Taj Runs At Hungtindon

There are four meetings taking place this afternoon with jumps cards from Huntingdon and Doncaster, while there is all-weather flat action from Lingfield and Kempton.  You guessed it, the most prize money on offer today is at Dundalk in Ireland for their all-weather card.  There are no two or three runner races there, indeed five of the eight races are so well subscribed there are reserves ready to run if there are any late non-runners.  Is Irish racing better funded?  No, there just isn't as much of it...I am sure there are lessons for us in there somewhere.

David has one runner this afternoon as Taj Badalandabad (pictured above) contests the 3m1f handicap hurdle at Huntingdon.  Our eight year old has won six times, including at this course and from a mark higher than today's rating of 130 prior to his lay-off.  I thought that he ran well for a very long way on his first start back after an absence at Cheltenham, although he disappointed last time.  If he can rediscover his best, he would have claims under Tom Scudamore.

I see that there was another instance of the wrong horses running in races on the flat at Southwell the weekend before last.  I bet trainer Ivan Furtardo feels a right nelly!  If the trainer can't tell the horses apart, you would think that one of the stable staff would pick up on it.  I am sure that any one of the Pond House team would know the identity of the horses they were taking racing.

I see that Irish trainer Oliver McKiernan was fined £2,000 and his horse Life Is For Living was banned from competing for 42 days at Gowran Park as the stewards felt that it was a non-trier.  I watched the race and I have to agree - the horse was never put into it and jockey Barry Browne was very easy on it.  Connections are set to appeal...good luck.

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There is a great match tonight featuring one of the local sides, Yeovil Town as they take on Manchester United in the FA Cup.  I bet tickets are like gold dust, although I understand that Craig 'Del Boy' Wylie has managed to 'obtain' a couple!  We will all be cheering for Yeovil, but the odds of 25/1 about the home side are probably accurate.  The match is on BBC at 7.55pm.

Kyle Edmund played well in his semi-final match against Marin Cilic in the Australian Open yesterday but ultimately came up short, losing in straight sets.  It was a lot closer than the score would suggest, although I am sure the prize money of almost £500,000 will help to soften the blow!

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Thought for the day...isn't it funny how when a police officer drives past, you feel paranoid instead of protected?!

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