Four Exeter Runners

This afternoon there are three meetings, two on the level at Kempton and Southwell as well as a good jumps card at our local track, Exeter.  The stable has four runners at the Devon track; The Wealerdealer, Doctor Harper, Alderluck and Bygones Sovereign.  Doctor Harper (pictured above) looks interesting on his first start over timber having been a good performer in bumpers last season, winning twice at Taunton and Sandown - if he transfers that ability to hurdles, he should be yet another nice prospect for the yard...Timmy Murphy takes the mount.

The big news story will be if A P McCoy can ride two more winners to reach his landmark 4,000th success.  A P said yesterday that his best chance of success this afternoon will be aboard Flemenson in the 1.50pm race.  Hadden Frost (pictured right) is riding out in the yard this morning and tells me there is a chance that he could ride his 102nd career winner today...he reckons there will be quite a crowd there to watch him!  Bless him, it must be lovely on Planet Frost!

Of course, the class horse on show today is Cue Card in the Haldon Gold Cup, a race that he won twelve months ago.  He has to concede a stone and more to all of his rivals, so it will be some performance if he can do it.  Williams Wish looks to be interesting in receipt of 19lbs.

There was a thrilling finish to the Melbourne Cup in the early hours of this morning when the former Sir Michael Stoute trained Fiorente landed the spoils from British trained Red Cadeaux and Mount Athos.  Fiorente is now in the hands of Gai Waterhouse, who was becoming the first lady trainer to win the race that stops a nation - many congratulations to her on a wonderful achievement.  Jockey Damien Oliver was scoring his third success in the race.  Meanwhile Ed Dunlop's Red Cadeaux was finishing runner-up for a second time in the contest ahead of Luca Cumani's Mount Athos.  Willie Mullins' Simenon also ran a fine race to finish a close fourth, while Michael Owen's Brown Panther ran creditably despite being struck into.  Connections were relieved when scans revealed there to be no serious injury, so a good result all round.

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I see that legendary jockey Lester Piggott is 78 today.  I always say it, but Lester doesn't look any different to how he did forty years ago...I am not sure if that is a compliment or not?!  They should bring out a Piggott diet book...it would sell well in America.  Oh dear, that's another country I have upset!

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It's the turn of the jockey's again this week with video interviews from conditional jockey Kieron Edgar over on David's blog, while below Mike Vince talks with condtional turned amateur Sam Welton.  As you can see from the weather, they were interviewed a couple of weeks ago before the heaven's opened.  Anyway, let's hope they can continue the fine run of form of the horses to follow from Pond House...

Sam Welton Horse To Follow 2013/14

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The greatest spin bowler in the world Shane Warne is stirring things up before the start of the Winter Ashes Test series.  He's trying to get into the England cricketers minds - as far as I can see, it's the Aussies he should be trying to wind up.  Maybe he should play himself?  Warne always lookes overweight when he was playing and he doesn't look any different now, afterall spin bowlers don't do very much!  Oops, there goes another country I have upset - I'm on a roll this morning...have a nice day!