Runners At Three Fixtures

There are four meetings taking place this afternoon and the good news is that there are no inspections planned!  Three of the meetings are over the sticks at Ludlow, Wincanton and Kempton and David has runners at each fixture.  Meanwhile there is an all-weather flat card from Wolverhampton.  Stable jockey Tom Scudamore heads to Wincanton where he partners Dusky Hercules (pictured above) in the bumper at 5.25pm.  Our four year old is making his racecourse debut so everything is going to be brand new to him.  This half-brother to Black Hercules goes nicely at home but we will know more about him after today.

Timeforben contests the 3m½f mares' handicap hurdle at Kempton at 4.45pm.  She won a point-to-point in Ireland (form that has been well advertised) and she has finished in the frame in bumpers and over hurdles and could benefit for this step-up in trip.  It is a trappy race with plenty of recent winners in opposition but she has each-way claims under Daryl Jacob.

Over at Ludlow we run Dauphine Ereine in the 3 mile handicap chase at 2.50pm and Miss Tynte in the 2m5f mares' handicap hurdle at 4.30pm.  Dauphine Ereine, a multiple winner in France has her first start for 583 days.  It will be interesting to see how this half-sister to Dynaste fares over this longer trip.  Meanwhile, Miss Tynte has produced two solid efforts at Taunton and Wetherby and looks to have each-way prospects.  David Noonan is aboard both our Ludlow runners.

Don't forget to tune in to Attheraces this afternoon at 4pm.  Luke Harvey was at the yard recently to interview Martin for his 'Jumpers and Bumpers' show and it should certainly make for interesting viewing.

Paul Nicholls schooled Vincente (Nick Scholfield), Warrior's Tale (Sean Bowen) and Monsieur Gibraltar (Lorcan Williams) over the National fences on our gallops yesterday.  Mr Nicholls wasn't in attendance, but the session was overseen by his assistant Harry Derham.

I see that it is former Liverpool footballer Robbie Fowler's birthday today.  Robbie used to have Auetaler and Seebald (among others) with us at Pond House along with old team mate Steve Macmanaman.  Robbie was a real character and I still recall him letting a mouse go in our Cheltenham marquee...it was just like a scene from a Carry On film!  I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him at Aintree later this week.

The answers to yesterday's questions were as follows:

* Name the only horse to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National in the same year?  Golden Miller (1934)

* Despite the race distance being shortened to 4m2½f in 2016, the record time for the race was set in 1990. Who was the horse and jockey?  Mr Frisk, Marcus Armytage

* Who was the last mare to finish in the frame in the National in 1995?  Dubacilla

On to today's Grand National trivia questions:

* What was the largest number of runners to contest the Grand National?

* What was the smallest number of runners to contest the Grand National?

* Which canal runs past Aintree and gives the Canal Turn it's name?

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Patrick Reed won the Masters golf at the weekend at Augusta.  He didn't play his best, but it was still good enough to lift the trophy.  Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy produced one of the worst rounds of putting that I have ever seen.  He needs a putting coach or a new putter - or both.

Did you see Wayne Rooney's reaction when Sam Allardyce substituted him in the 57th minute?  I bet all lip readers were able to understand what he said!  It is time that Rooney realised that he is no longer the player that he used to be and doesn't have the speed he once had.  He looks like a Chinese takeaway to me!  Meanwhile, my beloved West Ham earned a good draw against Chelsea, while Manchester United had a fantastic result to come from 2-0 down to beat City 3-2 in the Manchester derby.

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Thought for the day...If it weren't for marriage, men would spend their lives thinking they had no faults at all!

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