Derby Dreams (Acropolis #1)

Chapter 24

Heavenly Hope craned her neck around nervously as she walked the Epsom paddock. She was the only filly in the field of fifteen, a massive maiden race. Kat stood with James and Mr Wilkes, watching as the filly walked. She no longer wore the blue, green and white of Acropolis but now wore Mr Wilkes' pink and green triangles.
"She looks very nervous." Mr Wilkes frowned, "Do you think she'll be okay?"
"She'll be fine. Contrary to the beliefs of some trainers," James looked pointedly at Wills who had entered six very good horses, "This race is for experience."
"But she already has experience-"
"She needs good experience." James replied, "And I fear that the Wills contingent are set against her having it." Wills glared across at them, still in a nasty mood after the Derby where Onceinabluemoon had faded to sixth.
"He has entered a lot of horses." Mr Wilkes agreed, "You think that's because of my little filly."
"Almost certainly." Kat cut in, "The bell's gone. Leg me up." She looked to James and her father nodded.
"Good luck Catherine," Mr Wilkes smiled tensely, "I can't wait to see her run."
"Good." Kat nodded, "I'll try my best with her."

Hope stepped onto the grassy course like she was stepping onto a live wire. Her ears swivelled and she didn't want to place her feet on the floor. The Derby was a big day for a race, the funfair in the middle was still going strong and the noise was still cacophonous.
"Easy Hope, easy." Kat murmured as Terry let the filly loose. Hope leapt away from him like he'd hit her and grabbed at the bit, prepared to bolt down.
"Easy, easy." Kat kept murmuring, twisting her fingers through the black mane, "It's only a little race and you can win it." She rubbed the brown shoulder of Hope's slightly damp coat. The rain had stopped but the filly was sweating up in fear. Donovan raised a hand as he passed on his own mount and Kat nodded back.
"Good luck!" He yelled, "I'm rooting for you really."
"Cheers, good luck yourself!" Kat shouted back as they eased up at the five furlong start. It was a straight five furlongs in front of the grandstand but given the state of the ground Kat expected the entire field to be going strong on the centre of the course where the ground was the least torn apart and surprisingly firm. Hope threw one unhappy buck as they cantered down but otherwise at least attempted good behaviour. The two year olds were all over excited by the time they were loading and Hope was the first to go in. Her slot was rail side so Kat had to believe that they wouldn't get crushed because otherwise Hope would freak out.
"It's just like what you did a couple of weeks ago, only this time people are watching." Kat reassured Hope's flicking ears as the other horses prepared to load, Hope was starting to get antsy about being in the stalls so long.
"One back!" The last horse was led up and Kat readied herself in the saddle.
"Off!"

Hope was out like a flash alongside three others. The leaders took off down the centre of the track but Kat held her filly back, happy to have kept down on the rail and away from trouble. They were playing bumper cars in the centre, fourteen two year olds were all jostling for the lead. Hope was watching them eagerly, not running in a blind panic like Kat had expected. From the eager pulls at the reins she could tell that Hope wanted to get into the midst of the fight. The filly began tobear off the rail slightly till she was travelling in about sixth, just outside the pack. The first two furlongs were gone amongst eager pulls and frantic fighting for places to settle. The third furlong was less than calm, a couple of the frontrunners were dropping back and Hope, who had been on the outside, was suddenly wrapped up in the middle. Kat growled to herself for her stupid move and looked around for somewhere to go. The horse in front was fading past and she was pinned in with no manoueuvering space either side. The jockeys either side of her had nowhere to go either, they were all pinned in and holding back plenty of horse beneath them. Hope was beginning to get rank, her head thrown up she pulled for more rein despite the risk of a collision with the horse in front.
"Something's gotta give." Kat sighed as she tried to hold Hope back, her cold fingers practically frozen in place as they hit the two furlong mark. Still no horse opened up and instead it was just getting more crowded, Hope was being badly hampered by the horse bearing on her from the right. Suddenly, the colt bashed into them at full force, nearly knocking the filly off stride and sending a domino effect rippling along the line. The furlng mark flicked past and Hope suddenly seized the bit. Her knock had sent her into a clear space and she'd seen her gap. She took off, roaring down the inside of the leaders with a natural agression for the fight. Kat didn't even need to ask her for more speed, the filly was giving it all and she stuck her neck out gamely as they hit the finish line, not like she needed to she had a length on everyone else.

