This update complied by two of my owners – Trevor Milner and Andy Machin.
Back in March 2005 we enjoyed a treble at Yarmouth. Kennington, Milady’s Pride and Shifty Night all passing the post first on that memorable day.
On Thursday of this week we went to Yarmouth again with representatives in three races. Kraka in the first, Hidden Dream and Percy Toplis in the third and Secret Treaties in the last. Would history be repeated and another treble be on the cards?
Alas not as Kraka was sixth in the opener. He held a good, prominent position the most of the six furlong trip however couldn’t quite go with them as things picked up over the last half furling or so. Sixth beaten around five lengths not a disaster. He’ll be bouncing back.
Although the treble had gone, the double remained a possibility. Could Hidden Dream (Cassie) go one better than her gallant second over course and distance last time out? Or perhaps Percy Toplis (Percy) pop up over his new trip?
Cassie broke well to take the fractional lead. With Kieran O’Neil in no hurry to take the lead. Contingency Fee and Cedar went to the front and quickly put three lengths between with Cassie in third place.
The 4yo gelding Go Fox lay the same distance behind in fourth.
At half way the two leaders were five lengths in front of the chasing pack with Percy looking on from the rear some 12 lengths behind.
At the three furlong marker the two leaders quickly came back to the field leaving Cassie to make the running closely followed by Go Fox.
With two furlongs to go and Percy Toplis making his move from the back Go Fox and Cassie began to fight out the finish with Cassie not relinquishing the lead until well inside the last half furlong and finally going under by 1 3/4 lengths.
The fast finishing Percy Toplis claimed the third spot at 50/1 with the 5/2 favourite Winterkoenigin finishing in seventh.
A pleasing effort from both horses. Cassie hitting the crossbar again and Percy loving the trip.
Then we came to the last race and Secret Treaties (ST). She’s a big filly and possibly still growing. She’s been given plenty of time to come in to herself and this was to be only her fifth race. Her previous run on handicap debut at Doncaster over six furlongs hinted that an extra furlong would benefit today.
ST went off as the outsider of the field at odds of 22/1 having been as big as 40/1 in the morning. The strong favourite was Crackin Dream at a shade of odds on (10/11).
With Kieran O’Neil in the saddle, ST broke well and was nicely positioned just behind the early pace.
As the race unfolded, ST was always handy. With two furlongs to go, things started to hot up (not just the weather…….).
Kieran sent ST in to a narrow lead around one furlong out going eyeball-to-eyeball with the favourite.
ST kept finding a bit more and it looked like she would have just enough to win. Alas, Rita’s Folly closed in getting up to nab ST right on the line and nick it by a short head.
No treble though with two seconds and a third it was a successful day with plenty of positives to take from it.