Rose Blooms At Ascot!

What a good performance from Rathlin Rose (pictured above) to win the veteran's chase at Ascot on Sunday.  These are excellent races for the older generation and with over £18,000 to the winner, they are lucrative too.  It sounds amazing, but even at the age of 10 Rathlin Rose still seems to be on an upward trajectory.  He will pick up a 4lbs penalty for the Topham at Aintree in 2½ weeks, but even then, he may struggle to get into the final line-up...he jumps and stays well so let's hope that he gets in.

There are three meetings taking place this afternoon, all over the sticks with the action coming from Taunton, Market Rasen and Huntingdon.  It is a busy day for David and the team with no less than six runners at Taunton.  At least it isn't far to go!  Skinflint, Delface, Martabot, Tobacco Road, It's Obvious and River Dunn represent Pond House.  Skinflint runs in the 2m3f handicap hurdle and is certainly better than he was able to show last time - he was runner-up in an Irish point-to-point and could go well at a decent price under Tom Scudamore.

We run three in the 2m½f handicap hurdle; Delface (Michael Heard), Martabot (David Noonan) and Tobacco Road (Tom Scudamore).  All three have form that would give them chances - Tobacco Road won at the track on good ground, while the drop back in trip will suit Martabot who has shown promise in recent starts over further.  If I had to choose, I would probably have a little each-way on Martabot.

It's Obvious runs in the 3m4½f handicap chase which represents a big step-up in trip and will certainly take some getting on this testing ground.  He needs to improve on what he has shown so far, but he was placed in an Irish point-to-point and shapes like a thorough stayer so he could go well under Tom Scudamore.

Our last runner of the day is River Dunn who goes in the conditional jockeys' handicap hurdle over three miles at 5.00pm.  She has run a couple of solid races since joining the stable including last time out over course and distance.  She has a chance if she puts her best foot forward.  We have plenty with chances today, although it does look like a tricky card so we are hopeful rather than confident.

*****

I find it hard to believe that Aussie skipper Steve Smith was only given a one match ban for admitting that Cameron Bancroft deliberately tampered with the ball in the third Test match.  Even the Australian Prime Minister raged, "How can our team treat cricket like this?  It beggars belief!"  I would ban the entire team - you cannot possibly tell me that the rest of them didn't know what was going on.  I am sorry, but I have a real problem with cheating and that is exactly what this amounts to.

I watched a brutal fight between Dillian Whyte and Lucas Browne at the weekend with Whyte knocking Browne, although I must say, I thought the referee should have stopped it before then.

*****

What does a fish say when it swims into a wall?  Dam!

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