It is yet another blank day on the jumping front, but at least there is some light at the end of the tunnel with some action due to take place at Stratford and Fontwell on Thursday.  The stable has some entries at Fontwell and I can't wait to see the National Hunt action again.  In the meantime we have five meetings this afternoon at Ffos Las, Lingfield, Kempton, Thirsk and Wolverhampton - it looks very tricky with some very tight handicaps that will take a bit of working out.

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With all of the excitement of Shergar Cup day at Ascot yesterday, this afternoon feels like something of an anti-climax with only Folkestone and Leicester hosting flat cards this afternoon.  However there is excellent action on the menu over in Ireland where The Curragh have no less than four Group races on their card, while there is a jumps meeting at Downpatrick where it looks to be a very competitive day's racing.

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Molly_Oscar_gallops_web

Another day and no jump racing!  Nevermind, there are plenty of meetings on the level to keep us entertained, including the Shergar Cup at Ascot as well as meetings from Haydock, Newmarket, Redcar, Ayr and Lingfield.  Oh, and don't forget that the Olympics are coming to a close this weekend!

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Shoegazer_gallops_Aug_web

Although there is no jump racing taking place this week, there is still plenty of work to do around the yard with all of the horses to be ridden out.  I have a couple of pictures from the gallops to share with you of Shoegazer, already a three times winner this season over fences and new recruit Kowloon as they completed solo pieces of work on the gallops.

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Grands_Crus_2_Selwyn

We had one runner at Kempton yesterday evening, On Khee in the apprentices' handicap over 1m3 1/2f.  She was unable to challenge and was ultimately a little disappointing.  The course at Kempton has come under fire in recent days from trainers and jockeys who claim that the surface (relaid over the summer) is unacceptable.  It is certainly riding on the slow side but then the official going has been described as standard/slow so I don't know what everyone was expecting.

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Hunterview__Bois_Des_Aigles_web

I don't know about you, but I am already getting withdrawal symptoms from lack of jump racing!  The stable has one runner this evening at Kempton as On Khee takes in the apprentices' handicap over 1m3 1/2f.  Our mare produced a better effort last time out over a mile at Windsor and she could find the step-up in trip to her liking this evening.  Willy Twiston-Davies is a positive jockey booking and we will be hoping for the best come 6.00pm this evening.  There are four other meetings on the level today at Pontefract, Brighton, Newcastle, Yarmouth.

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Decoy__Vieux_Lion_gallops_web

With a week of no jump racing it is down to the boys on the flat to keep us entertained.  There are five meetings scheduled for this afternoon at Bath, Catterick, Wolverhampton, Ripon and Kempton.  Talk about race planning - I guess the fellow that looks after the jumps cards is on holiday this week!  Anyway I tend to agree with David's sentiments in his column - a return to the old schedule where everyone has a month off before the new season would be far preferable to the odd week off here or there.

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