Frosty start at Pond House

Today we just have the one runner at Newbury, Iceo Madrik.  All three jumps meetings today once again have morning inspections to see if racing can go ahead with temperatures dropping below freezing overnight.  The whole of the Newbury track was covered in fleece earlier in the week in an attempt to beat the freeze so hopefully they do!  Doncaster have the take offs and landings and vulnerable areas covered while I don’t think Musselburgh have anything on the track so we will just have to see what happens and keep our fingers crossed for some jumps action somewhere!

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          Shot Boii runs at Lingfield today

Today we have three runners at two different meetings providing the weather does not cause any disruption!  There are due to be three jumps card at Lingfield, Musselburgh and Taunton and there are inspections all round with the threat of frost and snow for all the courses.  All being well, we have Shot Boii running at Lingfield in the 12.35pm handicap chase with Jack Tudor on board.  Our six year old makes his chasing debut at a course he likes having won his first two starts of last season over hurdles at the track.  His career record stands at four wins from fourteen starts and although the race looks competitive he looks a cracking each way bet at 12/1.  He is seven pounds higher than his last hurdle win but has finished second of 103 and only runs off 105 today.  He has schooled well at home and I think the larger obstacles can bring about further improvement.

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                     Breakfast time

There are three jumps meetings around the country today but we do not have any runners.  They race at Hereford, Kelso and Wetherby while in Ireland they race on the all-weather at Dundalk.  David Noonan is the only jockey of ours riding today and he travels to Wetherby for one ride in the 1.50pm handicap chase on a horse called Mr Bo.  He is the outside of the field at 16/1 so looks to have it to do but hopefully he can run well to make the long journey worthwhile.

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          Only Fools winner at Ludlow

It was great to get a win with Only Fools at Ludlow yesterday in the colours of the David Pipe Racing Club.  This was a deserved first success for our four year old over hurdles as she has been pretty consistent and a little unlucky not have won before.  She really appreciated the step up in distance and travelled strongly towards the rear of the field and jumping well before Jack moved her through to challenge before three from home.  She went a few lengths clear from two out before she was  tiring close to the line as her rivals closed in but she just held on to win. 

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Today we have two runners at Ludlow, Time Interval and Only Fools. Time Interval makes his stable and hurdling debut in the opening maiden hurdle race on the card at 12:35pm and Jack Tudor rides. He is a flat winner who has run to a good level of ability and won at Goodwood in May. He has schooled well at home and he is an exciting new recruit to the hurdling ranks. He is very enthusiastic so sports at hood today but hopefully he can make an encouraging stable debut at about 13/2 in the betting.

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     Bumpy Johnson Runs at Exeter Today

It is a busy day for the stable with five runners at Exeter today and three at Uttoxeter.  The lorry had an early start to Uttoxeter this morning with Tough Approach running in the opening race of the day at 11.55am.  This is a maiden hurdle over 2m4f and Nick Scholfield rides.  He made a pleasing stable debut in a bumper at Newton Abbot and stayed on well to finish third.  He will appreciate the step up in trip today as stamina is his forte and he will handle the track and ground.  There are only six runners and I would like to think he won’t be too far away.

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     Sidi Ismael runs at Haydock Today

Today we have just the one runner at Haydock, Sidi Ismael.  He runs in the concluding race on their card, the 3.35pm staying handicap chase with Jack Tudor riding.  This is his seasonal reappearance and he does have a good record fresh but he returns to action carrying top weight off a mark of 135 in a competitive looking race so it will be tough.   He is about 10/1 in the betting and he is in good form at home so I wouldn’t put anyone off backing him each way.  He won’t mind the ground and stamina is his forte having finished runner up on his last two starts of last term over 3m4f.  All being well he heads to the Becher Chase over the Grand National fences next month after this.

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