The Wait is Over...

             The Liquidator

I was going to say there are four meetings today, but really it is only Cheltenham that counts for the jump racing fans!  Time seems to get quicker as we get closer to the meeting and after all the excitement and build up we are all set to go.  We had our usual meet down the local pub last night.  It's routine for all our family and friends and it is a great start to the week.  It looked a very easy Cheltenham card last night, or it certainly did after the two bottles of wine that I drank!  David has five runners today, The Liquidator, Western Warhorse, The Package, Standing Ovation and Close House.  Every race, as you would expect looks so competitive.  Mind you, having said that it seems that Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh have strongly fancied runners right through the card.  I think The Package might run better than is last form figures of PP.  He won't mind the drying ground and this is his first run of the season.  He seems in good form at home and Tom Scu rides.  This is a race however that could turn the form book inside out!

As usual, David has his own marquee in the tented village.  We have roughly 150 guests each day.  In fact, it is the same people that come year in year out and they are more like friends.  The first day of the Festival is probably my favourite.  If you have never been before you do not know what you are missing!  When the tapes go up for the start of the first race it is like in football when your team score a cup final goal, the noise is deafening!

While we are all excited and looking forward to the next few days our thoughts and best wishes are with Jason Maguire.  He had a horrible fall at Stratford yesterday and will now be out of action for a while after fracturing is sternum and suffering some other internal injuries.  All at Pond House would like to wish him a speedy recovery.

One of our owners, Gino (mad Italian!) owns half of one the the Champion hurdle favourites, The New One.  Best of luck to him today, I can only imagnie what he will be like if this one wins the Champion hurdle, he is noisy at the best of times!  Good luck Gino!

I see that Arsenal are 10/1 to win in the football tonight at Bayern Munich.  I cannot imagine the Gunners have been that big a price in any of their previous matches but they do have it all to do.

Anyway, time to get to Cheltenham.  Fingers crossed and have a good day everyone.

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