A Pair Of 2's

The stable hit the crossbar with both runners at Newton Abbot yesterday afternoon.  Bathwick Scanno finished runner-up to favourite Dark Spirit in the juvenile novices' hurdle, although the winner did his best to throw the race away by carrying his head awkwardly and stuttering into each of the last two hurdle.  Bathwick Scanno plugged on well to finish a length and a half behind in second and he should be able to find a little race before too long.  Our other runner Tigger also finished second behind favourite King Benny in the 2m6f handicap hurdle - it was just a shame that there was quite a significant jockey change aboard the winner with A P McCoy taking over from Charlie Poste.  I certainly think that Tigger has a race in him from this sort of mark - hopefully the handicapper will not stick him up in the weights again, but I am probably being optimistic!

One that did look like a right monkey at Newton Abbot yesterday was Gordon Elliott's Russian War.  I know he has won plenty of races and is clearly a very talented horse, but yesterday he travelled supremely well throughout his race and the moment Paul Carberry asked him for effort, he found absolutely nothing.  He is one that I would certainly be wary of in the future and he must be a complete nightmare for punters wanting to bet in running.

*****

I will be watching the football tonight as England take on Bulgaria - it is live on Sky from 7.15pm.  England are 4/7 favourites to win although I am not convinced that it is as cut and dried as the bookies are suggesting.  Personally I think that we have more than just a few players that are fast approaching their sell-by dates and Bulgaria might give us a few problems.