Two Runners At Wincanton

It's the start of the new jumps season at Wincanton this afternoon and the stable has a couple of runners at the track.  Both Standing Ovation and My Brother Sylvest won last time out and it would be great if they could follow-up this afternoon.  I thought that Standing Ovation (pictured above) received a fantastic ride from Conor O'Farrell to win at Exeter and he is in the saddle again this afternoon, although he is 7lbs higher in the weights owing to his penalty.  My Brother Sylvest has won a couple of decent chases and reverts to hurdles today - he is another that is due to go up in future handicaps, while his hurdle mark is also lower than his chase rating.  Tom Scudamore is in the saddle once again.  There are three other meetings taking place today at Brighton and Kempton on the flat and Uttoxeter over the jumps.

I am told that if you follow John Gosden's Blessington you will show a profit.  He finished a good second at Ascot after a year on the sidelines and has come on for that run.  He has been working well and looks to have improved...you heard it here first!

The Racing Post have been celebrating 50 years of the Injured Jockeys' Fund this week and today they speak with John Francome.  The former champion jockey says that if his guv'nor Fred Winter had not given him a chance he would have been selling second-hand cars.  I'm not sure I would buy a second-hand motor from John - I can just see him tucking me up and smiling about it!  He was a great jockey and I miss him appearing on Channel 4 Racing and the Morning Line.

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There was a thrilling finish to the Grand Slam of Golf Tournament in Bermuda as Australian Adam Scott shot a new course record in the last round to beat Britain's Justin Rose by one shot.  The course looks magnificent and I must see if I can convince Mrs Barnes that we should holiday in Bermuda sometime soon!  Padraig Harrington looks as thoughhe has lost his way at present, a bit like another young Irish player I could name.

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How about this for a bet?  Harry Wilson's grandfather placed a £50 wager that his grandson would play International football and those generous bookies were happy to oblige at odds of 2,500/1.  They weren't quite so happy when Harry Wilson came on in the 87th minute for Wales on Tuesday, leaving grandad to pick up £125,000!

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