Derby Dreams (Acropolis #1)

Chapter 17

"Good morning, beautiful." Carla peered over the stable door of Tooth and Claw. TC looked up and puffed out a breath, his ears gently pricked up. There was a magical calm about him, something that gave her goosebumps. The colt and the other horses were staying at the small Newmarket yard that Lady Eliza kept, the Aegaeon Yard. The yard could stable only twenty horses, it was used as a place to keep horses during the racing festivals in the south of the country. TC looked the picture of health, he'd polished his feed bowls at both evening and morning feed and was alert, watching the things happening on the other side of his stable door. Carla leaned against his door, the colt stepped over and gently rested his head on her shoulder; together they watched as the ramp of the Acropolis lorry was lowered and loaded up, ready for the day's racing.
"What you doing?" Kat joined them suddenly and TC quickly dropped his head, moving back into his stall.
"Watching."
"Shouldn't you be working?"
"The stables are mucked out, the buckets washed, I've polished his bridle and packed his tack up again."
"Good." Kat seemed almost displeased by her answer, "You enjoyed yesterday?"
"Yes." Carla smiled, "He was sensational."
"He certainly was." Kat clicked her tongue and TC reappeared, nuzzling Kat's jacket. "He's favourite for the Derby now."
"The Epsom Derby?"
"The one and only." Kat reached for the colt's neck, "Hoping to emulate his sire."
"Mischief Mayhem won the Derby?"
"Did he half," Kat smiled fondly at the memory then her eyes flicked alive and she waved to someone, "Donovan!" The other jockey jogged over, dressed in a suit with his hair curling slightly, damp from a shower.
"Hello ladies, how are we?" He greeted them courteously, "And of course, the Prince." Donovan bowed to the colt and TC snorted and disappeared again.
"Tis a pleasure to court royalty." Kat grinned, "We were just talking about Mischief's Derby."
"Ah, that was a day." Donovan smiled broadly, "Do you remember the way he kicked away, I had the best seat in the place."
"Yes, you did." Kat replied enviously.
"Where were you?" Carla asked, confused. Donovan and Kat shared a smile.
"I was riding him," Donovan turned slightly to look at TC, "He was...incredible that day, absolutely blew them away."
"The colt's right like him." Kat nodded, "Did you see that the Maryland colt won the Derby?"
"Yes, has a Maryland colt ever won it before?"
"Kauai King in '66?" Kat guessed, "Certainly not a regular."
"True, Dancers Image?"
"Stripped of his title." Kat corrected him.
"Who?" Carla was confused and watching the conversation bounce like it was a tennis match.
"Kentucky Derby was run last night. The colt who won was bred in Maryland."
"The state?"
"Where else?" Kat gave a sigh of despair and turned her eyes back to the lorry, "Looks like the lorry is ready to go. I'm going to go and get Starstruck, you don't mind taking Cobweb do you?"
"Given I'm going to beat you, I don't mind." Donovan gave a smug nod as Kat headed off then he turned to Carla, "How's Starstruck been working?"
"Nothing special to quote James," Carla replied as TC stuck his head out to rest on her shoulder again.
"He likes you." Donovan nodded although his brow was furrowed, still puzzled from Kat's choice to ride Starstruck.
"Only when Kat's not here."
"He's a sensitive soul, is he?"
"Yes." Carla nodded, "You looking forward to today's race?"
"Yes, hopefully get a win on the cards although Onceinabluemoon is said to be training like a bullet."
"She's the champion in the field?"
"Yes. It'll be a first as far as I know for the champ two year old filly and colt to win both Guineas."
"So you don't think it will happen?"
"Who knows?"

"Onceinabluemoon kicking away now, she's indomitable in the Guineas and returns to Newmarket in triumph!" The commentator sounded beyond impressed, "Neverendingstarstruck is staying on well behind her but it is all about Onceinabluemoon who proves she is exactly that!" Carla watched with anguish as the bay filly streaked away from Starstruck. She was every inch the same horse that Carla had seen at Newmarket last year. She hadn't changed or grown but she could still run and her ears were still pinned to her mean head, dark eyes glaring from either side of her wide, white blaze.
"Nicely done," James shook the hand of a fellow trainer, "Faster than my colt."
"Yes, she's a helluva filly." The trainer smiled in response, "I might try her against your colt."
"He's going up from the mile I'm afraid, your match race will have to wait." James replied easily.
"She's going up too, she might even change to meeting the opposite sex." The trainer lifted an eyebrow and James replied with a frosty smile then grabbed Carla's arm, pulling her down to the parade ring.
"Nice run." James told Kat as she dismounted from Starstruck. The chestnut filly danced around, shaking her head and kicking. She was an overeager filly and as Onceinabluemoon passed by she gave an extra high kick.
"Defending stable dignity." Kat murmured to Carla, "That filly is a piece of work."
"Like her trainer." James agreed, "See you back at the van, we'll talk about this then." Kat nodded and left with the saddle. Carla paused, watching as the bay filly stood at the winner's post with her ears flattened and her trainer dancing at her head, flinging his arms around like there wasn't a horse anywhere near him.

"Neat win for him," Kat said as they sat in the van on the way back to Aegaeon.
"The guy makes my skin crawl." Donovan replied, he was sat in the back with them, "The smug smile on his face..." He broke off, shaking his head in disgust.
"Who is he?" Carla asked.
"Mr Carson Wills, an old friend." The last words from James were sarcastic.
"Wasn't he the guy who trained-?"
"Hope? Yes." Kat nodded, "And as usual there's only been an enquiry which led to the conviction of a stable boy for cruelty. Wills knew nothing."
"It's remarkable the loyalty he inspires." Donovan agreed, "He's got a good filly though, where does he want to send her next?"
"Well, he is an enigma as ever but I gathered from what he said that he wants a match against TC."
"What?" Kat snapped her head around in surprise.
"A match with TC. And where's the best place to get that?"
"The breeding shed?" Donovan's voice dripped with sarcasm.
"Alas, he favours the sweet grass of Epsom." James replied.
"You are kidding me!" Kat stared in disbelief, "He wants to put her in the Derby?"
"It seems unlikely your father would enter TC in the Oaks, what with it being a race for fillies..." Donovan tried to joke.
"Shut it, Donovan." Kat snapped, "He's sticking the filly in the Derby?"
"Yes, you said you wanted to put Dove in it."
"I still do but that filly is..."
"Yes?" James asked imperiously, "She's got proven form, she's a champion and she's bred for the distance. Your filly, on the other hand, had a bad injury in a race, a reputable temperament and no form this season; between the two of them she's the one who looks best for it. She's a good filly." This seemed to stun the cab into silence.
"She hasn't grown though." Carla finally said. Kat and Donovan both turned to look at her.
"What?"
"Onceinabluemoon hasn't grown since last year. She's the same height and pretty much the same weight."
"When did you see her?" Donovan asked, "And surely she has!"
"Newmarket last year, the race Dove broke down." Kat interrupted, "She can't still be that weight!"
"Carla's right. The filly is pretty much in the same nick as last year; not that that is proving to be to her disadvantage."
"True, you really think they'll go there?"
"Yes. Wills is a fool and he has never had a Derby winner; his eyes are wide with greed."
"TC will go there too?" Donovan questioned.
"Yes."
"Prep race?"
"No."
"And Dove?" Kat broke into the conversation.
"She can go to the Musidora and we'll see."
"That's a change of your tune."
"If I could put Mischief in the Derby I would if it meant bringing that insidious man down a peg." James replied, "And if I can't put Mischief in there then I'll put his sister and his son."