Taunton, Wetherby Double!

It was another good day for the stable yesterday with an across-the-card double at Taunton and Wetherby courtesy of Edmund Kean and No Secrets.  Edmund Kean was winning his second race in four days and while this probably wasn't as good a race as he won last week, when you consider the sharp track and shorter trip wouldn't have suited as well this was a good effort under Conor O'Farrell.  He is clearly progressing at a rate of knots and is yet another promising youngster for the yard.  Up at Wetherby Tom Scudamore steered No Secrets (pictured above) to victory in their feature handicap chase.  He jumped beautifully under a well-judged front-running ride and he repelled all challengers in the straight.

While not managing to add to his tally of five successes this season, Home Run produced another excellent performance to finish a 1/2 length second to former Grade One winning hurdler Barizan in the handicap hurdle.  Despite a massive rise in the weights since the start of his winning spree, he showed that he can still be competitive from this sort of mark and he may not have finished winning just yet.

This afternoon there are four meetings, two over jumps at Doncaster and Ludlow as well as two all-weather flat cards at Lingfield and Kempton.  Grand old campaigner Swing Bill takes in the veteran's chase at Doncaster under Conor O'Farrell, while Tom Scudamore partners Knight Pass in the competitive handicap hurdle later on the card.

I'm a big fan of these veteran's races - it gives these older horses a great chance to compete for some good prize money, while also giving the racegoer a chance to see these old favourites.  Unlike their flat counterparts (the best of whom generally retire at the end of their three or four year old careers) the jumpers are in the public eye for much longer and racing enthusiasts develop more of an affinity for these wonderful old-timers.

It was David's Press Day yesterday and there is plenty of coverage in today's Racing Post.  There is a great picture of Grands Crus with Gerry Supple on page three - I am not sure which one of them is more grey!  Anyway, here are a couple of pictures from yesterday of Grands Crus (also a video below) and Flying Cross, who it was confirmed will take in one of the novices' hurdles at the Festival rather than the Champion.

  
Above left: Grands Crus, and right: Flying Cross at yesterday's Cheltenham Festival Press Day

Grands Crus Press Day 2013

You can also see an interview David conducted with Mike Vince about his Cheltenham hopefuls by taking a look at his weekly blog.

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It looks like the Gunners are gone to me!  Arsenal were beaten 3-1 at home to Bayern Munich last night and were completely outplayed.  Sadly for them, it would appear that the only way manager Arsene Wenger is going to leave is if he was sacked.  He needs some new players (and expensive ones at that) - the trouble is that Wenger is a very stubborn man.  The Arsenal fans are beginning to turn on him and he looks to be past his sell-by date.

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Thought for the day...if you don't drink, smoke or drive a car you are a tax evader!