- Sunday, 23 September 2012 00:00
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
There are three meetings on this afternoon - a flat card in Scotland at Hamilton and two jumps meetings at Plumpton and Uttoxeter. Yes, I did say jumps meetings and it is certainly nice to have the National Hunt action back on again following another enforced ten day sabbatical. The stable has one runner, Shallow Bay (Tom Scudamore) in the maiden hurdle at Uttoxeter and he already has plenty of form in the book to suggest that he should go close in such a race. Champion jockey A P McCoy has no fewer than eight mounts at the track and I cannot believe that he will be leaving there without a winner or two. Remember though, if you are having a bet at Hamilton today - the ground is heavy.
- Saturday, 22 September 2012 06:56
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Many happy returns to young conditional jockey Tom Bellamy (pictured above) who celebrates his 18th birthday today. I am told that means that there are going to be a whole load of things that Bells Junior is now legally able to do...like he hasn't been doing any of them already! I understand that a few of the staff are congregating in Exeter this evening to help him celebrate, so be advised to steer well clear of the city centre tonight!
- Friday, 21 September 2012 07:02
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
There are five meetings taking place this afternoon at Newbury, Brighton, Lingfield, Wolverhampton and Ayr. It is yet another victory(!) for the race planners this afternoon as they have scheduled meetings at Lingfield and Brighton - both tracks are in Sussex and are not far apart. Surely they will have considered whether the same racegoers would have attended both meetings had they been on different days? I would have thought that the attendance at both meetings will be lower or am I missing something?!
- Thursday, 20 September 2012 06:56
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
We have another runner over in Ireland this afternoon as the Listowel Festival continues. The Pier (pictured above) contests a two mile handicap hurdle and should handle the prevailing heavy ground. He carries 11-0 in this competitive looking race and he will be partnered by Tom Scudamore. We will be hoping for better luck than yesterday when Premier Dane fell shortly before halfway in the Kerry National.
- Wednesday, 19 September 2012 07:18
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
It's a big day for the yard today as the stable has one of the favourites for the valuable Kerry National at Listowel today - the race is a three mile handicap chase with a first prize of €96,400. Our runner is the ten year old Premier Dane who is in the form of his life having won all three of his starts since joining us at Pond House. He posted a personal best effort when winning Newton Abbot's valuable hurdle on soft ground last time prompting the handicapper to give him a career high hurdles mark of 145 - he competes in today's chase from a mark of 129 so hopefully is nicely wieghted on 10-10. I wonder if the sponsors will be dishing any of their goods away to the stable staff...I am sure it would be much appreciated (Guinness are the sponsors!).
- Tuesday, 18 September 2012 07:32
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Personally I don't think that enough is being done to promote racing to potential new race-goers. We are enjoying a golden age of flat racing with the likes of Frankel doing wonders for ticket sales wherever he runs. However, a superstar like him comes along once in a lifetime and once he has finished his career, which is likely after Ascot next month, the courses need to think of other ways to keep the crowds coming back for more. I have long advocated free entry for under 18's and more concessions for people from other age groups, but Musselburgh went one better than that yesterday by offering free admittance to people applying on-line. They were rewarded with 5,156 racegoers as compared to last year's corresponding fixture where only 866 people paid to get in. I wonder, of those 5,156 people, how many of them spent money once inside the track - surely it has to be worth the racecourses while? It's about time that some of the other tracks offered such forward thinking ideas.
- Monday, 17 September 2012 07:01
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
This afternoon there are just three flat cards taking place at Musselburgh, Brighton and on the all-weather at Wolverhampton. If you are that badly in need of a jumps fix then there is a mixed card in Ireland at Listowel for the first day of their week long meeting. It is good to see jockey Ruby Walsh back in action and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him successful aboard both of his mounts for Willie Mullins this afternoon. They must have had plenty of rain over in the Emerald Isle as the going at Listowel is currently given as heavy - goodness knows what it will be like by Saturday if they have further downpours! Our runners, Premier Dane (Kerry National, Wednesday) and The Pier (handicap hurdle, Thursday) both left this morning so let's hope that they have an uneventful journey across the Irish Sea.
