Fairy Flute at Dundalk
Fairy Flute is a flat racing horse and she had her first run out of the year at Dundalk on the all weather. This was also my first trip to the races as part of the racing club. I got word from Alex (who keeps us updated via the app) that I could collect my ticket at the course. Have to admit I was pretty excited about it all and the excitement only grew as I watched the first couple of races. Our race was at 6pm. She was actually lucky to get in the race because there were so many entries they ended up having 2 races. At about a quarter to, my wife and I headed down to the parade ring and there she was being led around, head bowed, not looking overly happy to be out in the freezing cold weather. There were a few people around the ring wearing green scarves that I thought might be part of the club. When Gordon Elliott and the jockey, 16 year old Jack Wildman emerged from the weighing room all the people in scarves met and gathered around them to hear what the plan was. Gordon told Jack to try and get her mid division. I wished the jockey luck, the bell rang and he was up on Fairy Flute and away out onto the course. Jack was having his first ever ride in a race and as an amateur he had a 10lb conditional jockeys allowance that took 10lb off the weight the horse was carrying.
You could have got 16s or even 18s on her to win so not a good sign. The race was 1m 4f. We stood up on a small terrace near the finish line and watched them pound past us as they began a lap of the track. She was dead last at this stage and didn't look like she was going well at all. Down the back straight and round the bend she was still last but as they entered the home straight she started to move slowly through the field. She couldn't get into the places before the finishing line but she finished 8th of 13 and was only about 3.5 lengths behind the winner.
Back in the ring after, I didn't get there in time to hear what Jack and Gordon had to say but talking to one of the other members the consensus was she wanted longer. Alex confirmed later on the app that Jack said they went too fast for her and she couldn't get mid division. The next day Fairy Flute was fine and ate up after the race. Alex told us today that she has been entered at Dundalk again this weekend in a slightly shorter race although she may not get in as there will be a lot of entries.
You could have got 16s or even 18s on her to win so not a good sign. The race was 1m 4f. We stood up on a small terrace near the finish line and watched them pound past us as they began a lap of the track. She was dead last at this stage and didn't look like she was going well at all. Down the back straight and round the bend she was still last but as they entered the home straight she started to move slowly through the field. She couldn't get into the places before the finishing line but she finished 8th of 13 and was only about 3.5 lengths behind the winner.
Back in the ring after, I didn't get there in time to hear what Jack and Gordon had to say but talking to one of the other members the consensus was she wanted longer. Alex confirmed later on the app that Jack said they went too fast for her and she couldn't get mid division. The next day Fairy Flute was fine and ate up after the race. Alex told us today that she has been entered at Dundalk again this weekend in a slightly shorter race although she may not get in as there will be a lot of entries.
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