Flat Stable Tours
With the Flat season underway, Racing Post journalists have been visiting some of the top yards across Britain and Ireland to bring you our Flat Stable Tours series.
The Guineas at Newmarket are just a few weeks away, the Oaks and Derby are just around the corner and it’s only two months until Royal Ascot!
Get the lowdown on all the big names ahead of the key meetings and make sure you stay ahead of the field this Flat season.
Read our full series online, exclusive to Members’ Club Ultimate subscribers.
Below is a preview of the first tour in the series…
Roger Varian Stable Tour preview
‘He looks a stronger horse this year and we’ve got Guineas aspirations for him’
If success breeds more success, Roger Varian could be in for a bumper campaign off the back of a string of personal bests last year.
With more winners (133) and more prize-money (£2,683,530) earned in Britain than ever before in 2021, there is good reason for optimism at Carlburg Stables in Newmarket as a new season dawns.
“On reflection, we’d have to be happy with last year but I think it’s what a yard our size should be doing,” says Varian. “We’re always trying to raise the quality and, while the numbers and strike-rate were strong, what was most satisfying was seeing Teona and Eshaada come through and win Group 1s in the autumn.
“They’ve both stayed in training and hopefully they can prove themselves consistent at that level and get some support from one or two younger horses pushing through. To compete at the highest level is what we strive for.”
Varian reports Teona and Eshaada to be “bigger and stronger” this season and, while his team is well stocked throughout, he has a number of lightly raced three-year-olds with the potential to flourish.
Older horses
Believe In Love
She ran two super races last season and three ordinary races. I’m not quite sure why she was inconsistent but she’s a dual Group 3 winner and to better her CV she needs to win a Group 2 or Group 1, which is what she’s been kept in training for. Perhaps 1m6f with cut in the ground sees her to best effect, but I could see her being effective in something like a Lancashire Oaks and then the programme opens up for a mare like her in the second half of the season. That’s when she might get her big shot again. She’s very good on her day. Dragon Symbol
He arrived from Archie Watson in good condition and he’s settled in really well. I’m not in any great rush with him but we could start him off in the Duke of York next month. He’ll be entered in both the King’s Stand and the Platinum Jubilee at Royal Ascot and that will be his big week. He’s an exciting horse. |
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Wednesday, April 13: The Aintree runners set for a quick turnaround in the Irish Grand National, Charlie Appleby prepares to unleash another potential superstar and today’s exclusive top tip and brainteaser. All this and more in today’s newsletter . . .
The big story
Anyone still in the Grand National mood?
It’s been four days since the big one at Aintree, but luckily we only have to wait another five before the Irish equivalent, and leading owners Gigginstown House Stud clearly still have the National bug as they prepare a strong squad for Fairyhouse – including three contenders who have barely made it back across the ferry from Merseyside.
I struggle to drag myself to the gym more than once a week, so I don’t know how Samcro will cope with another marathon contest just nine days removed from finishing 11th in the last. Run Wild Fred and Death Duty, at least, should be relatively fresh after coming unstuck when jumping the Canal Turn for the first time.
Gigginstown racing manager Eddie O’Leary, though, seems confident: “Death Duty and Run Wild Fred came down early at Aintree so all being well they’ll take their chance. They seem to have come out of it fine. I’m hoping that Samcro will be able to come back for this too as I think that run will bring him on. We were fancying him because a healthy Samcro shouldn’t be called the names he’s been called.” |
