Four Meetings Today

This afternoon there are four meetings taking place with two over sticks at Hexham and Warwick as well as two all-weather flat cards from Lingfield and Kempton.  Tom Scu's long journey up to Doncaster yesterday yielded a second place aboard his only mount of the day, so I guess it dispells the theory about jockeys travelling to a meeting for one ride!  The stable has no runners this afternoon and Scu takes a well-earned day off.

I see that Colin Tizzard reports that he has Cue Card back to his very best ahead of this weekend's Betfair Chase at Haydock.  Reading between the lines, I would imagine that he means that the run at Exeter has put him straight!  I am not sure anyone can tell if a horse is back to it's best from work on the home gallops as they don't go at a racing pace for three miles during exercise.  I guess we will find out on Saturday - it should be a fascinating race with last year's 1,2,3 all renewing rivalry.  I hear that Dynaste (pictured above) has been pleasing David so let's hope that he can go one better than twelve months ago.

I have to say that I do feel sorry for the owner of The Young Master (the horse who was disqualified after 'winning' the Badger Ales Chase at Wincanton).  Not only was he stripped of the £34,000 in prize money, his horse was raised 14lbs in the handicap to boot...talk about a double whammy!  It looks as though the horse will run at Ascot next month now...I hope the trainer has checked the conditions of the race!

I was fascinated to look through the breakdown of races by betting turnover during the last twelve months.  The top ten most popular races with punters consist of eight National Hunt races and two flat races.  Unsurprisingly the biggest draw is the Grand National, while the Derby was the third busiest day for bookmakers and the 2,000 Guineas only seventh.  It is clear which code the punters prefer...maybe it is about time that racing was funded accordingly?

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England managed to beat Scotland 3-1 last night at Celtic Park and it is easy to see why neither of these two teams are going to be picking up any big tournaments in the near future.  Meanwhile Ireland managed to beat USA 4-1 and bring my double up...food on the table for another week!  In fairness, I am probably being a little hard on England - they did a professional job.

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I see that Roger Federer hasn't practiced for this weekend's Davis Cup tennis match against France.  Apparently he still has a back problem, although judging by news items regarding his wife it sounds as though it is more like a pain in the neck!  I would imagine that he will be recovered in time for the weekend, don't you?

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There is a new Costa Coffee bar opening in Brixham today and apparently they are serving up free coffee all day long.  It seems to me that the only shops that are doing any good on the High Street these days are coffee shops or charity shops.

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You have probably guessed by now...I am a closet reality television connoisseur!  I was tuned in to I'm A Celebrity last night and was horrified by TOWIE star Gemma Collins.  She is going to give us Essex people a bad name - we're not all stupid, just look at Joey Essex.  I rest my case!