Runners, declarations and entries W/C 6 March 2008

A mixed week so far with Desert Dreamer winning on Monday and Savile's Delight being beaten a nose (about two inches!) on Tuesday. Savile's Delight was in front half a stride from the line and again half a stride after but sadly not where it counts. Richard Kingscote gave both horses great rides.

Naughty Thoughts has been declared for Saturday at Wolverhampton in the 7.30 pm. It is an Apprentice Handicap and Ross Atkinson rides. The race is restricted to apprentices who have won less than five races and Ross won his fifth race yesterday. Timing is everything! He is only 16 years old and is apprenticed to Gary Moore and already has earned a reputation for the way he rides.

Our hopes next week are pinned on Hope Road.

It does not look terribly hopeful though. On Monday he is entered in two races at Stratford, the 2.10 a juvenile hurdle and 4.40 a handicap hurdle. In both he has ballot marks requiring 16 horses to come out of the first and eight out of the second. It is even worse on Tuesday, the first day of the Festival. He is entered in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices Handicap Hurdle at 5.20 but requires 23 horses above him in the list to come out before he gets a run. As they used to say 'There's Bob Hope and No Hope' and we have the latter. If he doesn't get a run either day I will just have to find something else for him.