Early Start To Hennessy Day!

Following the abandonment of Newcastle's Fighting Fifth meeting this afternoon, their big race has been transferred onto the Hennessy card at Newbury and features reigning Champion Hurdler Binocular.  Consequently Newbury's bumper card kicks off early at 11.55am.  If you are thinking of going, get your (ice) skates on and don't be late!  It should be a cracking day's action with the least valuable race of the day still worth £10,000 in prize money, while the amateur riders race nets winning connections a cool £15,000.  The big race of the day is of course the Hennessy Gold Cup and with Denman standing his ground at the top of the handicap, only seven of the eighteen runners are in the handicap proper, including our 2008 winner Madison du Berlais.

The stable's Matuhi ran a cracker in the handicap chase at Newbury yesterday afternoon when finishing runner-up to well handicapped Aigle d'Or.  The winner has long been considered a smart horse, but hadn't won since 2008 - it is just a shame that he had to bounce back to form here!  Nevertheless Matuhi jumped for fun and I am sure there will be other days for him.  You have to feel sorry for poor old Noel Fehily - he took a tumble from Rivaliste in the same race and has suffered a suspected broken wrist.  He hadn't long recovered from another injury when asked to deputise on a number of Paul Nicholls trained horses in the wake Ruby Walsh's broken ankle - it just illustrates the ups and downs of life as a jump jockey and the risks that they take on a daily basis.

*****

England face two hard days in the opening Test for the Ashes series after the Australians were able to open up a 200 run lead after the first innings.  Hopefully the boys will be able to dig in and make a fight of it...there is nothing worse than a gloating Aussie!