May 26th
Well the big day is almost here and he has made it to the lineup for the Victoria Cup. The race is at 2.20 pm and televised on the BBC. He is currently about 5th or 6th favourite at 12/1, though I would think that 16/1 will be obtainable tomorrow. The ground will be on the easy side of good and a fair amount of rain will fall tomorrow morning, My best guess is that the ground will be Good/Soft, which should be fine.
The course is closed to the public because this is a try out of the redeveloped course and a dress rehearsal for the Royal meeting. There should be up to 11,000 in attendance, all invited, mainly local residents and those involved in the redevelopment project. Only limited parts of the course will be open but it will still be fascinating to see the ‘best racecourse in the world’ for the first time.
Ted Durcan rides, which is good. He has won on him twice and understands how to get the best from him. He also has a lot of faith in his ability, which can be important. He will not give Pinpoint a hard race if he cannot get into contention. We are drawn wide in the centre, which is probably not good. The best pace, Commando Scott and Notabilty, is drawn close to the stand rail.
Neither Sky Quest nor Regal Sunset ran today because of the soft ground. From a selfish point of view it was good to have minder Sky Quest with Pinny for as long as possible. The plan is for Pinpoint to arrive quite late so that he is in the racecourse stables for the minimum time.
Hopefully nothing has been left to chance. Will he have improved sufficiently from last season? Will he have sufficient speed for a stiff 7f? Is he fit enough when the main plan is the Royal Hunt Cup? Your guess is as good as mine!

May 23rd
He worked with Arbella, a very useful staying filly who was recently third in an amazing race for the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes at Chester. This was meant to be only a moderate canter but it turned into a dour chase in a quick time. Arbella went off 3 lengths or so in front. They kept that distance apart until about 2 furlongs out when Pinpoint went after Arbella in earnest. He made up a length or so but could make no further impression. Don timed Arbella in 35.06, which if accurate is very quick and explains why Pinny could not make up much ground on her.

Earlier Barolo was noticed going up the gallops ridden out in a fast time. Certainly fast for a two mile stayer, anyway!.

Pinny came back with an enlarged crack in the front of his near fore hoof. This is a problem he sustained some months back and has to be watched until this area of the hoof has grown out. The farrier gouged the damaged area out to stop the split developing further. He confirmed that there is no infection. Tomorrow he will put an adhesive mixture in the gouge to protect the hoof. This should not affect Pinpoint’s run on Saturday at all.

Hopefully Ted Durcan will ride at Ascot. He could be claimed to ride one of Mick Channons three entries. Pinny looks like being Timeform top rated for the race. There is a safety limit of only 20 runners on the new track for this meeting. This should keep out the major blot on the handicap, the Luca Cumani trained Pride of Nation. To get a run that one would need 20 horses above him in the handicap to drop out, which seems unlikely.

Pinny is currently 12/1, joint sixth in the betting with the sponsors Totesport. Longer odds are sure to become available but I don’t expect to be tempted.

May 19th
First Lot again. He worked with Regal Sunset, a once-raced 3YO miler who is making up into a useful horse. Pinny led at a strong gallop from the bottom, quickly going three lengths up. Regal Sunset got nearer, going into the last 3 furlongs 2 lengths down. He caught up quickly 1 1/2f out, and came through so strongly that he looked like he would win the gallop. Jenny shook Pinny up and he found another gear, going away again by 1 length inside the final 1/2f. The time was 35.88 (Don 35.81) but with a good wind behind that was not the most significant point. The way that Pinpoint found extra when asked, at the end of a strong gallop, was very pleasing.
He looks to be in good shape for Ascot on Saturday 27th. Both Regal Sunset and Sky Quest (35.74 with Northside Lodge, Sky best, going clear) have races on Friday, so could give some sort of pointer to Pinpoint’s prospects the next day. Sky Quest is looking big and well, in better condition than last year, and a much happier horse. He may be one to follow, though he could just need Fridays race. Sky Quest is best on fast ground coming off a strong pace.

There is a lot of talk about how Pinpoint has improved physically since last year, and expectation is running high. Personally I think that the Victoria Cup will be too sharp for him and that the well handicapped bandits from the North and big Newmarket yards will outgun him at Ascot. I think he will probably finish mid div, hopefully running on pleasingly. I have not yet seen the speed that is needed to win a top handicap at 7 furlongs. Still, this is a horse who has surprised me before, and we won’t find out unless we try.

Pinny has sustained a cut on his near fore which is bandaged to protect it. Hopefully it is not a problem.

