Final Flat Classic

Sadly it was a very different performance from Diamond's Return at Bangor yesterday from the effort he produced at Uttoxeter on Wednesday.  According to jockey Conor O'Farrell he ran flat and the race could have come too soon after his success 48 hours earlier.  It will be interesting to see what the handicapper does with him after this lacklustre effort.

Sadly it was a very different performance from Diamond's Return at Bangor yesterday from the effort he produced at Uttoxeter on Wednesday.  According to jockey Conor O'Farrell he ran flat and the race could have come too soon after his success 48 hours earlier.  It will be interesting to see what the handicapper does with him after this lacklustre effort.

Today there are five meetings taking place on the level at Doncaster, Chester, Bath, Lingfield and Kempton.  It's bad luck if you are a National Hunt fan and things take a turn for the worse next week as the sole jumps meeting to take place in this country is at Stratford on Tuesday.  The obvious highlight of the day is the final classic of the flat racing season, the St Leger at Doncaster - while not the race it used to be, it still looks very competitive with no less than four of the contenders vying for favouritsm - it will also be interesting to see how Oaks heroine Talent fares.

Don't worry if you are a fan of the all-weather though, there is plenty to keep you amused - today you can go to Lingfield in the afternoon before visiting Kempton for their night card, although you might miss the first race.  I wonder if anyone does that?!  There is even a valuable Arabian race at Doncaster worth £150,000 - it has attracted the likes of Olivier Peslier, William Buick and Graham Lee to name but a few...10% of the £75,000 first prize is well worth competing for!

I see there is a pony race at the Curragh this afternoon at 5.30pm.  It is a twelve runner race and looks extremely competitive and is an excellent shop window for these young riders to advertise their talents.  It is amazing just how many of these youngsters go on to become professional jockeys.

Above left: Notus de la Tour and right:: some of the string canter back down the gallops

I am pleased to bring you more photographs from the gallops this morning.  Above you will see high class chaser Notus de la Tour in action - Notus was unlucky in his last couple of starts but had previously been Grade One placed over fences, as well as finishing placed over hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival earlier in his career.  He is lookinig well and it will be nice to get him back to the races in due course.

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Arsene Wenger say that Jack Wilshere can be as big a player for England as Bobby Moore.  As far as I am concerned, it just goes to show how out of touch Wenger is!  Sir Bobby as I like to call him after the World Cup in 1966 - Wilshere is never going to lift a World Cup, even if he plays until 2066!

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Jim Furyk shot an incredible 59 in the BMW Championship in America - he is only the sixth player to break a round of 60 or less on tour.

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My little football weekend wager will be: Spurs at 1/2, Nottingham Forest 4/6 and Leyton Orient at 5/6...remember you heard it here first!