Weekend Afterthoughts

There are a few things I want to reflect on regarding the weekend's action:

# Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk won his third race of the year. He returned to his native Canada and his hometrack Woodbine in style after a winter spell in Florida, winning an allowance optional claiming race worth CAN$78,400. It was the tenth win of his career, in which he accumulated over 600k in winnings. He's no slouch!

# Quite remarkably Under The Sun and Sweet Velvet both returned to the races for the first time since 2005! Both ran at the Washington track Sun Downs on Sunday going 4f in different races on the card. Under The Sun managed to come back with a win and Sweet Velvet ran third in her race.

# Fancy Footsteps won for Kenneth & Sarah Ramsey, the first race since they claimed her on 29 February. She is a Maktoum-bred (Gainsborough) filly out of one of my 2001 crop mares.

# Spitfire and Silver Wind finished second and third respectively when they competed against each other in conditions stakes at Doncaster on Saturday. Both should do well this season.

# Last, but not least, Gipson Dessert ran a credible fifth in the Prix De La Grotte at Longchamp on Sunday. She bravely set the pace in the heavy ground, only to run out of puff in the final furlong. Zarkava, the Aga Khan filly that won the race, looks to be quite something and is one to keep an eye on. However, I think Gipson Dessert, a daughter of my 2001 crop mare Gypsy Hollow, will improve from her first outing of the season and she should be competing in the top 3yo filly races through the spring and summer. She deserves her shot!