NEWS 

Appletree Stud is please to announce our first arrival of 2020. Jack Hobbs x The Pirates Queen colt was born at 11.30pm on 24/01/20. TPQ foaled with the minimum of fuss and we are delighted with her foal as he is the first colt she has produced. He is TPQ's fourth foal, TPQ is yet to have a runner but we are looking forward to seeing her other off spring running in the near future. Kalansi x The Pirates Queen16 filly will run in bumpers in the spring and is being trained by Alan King. Sea The Moon x The Pirates Queen17 has just gone in to training with Alan and TPQ's Sea The Moon 18 is broken and ridden away. I'm toying with the idea of running TPQ's 2 Sea The Moon fillies on the flat. TPQ had plenty of pace her self and Sea The Moon has really stamped his stock so watch this space.

Blacko made it 2 wins from 2 GB starts this afternoon at Warwick in the 1.00pm Try Racing TV For Free Now Juvenile Hurdle beating The Pink'n by 2 and 1/4 lengths. There was not enough early pace so Tom Bellamy aloud Blacko to set his own gallop from the second flight of hurdles, never looking any danger being beaten. The win now gives us options and we will definitely have to step up in grade next time. My target would be straight to The Fred Winter Handicap for juveniles at the festival as I think Blacko can progress and the handicapper can't be too hard on him after today as on face value he has run to a similar mark as Taunton last time. We could go to something like the Adonis Hurdle at Kempton and have pop at the Triumph if he won that, but I'm not convinced he's up to that level this season and as I have said in the past Blacko will be a better horse next season and when he jumps a fence in time. Alan, Paul and I will have the discussion over the next few days but I suspect it will be plan A.

Blacko makes his second GB start this afternoon in the Try Racing TV For Free Now Juvenile Hurdle (Class 4) (4yo) at Warwick 1.00pm. We are looking for him to follow up his decisive win at Taunton in December. There is a field of 8 in the contest and respect is given to the Dan Skelton trained Scorched Earth, a winner at Catterick on debut before finishing 4th in a nice race at Newbury behind the Henderson trained Mister Coffey. Alan King had the third in the Newbury race with On To Victory so again we have line through the form. The most Interesting opposition I feel is the Philip Hobbs trained Guernsey, he is making his British debut and has a similar profile to Blacko when he arrived from France, having run twice at Argentan being placed 2nd on his most recent start. it may be difficult to concede a penalty to Guernsey but we have improved and are likely to do so through the coming months We are again Delighted that Tom Bellamy takes the ride.

Far Rockaway finished 3rd in the Ladbrokes Where The Nation Plays Handicap 1m2f yesterday at Lingfield. Although slightly disappointed, she ran another solid race only being beaten 1 1/2 lengths by Island Hideaway, in what was a competitive affair despite there only being 4 runners. Far Rockaway popped out to take an early lead in the hope she could make all the running. She was challenged just before turning in and it appeared she did not quite have the gears of the winner and second, although a bump from the winner arguably cost our filly 2nd place. There are as always excuses, in hind sight we probably should of set a stronger gallop. We also need to take into account the fact we came back quite quick from her run at Wolves. She will have an easy month or so as there are no races for her until February. We are confident she can get her head in front in the very near future and she will stay further giving us more options.

Far Rockaway (Frankel x Darinza) looks to get of the mark tomorrow at Lingfield in the 1m2f Ladbrokes Where The Nation Plays Handicap (Class 5) (3yo 0-75) 2.20pm. Only 5 runners are declared and it looks a doable task off her mark 73. She has finished 2nd on her 2 previous starts at Chelmsford and Wolves. Far Rockaway was arguably unlucky at Chelmsford over 1m2f before finding Wolves too sharp having not had the gears to hold an early position, staying on late to grab a never nearer 2nd over 1m. Lingfield is a sharp track but Far Rockaway is back up to 1m2f and with the small field she should be aloud to go forward and get a good early sit. After the Newcastle result with Tomorrows Dream we will have to take into account we are running her back quick but there simply isn't another opportunity for her until next month. Ben Curtis rides for us again which is a positive, there is more in her favor than against.

Tomorrows Dream ran a sound enough race under her penalty at Newcastle yesterday in the 3.30pm Ladbrokes Where The Nation Plays Novice Stakes but I can't help being disappointed. It's not the fact she got beaten, it's the fact there are too many mitigating circumstances. I feel she was ridden all wrong and was not given the chance to run her true race. Tomorrows Dream was taken back from the start to sit behind the favorite hoping she would have the gears on her rivals. Personally I would of liked to of seen her go forward, handy with a lead which we thought was the plan. I take into account she was coming back quick and ran flat but after sleeping on it I still feel this morning she was not quite giving the chance to run her true race, ultimately she was too far back. All these points have been discussed with William and Paul. Its not about pointing fingers and blaming its about learning and getting things right in the future. On the positive side of the result Tomorrows Dream will be handicapped and ready to go to war in the summer with a decent mark. She will have a break now and come back to farm before resuming her 3yo campaign in the spring.