Hope didn't feel the need to slow down, she'd barely had half a furlong at top speed and she continued to sail along the course until Kat's gentle hands finally persuaded her that she could ease up. Her number was up in the first place position and Kat rubbed her neck in a congratulatory pat.
"Superstar!" She told the filly, "You did well out there!" She brought the filly back to a gentle jog and brought her down to greet Terry.
"Darn good run, she's got the fight in her."
"She definitely has." Kat agreed, "She saw the gap before I did."
"Wills won't be happy, you've brought down Onceinabluemoon and proved him a right fool all in one day."
"Oh well, Wills can live to fight another day. Today is about our great fillies." Kat leaned her cheek against Hope's neck as they were led to the paddock, "Welcome to the Winner's Enclosure. You'll come back I promise."

Mr Wilkes was glowing with pride as he stood by Hope's head, far enough away that he didn't have to touch her sweaty shoulder though.
"Welldone!" He told Kat as she returned to the filly's side after weighing in, "She was incredible to watch."
"I was pleased with her." Kat agreed, "She didn't need any urging out there."
"Well, as per our agreement I would like to make you a co-owner. Still under my silks, you understand but I am quite happy for her to retire to the same paddock her mother now grazes at Acropolis." Kat decided not to point out to him that the filly would never be in the same paddock as the older mare.
"My grandmother bought Hope Held?"
"Yes, she did. And half of Heavenly Held, Heavenly Hope's full sister."
"Very good." Kat smiled and shook his hand, "Now if you don't mind, I have a filly to see to."
"Go ahead." Mr WIlkes agreed and Kat turned to see to her new filly.

Dove and Hope stood side by side, grazing on the quadrant of grass on the inside of the Aegaeon yard. Kat held both lead ropes, leaning against Dove's silver shoulder and contentedly humming as the fillies grazed. They were bandaged, booted and blanketed- ready for the long drive back to Yorkshire. Eighteen hours had passed since Dappled Dove had staked a claim to the best three year old filly in Europe- and there was still a long fight ahead till she could prove it- but at this moment in time the filly seemed quite happy just to graze with her comrade, a newly crowned winner. Behind them TC stomped up the ramp and into the van, Winner's Fascination and Neverendingstarstruck were already loaded. Carla emerged back out once everything was in place. Her colt was still a champion, over a mile he was unbeaten and over the twelve furlongs? He was once beaten by a length. Carla sighed and glanced around, looking at the two fillies that were grazing cheerfully together. They were both tall, although the grey monster was still at least ahand taller than Hope, and they dwarfed the girl who held their leads.
"Hey," Carla interrupted Kat's reverie, "Do you want me to take Hope?" Kat glanced up, a full smile on her face.
"Sure." She handed the lead over, "Can you believe that we've come this far?"
"No." Carla grinned, "I joined you to be an event rider and now I'm grooming the 2000 Guineas winner! Hey, I know what the 2000 Guineas is! That's a change."
"Yep," Kat grinned, "You know that it just gets better? We travel the world with these horses."
"I can't wait." Carla replied and she clicked her tongue to Hope, the filly followed her willingly and Kat stood beside Dove and watched Hope load up. Dappled Dove lowered her elegant head so it rested on Kat's shoulder and waited her turn.
"Okay, bring her up Kat!" James called and Kat walked the grey filly up into the van, clipping her in place and closing the partition. She jumped down the ramp and blew a kiss to the filly.
"See you back home, baby!" She called up and Dove craned her head against the partition, releasing a loud whinny that said she'd return. Kat laughed and the ramp went up, ready for the van to carry her champion home and from there, well, they'd prove who the greatest filly in the world really was.

Omg it's over! Thank you thank you thank you for reading and ignoring the masses of: spelling, grammar and continuity issues! I absolutely adored writing this and there will be a sequel!
So thanks and lots of hugs from me (and a nicker from Dove)
B xx