- Thursday, 08 September 2016 07:22
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
This afternoon there are four meetings taking place and they are all on the flat with action coming from Doncaster, Epsom, Chepstow and Chelmsford City. It is the second day of the St Leger meeting from Doncaster and they have pushed the boat out by putting up over £1/2 million in prize money. The big race is a two year old stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs with £300,000 up for grabs - unsurprisingly it has drawn a bumper field of 22 runners...I might buy a lottery ticket rather than try to pick the winner of this race! Summer is over for another year (did it ever really start?!) but there are still gaps in the jumping programme with no National Hunt action now until Monday - you know my thoughts on that!
- Wednesday, 07 September 2016 07:19
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
What a performance yesterday from travelling head lad Bob Hodge! He did a great job in getting Worcester winner Iniciar to jump off having looked a little reluctant at the start. Of course Iniciar and Daryl Jacob did the rest, but Bob was certainly the unsung hero of the hour. The application of first time blinkers certainly seemed to bring about some improvement as our gelding came home 11 lengths clear, albeit driven right out by his rider. Iniciar has plenty of ability but clearly has a few of his own ideas and I reckon this was a great training performance by David.
- Tuesday, 06 September 2016 07:02
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
This afternoon there are four meetings taking place with flat action from Leicester and Redcar while we are spoiled with two jumps fixtures from Worcester and Perth. David has two runners at Worcester; Iniciar and Awesome Tunes. Iniciar (pictured above) contests the 3.10pm race and our six year old is making his first start back from a break - he was a winner at Carlisle on good/soft ground but is still higher in the weights than for that success and will need to come right back to form under Daryl Jacob. Meanwhile, Awesome Tunes finished behind Trafalgar Rock at Uttoxeter in June although this step up in trip is expected to bring about some improvement in our ex-Irish point-to-point winner. Tom Scudamore rides.
- Monday, 05 September 2016 07:28
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
With the St Leger this weekend many people will be looking forward to the Leger Legends race at Doncaster on Wednesday. The experts have already been talking about it and the odds compilers and Karl Burke reckon that Luke Harvey is the most likely winner...I thought they were supposed to be experts! In fairness, Luke did have a 100% strike rate for Martin - he won aboard his only ride for him and MCP never put him up again! Surely proper jockeys who have just retired such as Richard Hughes and Joseph O'Brien will have a massive advantage. Anyway, the Legends race is great for racing, gives us an awful lot of enjoyment and raises plenty of money for excellent causes...I am looking forward to it already.
- Sunday, 04 September 2016 08:15
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
There are just two meetings today, a flat card at York and a jumps card at Fontwell. David does not have any runners but both Conor O'Farrell and David Noonan have two rides each at Fontwell. Having said that, the races they are in look like hard races to pick a winner from! Matt Chapman is very nervous as he is hoping to receive a call from ITV about forming part of their new racing team. He has met with them a couple of times recently but said "I have no horsey background and have never been taught or had any TV lessons"! If I were him I would not keep telling people that, it's bleeding obvious to everyone! I am only joking, I actually think you do need characters like Matt and I think he would do a good job.
- Saturday, 03 September 2016 06:58
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Today we have six meetings, five flat cards at Haydock, Ascot, Kempton, Thirsk and Wolverhampton plus a jumps card at Stratford. David has two runners at Stratford, Purple N Gold and Tobacco Road. Purple N Gold runs in the 3.35pm, 2m6f handicap chase. He looks like he needs this trip these days but he is still three pounds higher than his best winning mark of 130. It will be interesting to see if he does stay. Tobacco Road runs in the 4.05pm novice hurdle. The six year old is having his first run for the yard. He was useful on the flat, rated 87 but he has not run since October 2015. Tom Scu rides them both. Tom also has outside rides with chances. Theatre Flame in the 2.30pm and Don'ttellthemissis in the 5.10pm. I bet a lot of husbands say that quite often to their mates!
- Friday, 02 September 2016 07:32
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
What a cracking run from Skylander yesterday afternoon at Sedgefield. He was only beaten a head and would surely have won in another stride or two. When you consider that he made a terrible blunder at the fifth with conditional jockey Michael Heard having both legs on one side of the horse, it was an amazing recovery and he has to be considered an unlucky loser. Meanwhile, Gabrial The Great finished fourth reverted back to hurdles and shaped as though he might benefit from a step-up in trip.
