12 Runners Today!

***Junior N/R 2.40pm Ffos Las***

It looks like being a busy day for the yard even allowing for Junior's defection.  The stable still has ten runners at Ffos Las as well as a couple at Wetherby and there look to be some nice prospects among them.  In the absence of Junior in the West Wales National, Shaking Hands (pictured above winning at the course last time) will now be ridden by Conor O'Farrell.  I will be fascinated to see how veteran Consigliere gets on now that he reverts to hurdles - he is some 17lbs lower than his current chase mark, while Heath Hunter makes his first start in the bumper at Ffos Las having won his only start in Ireland and looks to be yet another promising recruit - young Tom Bellamy takes the ride and claims a handy 7lbs off his back.  Hopefully it will be a good day for the Pond House runners!

Unsurprisingly A P McCoy has been nominated for a couple more awards at the Lesters and to my mind he should definitely pick up ride of the year for his effort to get Synchronised home in front in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.  I watched the race again yesterday and the horse never looked like winning until halfway up the run-in!  It really was an incredible performance.  Champion flat jockey Richard Hughes has been nominated for three awards, including flat jockey of the year.  He certainly deserves all the plaudits.  I was interested to see that Graham Lee has also been nominated for flat jockey of the year honours after riding over 100 winners...if it were former jump jockey of the year he would be an absolute shoo-in!

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I see that the Racing Post pundits have come to the same conclusion as me, that nearly half of the Premiership football teams are embroiled in a battle to stay up.  It could well prove to be more exciting than the action at the top of the table which isn't nearly so competitive.  Manchester United look to have the title sown-up already while the bottom of the table could go right down to the wire...I just hope that West Ham aren't involved, my nerves couldn't stand it!

My treble for the day: Arsenal, Everton and Falkirk - good luck!

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Haunted French pancakes give me the crepes!  Oh dear...