CECIL RELISHING THE CHALLENGE
Epsom Oaks: Timepiece 14/1
Henry Cecil is brimming with optimism ahead of the 2010 Flat season, which he approaches with his strongest team for years.
The Warren Place trainer will be aiming to build on an excellent 2009 campaign that yielded over 60 winners, three at Group One level.
It is all a far cry from just five years ago when Cecil's dwindling string recorded just 12 victories and many were predicting an imminent end to the 10-time champion trainer's career.
He said: "We have around 120 horses which is a nice number. I feel the quality is better than we have had for five or six years so with a bit of luck we should be able to be competitive in some of the better races."
Cecil will no doubt be looking forward to campaigning Midday, who did so much to boost the fortunes of the yard last year.
The daughter of Oasis Dream, successful in the Group One Nassau Stakes at Goodwood and at the Breeders' Cup, remains in training as a four-year old.
Classic glory just eluded her last year when she went down by only a head to Sariska in the Oaks. But with both horses back for 2010, there is the prospect of a mouth-watering rematch.
Cecil said: "Midday has wintered particularly well and will hopefully be a live contender for the major fillies' middle-distance races.
"I would very much like to see her clash with Sariska again over a mile and a half on good ground. I wouldn't take her on on soft ground but it would be great for the sport if they could renew their rivalry on decent ground."
Midday starred in the colours of Khalid Abdulla, who also enjoyed Group One success with the Cecil-trained Twice Over last year.
And this Saturday will see the strapping son of Observatory begin his five-year old campaign in the Dubai World Cup.
Cecil said: "So far all has gone to plan and I am very pleased with him. Even though he is five this year he seems to be stronger and more mature and hopefully he should have a good chance.
"After Dubai we'll give him a rest as he had a hard season last year and has been on the go most of the winter. We may get him ready for the Prince of Wales' at Royal Ascot, a race he ran well in last year."
Lord Shanakill, a Group One winner in France last year, is a new and exciting recruit to the string.
Cecil is still getting to know the son of Speightstown but likes what he has seen so far.
He said: "Lord Shanakill has done well. We are feeling our way with him a bit but I think that seven furlongs or an easy mile will be his ideal trip.
"Looking back on his races from last year I didn't think he stayed a stiff mile so perhaps we may look at a race like the Lockinge at Newbury for him."
As has been the case so often over the past four decades, the three-year-old fillies' department looks to be a strong one for Cecil.
He still has five entered in the 1000 Guineas and Kithonia, Principal Role and Timepiece all feature in the betting for the Oaks.
He said: "We have a number of nice three-year-old fillies but it is early days regarding the Classics. The likes of Kithonia, Timepiece, Principal Role, Aviate and Jacqueline Quest should keep us in the winner's enclosure though.
"The first three I mentioned have all done nothing wrong and have stamina in their pedigrees. They should hopefully stay a mile and a half.
"Aviate has a lot more speed in her pedigree and may get a mile to a mile and a quarter. We'll think about the trials for these fillies but they'll tell us when they're ready."
As for the three-year-old colts, he added: "I have some nice ones but I'm not sure yet whether they'll be up to Classic class.
"Bullet Train has done nothing wrong and neither has Rigidity so we'll see. I also like Corporal Maddox, Out of Eden and Honest Strike who are all worth keeping an eye on."
If there is one at this stage that may be aimed at loftier heights it is Rodrigo de Torres. He joined the Cecil stable late last summer and showed sufficient promise to warrant optimism for the future when fourth in the highly-competitive Houghton Stakes at Newmarket.
Cecil said of the son of Bahamian Bounty: "I would hope that Rodrigo de Torres can be Group class. He has shown plenty of speed and may start off in something like the Greenham, although I'm not sure he'd get a mile in the Guineas."
Another positive for Warren Place was that Cecil was busy at the yearling sales last autumn. As a result he has a team of around 55 juveniles, many with pedigrees to set pulses racing.
He said: "We were much more active at the yearling sales last autumn and have some nice two-year-olds.
"It is too early to pick out all the horses with potential as they will change a lot as they grow and learn.
"Of the colts I do like two by Empire Maker, one out of Reams of Verse (winner of the 1997 Oaks for Cecil) and one out of Valentine Band and also a Dansili out of Shirley Valentine.
"Of the fillies I have been taken by a full-sister to Passage Of Time by Dansili. Most of our juveniles are not bred to be early types so should come to hand for the second half of the season."
The current positive mood at Warren Place is a world away from the atmosphere that surrounded the decline through earlier years of the millennium when numbers were down and winners comparatively few and far between.
Cecil reflected: "We were down to between 30 and 40 horses. I said to myself that I needed to pull myself together, I had my back against the wall and it was a challenge to get out. It drove me to get back to where I wanted."
The Cecil revival, one of the most uplifting stories in recent Flat racing times, is even more remarkable as the 67-year old has been undergoing treatment for stomach cancer in recent years.
A born fighter with a ceaseless appetite for success, Cecil still retains an unquenchable enthusiasm for top-level racing - and never so more than on the eve of a new season.
He said: "This time of year is very exciting as you begin to do more work with them. Training is a way of life and I love the challenge."
Ive always liked Henry top trainer , genuine geezer
