Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2015 14:01:36 GMT -5
A year after they had purchased her for a ridiculously low amount in the yearling sales the time for Indi to prove herself had come. A year of growing up, of training and of bonding with her handlers and jockey. So they had every right to be confident, right? Watching the dark bay filly move across the yard you would think so. Her eyes flashed as she steamed forwards, the handlers jogging beside her looking somewhat more apprehensive than she. To her it was just another day, she wasn't to know that very soon her career on the track would begin with The Wire's Janvier Maiden.
Like most two-year-olds at this stage, Indi still had some filling out to do. She was tall, almost giraffe-like although her stride was sure and her drive clear. Sam moved with a bounce across the yard, one of the yard hands giving him a leg-up into the energetic filly's saddle and he patted her neck. "'Atta girl." he told her. The filly seemed to lift her head a fraction, but it wasn't much. Frankly she couldn't care less - rider or not, she knew she would soon be running and that was enough for her. The dark strands of her tail cracked at her rump, her gait becoming less fluid as she became more and more impatient waiting to begin. Alexia wasn't long though and anyone who had been around a few years ago would not fail to recognize the former jockey-turned-trainer.
"She's been pulling some good times, Sam. Lets try not to let her go too quick though, we want to save that energy for race day."
"T' be frank wi' ya I think we could run 'er now an' she'd still be fine."
"Play it on the safe side. It's always better to air with caution."
"Aye, if ya say so."
The small group headed down to the track, Indi starting to snatch at the rein as they got closer. They by-passed the gates, Alexia deciding it was better not to deal with the filly's potentially injury-inducting antics and very soon the workout had begun.
Sam held the rein tight as the filly moved forwards, the build in speed initially slow. Despite her determination to get here it seemed now she was much calmer. Her strides were about the average length, her hooves digging into the dirt only to propel for forwards again in a comfortable for-beat. Sam smirked slightly to himself, giving her a little more rein now he was certain that she wasn't going to bolt. In a race, he would have her positioned now and it would be plain sailing. Don't let her see you as weak, make sure she knew you, and Indi was a gem really - not at all the bolshy thing she could appear to be around strangers.
As two of the three furlongs passed, the dark filly slowly increased her speed with the certainty of a much more experienced horse. It was just her nature, she was confident in everything she did - took everything in her stride. Even the new atmosphere of The Wire - a track she hadn't previously visited - didn't seem to have bothered her. Sam pushed the filly slightly, feeling a sudden surge beneath him. Her reactions were quick as her pace quickened, the strides lengthening as they pressed forwards. Sam enjoyed the feeling of the air in his short, dark hair as they closed on the post before winding the filly down with a sigh.
Finally back at a walk the filly snorted as the handlers took her under control once more. Sam swung himself down onto the soft track and stared up it longingly. Like the filly, he just wanted to carry on but he understood why they had kept it short - Alexia wanted them ready for race-day.
Like most two-year-olds at this stage, Indi still had some filling out to do. She was tall, almost giraffe-like although her stride was sure and her drive clear. Sam moved with a bounce across the yard, one of the yard hands giving him a leg-up into the energetic filly's saddle and he patted her neck. "'Atta girl." he told her. The filly seemed to lift her head a fraction, but it wasn't much. Frankly she couldn't care less - rider or not, she knew she would soon be running and that was enough for her. The dark strands of her tail cracked at her rump, her gait becoming less fluid as she became more and more impatient waiting to begin. Alexia wasn't long though and anyone who had been around a few years ago would not fail to recognize the former jockey-turned-trainer.
"She's been pulling some good times, Sam. Lets try not to let her go too quick though, we want to save that energy for race day."
"T' be frank wi' ya I think we could run 'er now an' she'd still be fine."
"Play it on the safe side. It's always better to air with caution."
"Aye, if ya say so."
The small group headed down to the track, Indi starting to snatch at the rein as they got closer. They by-passed the gates, Alexia deciding it was better not to deal with the filly's potentially injury-inducting antics and very soon the workout had begun.
Sam held the rein tight as the filly moved forwards, the build in speed initially slow. Despite her determination to get here it seemed now she was much calmer. Her strides were about the average length, her hooves digging into the dirt only to propel for forwards again in a comfortable for-beat. Sam smirked slightly to himself, giving her a little more rein now he was certain that she wasn't going to bolt. In a race, he would have her positioned now and it would be plain sailing. Don't let her see you as weak, make sure she knew you, and Indi was a gem really - not at all the bolshy thing she could appear to be around strangers.
As two of the three furlongs passed, the dark filly slowly increased her speed with the certainty of a much more experienced horse. It was just her nature, she was confident in everything she did - took everything in her stride. Even the new atmosphere of The Wire - a track she hadn't previously visited - didn't seem to have bothered her. Sam pushed the filly slightly, feeling a sudden surge beneath him. Her reactions were quick as her pace quickened, the strides lengthening as they pressed forwards. Sam enjoyed the feeling of the air in his short, dark hair as they closed on the post before winding the filly down with a sigh.
Finally back at a walk the filly snorted as the handlers took her under control once more. Sam swung himself down onto the soft track and stared up it longingly. Like the filly, he just wanted to carry on but he understood why they had kept it short - Alexia wanted them ready for race-day.
