Its all very well having two of the fastest bitches in training, but Hayley Keightley is having to pull out all the stops to give herself any chance of a big year end with Forest Twilight and Roxholme Dream writes Floyd Amphett.
Lowther Stakes winner and Towcester 480m record holder Forest Twilight would probably start ante post favourite for the ECC Timber Oaks but for two setbacks which have inhibited her preparation.
Assistant trainer Mark Keightley said: “She came off the track after the Lowther Stakes with a shoulder injury. Given how she had run, it must have happened between the line and the pick-up.
“About four weeks later, she came into season and she is only eight and a half weeks out now and will only be eleven and a half weeks when the Oaks starts.
“So far she has trialled well (16.18, 16.22 Swindon 285m, 24.14 Romf. 400m), and I would like to thank Peter O’Dowd for giving us trials yesterday, even though I explained that we weren’t bringing either of our trialists to race at Romford.
“I would like to get at least one trial into her at Belle Vue. If you are not going into the event fully fit, then you can’t afford to turn up not knowing the track either.
“Realistically, we’ll only know how she stands when the pressure is on and if, for example, she comes heavily into milk, we will just take our foot off the gas with her. There is always next year.”
In the meantime, the kennel have defending champ Roxholme Dream through to the semi finals of the William Hill St. Leger on Friday.
Mark said: “We are keeping our feet on the ground. She had a very difficult season. She was three years old when she had her first season and after bleeding and then clearing up, she started again.
“As a result, I am not sure how far we are through her cycle. She is certainly way off the form that she was in this time last year.
“She isn’t trapping at her best and then from around 575 metres to 687 metres is really struggling to get home. I feel a bit sorry for her; it is only her class that is getting her through.
“Fortunately, the draw has been kind enough to allow her to use her early pace and middle distance ability to get a lead but we know that she now needs to find another two or three lengths.
“We have changed a few things around this week, which is something I don’t normally like to do. But hopefully it might make a difference and help her to get through to the final.”
