Thoughts on Nyala

Arishka is  a non runner at Goodwood on account of the softening of the going.

This leaves Nyala as our sole representative out on the track today. She heads to Haydock for the 4.05 race. Tony Hamilton is in the saddle for the mile fillies novice race. With today’s run under her belt Nyala will qualify for a handicap mark and be able to begin applying her trade at a more realistic level. She has a nice attitude and is still learning to get in amongst runners. We will be looking for another little step forward this afternoon with the extra furlong being a plus.

Dance on the Day sets the standard on her win at Wolverhampton over seven furlongs last time out, the same race as Nyala’s last start from which a couple of other winners have emerged. The un-raced horses will have to be useful to get the better of her, (Shamlahar being the most likely on paper) and those that have run will have to make fairly significant progress (Improve ought to live up to her name on this front). As is often the case in these novice contests it is hard to see the penalty for winning being enough to level the playing field.