Kalpaga has been a work in progress this season, but she has always shown enough at home to suggest she should be winning races and it was great to see her get off the mark in style at Hereford yesterday under Alan Johns.

In front throughout, she went clear two out and never looked in any danger of being caught from there, coming home 10L clear of the remainder, which included a last-time-out winner at the course in second.

The handicapper will have his say and she’ll face a tougher task next time, but I’m confident there is plenty more to come from her, as she is a lightly-raced six year old with the scope to progress.  We’ll look for something in three weeks’ time and longer-term, we will look to send her over fences, as there are plenty of nice opportunities for mares over the larger obstacles.  Many congratulations to her owners Eric Newnham and Jonathan Shinton.