Newton Abbot Double

It was a good day for the yard yesterday with a double and a second from just three runners.  I know he has benefitted from a handy weight allowance but our four year old ex-French import Ainsi Fideles continues to impress as he made it four wins from four runs over fences.  He beat a useful sort in Lamb Or Cod by 25 lengths and while the runner-up was conceding 13lbs and was heavily eased when beaten, our fellow looks like a very smart prospect and it will take a good one to beat him, particularly at this time of year.  It was good to see Bathwick Man (pictured above) get his head back in front as well after a string of decent efforts and is particularly pleasing for owner Sarah Clifford who sponsors the yard with husband Wayne courtesy of Bathwick Tyres.  Meanwhile Northern Bay finished runner-up in the novices' hurdle and I would imagine that he will be seen to better effect when taking in handicaps.

It was a good day for the yard yesterday with a double and a second from just three runners.  I know he has benefitted from a handy weight allowance but our four year old ex-French import Ainsi Fideles (pictured above) continues to impress as he made it four wins from four runs over fences.  He beat a useful sort in Lamb Or Cod by 25 lengths and while the runner-up was conceding 13lbs and was heavily eased when beaten, our fellow looks like a very smart prospect and it will take a good one to beat him, particularly at this time of year.  It was good to see Bathwick Man get his head back in front as well after a string of decent efforts and is particularly pleasing for owner Sarah Clifford who sponsors the yard with husband Wayne courtesy of Bathwick Tyres.  Meanwhile Northern Bay finished runner-up in the novices' hurdle and I would imagine that he will be seen to better effect when taking in handicaps.

Today we have four meetings taking place and a balanced program it looks too with flat cards from Leciester and Redcar as well as two National Hunt fixtures from Perth and Worcester.  Although the stable doesn't have any runners today, Tom Scu makes the long journey all the way up to Perth for a couple of rides - let's hope that at least one of them figures otherwise it will seem like a very long journey back.  Meanwhile Richard Johnson has a good book of four rides and I could quite easily see him riding three winners.

I see that owing to trainer Jim Best replacing jockey Rhys Flint with champion jockey A P McCoy aboard Saint Helena at Southwell last week, the BHA is to review the rules under which late changes are allowed.  It sounds a bit like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted to me, or should that be shutting the stable door after the gamble has been landed?!

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Breaking news, there is something positive to write about the England football team!  What a good result last night as they beat Switzerland 2-0 in their European Cup Qualifier and are now odds-on to remain unbeaten in their group.  I am not sure how well England played to be honest with you, the Swiss didn't look up to that much.  I thought that Phil Jones struggled and Jack Wilshire just doesn't appear to be a world class midfielder to me...it will certainly be interesting when we take on some of the better teams.

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If you smoke those electronic cigarettes, you really must make sure that dispose of the cartidges.  I was shocked to hear of a young lad who had nicotine poisoning and needed to be rushed to hospital after sucking on one of the cartridges.

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