Two Runners At Ludlow

It is looking like a more balanced fixture list this afternoon with two meetings taking place on the level at Nottingham and Kempton, while there are two jumping cards taking place at Ludlow and Towcester - the stable has two runners at Ludlow; Massannie and Azza.  Massannie has undoubted ability but hasn't been putting it to best use of late, while Azza (pictured above) returns to the larger obstacles in the novices' limited handicap chase over 2m4f.  She is already a winner of this trip at Uttoxeter this season and is in receipt of weight from her rivals this afternoon.  Tom Scudamore is in the saddle aboard both of our runners this afternoon.

As I said yesterday, with only a month left of the flat season the race for the jockeys' title is hotting up with Ryan Moore riding another winner yesterday at Leicester for boss Sir Michael Stoute thus extending his lead to two.  I had made Richard Hughes a confident selection once he had edged ahead but now I am not so sure - it should certainly be interesting!

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Just think - if you had backed all of David's runners through the early stages of the season you would be pretty happy right now.  The master of Pond House has sent out 39 winners at a strike rate of 29% and if you had backed every one of them to a £1 level stake you would be £24.50 in profit.  It seems easy to me, you just follow trainers in form and David has been in excellent form so far this term.

As I am always saying, when the ground is changeable you get some shock results and so it proved yet again yesterday with some real upsets at odds of 66/1, 50/1, 33/1, 33/1, 28/1, 25/1, 16/1, 14/1, 14/1...do I need to go any further?!

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Much as predicted former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen's book is setting the cat among the pigeons.  Let's be honest he was easily our best batsman and probably thought that some of his team mates were not up to the job which would be enough to cause friction in the dressing room.  Remember, there are eleven players on a cricket team and I'm sure they all had their own opinions.  When I played ping pong for England (over 300 appearances) I was forever arguing with my team mates and there were only three in a team!  And yes, before anybody else says it...I probably was a complete pain in the backside!  Anyway I am looking forward to reading the Pietersen book - Carol Pipe always gives me a book for Christmas...I hope it is this one, hint hint!

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Finally, I would just like to pass on my thanks to Torbay Hospital for looking after me during my shoulder operation yesterday.  There is nothing like a blonde in a nurses outfit and suspenders to cheer you up and I must say there was absolutely nothing like it in Torbay yesterday!  The shoulder seems okay at the moment although I'm not swinging a golf club yet!

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