Crus Back At Kempton!

There was a good performance from Pleasant Company at Ascot on Saturday as he lifted the bumper by an impressive eight lengths under Tom Scudamore.  This was a most pleasing first effort for the stable and he looks to be yet another promising individual to go to war with.  Today we have one runner at Kempton and it is quite a notable one too.  Grands Crus (pictured above) makes his seasonal reappearance in the Pertemps handicap hurdle qualifier at 2.40pm - it is a 2m5f race and he has to concede upwards of a stone to all of his five rivals.  He was disappointing last season and David has stated that he will probably come on for the run but this is certainly the least competitive contest he has run in for some time and we will be hoping that he can show some of his old zest.

This afternoon as well as Kempton, there is another jumps meeting to look forward to at Plumpton and an all-weather flat meeting at Wolverhampton.

What a great performance from Tidal Bay to win the West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby on Saturday and what a great ride from young Sam Twiston-Davies.  Tidal Bay will be thirteen in less than a couple of months time and knows more about the game than Sam!  Apparently now he could go for the Betfair Chase at Haydock which is looking like it will be some contest...hurdles or chases, they all seem to com the same to Tidal Bay.

I see that Peter Scudamore seems to have discovered his sense of humour.  Scu tweeted over the weekend, 'Snow on the mountain peaks.  Global warming continues to bypass Scotland'.  Peter must be mellowing in his old age as I don't remember him cracking wise too often during his riding days!

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I had an interesting evening yesterday...I watched the football between Arsenal and Liverpool before turning over to watch Strictly Come Dancing.  It then occurred to me that great sportsmen know when to pack it in, but entertainers clearly do not.  His jokes are worse than mine and he can't even read an autocue in front of him.  I won't tell you who I am talking about...bad game!

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I heard this morning that 80,000 children in this country will be homeless this Christmas.  What a depressing thought - we send millions of pounds worth of aid around the world, but should we not be doing more to help those in need in our own country first?  Does the government really have it's prirorities right?

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Did I get out of bed on the wrong side this morning?  The good news is that Mrs Barnes goes back to teaching today after half-term...welcome back Jeremy Kyle!  Only joking...