May 16th
First Lot today, for the first time this year. John Dekeyser (Belgian jockey and No. 1 work rider) rode Pinny which made me think it would be fast work. He came up from the bottom with Imperial Gain (6f horse rated 72), who led by two lengths early. At the start of the last 3f. Pinny was over a length down and finished best part of a length up John pushing him along late. I messed the timing up, but it was probably slightly slower than Friday. I held him as John washed him down afterwards. He stood on my foot. :(

May 12th
Pinpoint took a further step towards the Victoria Cup today. The pace was increased another notch coming from the bottom. He started in front leading Sky Quest by 3/4 length or so. Sky tried to get upsides 2f out and they quickened up. Sky got to a neck before Jenny shook Pinny up and he won the gallop by 1 length, beginning to go away. I timed it at 36.36 (Don 36.3 ish). So it was appreciably quicker than previously and not yet flat out for more than 1f. He typically blew quite hard at the end.
It was a beautiful day and conditions were quick on the gallops. Don timed a useful pair of sprinters doing the final 3f in the fastest time he has ever recorded, Primo Valentino included! Now I wonder who they were and who went best? :)

May 9th
A decision has been made about his prep race. It is not to be Sandown. He will instead be entered in the Victoria Cup to be run at Ascot on Saturday 27th May. All of his races have been 8 furlongs so far, so this is a limited experiment with 7 furlongs. With this being his first run of the season, probably just short of peak fitness, it makes sense to come down in trip. He will have his first experience of Ascot, preparatory to the Royal Hunt Cup.
If he makes it to this race it will be an exciting occasion, as it will be the first meeting held on the redeveloped Ascot course. There will be an invited attendance of only a few thousand there, as most of the facilities will not yet be open. It will be the dress rehearsal for the Royal meeting and what is claimed to now be the best racecourse in the world! We shall see.
The Victoria Cup is a heritage handicap, and one of the biggest 7f races of the season. There is usually a large field of 25-30 in the cavalry charge up the straight course. Marvellous!!

He worked with Sky Quest again today. They came up from the bottom at a strong pace all of the way. Pinpoint led by a length. Sky moved up to within half a length at halfway, but could make no further inroads. I clocked them at 37.16 for the last 3f (Don 37.2 ish). Pinny was carrying around 6-8 lbs more and seemed to hold Sky fairly comfortably. I liked the way he moved, for the first time this year. Jenny and Jim are clearly happy with the way things are going.

May 5th
Pinpoint has his first fast piece of work of the year. He led Sky Quest from the bottom at a strongish gallop with Sky Quest coming alongside from halfway. I timed the last 3 furlongs in 37.49 secs (Don 37.47). This is about 90-95% flat out speed. They finished upsides, not much between them.

Pinny looks close to race fitness and very strong. The muscular development in his shoulder and chest is particularly impressive. His quarters have never been as good as the front end, but there is plenty of power there now. He is a fine big horse.

He and Sky Quest come in from their field about half an hour before exercise and inside another hour they are back out in the field again. Before they go they expect a treat of dandelions.

It sounds as if Walter and Jim are thinking along the same lines, a run at Sandown all being well. I expect we will hear next week.

May 3rd
Pinpoint’s form received a boost yesterday evening when Tabadul, whom he beat 3 lengths at Salisbury, won a 10f handicap at Kempton. Tabadul simply ran away from the rest in the final furlong winning by 5 lengths. With Pinny so laid back at home it is reassuring to be reminded, from time to time, just how good his racecourse form is.

April 28th
Apparently the racecourse gallop went well. Pinpoint showed signs of being a racehorse again. Though you would not have thought so today. He was in laid-back mode, coming up the gallops in particularly sedate fashion, holding up those behind him. Jim and Jenny seem 100% happy with him and he is beginning to look close to race fitness, so who am I to worry? This is a horse who seems to save all his effort for the track.

A scary moment on the way back from the gallops. Alpine Reel whipped around, dropped John Dekeyser, and started careering up the road, backwards and forwards evading all attempts to catch him. At one point he came passed Pinpoint and Sky Quest. Sky reared up and prepared to lash out at him worried that he was endangering his pal Pinpoint.

Pinny has a top class minder. Every day I seem to learn more about horse behaviour, and Sky Quest is very entertaining.

A race entry around the middle to end of May is looking likely. The Whitsun Cup at Sandown on 29th May must be favourite?

April 25th
We hear that he is to have a racecourse gallop at Lingfield on Thursday 27th. This is following the pattern of 2005 when the trip to Lingfield really began to wake him up. With his laid back lifestyle he needs to be reminded he is a racehorse before the fast work really gets going.

Mid/Late April
Towards the end of April he is doing half-speed canters from the bottom in around 40 secs for the final 3 furlongs. He looks a bit sluggish, which is typical Pinpoint.

          Some pictures from Good Friday, April 14th.


In his field with inseparable companion Sky Quest. Sky Quest is a useful 10f handicapper, winner of 5 races. He is eight years old, and long-since gelded but he struts the paddocks like a dominant stallion, threatening any horse who comes too near Pinpoint. Pinny just gets on with the important things in life, eating grass and mud rolliing.

March/April
After plenty of road work, walking and trotting, he began cantering up the gallops at the end of March.

Jan - March
2006 started with problems. An abscess on his near-fore foot was the first thing to hold up conditioning work. The abscess had to be cut out and carefully treated and he had a course of anti-biotics. Pinny was just getting over that when he sustained a deep cut on his near-hock.
Hopefully he has got over these setbacks, though he still has the occasional ultrasound treatment to break down the scar tissue on his hock.