TwoRunners At Newton

Today we have four meetings taking place, three on the flat from Beverley, Brighton and Newbury as well as jumps action from one of our local tracka at Newton Abbot.  The jumpers have the most prize money on offer so it is testament to the team at Newton Abbot who have once again secured excellent funding, especially when you consider the size of the track.  It does make you wonder how on earth a supposed Grade One track like Newbury can get away with £34,000 prize money across their seven race card?  To my mind it is a complete disgrace but so long as owners are prepared to run their horses for peanuts, the tracks will continue to try to get away with it.  Anyway, rant over (for today!) and the stable has two runners this afternoon; Top Wood and Red Seventy (pictured above).

Top Wood was an impressive winner of a novices' chase on his fences debut at Towcester last time out on good ground.  He was the best of these over timber with a rating of 136 and despite a penalty for that success he should go well here.  He has to concede 6lbs to the Paul Nicholls trained Mclhatton but he looks to have sound prospects under Tom Scu.  Red Seventy needs to bounce back from a couple of disappointing runs on the flat, although this trip, tight track and faster ground should suit him.

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I see that £5,000,000 purchase Al Naamah made the best possible start to her career when getting off to a winning start in a £34,000 race at Chantilly yesterday.  She was the most expensive yearling filly in the world - I think I would be too frightened to let her out of the box!

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I see that it is trainer Ralph Beckett's 43rd birthday today.  Ralph used to work in the yard and he would frequently get upset when I would pronounce his name as "Rolf"...in fairness, he has turned into a very good trainer, enjoying Classic success on the flat and victory at the Breeders Cup meeting in America.  Many happy returns Ralph.

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How about this for an enthralling match-up...England footballers versus England cricketers!  It would certainly be close although there isn't an awful lot of passion in either team.  The cricketers look as though they are going to lose again against the Sri Lankan's and skipper Alistair Cook looks as though he is in need of a rest - his form has certainly dipped of late.

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What price would you have been able to get about England to beat Costa Coffee before the World Cup started?  Well now following their two disastrous matches you can get 10/11 about that outcome with Paddy Power.  It seems an unbelievable price to me and I am tempted to try to get my money back that I did on England when I opposed Uruguay.  Are England really that bad?  I know they say you should never chase your losses but acccording to FIFA rankings England are number ten in the world while Costa Rica are number twenty-eight...surely that must mean something?

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Regular readers will know that I have an issue with the amount of money that footballers are paid these days, but it would seem that it is not just the soccer stars who are overpaid.  British lady tennis player Naomi Broady won her first match at Wimbledon yesterday and is guaranteed at least £43,000 - this is not living in the real world.

Can you imagine going to Wimbledon and getting the seat behind former basketball star, 7ft1in Shaquille O'Neal?!  I imagine asking him to sit down and getting the reply "I am sitting down!"  Have a nice day...

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