Dell David's Top Lot!

It sounds as though David had a good time in France at the Arqana Deauville sales over the last few days.  Indeed, he finished up with six new horses including the top lot of the entire event, an exciting four year old called Dell'Arca who was knocked down to him for €280,000.  Dell'Arca (pictured above) boasts some good form over hurdles and was also a winner on the flat - Irish trainer Willie Mullins was underbidder.  With four horses from last week's sale in Ireland and further sales at Newmarket next week, it looks as though David has some exiciting new stock to go to war with.

Our thoughts and prayers today are with conditional jockey Brian Toomey and his loved ones following a horrible fall from Solway Dandy at Perth yesterday evening.  They said on the radio this morning that he has suffered life threatening head injuries...being a jockey must be one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.  Let's just hope that he can make a full recovery.

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Today there are five flat cards to look forward to at Sandown, Doncaster, Warwick, Haydock and Beverley.  There is a horse running this afternoon called Ethel...I wonder who on earth came up with a name like that?  Mind you, it could have been worse - yesterday there was one called The Ducking Stool, fortunately Derek Thompson did not get his words muddled up.  Talking of bad names, I remember Martin calling one of his 'Chester's Nap' - it was always tailed off and that bought no end of amusement to the great trainer!

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I see that Venetia Williams' stable jockey Aidan Coleman has taken out his flat jockeys' licence.  He says he can do 9-7 so it will be interesting to see how many of the flat trainers employ his services.  Jim Crowley was another former Venetia Williams jockey who switched to the flat, enjoying considerable success as retained rider to Ralph Beckett, while Graham Lee has also had a great spell since swithcing codes.  Don't go getting any ideas AP!

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Why is it they can't get the tyres sorted out in Formula One?  They should just nip down to Bathwick Tyres!  The steel belts have been replaced by kevlar and the practice of fitting the left rear tyre on the right side of the vehicle and vice versa has been outlawed.  I bet you are impressed by my knowledge of tyres, although I haven't got a clue what I'm talking about!  Keep smiling...