Derby Dreams (Acropolis #1)

Chapter 1

"See ya at the finish, KFC!" Catherine Forest-Kingsley felt a hand slam into her shoulder.
"Ow." she said but the jock who'd hit her had already moved past. Kat rolled her eyes and straightened her shoulders. Life as a young jockey; a young, female jockey was not everything she'd dreamed. At seventeen she'd already won a Classic horse race but it hadn't made her any friends in the weighing room. She followed the train of seven jockeys to the Paddock. The day was pretty disgusting and she wasn't particularly looking forward to blasting at forty miles per hour down the Newmarket mile.
"Ready Catherine?" Her father asked when she joined him on the grass at the centre of the paddock.
"Yes.Is she?" Kat asked and her father gave a grim nod. They both looked over at the horse in question. The grey filly was plunging about next to their head groom.
"Try to keep her from acting like a bumper car." James instructed Kat, "keep her settled and together."
"I hope I can." Kat replied. This was the first ever group race for her favourite filly.
"Do your best. Let's get you up."

Carla Montgomery gazed at the paddock of horses.
"She's nice." She told her father as a big filly with a broad white blaze walked past.
"I agree." Her father's reply was heavily accented, it had been years since he visited England, "do you want to put a bet on her?"
"Mum doesn't agree with gambling." Carla said cooly. Juan Lopez sighed and turned to his program.
"She's called OnceinaBlueMoon." He told his daughter, "they must think she's pretty special."
"Mmm." Carla nodded and they let the chatter of the crowds surround them. It was wet and rainy but Carla had promised she'd join her father at Newmarket for a day out.
"If you'd come to Spain it wouldn't be so cold." Her father had told her when he picked her up. Carla had just rolled her eyes. A trumpeting whinny broke her thoughts and both she and her father snapped their heads to follow the noise.
"Wow." Carla breathed. The horse was gorgeous. She may have been a filly but she stood a good hand above all the other horses. Her neck was arched, her coat shone like liquid silver and her muscles rippled beneath her damp coat.
"She's magnificent." Her father agreed, "the way she gathers herself, it's like she's going to take off."
"I bet she can run." Carla said in amazement. She glanced up at the jockey, to see the silks. The jockey was a girl, she realized, and probably no older than herself.
"I bet she can fly." Juan said, "I'll check her name." Carla watched as the filly pranced and tossed her grey head.
"What's she called?"
"They think she can fly too. She's called Dappled Dove."

"Easy Dove, easy!" Kat groaned as the filly hauled at her arms. The grey tank had bolted down to the start and now didn't want to pull up.
"Having fun KFC?" Asked Donovan Curran from his own mount. Donovan Curran was only nineteen himself but in comparison to Kat, he was a veteran of the racing world. Not only was he annoyed that she'd taken all his mounts but she'd also dumped him only three months ago. Donovan had since turned her pet name into an international nickname. KFC was her initials backwards and everybody knew it.
"Go away." Kat snapped as his chestnut got too close to Dove and the grey filly went up on her hindlegs, pawing out with her hooves. Dove would load last, they'd asked, and she was jogging in circles waiting for her turn. Horses were slowly led into green metal gates. Dove arched her neck in excitement and strode forward eagerly when one of the handlers looped a rope through her bit.
"Good girl." Kat gave a relieved sigh as she knotted her fingers around the black and white mottled mane. At least Dove never threw a tantrum in the gates.

"Go!" The gates split open and Kat kneaded the grey filly's neck. Dove strode out quickly and Kat navigated her overly large filly into the midst of the pack. One horse split away from them to lead but otherwise the horses were bunched together. Dove fought the bit, head thrown up and trying to fight Kat. Kat stood back in the stirrups and braced herself against the eager pulling filly. Dove's breath came in loud snorts as the horses thundered along. Kat glanced beside her. The bright yellow silks of OnceinaBlueMoon were right beside her. Dove and OnceinaBlueMoon were two of the leading two year old fillies in Europe and today they met for the first time. Both were unbeaten and both had everything to lose. Dove yanked at the bit and Kat rolled her eyes. At this rate Dove wouldn't have anything left for the final furlong.
"Dove! Dove!" Kat called to the grey ears, "easy baby." Dove didn't even flick her ears. She charged forward again in another burst, Kat could barely hold her in. Kat's mind flicked into crisis mode. She decided that Dove would just have to be allowed to move. She gave an inch of rein and Dove lengthened her stride instantly. Her grey ears flicked forward as she strode alongside the leader. Her legs carried her smoothly and quickly to the front. Now in the lead, Dove settled a little. Her dappled grey coat was drenched in sweat and the rain was beginning to pour down on them.
"Atta baby." Kat called, "keep it up." Dove began to flicker her ears, listening to her beloved jockey. They approached the dip and Kat tried to keep Dove balanced. She glanced behind her, the familiar white blaze of OnceinaBlueMoon was gaining momentum and nudging closer. Kat didn't say go on her filly yet, she could still save some energy. OnceinaBlueMoon drew alongside them and Kat let Dove eye the filly over.
"Go on then!" she crouched over the filly's neck, hands moving in time with her movements. Dove gave a burst of speed that took her a length in front. OnceinaBlueMoon fought back, coming nose to nose again. The two jockeys pushed their horses on and neither saw the ears of Dappled Dove flatten to her head. OnceinaBlueMoon did the same. Dove squealed and dodged away as OnceinaBlueMoon turned her head, teeth bared.The bay filly travelled sideways, slamming into Dove. Kat bit her lip as her leg was crushed between the two fillies. Dove staggered, her big body thrown off balance. Her neck flew down as she struggled to keep her balance, Kat swallowed hard as she felt her body lose balance. She was a goner.