Notus Our Only Runner

This afternoon there are three meetings to look forward to - two over the jumps at Warwick and Uttoxeter and an all-weather flat meeting at Lingfield.  The stable has one runner, Notus de la Tour (pictured above) in the 2m4f handicap hurdle.  Notus has finished second at the Cheltenham Festival and third in a Tote Gold Trophy over hurdles and was Grade One placed over fences - he has been unlucky with injuries subsequently and would need to improve on recent form, although he is undoubtedly well-treated on the best of his form.  I could be wrong, but the last time I looked, there wasn't much distance between Warwick and Uttoxeter - another triumph for race planning!  Maybe 2014 will see a more balanced programme, although don't hold your breath!

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It was an interesting day's racing at Taunton yesterday with natures elements playing their parts in proceedings.  Due to the low lying sun and unsafe ground there were only six fences to be jumped in the 2m71/2f novices' handicap chase won by Milosam - it was more like a three mile bumper!

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Both Exeter and Lingfield have called inspections today for their meetings on Wednesday and Friday respectively.  Both tracks have plenty of water on them and furthermore we have had plenty of rain overnight down here in the west country.  Let's hope they both get the go-ahead, especially Exeter as they normally get a very good crowd for their New Years' meeting.

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Many happy returns to Bob Wheatley.  Bob was most famously the owner of Martin's first Cheltenham Festival winner, Baron Blakeney.  I backed him at 50/1 and he returned at 66's!  It just goes to show that if you know what you are doing you can get shorter prices!  Anyway, happy birthday Bob.

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I see that wacky arrowsmith Peter Wright is in the World Darts Final having beaten Aussie Simon Whitlock (at least we can beat the Aussies at something!).  Peter is the one with the rainbow hair style so at least he should add a bit of colour to the final.  Peter is Scottish, but he is one of us now!

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It will be interesting to see if the Romanian migrants come over tomorrow.  They will see what the government have done to our once great nation and probably decide that they were better off back home!