THE havoc planes, trains, and automobiles can wreak on one's travel plans has been well documented, but perhaps ferries should also be added to that list.
After spending 18 hours cooped up in her box when rough seas put the kybosh on any chance of crossing the Channel, French filly Darjina finally made it to Newmarket, where she'll contest this afternoon's Falmouth Stakes, around midnight on Monday
night.
The whereabouts of her luggage does, however, remain a mystery.
While trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre reports his triple Group 1 winner none the worse for her odyssey, it's hardly the best preparation for what will be the main event on the opening day of the July meeting at Headquarters.
Or very encouraging for those of us who fancy her to land the £200,000 event.
It may, however, turn out to be all academic anyway as Darjina's journey could well prove as wasted as it was arduous.
The same foul weather that delayed her departure from France is now threatening her participation in today's big race with the easing Newmarket conditions a major worry for connections. "If the ground is not as she likes it, I would prefer not to run," admitted Royer-Dupre.
Were Darjina to take a rain check, it would undoubtedly rob the Falmouth of much of its interest as her re-match with Finsceal Beo had promised to be one of the highlights of the meeting. The pair last crossed swords at Royal Ascot where they filled the places behind Haradasun in a bunch finish to the Queen Anne.
Finsceal Beo has since turned in a last of nine display at the Curragh that was just too bad to be true, Jim Bolger's filly subsequently being found to be not at the top of her game health-wise.
Presumably, she's now back in the pink, and with two 1,000 Guineas successes to her name, the Irish raider clearly has to be a major threat, but if Darjina is allowed to take her chance, she looks the pick of a very talented bunch.
Also in the line-up are Germany-based Briseida and New Zealand superstar Seachange who has won a total of 14 races on the other side of the world but was well beaten in Royal Ascot's Golden Jubilee.
"She's a hero back home and probably needed the race at Ascot," said trainer Graeme Sanders. "She's improved since then and this was always going to be her last race so after this, she'll be retired.
"If she runs well, we'd be very happy, but if she were to win, it would be a dream come true."
The fairer sex are well represented on the card, with another couple of contests also not open to the boys, the opening handicap looking an ideal opportunity for Red Dune to continue the improvement she's already shown.
Philip Robinson's mount wasn't the most popular young lady with punters when a beaten odds-on favourite at Windsor on her seasonal debut but she balanced the books with a comfortable victory, again as market leader, at Goodwood next time out.
Lee Miller, the runner-up that night, won on his next appearance, and although Red Dune's three outings to date have come over a mile, dropping back to seven furlongs on this stiff track shouldn't bother her.
Mick Channon's Lucky Leigh finished well in front of Heart Shaped when the duo contested the Queen Mary and while there may not be quite so much daylight between them in today's Cherry Hinton, the former can confirm the placings.
The toteswinger Handicap brings together a heap of horses who all contested last month's Betfair Sprint at York, a race whose form was boosted on Saturday when Ancien Regime, third on the Knavesmire, scored at Sandown.
On the form shown that day, Carleton has something to find with a few of those who finished in front of him, but the race didn't seem to be run to suit Willie Musson's gelding who had earlier finished second to the aforementioned Ancien Regime over today's course and distance.
Back at Newmarket, and with a likely strong pace and definite uphill finish set to suit Carleton better, he's napped to score at a real working man's price.
The full article contains 718 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
