Festina's 7th girl

Smallish, like Moonlight's colt also by Modern Jazz, but plenty of life. Festina and Polina will be served by Gros Grain this year... a tough performer representing a Speedy Crown-Nevele Pride cross

Les trois generations

A mixed day on Tuesday at Les Baux, overshadowed completely of course by the news from New Zealand. The downside in the afternoon was Rosko failing to take his last chance to convince Marion it was worth taking him to Grosbois for a fourth attempt to qualify. He simply becomes uncontrollable and actually dangerous when asked for a serious effort at the trot, so he must go 'elsewhere'. The upside was in the morning when I was able to see the 3 generations of Hue taking 3 generations of horse (Orlando, Porto and Quitus) to work on the cinder straight line that Marion has laid down in a nearby forest. A great sight line astern on the road to the forest - all 3 chestnuts (the horses that is!) In the pics Bernard is always leading with Quitus, Marion is in the middle with Orlando and David behind with Porto. Quitus races at Enghien on Monday 28 and Porto should re-enter at Bernay on May 11 in an Apprentis Professionnel race with David driving and thereby getting 25 meters advance. And Orlando... still completely sound as far as we can see... needs about a month more work. No hurry!

Tragic News

Laura phoned us this morning (Wednesday) at chez Hue to tell us that Peter (Cowan) died yesterday, it seems from a heart complication a little while after having been kicked in the chest by a recently weaned foal. It is unbelievable, as I know only to well these events are, and our thoughts are with Vicki and Thomas who have lost a wonderful person, as have all his friends and acquaintances, even brief ones like myself.
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The way of all flesh

Moonlight's last foal, United, is naked as the day that he was born. And here is my respected trainer getting close to it in wishing cousin Florence Happy 40th Birthday at a surprise party I was privileged to attend. (Pity about the socks.) The evening confirmed my erroneous belief that my French improves proportionately to the amount of red wine ("Remy rouge") consumed.



Yes, Moonlight has had a fair chance and not produced anything which would justify continuing. We think the Big Prestige temperament is the culprit. So Polina replaces her as number 2 broodmare.

Orlando and Porto are ever close to the racetrack. Orlando has to requalify if he doesn't race within a year of his last start (26 May 2007 at Enghein) so it may well be before then, but he must be really ready - and if he couldn't requalify easily there would be no point in keeping going with him so that's not a good reason to rush.

Raurelia (the 3yo sister to Marion du Fanil) ran an excellent race for second this afternoon on the grass at Ranes (pronounced Ran),which conveniently for me was not far off the route from Les Baux to Mayenne.

United des Baux

About time to catch up. The main news is that Moonlight has given us another boy (that makes it 3 out of 4)- much smaller thank goodness than her previous colts (Rosko and Snowball), but very nice according to Marion By Modern Jazz, as will be Festina's upcoming baby. United des Baux sounds a good name for him - can be Man U or West Ham U depending on one's tastes.
Rosko will hopefully qualify in the near future and Snowball will become Noball in the effort to get him to progress in the right direction! Meanwhile Orlando has fathered yet another colt (4 out of 5, even bigger and better I'm told. From Ivana du Seuil, the mother of Quitus, and very French as her pedigree shows.


Quitus is proving a little frustrating,since he clearly has lots of ability and was coming to finish second (at least) at Vincennes last weekend before galloping when Marion pulled the earplugs on the turn. Next time .. he won't be at 89/1 I suspect.
Meanwhile, Down Under, Laura has recorded a very impressive kilometre rate by bungee jumping in Queenstown during a trip round the South Island with Peter and Vicki (and Thomas I assume!) She promises the video will be available and I will put it up here if I can. Tom (Trotupastorm) got to the front in the 4yo Championship, was (unwisely) relaxed by Mark Jones... and broke... the target is now the Jewels at Cambridge on May 31.