Midlands National Hat-trick!

What a fantastic performance from Big Occasion to land the Midlands National at Uttoxeter on Saturday afternoon under amateur jockey Mr Mikey Ennis.  Our six year old cruised into the straight running away before going on to win with any amount in hand on only his fifth start over fences.  It was certainly the biggest win of Mikey's career who is now contemplating turning professional...he is certainly tidy and capable.  I wonder if the owners The Old Betfairians had a little wager on the outcome?  With a name like that I wouldn't be at all surprised!

What a fantastic performance from Big Occasion to land the Midlands National at Uttoxeter on Saturday afternoon under amateur jockey Mr Mikey Ennis.  Our six year old cruised into the straight running away before going on to win with any amount in hand on only his fifth start over fences.  It was certainly the biggest win of Mikey's career who is now contemplating turning professional...he is certainly tidy and capable.  I wonder if the owners The Old Betfairians had a little wager on the outcome?  With a name like that I wouldn't be at all surprised!

One of the part-owners Josh Apiafi used to work in the yard, although I use the term 'work' very loosely!  It was quite funny watching the Channel 4 coverage of the race as the horse had barely passed the winning post before you saw Apiafi galloping down the track!  I never saw him move that quickly when we he was working in the yard.

Big Occasion will likely take a fair hike in the weights for this but he looks to be a very useful long distance chaser in the making.  I wonder what former trainer Aidan O'Brien makes of it, I don't suppose he envisaged him winning over 4m1f when he had the beautifully bred son of Sadler's Wells in his care!

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There is a jumps meeting taking place at Southwell this afternoon as well as two all-weather cards on the flat at Kempton and Wolverhampton.  The stable has no runners this afternoon.

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What is going on with the weather?!  Having avoided the worst of the adverse conditions over the last few months, you can imagine my surprise when I came downstairs to be greeted by snow.  It is only the second time in 35 years that we have had snow in Brixham...I wish my wife was a better cook so I had a few baking trays to hand - I reckon I could make a killing selling them as sleds.

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I was watching the football at the weekend and it staggers me that the FA do not use modern technology to overturn some of these terrible decisions.  On Saturday in their game against Manchester City, Everton's Fellaini handled the ball well inside the penalty area, yet the referee gave a free kick from outside of the box...he must have been the only person in the entire stadium that didn't get it right.

Meanwhile the ref in the Wigan versus Newcastle game should have sent off Wigan's Callum McManaman for a terrible challenge which apparently he 'didn't see'.  The he missed a handball in the last minute that sealed the win for Wigan - it seems to me that the FA are out of touch, much like most of their referees!