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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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Today there are four meetings taking place with flat action from Salisbury, Haydock and Chelmsford City while there is a jumps fixture from Sedgefield.  The stable makes the long trip up to Sedgefield this afternoon with two runners; Skylander and Gabrial The Great.  Skylander was a winner last time out at Worcester and needed every inch of the 2m7f trip to prevail so this marathon distance should suit him, although he is 4lbs higher in the weights today.  Hopefully the longer trip may bring about a bit more improvement.  Meanwhile, winning chaser Gabrial The Great reverts to hurdles and looks to have solid claims under Tom Scudamore.

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There are five meetings taking place this afternoon with flat action from Bath, Lingfield and Carlisle, while there are two (yes, two!) jumps fixtures from Southwell and Newton Abbot.   David has four runners at our local track, Newton Abbot - in the 5.05pm race he runs forecast favourite Poisoned Berry (pictured above) who was a Worcester bumper winner on her debut for the stable on good ground.  She has schooled well at home and this trip of 2m5 1/2f should suit her.  We also run old favourites Houston Dynimo and Lady Of Longstone (both have won from higher marks, albeit Lady Of Longstone was over hurdles), while Rathealy carries top weight in the trappy little handicap hurdle.  Rathealy needs to improve on his recent starts to figure.  We were due to have a runner at Southwell, although Mr Burgees does not now take his chance.

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It was a good day for the stable yesterday with two of the three runners obliging at Cartmel.  Father Edward (pictured above) made a good debut for the Pond House team by winning the staying chase by a comfortable nine lengths at 17/2, in the process picking up over £12,500.  It was a good performance from horse and jockey and an excellent training feat from David (just don't tell him I said as much!).  Ennistown (pictured below) completed the double when bolting up in the staying handicap hurdle, seeing out the longer trip in good style and looking like an improved performer.  He too picked up over £12,500 so the long trip was certainly worthwhile.  Newcomer Dauphine Ereine, a half-sister to Dynaste ran a promising race on her first start in this country and she should be winning races sooner rather than later.

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