Michael Bay’s Birthday update
Let us celebrate Michael Bay’s 60th birthday with some dramatic news on arrivals. Explosions abound, and one or two horses that have been on the easy list are hairy enough to pose dramatically in front of a wind machine while someone rams a horsebox through a huge pile of crates inexplicably filled with chicken feathers. Should that have had spoiler alert added, for those anxiously awaiting “Transformers: Shovelstrode” to hit cinemas?
Firstly we have SOMKIYR, bought by Adrian Lewers and Dan Shaw at the Arqana Sale, from the Aga Khan. He won over 1m 1.5f at Bordeaux as a two year old, and had two places from four goes as a three old, at Lyon La Soie and Fontainbleau, the latter over 1m 5f. Although not the biggest, he looks to have the right set of pace and stamina for a hurdler. His sire remains mostly a flat operator, but has done quite well with a growing band of jumpers.
A couple of days later, we acquired EPHYRA in the Tattersalls online sale, collecting her from David Menusier at the weekend. After a promising debut at Newbury, she had nearly a year off before two down the field runs in one mile maidens, then improved for handicaps and a step up in distance, finishing second over two miles in her most recent shot, at Kempton. She is being syndicated in 1/8 shares, for £1,000 per share.
They should find life at Shovelstrode rather more peaceful than the first paragraph implies.