Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2012 4:15:12 GMT -5
Beltane had been very lightly raced this year with only three starts which had resulted in two placings outside of the top three. It was because of this run of bad luck that she had been pulled off of the track again in the middle of April to undergo some work on her confidence. Tanya had been feeling bad, she believed she had somehow let down the black filly, and she had told Matthias so herself. He, however, had told her to lift her chin. A little work, and Bella would be herself again. They would just have to build her confidence, then enter her in some less major races.
The beginning of June, and Bella was back, scheduled to run in a minor race at The Wire track against Close Racing's Biohazard. The race would run over seven furlongs on the dirt - a perfect distance for the dual surfaced sprinter. Tanya was excited to have the horse to race again, but also nervous about what that might mean for them. Certainly, it was not about to be an easy return. Bella would need to come out with all guns blazing if she wanted to pull this off.
Two furlongs on the dirt, that was all Matthias wanted them to work. But he didn't want them to do it slowly, he wanted them to blast it. He wanted to see Bella putting her effort into it. Then, and only then, would he know that she was truly ready. Tanya was already mounted, and Bella was behaving well for Lucas without the presence of other horses. He led them to the two furlong mark, not using the gates this morning, and then winked at Tanya. "Remind her what she can do, huh?" Tanya nodded, set her eyes on the track ahead of her, and rose in her stirrups.
"Three, Two, One... GO!" Lucas released his grip on the filly, watched as with only a slight signal from her jockey the equine bolted off down the track, her legs quickly unfurling beneath her as she found her stride. Tanya drove her forwards, kept herself close to the filly's neck and continually urged her on, feeling joy as the filly reacted to each request. The dry dirt meant that dust was kicking up behind them, but Tanya didn't care. This was Beltane, the filly who had beaten Pegasus Wings and who had the potential to be great... This was Beltane, and while she had seen a slight slump in performance it would not last for long. Beltane was back, and she was fighting.
The first furlong ended quickly, and Tanya smacked the crop against the filly's rump. "Come on, Bella, we can do this." From somewhere, and lord knows where, the filly found another gear. They were flying forwards, battling together once more for their goal. Stride after fluid stride they moved up the dirt until they flew past the post. Would they win? Tanya wasn't sure.Would they try? Definitely.
The beginning of June, and Bella was back, scheduled to run in a minor race at The Wire track against Close Racing's Biohazard. The race would run over seven furlongs on the dirt - a perfect distance for the dual surfaced sprinter. Tanya was excited to have the horse to race again, but also nervous about what that might mean for them. Certainly, it was not about to be an easy return. Bella would need to come out with all guns blazing if she wanted to pull this off.
Two furlongs on the dirt, that was all Matthias wanted them to work. But he didn't want them to do it slowly, he wanted them to blast it. He wanted to see Bella putting her effort into it. Then, and only then, would he know that she was truly ready. Tanya was already mounted, and Bella was behaving well for Lucas without the presence of other horses. He led them to the two furlong mark, not using the gates this morning, and then winked at Tanya. "Remind her what she can do, huh?" Tanya nodded, set her eyes on the track ahead of her, and rose in her stirrups.
"Three, Two, One... GO!" Lucas released his grip on the filly, watched as with only a slight signal from her jockey the equine bolted off down the track, her legs quickly unfurling beneath her as she found her stride. Tanya drove her forwards, kept herself close to the filly's neck and continually urged her on, feeling joy as the filly reacted to each request. The dry dirt meant that dust was kicking up behind them, but Tanya didn't care. This was Beltane, the filly who had beaten Pegasus Wings and who had the potential to be great... This was Beltane, and while she had seen a slight slump in performance it would not last for long. Beltane was back, and she was fighting.
The first furlong ended quickly, and Tanya smacked the crop against the filly's rump. "Come on, Bella, we can do this." From somewhere, and lord knows where, the filly found another gear. They were flying forwards, battling together once more for their goal. Stride after fluid stride they moved up the dirt until they flew past the post. Would they win? Tanya wasn't sure.Would they try? Definitely.
