Vintage Chambertin!

What a fantastic weekend for the stable with Gevrey Chambertin who won the valuable Fixed Brush Handicap Hurdle at Haydock.  David says that he will go over fences now and he is another great looking prospect.  Dynaste also ran a cracker to finish runner-up behind Cue Card in the Betfair Chase, recording a personal best on his seasonal debut.  He is now a 9/2 chance for the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day.  It is a course that he loves, having won the Grade One Feltham Chase there last Boxing Day.  These are certainly exciting times for Pond House.

I thought that Ace High also ran a very good race on his first start for the stable finishing third over 3m5f at Haydock, looking an out and out stayer.  Although unable to follow-up his Cheltenham success, Home Run ran another solid race to finish fourth in a competitive handicap hurdle.

The good form continued on Sunday with a double at our local track, Exeter.  Doctor Harper won the first at odds of 1/5 - he didn't have an awful lot to beat, but he could do no more than score impressively under Timmy Murphy.  Sir Frank won the 2m71/2f handicap hurdle by a nose under a fine ride from Conor O'Farrell, while Togiak also produced an improved performance to finish third in the closing race.

We have three meetings to look forward to this afternoon - two over the sticks at Kempton and Ludlow as well as an all-weather flat meeting at Wolverhampton.  The stable is represented by Weather Babe and Barton Stacey at Kempton.  Barton Stacey has his first start for 552 days and looks interesting, while Weather Babe steps up in class as she takes in the Listed mares' hurdle.  The Henderson team look like they could have a very good day at Kempton.

*****

Manchester City looked unplayable yesterday as they destroyed Spurs 6-0.  You can definitely cross Spurs off from the Premiership contenders on this showing.  Manchester United dropped two points at Cardiff and are another team that look to be playing for only minor honours.  As much as it hurts to say it, Arsenal look like the team to be on for the title as things stand.

*****

There should definitely be a rematch between boxers George Groves and Carl Froch, although I am not sure the Froch camp will be up for it.  I thought the referee stopped the fight too soon - Groves was ahead on all three cards when the fight came to it's controversial end.  It was a good fight and plenty of people will be calling for a rematch - I don't suppose we will see it but money normally talks.