The following report was written by Glenn Holmes, the only member of Timeform Betfair Racing Club to be present in Deauville when the Club had two runners over the weekend of 20/21 August.
'Last weekend I made my first foray into French racing at Deauville to see
Where’s the Soap and
Ruler of My Heart make their reappearances.
I was looked after at the course by Jane Ianson, who does the international transport for Tom Dascombe, Anna Steadman and Nacim Dilmi who looks after
Ruler of My Heart all of whom were really helpful and friendly.
For those of you who haven’t been racing en France; put it on the “to do list” (can’t believe I told you that I was going to keep it secret). The whole atmosphere is really laid back. The “connections bracelet” allows you much more back stage access than you get in England. You get into the stable area although at Deauville the pre parade ring is in the stable area rather than public area.
Friday – No clean run for the “Soap”
On Friday
Where’s the Soap ran a cracker. The race was 1300 meters (6.5 furlongs to us) and on sand (sable to them). Deauville is quite a tight, right handed track. The run in from the bend is a little over two furlongs. As they turned for home she was fourth of six on the inside. At about 300 metres Davy Bonilla looked to get her out and make a move but just at that point the horse in front of him
As Speed seemed to blow up. This meant that he had to check her up and she lost momentum. Once he got her out she started to close up. The picture in Paris Turf, taken with 50 metres to go, shows her 2 and 3/4 lengths down. She finished fourth; beaten a rapidly shrinking length, head and ¾ of a length, less than two lengths in all.
She was beaten by about the distance that she lost when she had to be checked up. Without that I think that second was definitely on the cards and with my “rose tinteds” on (should that be more of a cerise tinted) I reckon that she would have gone close. She was doing her best work at the finish. She is not a horse that has gears but has a decent prolonged surge. I think that she would definitely stay further and would be better on a track with a longer run in.
Saturday - “Ruler” does just what it says on the tin Arrived at the track on Saturday and joined Jane and Anna in the pre parade area; just in time to see Nacim leading round this equine beauty. She is huge and has legs that go on for ever. If there was such a thing as catwalk modelling for horses, she would get the gig. Nacim had done her proud. She was very laid back even as others got skittish and wound up around her she didn’t react. The size and scope of her screams '3 year old prospect' so I was hoping to see a nice “learning run” (what do I know?). A gentlemen introduced himself and his wife as the parents of Ed Sackville, the bloodstock agent who bought her..
As the filly went down to the start the “Sackvilles” invited me to view the race from a private box that a friend of theirs was not using and had made available to them.
The race is 1600 metres (1 mile) and on the turf track which is outside the dirt track and therefore a little less tight.
In the early stages the six horses are racing in pairs like a set of primary school kids on an outing.
Ruler of my Heart is in the rear pair on the outside and lobbing along. As they turn for home she doesn’t handle the turn that well and runs wide about 4 or 5 horses worth. They weren’t going that great a gallop and I reckoned that if they quickened that by the time she got those great long legs organised they may well have gone.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. The drift to the outside had given her a clear run. Davy shook her up and she started to close. At 300 metres she was moving upsides the leader and then she took the lead and then she went on and then she went further on and erm then still further on. At that point the winning post came. I don’t think they moved it further forward to save the others embarrassment but I wouldn’t have blamed them. She was 2 i/2 lengths clear and going away and all this under a hands and heels ride.
Pandemonium and euphoria are a heady mix. Down to the winners’ enclosure; the horse comes in. She isn’t blowing at all. “Is the trainer here?” asks the racing press. “No.” replies Ed Sackville’s father, “this is a representative of the owners.” I am now giving interviews to the French press. “We were more hopeful than confident” (as if I knew). Ed’s father who it transpires is Lord De La Warr, former steward at Ascot and Goodwood, gets Tom Dascombe on the phone so he handles the Racing Post.
A quick word with Davy Bonilla who tells us that she didn’t handle the bend too well but that she won easily and and and “she is better than this”- better than this; better than a EU 60,000 listed race. The trainer of the second Eoghan O’Neill comes over and congratulates me. I smile graciously (read grin idiotically) and say thank you.
Next thing I am up on the podium and getting the prize (a brass horse in full flight) and receive the applause.
Lord De La Warr informs me that as a French bred she qualifies for a 75% bonus so that the total take is EU 106,000.
I wandered around in a daze for a while but recovered enough to see the filly hosed down and come out of the doping box. I give her a pat and a kiss goodbye (she said she didn’t mind but no tongues next time).
Parcel up the trophy to go back to the stable, say goodbye and thank you to Jane, Anna and Nacim after all this had been a team effort – they did the work and I accepted the plaudits (works for me). Did some more dazed wandering about and serious grinning.
Nearly forgot to collect winnings.
Glenn Holmes'
Labels: Ruler Of My Heart, Where's The Soap
