A strong morning of exercise work on Saturday offered an encouraging snapshot of the stable's current form, with Maana, Final Call, Preview, Black Irish and The Leader all producing eye-catching efforts across the inner and outer sand. The timed gallops, spread over distances from 600 metres to 1,600 metres, pointed to a string of horses moving well and responding positively to their work as the season builds momentum.
On the inner sand, Monterio, partnered by Chetan, covered 1,000 metres in 1-8.5 and finished the final 600 metres in 39.5, drawing a pleased response from the observers. Storm Majesty, also with Chetan, was even more expansive over 1,400 metres, clocking 1-36 overall and splitting the work into 1,200 metres in 1-22, 1,000 metres in 1-8 and 600 metres in 40. The note beside the run — "In fine nick" — underlined the impression of a horse in good condition and moving with purpose.
The outer sand produced the bulk of the notable action. Over 600 metres, Gordon with Darshan and Star Honour with Faizan both returned 46 seconds, with Gordon described as easy and Star Honour as having moved freely. N R I Victory and Signs Of Change each went 43 seconds for the same trip, both reported to have worked well and moved well respectively.
The 1,000-metre set was particularly productive. Bright Thunder, ridden by R. Pradeep, stopped the clock at 1-15 with the last 600 metres in 41.5 and was said to have impressed. Preview, under D. Patel, was among the sharper workers of the morning, posting 1-12 with 600 metres in 40.5 and moving attractively. Final Call, also with D. Patel, recorded 1-13.5 and 600 metres in 40, producing what was described as a fine display. Zeitgeist, Palma, Live The Dream, Aphelion, Densetsu, Double Vision and My Solitaire all had their own positive notes, with Double Vision in particular impressing at 1-12.5 and 600 metres in 41.5.
There was further depth in the 1,200-metre and 1,400-metre gallops. Il Volo, Seize The Grey, Sea God, Count Basie, Carter, Irish Coffee, Supernal and Doncaster Belle all went through their paces with varying degrees of encouragement, but The Leader stood out most clearly. With B. Paswan aboard, The Leader covered 1,200 metres in 1-25, the final 1,000 metres in 1-9 and the last 600 metres in 40.5, prompting the assessment that it was a good display. That effort will likely strengthen confidence around the horse's readiness.
At 1,400 metres, Sea Diamond moved freely in 1-46.5, while Hold Your Breath and Femme Fatale produced a competitive piece of work in 1-44, with the former starting six lengths behind and finishing three lengths ahead, a detail that suggested a strong finish and a useful turn of foot.
The longest and perhaps most telling gallops came over 1,600 metres, where Black Irish and Maana both made a significant impression. Black Irish, with Rozario, clocked 1-52 and was timed through 1,400 metres in 1-37, 1,200 metres in 1-22.5, 1,000 metres in 1-9 and 600 metres in 40, earning the note "Catch the eye." Maana, partnered by Laxman S, was not far behind in overall time at 1-56 and also completed the 1,400 metres in 1-37, 1,200 metres in 1-22.5, 1,000 metres in 1-9 and 600 metres in 42. The comment beside the run — "A fine display" — suggested the horse remains in sound order and capable of delivering when asked.
Taken together, the morning's work painted a positive picture across the yard, with several horses showing fluency, fitness and willingness in their exercise. While track work is only one part of the form puzzle, the evidence from Saturday was clear enough: Maana, Black Irish, The Leader, Final Call and Preview all emerged with enhanced reputations, and the stable appears to have a healthy number of runners in good trim as the next round of races approaches.