Dean Ivory Stable Tour ahead of 2020 Flat season

Flagbearer – Stake Acclaim – He’s been a super horse for us and is so consistent. He loves soft ground and we rarely run him on anything quicker these days. Despite having a mark of 102 I still think he retains enough ability to suggest we can win a decent race with him this season. I wouldn’t mind sending him to France where a straight, galloping track with ease in the ground would be right up his street.

Handicapper To Follow - Pledge Of Honour – He’s a really lovely horse by Shamardal. I’m excited by him but certainly not in any rush, as his pedigree suggests that he will get better with age. He’s a very happy horse who gives you 100%. I think he’ll be out in the second part of the season and the form that he’s shown suggests he’s one to look out for in the future.

Three Year Old To Follow - Dancinginthewoods – Is a horse that I’m looking forward to seeing this season. He’s an honest, gutsy horse and I think that he’s a horse for the future. I think he’ll appreciate a bit of cut in the ground and although he was a little disappointing in his final run of last season, he’s come back looking great.

Mini Stable Tour

Badenscloth – He’s a very happy horse. I’ve slightly changed his routine to keep him fresh and he seems to really enjoy it. He hasn’t done any fast work yet as we’re waiting for the green light for the resumption of racing. He enjoys the all-weather surface and then therefore he’ll want decent good ground perhaps with a little bit of cut in it.

Charming Kid – He ran well last time out at Newcastle and we were really pleased with him. It took a while for us to get used to him and he was a little free. He’s lovely and calm now. I think good-to-firm ground wouldn’t be a problem to him and I’m looking forward to seeing him on the track this year.

Daddy’s Daughter – She’s a big filly by Scat Daddy. I find the progeny of Scat Daddy tend to be a little immature and that is what’s happened to her. She has a big long stride and she used it well to win at Salisbury on soft ground which I feel she appreciated.

Fantastic Flyer – She’s been a really gutsy type of a horse winning at both six and seven furlongs. She used to be a little slow out of the stalls so seven furlongs was better for her, although drawn wide over seven furlongs and missing the break meant she had no chance. We got a couple of wins into her at seven and then dropped her back to six. She’s very professional now and just gets on with it from the front. In her last three runs she’s been ridden by Sophie Ralston who gets on well with her. She’s on a short break at the moment but will be back in training soon.

Fighting Temeraire – It took a while for us to get him right in his younger days as he had a couple of issues. He’s one on good-firm ground but is also very versatile and has won on the all-weather. Adam Kirby who rides him, speaks well of him and he loves racing at Chelmsford. He’d been on the go awhile, so he’s having an easy time now but we’ll get going with him shortly and look for some races back on the grass.

Flaming Spear – He’s very well and looks a bigger, stronger horse. He’s had issues with the stalls previously which he had before he joined us. I think we’ve ironed out those issues now. He looks a very contented horse and always tries for us.

Gregorian Girl – She’s a nice filly, who has won a couple of times and been placed on a number of occasions. I think she’s a tough filly and still open to a bit of improvement off her current mark of 66.

Lancelot Du Lac – As he gets older he seems to appreciate cut in the ground more. He’s been a super horse for the yard, although he’s not getting any younger. He really enjoys the all-weather surface and is having a nice break at the moment. We’ll look to get going with him in the second half of the season.

Librisa Breeze – Like a number of my horses, I’ve just tweaked his routine which he seems to have really enjoyed. I haven’t done any fast work with him yet and he’s just ticking over nicely. He looks magnificent but ideally needs the handicapper to cut him some slack as he’s high enough in the weights at the moment.

Lordsbridge Boy – Won at Newmarket in August beating Gregorian Girl a head. He progressed from that victory producing some fair form at the grade. He’s currently rated 64 and I think that sort of rating is fair enough.

Sir Prize – He was on the go a long time but was tremendously consistent on the all-weather. He’s out in the field at the moment enjoying a well-deserved break. He’ll be mainly kept for the winter so I’m in no hurry to get him back in full training. Once again I’ll target the second half of the season and then through the winter.

Tropics – He’s a 12-year-old but I think of him as a 10-year-old as he was a late starter. He’s been off quite a long time and you need to get his mind right before you get him 100% fit. My father had a horse, Dawn’s Delight, who raced until he was 14-years-old. I’d like to keep him racing as long as he can, as I think he’s good for racing. To see Tropics in my Grandfathers colours gives me immense pride. Realistically, he looks too high in the handicap, 105 on the all-weather and 93 on turf but we’ll see how we go.

Yimou – He loves firm ground as he showed when winning at Yarmouth. He’s just come back into training and he’s a horse that I’m quite excited about.

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