A warm August afternoon at ‘Leafy’ yesterday – a decent crowd but still comfortable and relaxing (in stark contrast to those bleak sparse winter all weather meetings).

Stuart arrived via Sandown Park having delivered Skylarker who had performed with great credit to finish 3rd.

Only four, but never the less enthusiastic guild members, were present to greet Molly into the parade ring. She looked calm, relaxed and a little more alert than I remember her at Nottingham.

We were re-opposing Not Allowed who had been two lengths behind Molly at Nottingham and Zambach who had finished 5th in Molly’s Leicester race. Stuart had walked the course before racing and had instructed jockey Marc Halford to try and keep to the better ground in the centre of the course.

She went down to post nicely; drawn in the centre of the stalls, she broke well and held a prominent position until two furlongs out. At that stage she faded a little, under pressure and hung right coming over to the stands rail. Molly finished 14th beaten a little under 10 lengths behind winner Zambach.

Marc commented afterwards that she has a strong neck, pulled very hard early on and needs to be covered up, suggesting that a shorter trip or a tighter track such as Bath or Warwick may be of benefit.

Stuart made the point that she will now have her official handicap and will be more able to compete in the right grade.

Afterwards in the unsaddling enclosure she seemed to have taken the race very well and I feel it is still early days yet; with natural improvement and the right race she will get her head in front.

Martin & Melanie