Franklin_Roosevelt_Southwell

There are three meetings taking place this afternoon with two of them over the sticks at Leicester and Catterick and an all-weather flat meeting at Lingfield.  The stable has runners at Leicester of which Quinte du Chatelet looks quite interesting.  His recent form hasn't been great but he is on a feasible mark based on some of his old hurdle form and Tom Bellamy claims a handy 7lbs off his back, while Franklin Roosevelt (pictured above) bids to follow-up his Southwell success of last week.

Anyone who backed Jupiter Rex at Plumpton yesterday definitely owes jockey Mr W Biddick a large drink.  The horse didn't jump very well and never looked likely to win the amateur riders' handicap chase.  It was a ride that champion jockey A P McCoy would have been proud of and you can't really heap any more lavish praise on a jockey than that.

What the action on the all-weather at Kempton lacked in class yesterday it certainly made up for in excitement.  The seven races at the meeting were won by a combined total of only three lengths (including three short heads and a neck)!

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There is an interesting piece in today's Racing Post about peoples' favourite Cheltenham Festival moments.  Well mine is obvious...Baron Blakeney's 1981 Triumph Hurdle success, even though I took 50/1 about a 66/1 chance!  I can still vividly remember the grey coming up the hill under Paul Leach to beat favourite Broadsword representing Peter Scudamore and David Nicholson.  'The Duke' told us that we had won the race - happy memories.  I still remember local bookie Jack Bevan laughing at me when I went to collect my winnings - it is not often that bookies laugh when they are paying out on a big priced winner.

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Spurs were 'Baled' out last night at Upton Park as he scored a wonder goal to give Tottenham a 3-2 win over my beloved West Ham.  For their sake, I hope that they have him on a long-term contract.  Can you believe that Arsenal have cash reserves of £123million?  The way he goes on, you would think that it was Wenger's own money!  It is all well and good having cash in the bank, but I am sure the fans would rather have some silverware in the trophy cabinet!