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BORN TO RUN |
Weblog: The story of a racehorse
Lady Rebecca and her progeny have a pricessless sentimentality
PICTURE: Lawrence Squire
Exceptional praise for Lady Rebecca'slatest foal
ANOTHER trip to Tweenhills looms - although that is too negative a word to describe all that is involved in a visit to verdant Gloucestershire - and by now Born To Run is being rigorously prepped for her sales date at Doncaster.
It will be fascinating to see how she has evolved from a laid-back filly who spent her days out in a paddock to one who now spends much more time in her box, is hand-walked for up to eight miles in a day and is being taught how to stand patiently and correctly so that potential buyers get the best chance to assess her.
Meanwhile, a less frantic, intense life is being enjoyed by Lady Rebecca's latest foal, by Kayf Tara, known for now as Born To Jump. The last time we wrote about her, we mentioned how spindly, almost spiderlike she was because of her long legs and ribby little body.
Again, it will be absorbing to see how much she has changed.
One man following her progress closely is Bob Clarke, the man who raced Lady Rebecca under the Kinnersley Optimists banner. "David Redvers (the Tweenhills chief who bought Lady Rebecca for peanuts) is very bullish about her and for him to be talking in those terms is the exception rather than the norm," he says. "She is growing nicely and touch wood all is well."
When Clarke bought Lady Rebecca 16 years ago, he remarkably already had her in mind as a broodmare prospect, arguing that anything she did on a racecourse was "a bonus". Three Cleeve Hurdles is not a bad bonus.
Let's close with a question. What is the link between the name of Lady Rebecca's sire, her own name, and that of some of her progeny?
Answers next time.
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