Purple Stratford

    Purple N Gold runs at Stratford

Today we have six meetings, five on the flat at Haydock, York, Newmarket, Chester and Newbury plus a jumps card at Stratford.  David has one runner this evening at Stratford, Purple N Gold in the 7.55pm handicap hurdle.  There is some good prize money on offer which has attracted a competitive field but our five year old will like the sharp easy track but he would not want the ground to be too soft.  He won an amateur race at Kempton last time out and should go well again tonight with Tom Scu back on board.  How can a track like Newbury get away with just £32,000 in prize money on offer on the card.  Stratford has more than twice that on offer so fair play to them.

I see the BHA are looking into the use of self certificates which trainers can write out to make their horses non runners.  There does seem a lot of non runners these days.  The BHA have written to fourteen trainers just to let them know they are keeping an eye on them!  I am not sure what was wrong with the old stystem, if it is not broken, why mend it?!

Going back to racing at Newbury today, there are two arab races worth £12,500 and £35,000.  The 5.05pm race is the lady jockey's race with ladies from 12 different countries taking part.  The favourite in the race, Man of dreams has an Irish girl on board.  There are some of the top flat boys in action in the 5.40pm arab race.  10% of £35,000 is worth winning!

England beat Peru 3-0 in the football at Wembley last night.  Mind you two of our defenders, Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka managed to score and Dean Sturridge scored a wonder srike and I am not sure what Roy Hodgson would have really learnt from last night's game?

American golfer Phil Michelson is being investigated by the FBI. He put money into a cleaning company just before it was taken over.  He is being looked at for money laundering.  I am not making it up, they want him to come clean - that is a true story!  Have a nice day.

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