Prelude – 14th July 2004.

Having battled through the M25 traffic, there was excitement and anticipation as Willie Supple flew out of the stalls on board The Guild’s best horse. Having broken well, the horse, as per instructions, was well up with the pace, challenged the front runners and led the race before weakening over 1 furlong out to finish midfield.

25th August 2005.

As a sports fan, I hate comparisons. “Is Flintoff the new Botham ?” is being asked up and down the country at the moment. I find this annoying. Individuals should be judged on their own merit and not compared to predecessors.

So, the fact that the last time this correspondent was entrusted to relay the day’s events to his fellow syndicate members, the report included more similarities to the following than just the traffic and the jockey is not important, but I’m sure many will find it most encouraging to learn that comparisons (all be it a little premature!) to Arthur were being made after the race.

The day had started in torrential rain, on course commentator Derek Thomson giving one of his legendary optimistic forecasts that it was a passing shower ! Tim Kirby and I were amongst many people taking refuge in the Ladbrokes office as the first race got under way, the fact that both of us were soon collecting on the 12-1 runaway winner while everyone else in the shop was ripping up their slips was maybe signs of a good day ahead.

I met up with, “acting stable manager”, Tim Kittow in the owners bar, by which time Thommo had been proved right and the skys had cleared. Tim has been working hard at the yard, as Stuart and Judy had popped out shopping. Not to Tescos for milk and bread you understand, but to Deauville for a yearling !!, they were to join us later en-route home.

Tim advised that Muffin had travelled down well and had been quite quiet and well behaved on the fairly length journey. Reports from the gallops were that he had been justifying his higher cost than Molly and had been showing her who was boss in their head to heads !.

With the race having been split, Muffin was in the 3.50, which to me, appeared to be the harder of the two divisions. Certainly the market had three horses well clear of the rest in Muffin’s race.

Our old friend Willie was on board and Stuart instructed him to get to the front and see what Muffin could do – Muffin had been doing well in stalls practice at home, so with the good draw it was hoped we might see Muffin up with the pace, at least early on.

Muffin looked great, as Stuart’s horses always do, in the parade ring although there was a slight scare when he was unsure about letting Willie aboard.

It looked for a second that Willie was going for a regal option and riding side saddle until it was explained that ‘half mounting’ was part of the breaking in process and true enough, Willie got on and off went Muffin.

The plan to be up with the pace worked perfectly and Muffin flew out of the stalls and was leading coming into the turn, Willie looked more like Michael Schumacher cornering than a jockey making the turn at Lingfield as he lent into the turn and Muffin just kept accelerating.

At this point, there was great excitement (and if I’m being honest pleasant suprisement) and there was much vocal encouragement from the stands for our boy.

The race unfolded in the last two furlongs down the straight and the bookies were proved correct as the three market leaders took the places.

Muffin had run a great race but he had just run out of fuel at the end.

Keen to have our excited opinion of Muffin confirmed by the jockey we all made our way round to where he was being unsaddled. Willie said Muffin was "straight forward and had good speed", he reported that the horse had done everything asked of him but that his immaturity had showed at the end. It was agreed he looked like he would become a very good 3yr old.

Stuart was pleased Muffin had raced on the all weather rather than the rain softened turf as he said this will have taken far less out of Muffin and he will able to progress with him sooner.

Everyone there had fun, I think, fingers crossed, next year we’ll be having Fun with a capital F.

Paul.