Poor Prize Money!

This afternoon there are four flat meetings taking place at Carlisle, Kempton, Warwick and Windsor, but to me the biggest question that needs to be asked about today's action is how can a top London track get away with £28,000 for a seven race card?...it beats me.  At least there will be some proper prize money up for grabs tomorrow when the Royal meeting at Ascot gets underway.

Everybody will be buying new outfits for the start of Royal Ascot and there is bound to be some eye-popping headgear on parade - and that is just the men!  I am sure that the bookmakers will be offering their usual array of special bets, including the colour of the Queen's hat each day.  We will have two runners in the Ascot Stakes tomorrow - Junior (pictured above), who won the race in 2010 will attempt an amazing repeat under Tony Hamilton, while Investissement will be partnered by William Buick.  As usual there will be plenty of trainers trying to win the £60,000 prize money including Nicky Henderson, Philip Hobbs and Jonjo O'Neill to name but three.  It always amuses me how some of these flat jockeys look so tired having had to push and shove their mounts for 2 1/2 miles, something that A P McCoy does day in day out, be it at the top meetings or in a selling hurdle.

*****

What a result for England in the US Open Golf - Justin Rose won the tournament by two strokes, becoming the first Englishman to win the event in 43 years.  He beat American Phil Mickelson who has now been runner-up an incredible six times.  Justin came down to our golf club at Churston quite a few years ago now and made a presentation - he seemed like a nice lad and his success is certainly a big boost for the sport in this country.

*****

It was a good weekend of sport with England reaching the semi-finals of the cricket with success over New Zealand.  Owing to the weather, the match was restricted to 24 overs and England only prevailed by 10 runs, but a win is a win, let's hope they can progress further.

*****

Can somebody please tell me why these big football clubs need a 'director of football'?  My Newcastle mates cannot believe that Joe Kinnear now has that title at their club...surely the manager is the only person you need on the football side of your club?