Derby Dreams (Acropolis #1)

Chapter 7

Tooth and Claw stepped eagerly out onto the oval training track at Athena Training Centre. It was the training half of the Acropolis estate with the other being Aphrodite Stud. The colt pricked up his ears and blew out a heavy breath, melting the frosty flakes landing on his nose.
"Ugh," Kat batted away snowflakes with her gloved hand, "I hate snow."
"Scrooge." Brooke grinned beside her from her own mount.
"Winter is too cold for me." Kat replied as TC sidestepped eagerly, wanting to be off.
"It is quite cold this year." Brooke commented, "and it's meant to be a long winter."
"It's always a long winter." Kat replied. The gentle snowflakes had been to fall half an hour ago and it was expected to reach a full fledge snow storm by noon. The two year old colts stepped up the pace into a jog, it was the first week of January and they were welcoming the new year with some overexcited kicks and bucks.
"Easy." Kat murmured, rising in here stirrups as TC began to bounce over the all weather surface. The snow was giving all the horses a bit of a kick, they were all prancing and snorting; even the most bombproof and lazy of them. TC was clearly not the only one feeling his oats.
"They say there's a snowstorm on the way." Brooke said as they took the corner in their strides.
"Oh good, that always goes down so well with the boss."
"I know. We'll be fetching broodmares in from the paddocks for the next few hours then."
"Sounds like my idea of a good day." Kat murmured sarcastically, "And I was planning on spending an hour or two with Dove."
"How is she? Ready for a comeback?"
"She's sound again. She healed up remarkably quick but then again, they were doing everything they could do to get blood flowing through that foot and she's sound as brass for it. Hopefully I'll be back on her before the end of this week, although the weather might muck that around."
"You won't have her back in time for the Guineas then?"
"I don't know- Careful!" Kat broke off and yanked fiercely at TC when he nearly threw his partner off course with an excited bump, "It'll be tight getting her fit but she's been doing so much walking she is well into base fitness."
"Well, she certainly can run. She'd have taken the Rockfel if it weren't for that mean little filly."
"That mean little filly went on to be the champion two year old."
"Still doesn't change the fact that our filly could take her in a heartbeat. Shall we get these two moving?"
"Let's."

"You were right about the snowstorm." Kat watched as the tiny snowflakes flurried down from the sky, "It's getting heavier by the minute." She and Brooke were replacing the bridles from the last lot of the morning. It was now nine o clock and the sun had finally dragged itself to greet the snowstorm, now it was hidden away by the atmospheric clouds.
"Lovely." Brooke wiped her hands against her breeches and replaced her gloves onto her hands, "I'll bet the broodmare barns will be ringing up at any moment, asking for help."
"Great, nothing I love more." Kat replied with a sigh, "Don't suppose you've seen Carla?"
"The new girl? She arrived at seven, lucky girl. I think she headed down to feed her lot."
"Yeah, I just thought we'd need all hands on deck. Which stupid person put the mares out anyway?"
"They're trying to get them out as much as possible, keep them moving and so on. You know how Hart is about having mares fit for birth."
"The only mare in our barns who won't be fit for birth is Willow and that's cos she's up against the odds and having two of the things. Otherwise, we're fine."
"Try telling Hart that. He'll just say he's been in the business longer than you have." Brooke grinned and the phone on the wall chirped.
"Hello?" Kat grabbed it, "Right yeah, we'll be down in a sec." She replaced the receiver.
"Broodmares?" Asked Brooke.
"Broodmares."

Kat found Carla having just returned from her first schooling session of the day. Pebbles was champing on the bit and steaming in the cold.
"Chilly today." Carla commented as she dismounted.
"Wouldn't know. I've been riding for the last three hours at least." Kat replied curtly, "They need hands down at the broodmare barns, don't suppose you could lend a hand?"
"Let me settle Pebbles down but sure." Carla was quickly beginning to realise that Kat wasn't one for small talk and when she came to ask questions, they were orders.
"Gina!" Kat called and when the groom headed out she turned to Carla, "There's a reason you have a groom you know. She can take care of the mare, we've got horses worth ten times as much as her frolicking out in the paddocks."
"Alright then," Carla removed her helmet, "I'm on my way."