Exciting times ahead for the younger brigade

March 4

Each season every trainer looks to their younger brigade of horses in the hope that they might produce a couple with above-average ability and unlimited potential, be it the two-year-olds on the Flat or the novice hurdlers or bumpers at the winter game.

Looking at the youngsters in the team coming up hill yesterday in two’s and three’s on the all-weather gallop, Alan summed up his thoughts perfectly when declaring with fingers firmly crossed “Exciting Times Ahead !”.

Buoyant after Friendly Glance‘s impressive nine lengths debut success at Doncaster last Saturday – “I would not know how many winners I have trained out of that family but there would be quite a few” said Alan, who is hoping that there might be more bumper celebrations to come, with Nevada Sam (Wincanton) and Oykel Bridge (Haydock) both declared tomorrow. while who knows we might be witnessing the next Edwardstone if Alan confirms his half-brother Wyrley Birch for Warwick on Sunday, when he would be carrying those same colours of Robert Abrey and Ian Thurtle.

There has been a lot to like about all three at exercise recently, and remember Martini Majesty, who is out of a half-sister to our much-lamented superstar Trueshan, is looking a bargain buy at £9,500 two and a half years ago, having won in taking fashion on her debut in a mares bumper at Ascot on Valentines Day,

This is the time of the year when we allow ourselves to dream of where the youngsters might take us, and the same goes for the Flat horses, many of whom have been asked to do a bit more in the mornings these last few weeks.

It was great to see Alan’s first ever Derby entry Spyce stretching out so well under assistant trainer Rob Smith, and, while we hope to have a small but select team going to Cheltenham next week for the Festival, it is worth remembering that the new Flat season is now only 24 days away, so we’ll soon be thumbing the programme book to find a suitable classic trial for Spyce.

Alan has given the fillies a little more time to shed their winter coats, but he expects to be stepping up exercise with the likes of Deedaydiva next week, and this daughter of Churchill looked very promising when winning her maiden at Sandown last summer.

However, we also have high hopes that the likes of Daiquiri Bay, Alcarath, Insanity and Good Friday-bound Paradias may be picking up some decent handicaps over the next few weeks.

More immediate, King Al, who made it third time lucky over hurdles at Ludlow a month ago, could be in action this week-end. He is entered at both Sandown and Warwick but Alan is keen to get him qualified for the novice hurdle championship final.

Finally, it is heartening to see the weather is at last showing signs of improvement, which might well tempt Alan to run Granny Hawkins at Hereford on Saturday,

Granny Hawkins has been off the track since winning over this same course last November, but good ground is what the seven-year-old mare wants, so, though she will obviously improve for a comeback run, she would be interesting even off a 6lb higher mark.