July Cup Cracker

It's another day off for the jump jockeys!  Despite it being a bumper day with six meetings taking place there is no National Hunt racing this afternoon - the action on the level comes from Ascot, Chester, Hamilton, Newmarket, Salisbury and York.  There is a fantastic card at Newmarket with the feature, the highly anticipated July Cup in which the first two from Royal Ascot's Commonwealth Cup; Caravaggio and Harry Angel renew rivalry, Limato represents the older generation.  The O'Brien colt is unbeaten after six starts and looks to be the one they all have to beat again as they chase the £280,000 first prize for this Group One sprint.  Meanwhile, there is an impossible looking handicap for the Bunbury Cup at 3.25pm - I will have to sharpen my pin!

Roly Poly was the impressive winner of the Group One Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket yesterday and better still, I managed to get a bit of the 7/4 so it was a good afternoon!

I see that it is Sheikh Mohammed's birthday today.  The man behind Godolphin and Darley (as well as being Minister of Defense for Dubai) is 68 today - I'm not sure that he reads Chester's Chat, but happy birthday anyway!  If he has any spare horses lying around we would be delighted to look after them for him at Pond House!

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Roger Federer is a 1/4 chance to win his record eighth Wimbledon singles title.  It seems that he always holds his form and consistently plays to the same sort of level whereas the others seem to be very up and down.  It is the turn of the ladies today with Venus Williams against Garbine Muguruza in the final - the Spaniard is the favourite, although the way she disposed of Johanna Konta, I will be having an interest on Williams at 11/10.  Clearly there is still hope for us oldies.

I am finding it very difficult to generate any enthusiasm for this forthcoming Floyd Mayweather versus Conor McGregor fight.  It has had ridiculous amounts of publicity and there seems to be a genuine bit of dislike between them - that is good news for those selling the tickets.  As far as I am concerned Mayweather is different gravy and will completely outclass McGregor.

England need some quick wickets to prevent South Africa from building up too big a lead in the second cricket test match and give me a bit of comfort following my bet on the host nation to win the series.

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I was having dinner with chess champion Gary Kasparov the other day and we had a black and white tablecloth.  It took him two hours to pass me the salt!  Have a nice weekend...

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