Desiree's a Classic

I always knew Desiree was destined for stardom and my hopes were confirmed when I walked into the Rowley Mile at Newmarket for the pre-season press dinner last night.

In the foyer stands a huge banner with a picture of my beautiful mare's eye with the only slightly inappropriate caption "I'm focussing one just one thing: winning the Guineas". Ahem.

When my friend Lizzie came to photograph her last year I had no idea she'd be appearing in a nationwide advertising campaign. Apparently these ads are all over train stations, newspapers etc. ahead of the Guineas meeting. Regular readers of this site will know that the bold Des is indeed focussing on her seasonal reappearance in May but it will be at our other local track, Huntingdon (with a few hurdles), and not on Newmarket's hallowed turf. I'm sure Sander Camillo and Simply Perfect, both of whom I saw galloping on the Limekilns this morning, will sleep more easily now this has been cleared up.

Desiree is considering hosting her own 'breakfast with the stars' morning on Guineas weekend but her agent has warned against too many autograph signing sessions before her big day at Huntingdon.

For all you antepost punters out there who obviously look to this blog for first-class tips, Sander Camillo (pictured) has wintered well and looks a million dollars, as does the lovely Authorized, Peter Chapple-Hyam's Derby horse, who we were also lucky enough to see in action today.

If you want to read about the Newmarket press day, click thorugh to thoroughbredinternet.com (link at the right of this page) for my report in their grey panel feature on Thursday morning.

It was a huge treat to see the aforementioned Classic prospects on the gallops, along with Dutch Art, Hamoody and Tariq, and a quick glance at last year's Leger winner Sixties Icon at Jeremy Noseda's. I wouldn't swap a single one of them for my poster girl though.