a good day there too. I have never had flat horses this good, still in a bit of shock

I have gone back through the flat seasons and the most winners I have had during the whole season is 22. I might have had more in SO3 but there are no records anymore. I have 9 winners in week 1, so this should be my best season ever!!!

Delighted with the week ones results, two wins and two second places!

I was expecting to do a bit better this season but definitely did not expect to win a Dubai World Cup. Always Dreaming was not the best 4yo in my trials, the better horses were entered as 3yo's but have all struggled this week. He had a perfect trip on the inside for most of the race, a gap opened in the final furlongs and he went for it.

2yo Songbird beating John Morgan in his own race was another unexpected highlight. Very impressive acceleration in the final furlong to come from nowhere to win it.




May I ask why he looked interesting? One of the worst horses in my selection!

Massive congrats to Leon on day 3, well done mate awesome performances. Some seriously talented older horses you have in your stable.

I may look into my castoffs of older horses from my combined game and trail them on the flat and see what happens. Never really thought about it until now.

As expected on the flat another five 3rd place finishes and some ran very well in group company. Possibly pick up a G1 on the flat this season

Congrats to all the winners and places. Shout out to Dhughes on the Dubai World Cup win.

Thanks to the team behind the scenes.

NH to follow....

I'll start by apologizing to those that placed bets on me for Pauls Bookmakers Corner to win the overall Flats comp. Aint gunna happen.
A couple of wins and a few placings so not the end of the world but many of my runners are low handicappers.

Congrats to the winners and runners.
As always a huge thanks to the team that make the League possible.