Post by Alexia on Jan 14, 2018 5:44:28 GMT -6
Apprentice jockey Thomas Young was excited to meet the youngsters he would be riding in the upcoming season - his first full season on the track. This was, perhaps, partly because of how bouncy Alexia had been for the last week. The trainer's good mood was infectious, and as he entered her office at the allotted time she smiled.
"Punctual, as always, I see." She had always teased him, but Thomas knew she did it to help him feel comfortable. He nodded, raising his hands.
"Wouldn't be much of a jockey if I wasn't. But that's not the important thing right now... Who've you got for me?" Alexia smirked, pleased to see the jockey was as excited as she was. But the first juvenile she had for Thomas was perhaps one of the most relaxed horses in the yard.
"Mistwalker." Thomas took a moment to think on the name, then nodded. He had made it his business to know all of the horses in the stable and Mistwalker, for her age, was certainly a mellow filly. Not to mention one of his favourites - she wasn't exactly forwards, but a mint was all it took to bribe her over normally.
"Oh, you know I love Misty."
As they arrived on the track, the grey filly could be seen being walked by one of the lads. She was incredibly calm, and it would have been easy to mistake her for an older horses if she wasn't still a little leggy. But she was beautiful, and Thomas ducked under the bar as soon as they arrived to approach her and rub her nose.
"Good morning, you beauty." he spoke softly, and the filly's ears pricked before her nose went looking for his pockets. But he'd been wise, and left the mints over with Alexia. "Not yet, you've got some work to do."
It was an easy mount, the filly barely moving as he was legged into the saddle and her gait smooth as she was led toward the gates. Thomas patted her shoulder, eyeing the turf ahead of them, and sighed. This was it, this workout could help to shape the filly's future. If he messed up, who knew what affect it would have on her. She certainly had the odds stacked against her, given the amount of juveniles which would be fighting for that first win in the early stages of the season.
But remember what Alexia said, Tom... Sometimes a horse doesn't need to win that first time out, Paradise Island took three starts to find her way on the track and look how she ended up. Not every horse is a superstar, but sometimes you just need the believe in them.
He certainly believed in Misty. Even if she didn't become a star, he knew she could make it on the track. Somehow, he was certain of it.
The track ahead was covered in a fine mist, and somehow it felt right. As the filly was gated, he gathered up the reins and took a deep breath. Her calmness was, somehow, unnerving, and he wondered just what was going through her mind. Distracted, he was taken by surprise when the buzzer sounded, and Misty moved slowly but surely from the gate.
It might have alarmed some. Being behind could be problematic. But Tom wasn't concerned. He allowed the filly to slowly stretch out, building herself up as they moved up the track. This was clearly a horse that took time to reach their stride, and while the first two furlongs had passed slowly, picking up speed bit by bit, he knew that he needed to push her. If this was all that she had, then she maybe wasn't destined for the track.
He had a huge surprise, however. When he pushed the filly, she seemed to explode. From nowhere, she bolted forwards and just seemed to pick up more and more speed. She was a powerhouse, each stride bringing her closer and closer to the final pole. Tom was so surprised he had to correct his position in the saddle, where his balance had been taken from him. Gosh, this filly had a powerful close and he was no longer concerned by the slow start, or the steady progression. Clearly, she would be making it up in the home stretch. As they passed the post, he slowed her and slipped from the saddle as a groom took hold of the rein.
Crossing to Alexia, he leant on the railing as he grabbed the mints.
"I hope you've got some balls, I think her races are going to be close." With that, he crossed the track again with a hand full of treats for his beautiful ride.
"Punctual, as always, I see." She had always teased him, but Thomas knew she did it to help him feel comfortable. He nodded, raising his hands.
"Wouldn't be much of a jockey if I wasn't. But that's not the important thing right now... Who've you got for me?" Alexia smirked, pleased to see the jockey was as excited as she was. But the first juvenile she had for Thomas was perhaps one of the most relaxed horses in the yard.
"Mistwalker." Thomas took a moment to think on the name, then nodded. He had made it his business to know all of the horses in the stable and Mistwalker, for her age, was certainly a mellow filly. Not to mention one of his favourites - she wasn't exactly forwards, but a mint was all it took to bribe her over normally.
"Oh, you know I love Misty."
As they arrived on the track, the grey filly could be seen being walked by one of the lads. She was incredibly calm, and it would have been easy to mistake her for an older horses if she wasn't still a little leggy. But she was beautiful, and Thomas ducked under the bar as soon as they arrived to approach her and rub her nose.
"Good morning, you beauty." he spoke softly, and the filly's ears pricked before her nose went looking for his pockets. But he'd been wise, and left the mints over with Alexia. "Not yet, you've got some work to do."
It was an easy mount, the filly barely moving as he was legged into the saddle and her gait smooth as she was led toward the gates. Thomas patted her shoulder, eyeing the turf ahead of them, and sighed. This was it, this workout could help to shape the filly's future. If he messed up, who knew what affect it would have on her. She certainly had the odds stacked against her, given the amount of juveniles which would be fighting for that first win in the early stages of the season.
But remember what Alexia said, Tom... Sometimes a horse doesn't need to win that first time out, Paradise Island took three starts to find her way on the track and look how she ended up. Not every horse is a superstar, but sometimes you just need the believe in them.
He certainly believed in Misty. Even if she didn't become a star, he knew she could make it on the track. Somehow, he was certain of it.
The track ahead was covered in a fine mist, and somehow it felt right. As the filly was gated, he gathered up the reins and took a deep breath. Her calmness was, somehow, unnerving, and he wondered just what was going through her mind. Distracted, he was taken by surprise when the buzzer sounded, and Misty moved slowly but surely from the gate.
It might have alarmed some. Being behind could be problematic. But Tom wasn't concerned. He allowed the filly to slowly stretch out, building herself up as they moved up the track. This was clearly a horse that took time to reach their stride, and while the first two furlongs had passed slowly, picking up speed bit by bit, he knew that he needed to push her. If this was all that she had, then she maybe wasn't destined for the track.
He had a huge surprise, however. When he pushed the filly, she seemed to explode. From nowhere, she bolted forwards and just seemed to pick up more and more speed. She was a powerhouse, each stride bringing her closer and closer to the final pole. Tom was so surprised he had to correct his position in the saddle, where his balance had been taken from him. Gosh, this filly had a powerful close and he was no longer concerned by the slow start, or the steady progression. Clearly, she would be making it up in the home stretch. As they passed the post, he slowed her and slipped from the saddle as a groom took hold of the rein.
Crossing to Alexia, he leant on the railing as he grabbed the mints.
"I hope you've got some balls, I think her races are going to be close." With that, he crossed the track again with a hand full of treats for his beautiful ride.
