Impulsive Back At Perth

There are seven meetings taking place this afternoon with flat cards from Royal Ascot, Ayr, Newmarket, Redcar, Haydock and Lingfield while there is a jumps fixture from Perth so you are out of luck if you like your National Hunt action and you live in the south.  David has one runner today; Impulsive American (pictured above) who contests the three mile handicap hurdle at 4.25pm.  Our six year old likes the track, having won twice here in the past.  He is down 5lbs for his first run back from a long absence but even so, he still has to carry 12-2 here.  He is up in trip today but has won at 2m4f and looks well worth a try at further.  Tom Scudamore is in the saddle and it is his only ride of the day.

Ilovemints ran creditably at Market Rasen yesterday afternoon, finishing third in the handicap hurdle.  She was conceding 8lbs to the first two home and on this evidence, she will be winning before too long.

Today is the last day of the Royal Ascot meeting and I have always liked the Queen Alexandra Stakes which takes place at 5.35pm.  It is a marathon trip for the level so you will need a strong stayer to succeed here.  Thomas Hobson looks like the one to beat under Ryan Moore although it is slightly offputting that he has not run since the Melbourne Cup.

Talking of Royal Ascot, I see that one punter won £863,000 on Agrotera when that one bolted up in the 23 runner Sandringham handicap.  It was backed as though defeat was out of the question and won as handicap good thing should.  They don't know the name of the punter - he probably doesn't want his wife to know!

Looking at today's World Cup action, surely Germany have to beat Sweden this afternoon?  Germany can only improve and they are 8/15 to win, while I will be doubling them up with Mexico who are 8/11 to beat South Korea.

In the cricket England go to Old Trafford with a 4-0 series lead ahead of the Aussies.  Let's hope the visitors can give us a better game, otherwise our lot are going to start thinking that they are better than they actually are.

I see that Andy Murray is to take part in next week's Nature Valley International tournament at Eastbourne in a desperate bid to get himself up to scratch ahead of Wimbledon.  Murray is currently ranked 156 in the world and that looked about right as he was dumped out of Queens.  He needs all the practice he can get on grass.  Speaking of grass (a good lead-in!), I see that former British number two; Dan Evans is back after his one year ban for testing positive for cocaine.

I can hear music coming out of my printer...I think the paper is jammin' again!  Have a nice weekend...

Tweet