Cheltenham's DJ Tribute

It's a quieter day with just two jumps cards on this afternoon.  Even so, it looks like high quality action at Aintree and Wincanton.  The stable has three runners at the Somerset track - Bois des Aigles, Standing Ovation and Franklin Roosevelt.  Recent dual winner Standing Ovation bids to make it three on the bounce in the big Desert Orchid handicap chase.  With all the recent rain it may well have turned the ground softer than ideal, although with his feather weight he may just about get away with it under Conor O'Farrell...I certainly hope so anyway!

I see that A P McCoy is riding at Aintree today.  Looking through the card I think that the most appropriate winner on the card would be Spirit Of Shankly - what a great Liverpool manager he was...he would surely have stirred things up a bit were he still alive.  Instead we will leave it to Sir Alex to do the stirring with his book!

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I am delighted to hear that David Johnson, our late friend and former six-times champion owner is to be remember by Cheltenham racecourse with a race to be run in his name at next month's Open meeting.  It will be called the David Johnson Memorial Intermediate Handicap Hurdle.  David had amazing success at the meeting, farming the feature race with no fewer than six winners with great names such as Cyfor Malta (twice), Lady Cricket and Our Vic.  Cheltenham was DJ's favourite piece of turf apart from Upton Park (West Ham) and this is a very fitting tribute to a special man.

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Can you believe that top French flat jockey Christophe Soumillon has been allowed to ride unbeaten Ceasars Palace in the Group One Grand Prix d'Auomne?  I cannot imagine connections allowing the likes of Ryan Moore or Richard Huges being allowed to ride over the jumps again, even if they have the skill and pedigree for the job!

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Apparently British former formula one world champion Jenson Button is going to have to drive through the pain barrier this weekend in the Indian Grand Prix.  He cannot even shake hands properly, so I have no idea how he is going to drive an F1 car for two hours on Sunday.  He trails triple world champion Sebastian Vettel by 237 points (or 9 1/2 wins!), so I'm not sure I would even bother getting in the car this weekend!

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There are two great football matches to look forward to this afternoon as Sunderland take on Newcastle in what is sure to be a heated derby, while Chelsea take on Manchester City in a real thriller at 4pm.  I guess that is my afternoon's viewing all sorted out!