Treasure In The Darkness

[Millie Daveys]

Striking Darkness ridden by Millie Daveys
National Treasure ridden by Josh Ville

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Millie made her way down to the track, she led the young and frisky colt down pathway that led to the track entrance. Today it was planned that Millie and King would do a short work with Josh and Treasure, perhaps just a bit of gate work. Though Millie loved all of the horses at Oak Hill, she did particularly like King. He had proven himself in all of his prospect shows, never placing below 3rd place and even gaining 2nd place in the SOPS Best Bred Tournament in the Sprint Yearlings category. Though more primarily Millie had a soft spot for the colt due to his breeding. He was out of Millie's prized stallion Prancing In The Darkness, and out of Star Thoroughbred's fine mare Stiking Motion. Prancer was one of Millie's first horses and was definately her first champion, more so he was the sire to Oak Hill's only HOF'er Dare To Dream. The plan for King was for him to run in January Week 1 over at the Green Horse Fields track in the Greasy Giraffe Stakes. Millie was very excited about his first race and wanted to get him on the track for some practice! As Millie and King grew nearer to the track he began to toss his head. Millie laughed at the colt, she loved the excitement and innocence that new race horses had and she just loved to work with them.

Josh was sat on a chair that had been left out by someone else. He had the reins in his hands and Treasure was stood quietly with her head over his shoulder. They had a very stong bong already and Josh's loud and confident nature seemed to do her well. Josh noticed Millie approaching the track, as did Treasure with King. The filly's ears pricked and she raised her head, looking alert and awake at the sight of the colt. Josh heard Millie giggling at the colt. He smiled from behind his hand and stood up to greet her.

Millie looked a little shocked as she noticed Josh and she quietened down. She hadn't noticed that he was already here, she thought that her and King were alone. Her cheeks turned a blush colour and she felt a little flustered. At the sight of the filly King let out a loud nicker. Stomping his feet as he walked along the pathway. Josh made his way over with Treasure to meet Millie and King. Hey, He greeted Millie casually. Millie smiled in his direction and tightened her grasp on the colt's reins as he danced on the spot. Having some trouble there? Josh smirked as he watched the colt. He liked the colt but knew that Millie would never give him up. Anyway, he had Treasure and he loved working with her, she was an utter turf star in the making!

Millie took the lead and led King over to the track. The turf was good today and to not do a few workouts on it today would only be rude. So have you thought about it yet, which race you'll be entering Treasure in? It's up to you now. Josh followed Millie and quickly ran the race names through his head. Well, I was thinking about either the Flipping Frog Stakes at the Green Horse Fields track or the January Maiden at The Wire track. I'm leaning more towards The Wire at this moment. What do you think? Millie nodded her head in agreement, she was suprised by the thought Josh was still putting into his decision. Maybe he wasn't just a pretty face after all. Well, maybe you'll have more of an idea after today, or when you see the fields she'll be facing? Millie suggested.

Millie turned towards the colt ready tho get on. She held the front of the saddle and reins in one hand, trying to lift her foot into the stirrup as the tall colt danced around. Josh watched as Millie fought with the colt. He walked up behind her with Treasure's reins dangling loosly in one hand. Millie felt him suddenly grasp her leg. She jumped forward with suprise, before turning her head and laughing. Josh gave her a quick leg up and then proceeded to mount his own horse. Treasure stood quietly and attentively as Josh climbed up the rails of the track and climbed onto the filly's back. She was tall, 17 hands.

Josh was first to move off, as Millie paused to adjust her stirrups. He looked behind after a few seconds and saw the fiesty young colt quickly striding to catch up with him and Treasure. Treasure was always a pleasure to ride, she was everything a thoroughbred shouldn't be. Yet she still seemed to fit in and made an excellent runner, there was no question about that. Where as King, well, King was everything a thoroughbred colt should be. Millie and King had soon caught up to the pair infront. Right, plan is to just do a practice with the gates. Millie raised her voice, shouting over the breeze to Josh. Yes ma'am! Josh raised his hand to his head and salouted to Millie, smiling cheekily. Millie shook her head and looked away, trying to stop the smile spreading across her face.

Millie urged her colt on into a trot. She sped past Josh and Treasure, who perked her ears as they did so. Though Treasure was quiet, both Millie and Josh could still see the spark and passion she had, racing was the only thing that perked her up really. Treasure shifted to a forward going trot. Standing at 17hh she was tall, very tall. And this reflected in her legs also. Her long legs carried her quickly and elegantly across the turf, in no time at all she was level with King and edging her way into the lead. Treasure was very quietly confident, she didn't confront other horses, she tended to go unnoticed until the last second where they would realise she had tanked into the lead. King however, was boisterous, obviously confident and had a real presence on the track. He would fight his way through the pack to be at the top!

After a little trot both riders were ready for a canter. The horses just needed a little warm up before they entered the gates. Both jockeys pushed their horses into a trot before they neared the gates. King shot off like a bullet. Thowing a cheeky buck and whinnying. Treasure had a smooth transition into the canter and sped off quickly, hot on King's heals. Josh slowed Treasure a little so she settled into a nice rhythm close to King.