Newmarket didn’t get the weather memo on for the second day of the Craven meeting, but I’m powering through.
In my head, I should be gambolling into the Dip, arms stretched with flowers trailing behind – think Julie Andrews, circa Sound Of Music, with a touch less grace and vastly reduced dignity.
In reality, the weather is grey and dingy but we’re at HQ and happy.
I’m still relishing the feeling of springtime as I step into the lift, and I’m joined by a Jockey Club employee enters, bin tucked under arm. It’s too much of a temptation and I have to ask.
“They broke a bin yesterday.”
“Who did?” I ask, curiosity piqued.
“The annual members, they didn’t even last the afternoon.”
What were they doing? And if the annual members bar is such a hub of decadence and debauchery, do we need to keep a closer eye?
Mischief and merriment is clearly the order of the day and I’m delighted to see old friend Seagulls Eleven in good spirits for a racecourse gallop. He nearly decapitates a hovering official with an ill-timed double barrel kick and proceeds to turn inside-out whilst waiting for a busy Oisin Murphy, who has also had a spin up the Rowley Mile on Guineas hope Into The Sky.
“If he came into the paddock like an old sheep, I’d be worried,” smiled Hugo Palmer, who has his eye on the Prix du Muguet for the flashy chestnut, after a successful gallop.
“He’s a bit of a spoiled brat. He needs everything to go perfectly and if anything goes wrong, he spits his dummy out.”
Dummy spitting looked a possible outcome for the Stuart Williams-trained Azleet before the Nell Gwyn. Apprehension was high as the filly entered the paddock with a companion pony, but she remained calm throughout preliminaries and cantered down to the start quietly, leaving onlookers wondering the need for her four-legged pal.
The team effort proved vital nearly four minutes later, as Azleet stormed up the hill for a surprise 50/1 victory under Marco Ghiani.
“We knew she was fast, but we didn’t know if she would definitely get the trip,” said Stuart Williams, who was clearly breathing a sigh of relief.
“She’s been a bit tricky at the stalls. We’ve ponied her down to the start to keep her relaxed, she has been missing the start by jumping and rearing which makes life difficult in sprint races. Although she was a little tardy away from the stalls, it gave Marco [Ghiani] the opportunity to keep her nice and settled – she’s keen.
“We came here to see if we should keep the entry in the 1000 Guineas. For me to have a runner in a Group 1, it would be fantastic.
“We’ll go and roll the dice.”
Mark Tompkins may be better known to the racing public for his training career, but he seems to be alright at the breeding lark too. Despite already tasting Classic success with You Got To Me in the 2024 Irish Oaks, he was delighted with his new potential star, who was bred out of Azure Mist, a filly he trained to multiple victories.
“Azleet is the last foal from the mare, who has happily retired,” Mark explained.
“She’s produced some alright horses: the fillies have been good but the colts have been big and slow!”
A quick chat to Ismail Mohammed about Magic Effort’s debut victory in the maiden fillies’ stakes, a double for the smiling Marco Ghiani and we’re done for the day.
Now, should someone check on the annual members bar?
More from Sporting Life
- Free bets
- Racecards
- Fast results
- Full results and free video replays
- Horse racing news
- Horse racing tips
- Horse racing features
- Download our free iOS and Android app
- Football and other sports tips
- Podcasts and video content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
