29 Years Today!

Despite the freezing conditions I am pleased to report that Fontwell has been given the go-ahead to race this afternoon.  There are also two all-weather meetings taking place on the flat this afternoon at Southwell and Lingfield.  Looking at my map of Sussex, it doesn't look as though Fontwell and Lingfield are that far apart to me, so it is obviously another victory for race planning!  I am not sure they consider the racing public when they are scheduling their meetings, especially when you consider the amount of fodder put on just for the betting shops.

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It was good to hear an improving bulletin on injured jockey J T McNamara who is now said to be fully alert after being brought out of his medically induced coma.  His recovery looks sure to take a long time - let's just hope that the good news continues to come.

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"Chester purses to be raised by 16 percent" - I saw this headline in the paper yesterday and thought that I had been awarded a handy pay rise, sadly I then realised it was an increase in the amount of prize money that Chester racecourse will be offering this coming season.  A good thing for racing I guess but not so good for me.

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With the freeze-up taking it's toll on fixtures during the week and Good Friday meaning there is no racing at all on that day, it looks to be a relatively quiet week for the stable.  At least until the weekend where we have plenty of entries, including at the first fixture of the year at Newton Abbot - it will certainly be good to be racing back there.  I also notice that David has made a couple of entries for the amazing Home Run (pictured right) at Haydock and Plumpton where he has an entry in the Sussex Champion Hurdle - not bad when you consider that only three months ago he was rated only 89 over hurdles!

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It's a big day in the office today as it marks the 29th anniversary of David's senior secretary Gail (pictured above) starting work at Pond House.  I'd like to say that she hasn't changed a bit in 29 years but I wouldn't be telling the truth...back then she was punctual!  Of course, I am only joking - Gail is one of a handful of staff that still remain after all these years.  The others are former head lad turned estates manager Dennis Dummett, Richard Dennis, Sue Lower and Debbie Barron.

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There is a big football match on television tonight at 8pm as England take on Montenegro in a World Cup qualifier.  Amazingly Montenegro top Group H on thirteen points with England currently second on eleven.  If you had played this match twenty years ago it would have been a complete non-event.  Montenegro have improved dramatically however and many of their players play abroad...I don't think they have a Montenegro Premier League - okay, so now I am being sarcastic!

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I see that Tiger Woods is back to number one in the golf world rankings after he won the Arnold Palmer tournament ahead of Justin Rose yesterday.  He is now only 7/2 to win the Masters and considering that he now has his swing under control again, providing he doesn't miss too many fairways he should take plenty of beating in Augusta.

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Thought for the day...Foolproof systems do not take into account the ingenuity of fools!