Jumping At The Roodee?

There are three meetings taking place this afternoon with two fixtures on the flat at Ayr and Wolverhampton and a jumps card at Sedgefield - with the recent inclement weather it is hardly surprising that the going at Ayr has come up heavy, although Sedgefield have obviously been less inconvenienced as they officially give the going as good.  Chester held it's first trial of hurdles at the course yesterday and the session proved largely successful although there was one faller that lay winded for a while.  I bet organisers of the trial were holding their breath before the horse rose to it's feet, especially with assembled members of the press in attendance.  I know that a few of the flat boys are not keen on the idea of jumpers on the Roodee, although it did not appear that the track was too tight for them to get around the corners.  Chester always attracts a good crowd and I reckon it would be a good way of increasing the profile of jump racing.

After Europe's amazing comeback win in the Ryder Cup at the weekend, I was trying to think of comparible comebacks in racing from Pond House inmates.  I was thinking in particular of the likes of Family Business who fell at Southwell in 2002 only to be remounted by then stable jockey A P McCoy to win after his other rivals had also hit the deck.  I also remember Bonanza Boy winning the big chase at Kempton after being double tailed off for most of the race under Peter Scudamore, a comment that also applies to Mark Perrett aboard Run For Free before they somehow managed to win the Scottish National under top weight.  However, the comeback that I look back upon most fondly has to be Lester Piggott making a glorious return to the saddle to win the Breeders Cup aboard Royal Academy in 1990.

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I thought that referee Mark Clattenburg was quite card happy in the QPR versus West Ham match last night.  I was pleased to see the Hammers land the victory 2-1 although the ref nearly spoiled it by booking eight members of the West Ham team as well as sending off QPR's Diakite for collecting two yellow cards.  Maybe he should change his name to Clattenbook?!  I would have thought that Mark Hughes job will be on the line if QPR do not improve quickly - the manager has been given plenty of money to spend.

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Finally, what about that great picture of Martin and Carol that is currently gracing the internet in David's weekly blog?  It was taken at the weekend at Angie Malde's birthday party which was apparently Abba inspired - I was just wondering though, who was supposed to be Anna-Frid and who was Agnetha?!