Gevrey's Eider Mission

There are five meetings taking place this afternoon with jumps cards from Kempton, Chepstow and Newcastle supported by all-weather flat meetings from Wolverhampton and Lingfield.  We have just one runner today as Gevrey Chambertin (pictured above) takes his chance in the Eider Chase at Newcastle at 2.45pm.  It is a 4m 1/2f handicap chase with 18 runners - he has to shoulder top weight of 11-12 but he has earned that weight as he is capable of some very smart form at his best.  He ran a good race last time when runner-up at Kempton and if he can build on that, he could easily outrun his odds.  David won the race in 2008 with subsequent Grand National winner Comply Or Die...let's hope that he can add to that tally today!

Shaama Grise was only narrowly beaten at Exeter yesterday afternoon when just wandering off a true line on the run-in.  The winner, Graceful Legend was completing a hat-trick yet our mare was having to concede 11lbs in weight.  I did say that the stone the handicapper put her up seemed harsh and it was clearly just too much yesterday...the trouble is that Mr Nasty is probably going to stick her up a few more pounds.  Herbert Park ran his best race for a while when runner-up over fences and Obistar finished fourth on ground that was plenty quick enough for him, picking up some prize money in the process.

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Most of the Premier League managers are weighing in on the sacking of former Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri and the majority seem to seem to think that it was a bad decision.  It sounds as though he has fallen out with his assistant and a few of the players.  The trouble is that he did too good a job!  No, seriously if he had just kept them in the Premiership last season and this it would have been considered a job well done, but when you deliver a title everybody's expectations are immediately sky high.  The board of directors clearly don't realise how lucky they have been...another case of a bunch of suits who know nothing about football, running a club.

There is a big bottom of the table match on between Crystal Palace and Middlesbro.  Palace look worth an interest at 11/10, while Hull have to win and are 6/5 so I will be having a cheeky little double.  Chelsea are too short to back against Swansea although it does look like another win for the champions in waiting.

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I have my place booked in front of the television this afternoon for the racing and football.  Speaking of which, I bought a universal remote earlier in the week...I thought, "this changes everything!"  Have a nice weekend...

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