There is a busy day ahead with seven meetings taking place, including five flat cards from York, Sandown, Chester, Chelmsford City and Bath as well as National Hunt action from Newton Abbot and Perth.  It is Newton Abbot's big fixture of the season today with a very valuable handicap chase and handicap hurdle backed up by a very competitive card.  The stable has three runners at the meeting; Standing Ovation, Prince Of Poets and Kie.  Standing Ovation (pictured above) competes in the Mildmay Chase having bolted up in a novices's hurdle at Market Rasen last week and he is just out of the weights - with his confidence back he could have each way prospects at odds of around 10/1.  Meanwhile Kie runs in the handicap hurdle and will be fit from a recent run on the flat and Prince Of Poets takes his chance in the novices' handicap hurdle with first time headgear.

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There are four flat cards this afternoon from York, Sandown, Salisbury and Wolverhampton as well as a jumps fixture at Bangor.  Although David doesn't have any runners over the sticks today, he does have a runner on the level as Street Entertainer takes in the concluding 1m6f handicap at Salisbury this evening at 8.05pm.  Our consistent and versatile eight year old was third over this trip at Nottingham last time and he should give his running once again although this does look very competitive for the grade.  Mikey Ennis, who won the Midlands National for us a couple of years ago is in the saddle this evening.

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Today we have five meetings taking place with four flat cards from York, Chepstow, Hamilton and Lingfield as well as a jumps card from Stratford, although the stable doesn't have any runners this afternoon.  It was a bit of a disappointing evening at Worcester yesterday with Lilbourne Legacy weakening in the last couple of furlongs of the bumper.  He must get the trip as he was placed in a couple of Irish point-to-points and I would imagine that David will now send him over obstacles.  Meanwhile For 'N' Against was unable to supplement last week's Fontwell success despite running creditably to finish fourth in the handicap hurdle.    I would like the handicapper to tell me how he has any prospect of winning once his new handicap mark kicks in?  If he couldn't win last night under a 7lbs penalty, how will he win with a further 9lbs on his back?  Maybe David should let the assessor enter the six year old up?!

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There are five meetings taking place this afternoon with flat action from York, Carlisle, Ffos Las and Kempton and a jumps fixture from Worcester.  David has two runners at Worcester, Lilbourne Legacy and last week's Fontwell scorer For 'N' Against.  For 'N' Against was an easy 25 length winner although the handicapper has reacted by putting him up by a whopping 16lbs in future handicaps.  He is turned out again under a 7lbs penalty meaning that he is officially 9lbs 'well-in' here - I guess we will find out if the assessor was right, this does look to be a better race than the one he won, although he still looks to have outstanding claims.  Our other runner, Lilbourne Legacy is making his debut for the stable this afternoon having finished placed in a couple of Irish points.  He wasn't beaten at all far at Punchestown last time on yielding ground - my biggest concern would be this faster surface.  Tom Scudamore is aboard both of our runners.

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It's another blank day as far as jumps action is concerned leaving us with just four flat cards from Ripon, Kempton, Chelmsford City and Leicester. The 9.20pm from Chelmsford City doesn't look very competitive.  Indeed, it is just a two runner race with Sir Mark Prescott's runner, Alinstante is a 1/6 chance according to the Racing Post.  The winner will pick up £11,000 in prize money while the loser will get £3,300 so prize money is certainly not the issue in this instance.  It is the last race on the card and I would imagine that most of the people will have gone home by 9.20pm!  Something needs to be done about two-runner races as it does very little for our sport.

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It was a good weekend for the stable with a couple of winners at Market Rasen on Saturday and Southwell on Sunday.  Standing Ovation (pictured above) was the ready winner of Market Rasen's novices' hurdle, bolting up by an easy thirteen lengths and judging by this performance he should have little trouble winning again over timber before reverting to the larger obstacles.  Kalifourchon won the handicap hurdle at Southwell a shade cosily and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him turning out again under a penalty before the bad man can have his say!

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     My Brother Sylvest - Very Consistent

David has two runners at today's jumps card at Southwell, My Brother Sylvest and Kalifourchon.  My Brother Sylvest has been running consistently well all summer which is why he carries 11st 11lb in this handicap.  He was a good second at Worcester last time and although he is probably a little high in the weight he should run well again.  Kalifourchon won first time out this season and was then second next time, 49 days ago.  Our four year old has 10st 12lb and fingers crossed he should run a big race.  Tom Scu rides both runners.  There is only one other meeting today, a flat card at Pontefract.

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