IT’S fair to say I didn’t fall off my chair with surprise after Frankie announced his retirement U-turn.
There have been whispers for quite a while now he would carry on his career in the US this winter and beyond.
Array has been supplemented for the Dewhurst and has a real chance in a hot raceGetty
I know the farewell tour has been going on for months now, but why not keep going?
For a 52-year-old, he is remarkably fit and still riding as well as ever, as he has shown throughout this season.
He clearly enjoys the lifestyle out in California, where he can enjoy the sunshine all year round, and it would involve little to no travel for him as well.
Good luck to him — he has had an absolutely amazing career in this country and I’m sure he will still make the odd flying visit to these shores going forward.
We also found out this week there will be some big changes to the Grand National from next year.
Obviously jumping isn’t my bag, but my family is steeped in the history of the race, with my uncle, Toby, having won it twice with Highland Wedding and Little Polveir.
I don’t really get the logic in reducing the field size by six runners, but the change to the start of the race has been long overdue and is much more relevant.
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For years it has been obvious they go too fast on the run to the first, and it’s no coincidence the first couple of fences tend to be where you get the most fallers.
Hopefully it will help slow them down at the start, because I enjoy watching the race as much as the next person.
If we want the National to be here in 20 or 30 years, we have to be seen to be doing something.
It’s been a busy week in racing’s corridors of power as the 2024 fixture list was finally released, too.
I’ve long been a big advocate for change in this country and, in truth, it’s been a long-time coming.
You could argue the BHA could have gone further, but everyone now has to get behind them and give it a chance.
Hopefully the ‘premierisation’ of our big meetings will see a healthy increase in prize-money and competition on the track but the proof in the pudding will be in the eating.
It’s a massive day at Newmarket for the yard as we have a number of big chances in the feature races.
After discussions with his owners, Juddmonte, we decided to supplement ARRAY (2.00) for the Dewhurst this afternoon, and he goes there in great form.
He won the Mill Reef at Newbury last time out and shaped as though he was ready for a step up in distance from six furlongs, which he gets today.
If he can prove he stays the seven, and shapes like he will get a mile, it will open plenty of doors for him next year.
He is a beautifully-bred horse and will be a stallion one day, so if he can hit the frame in what is usually the best two-year-old race in Europe, it will be a big boost to his CV.
We also have the well-fancied GRAND PROVIDENCE (2.40) right down the bottom of the weights in the Cesarewitch.
She is absolutely tailor-made for this, which she showed when winning the trial over the same course and distance three weeks ago.
My only concern is it is a very gruelling race, especially for three-year-olds, and she has had quite a busy season. The jumps boys are out in force and a few of them — like Gordon Elliott and Emmet Mullins to name just two — will have laid their runner out for this.
We also run the very exciting DAMBUSTER (3.15) in the Zetland Stakes. He was as green as grass on debut at Sandown but managed to make a winning start, and we think he has a very bright future.
That said, I think ARABIC LEGEND (1.25), who runs in the Autumn Stakes and was a good second at Salisbury last time, could be our best chance of the day.
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