Anticipation

Since 4 June 2009, when Desiree was covered by Bertolini, I have wasted many hours worrying, wondering, wishing that her foal would arrive. He finally did, on 3 May, and is an absolute cracker. Well, I would say that, wouldn't I? But if you need proof, there will be pictorial evidence scattered throughout this post of just what a handsome little chap is Jack Irish.

If you're wondering about the name, get to your nearest bookshop and buy Bad Debts, Black Tide, Dead Point and White Dog, all award-winning books by Peter Temple featuring the great character Jack Irish. I'm lucky to have been granted permission to use the name and nearly had a seizure through the winter when I noticed a horse running named Irish Jack. A swift call was made to Weatherbys and Jack Irish (GB) was reserved. Thankfully Des then obliged by foaling a colt and I can breathe easy for a year as she will not be covered this season.

I probably should switch to worrying about the progress of Oscar Bernadotte (below, right), her first foal, now a two-year-old gelding by Sulamani. But so far, and I almost hate to tempt fate by saying this, Oscar has given me no cause for concern in his short life. He arrived in this world exactly on time, was smallish, skinnyish, still is, but has the most charming character and has been an incredibly easy horse to break in.

Bit in my mouth? No problem. Saddle on my back? OK, fine. Lungeing? Seems a bit pointless to me but I'll give it a go as long as I can stop to pick grass halfway through. A rider? Yup, ok, this is actually quite fun. Walking and trotting through the streets of Newmarket past pushchairs, umbrellas, buses, the market square, other bigger strings of horses? Not a bother.

That pretty much sums up Oscar's attitude to life. As kind and as soft as Panto, which is great for me when it comes to messing about in his stable but it does rather leave me with this awful creeping feeling that he's never going to be a racehorse. We'll see. There's plenty of time and if it comes to it, I can always ride Panto as a hack first lot and Oscar second lot. Not sure John's thrilled at the ever increasing number of hacks I have lined up for this stable - particularly as I can't ride at all at the moment owing to back trouble which makes me feel about 107. The most annoying part of it is missing out on going out with Oscar on his first forays from the yard but he comes back with a glowing report from all who ride him and it's probably best that I don't see too much of what he gets up to at school.

I sat in a meeting with my colleagues on the editorial committee of Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder on Friday and felt distinctly left out. Louise Kemble was looking forward to a trip to Auteuil to watch her budding young chaser Kauto Stone, a half-brother to the great Kauto Star. Dena Arstell, who bred Ted Spread (try saying that after a few drams), was looking forward to the Derby, and Edward Rosenthal, Michael Harris and the entire ROA office crew, aka Champagne Friday, were looking forward to watching their filly Champagnelifestyle in the Oaks.

What am I looking forward to? Well, I'm looking forward to all those occasions for all of them because the excitement in the room was palpable and that's, surely, what we get involved in racing for in the first place. And I'm just looking forward. To every horse that heads from our yard to the races, hoping they'll do their best for their owners, for John and our great team here. To Anis, to Ruby, to Oscar, to Jack, to getting back on Panto, one day soon. With horses around, there's always something to look forward to.