Indy's first race!
18 April 2013
After elimination from Fontwell due to a lack of stabling, and seeing a rapid reduction in the number of available races in the near future, Indy was entered into a higher class race at Cheltenham.
Although Indy came second to last, her performance overall for this stage of things is very pleasing. She behaved impeccably in the pre-parade ring and then, when saddled, in the parade ring, in front of a large crowd and with all of the distractions and goings on of such a big meeting. We gave the jockey clear instructions (these were his own views as well anyway, and he is known to be good with youngsters) to give her a good experience and not to be hard on her. He said that he would try and settle her towards the rear /mid division and see how she was going. If she didn’t have it in her to get into the 'shake-up', he wasn’t going to push her. She was up with the rest for the first mile and a half, but then wasn't strong enough to stay with them when they started to put the pressure on and so was allowed to tail-off a bit. She cantered past the finish line not looking exhausted as a result, and probably having enjoyed the run. Back in the unsaddling enclosure, we had a good and very honest account of her run from Gerard (as I knew we would get), the essentials of which were that she was not strong enough yet but had a really good attitude and was always genuine and trying.
This was one of the highest class races that a first timer could enter, she was far and away the youngest horse in the race, on one of the toughest tracks in the country, and eight of the nine first horses to past the post had all won or been placed previously.
We have now proved that it is possible to breed, train and run a horse exclusively on a Simple System forage and linseed diet. Yes, we still need to show that it is possible to win with such a horse as well, but we should be able to prove that over the next year or two!